Hidden in Plain Sight: Black Immigrants and the Organizations Working to Welcome and Support Them

Black History month is a time to reflect on and appreciate Black history, culture, and people. In 1619, the first enslaved Africans were kidnapped and brought to this land. Since then, the Black population of the United States has grown to 47 million people.  

Although Black immigrants are often overlooked in national discussions about immigration, they are integral to the prosperity of our economy and the vibrancy of our communities. Black people, US-Born and immigrants, make up 14 percent of the total US population.

One in Ten Immigrants Is Black (10.4 Percent) 

Total US Population  Black or African American  Share of Population Identifying as Black or African American 
US Born  284,711,561  42,366,826  14.9% 
Immigrants  45,013,922  4,664,030  10.4% 
Total  329,725,483  47,030,856  14.3% 
Fig 1. Immigration Research Initiative analysis of 2021 ACS 5-year data. The column for Black or African American includes people who identify as Black/African American alone or in combination with one or more other races. US Born includes US citizens born in Puerto Rico or US Island Areas and those born abroad of American parent(s). 

…And, One in Ten Black Americans Is an Immigrant (9.9 Percent) 

Estimate  Share 
US Born Black or African American  42,366,826  90.1% 
Immigrants who are Black 4,664,030  9.9% 
Total Black or African American  47,030,856  100% 
Fig 2. Immigration Research Initiative analysis of 2021 ACS 5-year data. The column for Black or African American includes people who identify as Black/African American alone or in combination with one or more other races. US Born includes U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico or U.S. Island Areas and those born abroad of American parent(s).

Of the 45 million immigrants in the United States, 4.7 million (10.4 percent) are Black. And of the 47 million Black people who live in the United States, 4.7 million (9.9 percent) are immigrants.  

Black people from all over the globe have immigrated to the United States. A bit more than half of Black immigrants come from the Caribbean/ Latin America (54 percent), and a bit under half from Africa (42 percent), with almost all the remaining 4 percent being represented by Black Europeans and Asian/Pacific Islanders.

About Half of Black Immigrants Are from Latin America and a Little Less than Half Are from Africa 

Fig 3. Immigration Research Initiative analysis of 2021 ACS 5-year data. Census data include Mexico in Central America.  

Top Countries of Origin for Black Immigrants in the US 

Estimate  Share 
1 Jamaica 759,356 16%
2 Haiti 672,565 14%
3 Nigeria 391,195 8%
4 Ethiopia 262,550 6%
5 Dominican Republic 206,716 4%
6 Ghana 186,244 4%
7 Trinidad and Tobago 184,767 4%
8 Guyana 135,059 3%
9 Kenya 134,270 3%
10 Somalia  98,741 2%
All Other Countries 1,632,539 35%
Total 4,664,002 100%
Fig 4. Immigration Research Initiative analysis of 2021 ACS 5-year data. 

Black immigrants in the US come from 141 different countries. The top five countries of origin represent about half, 49 percent, of Black immigrants in the United States. No one country representing more than 16 percent of the total, with immigrants from a large number of countries with less than 100,000 immigrants each making up a third of the total. 

There are many groups that are rooted in the Black community that focus on Immigration issues and advocacy. Some work nationally, others are rooted in specific local communities. Their work is crucial to welcoming and supporting the newest Black Americans to their communities around the country. There are many organizations working at the intersection of Black Immigration and Black U.S.-born communities—this list is just a start.  

We are pleased to share, uplift, and celebrate this important work of these groups, and welcome suggestions for additions to the list:  

 

By Shamier Settle, Senior Policy Analyst