The Caribbean-American Heritage Month is an annual opportunity to recognize the valuable contributions made by immigrants from the group of island nations.
To mark the occasion, U.S. President Joe Biden, who works with a Vice President of Jamaican heritage, issued a proclamation from the White House on the final day of May. It reads in part: “Caribbean Americans are dreamers and doers, always finding ways to push our country forward, reach new heights, and forge a more perfect union. From the Caribbean Americans who helped build our country from the ground up to those who have only just arrived, they have all believed in the possibilities our country has to offer and strengthened the diverse fabric of our nation.”
As of the 2020 census, 4.7 million residents in the United States were of Caribbean origin, with the majority (80 percent) hailing from Jamaica or Haiti. This number represents approximately 10 percent of America’s foreign-born population. According to U.S. census data, the largest communities of Caribbean Americans live in New York, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Texas, California, and the District of Columbia.
The most recent census reports an official total of 5,632 Haitians living in the state of Delaware, most of whom live in Sussex County, particularly in Seaford and Georgetown. This official number is more than double what it was in the 2010 census. Most believe unofficial numbers of Haitians in Delaware – closer to 15,000 – is significantly higher than what was reported to census officials, particularly after the influx of Haitian immigrants that migrated to the United States following the devastating earthquake that hit the Caribbean nation in 2010.