Plymouth UCC honors the spirit, humanity and contributions of our siblings from Caribbean cultures. During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the achievements and dreams of the millions of people of Caribbean origin now living in the United States while honoring the shared history of joy and perseverance that has united and enriched our national life for centuries.
The Caribbean American community has shaped U.S. history from its earliest days: Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. Treasury Secretary, was a migrant from the Colony of Nevis in the British Leeward Islands. Even earlier, in 1613, historical records show that Juan Rodriguez from the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo (today’s Dominican Republic) was the first non-Indigenous person to settle in New Amsterdam, the area that would eventually become downtown New York City.
Not all migration to and from the Caribbean was voluntary, however. During the operation of the transatlantic slave trade from the 16th to 19th century, the British forcibly brought millions of enslaved Africans to their colonies in the Caribbean to work on enormous tobacco, sugar, and coffee plantations. After the slave trade became illegal in the British Empire in 1807, the exploitation and use of forced labor continued. South Asians and East Asians were brought to present-day Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago as coerced laborers.
When slavery was abolished in the U.S. in 1865, migration from the Caribbean grew significantly. Most Caribbean immigrants at the time were fleeing from poverty and environmental disasters in their homelands. In 1850, there were 4,000 U.S. residents of Caribbean descent; the population grew to more than 20,000 in 1900, and almost 100,000 in 1930. As of 2019, over 13 million people living in the United States — 4% of its total population —have Caribbean ancestry.
There is no single Caribbean American identity. The mix of cultures, languages, and religions alive across the United States and the islands reflects the diversity of spirit that defines the American story. Meanwhile, our countries are bound by common values and a shared history — overcoming the yoke of colonialism, confronting the original sin of slavery, and charting new opportunities across borders and generations.
A central promise of this country is the idea that everyone is created equal and deserves to be treated equally throughout their lives. It is a cornerstone of our common heritage in this hemisphere, even as we keep striving to finally make that vision real. Caribbean-American Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate the rich diversity that covenant has brought us and to renew its promise for future generations of Caribbean Americans and for us all.