Indians of African Descent: Emerging Roles and New Identities

The trans-Atlantic slave trade with its forced migrations of millions overwhelms the subjects of African and African-diaspora histories. In contrast to closely studied Atlantic migrations, far less attention has been given to Africans' eastward movements and their tasks, enterprises, achievements, and contributions to societies east of Africa. Empowered through elite military slavery, some Africans reached prominent positions in India. The fate of the African elite followed the political dynamics of postcolonial India as the states of Janjira and Sachin were incorporated into the Indian Union after independence. Multiple waves of migrations have created several Afro-Indian communities with diverse histories and shifting borders. As these communities emerge from the forests, villages, and cosmopolitan cities, India's diversity is beginning to be fully appreciated. This article explores the rise of Africans to prominent positions in India's past and highlights the emergence of disenfranchised Africans as mendicants and entertainers.