| This study examines the complex connections between migration, identity, and cultural
resilience within Yoruba communities in the American South. It argues that Yoruba diaspora
communities in the Southern United States were not merely shaped by the forces of globalization
but actively redefined what it meant to be Yoruba in a globalized world by preserving, adapting,
and projecting their cultural practices in response to political, economic, and social
transformations. The study employed oral histories, government documents, and secondary
literature to analyze the impact of globalization on the lives and experiences of Yoruba migrants,
including descendants of enslaved Africans and post-1965 immigrants, in states like South
Carolina, Texas, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. It examines the Yoruba diaspora formed in the
context of the transatlantic slave trade, immigration policies in the 20th century, and the rise of
cultural nationalism. It focuses on important organizations like Oyotunji African Village, the
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, and the Alliance of Yoruba Organizations
and Clubs.
Keywords: Adaptation, Cultural Identity, Globalization, Migration, Transnationalism, Yoruba
Diaspora |