Guyanese Americans

After the independence of Guyana from the United Kingdom, in 1966, Guyanese immigration to the United States increased dramatically. Political and economic uncertainty, and the internal strife two years earlier as well as a radical change in US immigration policy opening up opportunities to non-Europeans prompted many Guyanese who could make the move to seek opportunities abroad. An average of 6,080 people a year emigrated from Guyana between 1969 and 1976, increasing to an average of 14,400 between 1976 and 1981. Many of the first Guyanese immigrants to the United States were of African descent. They were women who were recruited as domestic workers or nursing assistants. Prior to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 Guyanese of Asian descent faced immigration restrictions by the Asiatic Barred Zone. However, many Guyanese who had studied in the US in the mid 20th century or earlier stayed on in the US; although some like Cheddi Jagan returned to Guyana. Shirley Chisholm's father represents one of the earliest of Guyanese immigrants to the US during the 20th century; emigration from Guyana at that time was mostly to Caribbean or Commonwealth countries. Many Indo-Guyanese immigrants emigrated to New York City during the upheavals of the 1970s and 1980s, a group descended from the original Indian indentured servants that arrived to Guyana in the early 1800s after the abolishing of slavery by the British Empire. == Demographics ==

is home to the largest Guyanese population in the United States. The United States has the highest number of Guyanese people outside of Guyana. The Guyanese-American community mostly consists of people of Indian and African origins although there are a few Indigenous Guyanese living in the United States. As of 1990, 80 percent of Guyanese Americans lived in the northeastern United States, especially around New York City, which is home to over 140,000 people of Guyanese descent. Many Indo-Guyanese immigrants emigrated to New York City during the upheavals of the 1970s and 1980s and settled in South Richmond Hill. The 2000 census identified 24,662 people in Richmond Hill who were born in Guyana, the majority of whom were of Indian descent. The majority of NYC's Afro-Guyanese population lives in Brooklyn's West Indian neighborhoods, most notably Flatbush and Canarsie. == Politics ==

Guyanese have organized many of the U.S. Caribbean organizations. There are many associations of nurses and police from Guyana. Although the group has not made a collective impact on U.S. national policy, they have organized, through their churches, with other ethnic groups to promote knowledge about and find solutions for the problems in their neighborhoods and have entered local politics. Shirley Chisholm was the only Congresswoman of Guyanese descent in American history, as well as the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. Helen M. Marshall, who for three terms served as Borough President of Queens from 2002 to 2014, was born to Afro-Guyanese parents from British Guiana. == Associations ==

Some of the associations are the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Indo-Caribbean Alliance, The Indo-Caribbean Federation of North America, and the Association of Guyanese-Americans. Around springtime, the Hindu Indo-Guyanese population in Richmond Hill, Queens traditionally hold a Phagwah Holi Festival and Celebration and during the time of Diwali they have a motorcade on Liberty Avenue with a show. == Relations with Guyana ==

The Guyanese-American community has close ties with Guyana and sends financial aid back to family members. There are large ongoing academic exchanges between Guyana and the United States. The Journal of the Caribbean is a Caribbean newspaper important to inform the Indo-Guyanese and other Caribbean groups of their achievements and inform them about the events in Guyana. This newspaper is published weekly and distributed throughout North America. The publications of these papers are written in English. However, there are also publications in other languages. Newspapers offer services to help people. In the newspaper there is tax air tickets and visa forms, applications and service support for the elderly, advertisements for charities for children in Guyana and India. ==Notable people==

Academics • Kerwin Kofi Charles Actors • Yaani King • Dawnn Lewis • Avi Nash • Derek Luke • Nicole Narain – Model and actress • C. C. H. Pounder • Sean Patrick Thomas • Jabari Brisport • Helen M. Marshall • Roxanne Persaud Pop culture • Red Café • Godfrey Cambridge • Rafael Cameron • Kevin Darlington • Oscar Dathorne • Smoke DZA • Rhona Fox • Alyce Fraser Denny • Saint Jhn • Aminta Kilawan (Guyanese parents) – Lawyer, activist and writer • Mel King • Lord Jamar • Dawnn Lewis • Derek Luke (Guyanese father) • Steve Massiah • Thara Prashad • Joy-Ann Reid (Guyanese mother) • Alana Shipp • Terry Gajraj • "Princess Anisa" Singh (Guyanese parents) • Wendell Holland • Giveon (Guyanese mother) • 22Gz Sports • Maritza Correia – Olympic swimmer • Laura Creavalle – Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder • Ezekiel Jackson – WWE professional wrestler and bodybuilder • Mark Teixeira – Major League baseball player, New York Yankees • Darren Collison – NBA player son of two world class Guyanese athletes • Warren Creavalle – Soccer player • Calvin Ridley – NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons Visual artists • Theresa Chromati (born 1992) – painter • Kennard Copeland (born 1966) – ceramic artist • Suchitra Mattai (born 1973) – contemporary textile artist Writers • Kingsley O. Harrop-Williams • Gaiutra Bahadur • Natalie Hopkinson • Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont • Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen ==See also==