Malian Americans
Malian Americans (French: Américains maliens) are an ethnic group of Americans with ancestry originating in Mali. According to the US Census Bureau ancestry survey, approximately 1,800 Americans stated they had Malian ancestry, making them Malian Americans. The survey did not take into account illegal immigrants or people who did not participate in the survey, which could mean that many more uncounted Malians live throughout the United States. History The first people of Malian origin who were brought to the colonies were mainly Mandinkas slaves, a Muslim ethnic group descended from the Mali Empire (1230s–1600s), who scattered throughout West Africa through the empire's expansion. They were transported from places such like Senegal to the United States as slaves during the 17th through 19th centuries. In Louisiana, the non-Muslim Bambara from Mali were a large group. Non-Muslim people from India were included as well. The African slaves were often captured as a result of conflicts with other African ethnic groups. They were then enslaved by the winner of the conflict, and subsequently sold to European and American slave traders on the African shores. After the abolition of slavery in the United States in 1865, few Malians immigrated to the United States until