From 1668 to 1829, 145,000 people were shipped from the slave trading port at St. Louis, Senegal. From 1668 to 1843, 126,000 people were shipped from the slave trading port of Bissau on the coast of modern day Guinea Bissau, West Africa. These are the lands were Balanta people were living. From these two slave trading ports, 6,400 people were brought to the Gulf Coast, 10,000 people were brought to the port at Charleston, South Carolina, 4,500 people were brought to Chesapeake, and 1,400 people were brought to New York. In addition, 85,800 people were brought to the Islands of the West Indies. If you are a Balanta descendant living in America today, the most likely scenario is that your Balanta ancestor was one of those people. There are a lot of Balanta descendants scattered throughout the United States. Working together, we can reconnect with our culture, develop our Heritage Corridor, and build together with our Balanta family that are concentrated today in Guinea Bissau.
Join the Balanta B’urassa History & Genealogy Society in America. We will help you research your family history, provide hard to find information on Balanta history, and include you in our development projects, tour groups, workshops and special events.
WHAT DO I GET FOR MY MEMBERSHIP OF $25 EACH YEAR?
Donate
Your donation allows us to connect people and create partnerships around the world. It also allows us to produce and distribute our books, videos and other educational materials.
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Tell your friends and family about Balanta history and culture. There's no better way to make an impact on behalf of the worldwide Balanta community than to become an active member yourself. Join now and make an impact!