Malian Americans: Difference between revisions

'''Malian Americans''' are [[Americans]] of [[Mali]]an descent. According the 2000 US Census, there were 1,790 Malian Americans. However, the number the people of Malian origin may be more higher. In 2007, it was estimated that in [[New York City|New York]] lived approximately 8,000 Malian Americans.<ref name="NewYorktimes"/>

After the abolition of slavery in United States in 1865, few Malians emigrated to the United States until the 20th century. So, the first wave of Malian voluntary migration occurred in the 1970s and 1980s<ref name="NewYorktimes">[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/world/americas/10iht-web.0310.mali.4866230.html?pagewanted=all Disaster puts spotlight on Malian immigrants to U.S]. By Michael Powell and Nina Bernstein. Published in Saturday, March 10, 2007</ref> having as objective studying. However, would not be until the 1990s when the biggest wave of Malian immigrants came to the United States. This time the majority of Malians who emigrated to the United States and Europe did this mainly to escape poverty and famine in their country, along with a coup and the closing of schools in 1991.<ref name="Enchmali"/> However, at the beginning of the decade, most Malians who emigrated to New York were Malian artists and Dioula (traders). Already in this city, they sought new markets to sell their products. Over time, they moved to other cities like [[Chicago]], [[Seattle]] and [[Philadelphia]]. Following these migrations, Chicago started to become one of the major cities in the United States with Malian communities. In addition, many Malians who emigrated in this decade were also women who came to [[New York]]<ref name="NewYorktimes"/><ref name="Enchmali"/> and [[Washington DC]], pursuing economic and educational opportunities they had in those cities. In addition, a small group of graduate students studying on government-sponsored scholarships moved to the US, along with family members using the lottery system for green cards.<ref name="Enchmali">[http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/782.html Encyclopedia ofChicago: Malians in Chicago]. Posted by Tracy Steffes. Retrieved September 2, 2012, to 1:27 pm.</ref> Roughly 3,500 Malians enter the United States each year on temporary visas, but only about 85 Malians a year get citizenship. Some Malian immigrants also gain asylum, mainly women seeking refuge from [[female genital mutilation]], as it is widespread in West Africa.<ref name="NewYorktimes"/>

Many Malians are living illegally in the United States, and are raising native-born children. Furthermore, the practice of having more than one wife exists in Muslim countries are still held in the Malian origin community in the United States. The cities with the most significant population are: [[New York City]], [[Washington, DC]], [[Atlanta]], [[Chicago]], and [[Baltimore]]. Malian Americans may speak French, as a first or second language, English, [[Bambara language|Bambara]] and other African languages and they are mostly Muslims. In 2007, it was estimated that in [[New York City|New York]] lived approximately 8,000 Malian Americans.<ref name="NewYorktimes"/> The Malian community has continued to grow rapidly due to emigration to New York.<ref name="Enchmali"/>