Caribbean Immigrants in the United States
Research indicates that approximately 47% of Black immigrants to the United States originate from the Caribbean, with Haiti and Jamaica being the top two sending countries (Tamir & Anderson, 2022). Yet, Caribbean immigrants in the US often have their identities and stories distilled to stereotypical and sometimes derogatory portayals (Nevins, 2019; Poluha, 2018; Smith & Warrican, 2021). These stereotypes deny the rich heterogeneity and depth contained in the authentic and hybrid narratives of Caribbean immigrants.
Black immigrants are often invisibilized in dominant societal and institutional discourses about race and immigrant identity in the US, as Black immigrant identity is often subsumed under that of African American identity (Kumi-Yeboah. et al., 2021; Terry, 2023). Even when Black immigrant identity is recognized, Caribbean immigrants frequently find that their identities are placed in stereotyped boxes, or their ethno-geographic identity is negated, and they are presented as a monolith with Black immigrants from other world regions. Caribbean immigrants who do not present as Black find that they are often assumed to be white or Hispanic.
There is a need to disentangle the Caribbean immigrant story from the other immigrant narratives so that Caribbean immigrant voices can be amplified. This project offers a brief yet enlightening view into the narratives of Caribbean immigrants from Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, as they journey to and settle in the US. The project invites viewers to engage with Caribbean immigrant narratives beyond the stereotypes.
Kumi-Yeboah, A., Onyewuenyi, A. C., & Smith, P. (2021). Teaching Black immigrant students in urban schools: Teacher and peer relationships and academic performances. The Urban Review, 53(2), 218–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-020-00570-2;Nevins, A. S. (2019). Working juju: Representations of the Caribbean fantastic. University of Georgia Press.; ; Poluha, L. M. (2018). Cannibals in paradise: Perpetuating and contesting Caribbean island stereotypes in film. Post Script, 37(2/3), 96-116, I. ; Smith, P., & Warrican, S. (2021). Migrating while multilingual and Black: Beyond the "(bi)dialectal" burden [In E. Bauer, L. Sanchez & Y. Wang, Eds.: A Transdisciplinary Lens for Bilingual Education: Bridging Translanguaging, Sociocultural Research, Cognitive Approaches, and Student Learning].; Tamir, C., & Anderson, M. (2022, January 20). Where Black immigrants in the U.S. come from. Race & Ethnicity.; Terry, N. (2023). Multicultural education and the ESEA: The ebbs and flows of policy alignment between 1965-2015. Multicultural Education Review, 0(0), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2023.2164964
Caribbean Immigrants in the US Labor Market
Since the 1970 U.S. Census, data have consistently shown that Black immigrants from English-speaking Caribbean nations (West Indies) exhibit higher labor force participation, employment rates, and earnings than U.S.-born Black individuals, even when controlling for factors like education level (Hamilton, Easley, and Dixon, 2018). Caribbean immigrants continue to make significant contributions across key sectors in the U.S. economy, notably through niche occupations in healthcare, agriculture, hospitality, and essential service roles. In healthcare, they serve as critical personnel—working as nurses, aides, and technicians—who ensure quality patient care and support community health. In agriculture, they play essential roles in crop harvesting and food production, helping maintain a steady food supply nationwide. Their impact is also prominent in hospitality, where they support the tourism economy by working in hotels, restaurants, and resorts. Additionally, many Black immigrant men take on vital roles as motor vehicle operators, cleaning service workers, and security personnel, demonstrating their strong presence in occupations that are integral to the day-to-day functioning of various industries.
For more detailed information on the impact of Caribbean immigrants in these fields and beyond, visit the Migration Policy Institute's full report on Caribbean immigrants in the U.S.
Hamilton, Tod G., Janeria A. Easley, and Angela R. Dixon. "Black immigration, occupational niches, and earnings disparities between US-born and foreign-born blacks in the United States." RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 4.1 (2018): 60-77.
Prominent Caribbean Immigrants
Notable Caribbean first and second-generation immigrants to the United States include Carmelo Anthony, Harry Belafonte Jr, Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Toure), Kamala Harris, Wyclef Jean, Mia Love, Alejandro Mayorkas, Sidney Poitier, Colin Powell, and many more.