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Revision as of 23:27, 8 May 2021 by Clear Looking Glass (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Ethnic group| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,000-10,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Warsaw (Wola), Łódź, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Szczecin | |
| Languages | |
| Polish, French, English | |
| Religion | |
| Islam, Roman Catholicism, Atheism |
Africans in Poland, also known as Afro-Polish (Polish: Afro-Polski) are citizens or residents of Poland who are of African descent.
History
The origins of the Afro-Polish community are rooted in educational immigration to the Polish People's Republic. The Communist government strongly supported anti-colonial movements in Africa as part of broader Soviet policy. From the 1950s to the 1980s, many Africans emigrated to Poland to pursue their educations. While most African students in Poland returned to their countries of origin, many decided to remain in Poland and acquire citizenship. The contemporary Afro-Polish community is composed of many of these Africans and their descendants.
In 1955, the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students was held in Warsaw. Organized by the leftist, anti-imperialist World Federation of Democratic Youth, the festival invited thousands of delegates from around the world, including almost 1,000 Africans. The Communist leadership of Poland wished to express solidarity and promote socialism to Africans from colonized nations. This was one of the earliest Polish encounters with non-white people following the end of the multicultural and multiethnic Second Polish Republic following World War II. The Polish Press Agency was given the task of documenting the African visitors, which began an ongoing series of Polish press photography depicting African visitors and residents of Poland.
Notable Afro-Polish
- Władysław Franciszek Jabłonowski – Polish-born Napoleonic General of English and African descent
- August Agbola O'Browne - Jazz drummer, Polish resistance member
- Abdulcadir Gabeire Farah – Somalian-born historian and social activist.
- Simon Mol - Cameroonian anti-racism activist arrested for knowingly spreading HIV virus
- Maxwell Itoya – Nigerian immigrant in Poland, who was killed in a police raid on a flea market.
- John Godson – Nigerian-born Civic Platform member of the Sejm
- Larry Ugwu – Nigerian-born musician, actor & Director of Baltic Sea Cultural Center Gdansk
- Killion Munyama – Zambian-born Polish People's Party member of the Sejm
- Patrick Kibangou – Congolese-born Democratic Left Alliance – Labour Union politician
- Emmanuel Olisadebe - Nigerian-born footballer
- Mamadou Diouf – Senegalese-born musician
- Izu Ugonoh – Polish-born boxer of Nigerian descent
- Osi Ugonoh - Winner of Poland's Next top model, of Nigerian descent
- Patricia Kazadi – Polish-born actress of Congolese descent
- Aleksandra Szwed – Polish-born actress of Nigerian descent
- Ifi Ude – Nigerian-born singer
- Yared Shegumo – Ethiopian-born distance runner, who specializes in the Marathon
- Omenaa Mensah – Polish-born TV presenter of Ghanaian descent
- Babatunde Aiyegbusi – Polish-born professional wrestler of Nigerian descent
- Ferdinand Chi Fon - Cameroon-born retired footballer
- Thomas Kelati - Basketball player of Eritrean heritage
- Krystian Legierski - LGBT activist, Mauritanian father
- Artur Partyka - Former high jumper, Algerian father
- Patrycja Soliman - Actress, Egyptian father
- Sofia Ennaoui - Athlete, Moroccan father
- Stanley Udenkwor - Former footballer of Nigerian descent
- Kelechi Iheanacho (footballer, born 1981) - Nigerian footballer
- Martins Ekwueme - Nigerian footballer
- Benjamin Imeh - Nigerian footballer
- Maxwell Kalu - Nigerian footballer
- Mouhamadou Traoré - Senegalese footballer
- Karim Martusewicz - Libyan-born musician
- A. J. Slaughter - Basketball player
- Patrick Yoka - Actor
- Ishmael Baidoo - Ghanean footballer
- Mohamed Mbow - Musician
- Paco Sarr - Senegalese musician
- Yaya Samake - Malian musician
- Klaudia El Dursi - TV presenter
- Robert El Gendy - TV presenter
- Luiza Beznouaoua - Reality TV program participant
- Inedes Maboundy - African Braids Hairdresser from Congo
- Olimpia Ajakaiye - Actress and TV presenter
Notes
- Polish: Afropolacy
References
- "Valid documents". Retrieved 2020-06-09.
- "Poland: Sub-Saharan Africans and the struggle for acceptance". Minority Rights Group International. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- "Afro-Poland: a revolutionary friendship, captured in rare photographs from 1955-1989". The Calvert Journal. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- "Poland's African candidate for the European parliament". Retrieved 2017-07-26.