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THE POPULATION OF the Bahamas is made up of a mix of races, including
blacks, whites, Asians, and Hispanics. In addition to differences in race and
ethnicity, Bahamians are divided socially and economically by their status as
either “urban islanders” or “family islanders.”
About 90 percent of Bahamians are black. Most are descended from
slaves brought from North and South Carolina after the American
Revolution. The ancestors of these slaves were primarily members of the Ibo,
Mandingo, or Yoruba tribes and lived originally in West Africa. Not all blacks
who immigrated to the Bahamas came as slaves, however. Some came as
freemen. These black freemen often owned their own black slaves. Others
were runaway slaves, intent on finding independence and freedom.
Urban Islanders
and Family Islanders
(Opposite) Port Lucaya Marketplace is
a colorful collection of shops and
restaurants on Grand Bahama Island.
(Right) A group of Bahamian children
gather on a porch.
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