South African-American
Encyclopedia
A South African American refers to a people who live in the United States
and who originate from South Africa
. There are 45,569 people today in the United States who claim South African ancestry. The majority were White South African, most being of Europe
an ancestry.
ns started arriving in the United States as early as the late 19th century starting with White South African (Afrikaner) miners who arrived in California
. Many more South Africans came in the mid-20th Century. White immigrants were typically of European heritage. Immigration by blacks was limited: though the standard of living for blacks in South Africa was higher than for most people living on the African continent, political and economic conditions still made immigration difficult as blacks were forced to first escape to other African nation before they could emigrate to the country of their choice.
The ending of the apartheid brought significant waves of white emigration. This time, white South African settlers also included mostly of British descent
with a significant number of Portuguese blood.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and who originate from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. There are 45,569 people today in the United States who claim South African ancestry. The majority were White South African, most being of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an ancestry.
History
South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
ns started arriving in the United States as early as the late 19th century starting with White South African (Afrikaner) miners who arrived in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Many more South Africans came in the mid-20th Century. White immigrants were typically of European heritage. Immigration by blacks was limited: though the standard of living for blacks in South Africa was higher than for most people living on the African continent, political and economic conditions still made immigration difficult as blacks were forced to first escape to other African nation before they could emigrate to the country of their choice.
The ending of the apartheid brought significant waves of white emigration. This time, white South African settlers also included mostly of British descent
Anglo-African
Anglo-Africans are primarily White African people of largely British descent who live or come from Sub-Saharan Africa and are Anglophone. A large majority live in South Africa...
with a significant number of Portuguese blood.
Notable South African Americans
- Jani AllanJani AllanJani Allan is a South African columnist and radio commentator. She became a household name as a columnist for the Sunday Times where she worked between 1979-90. She is also known for her alleged affair with an interviewee, the late right-wing political leader Eugène Terre'Blanche...
, columnist and radio personality - Caron BernsteinCaron BernsteinCaron Bernstein , is a South African model, actress, singer/songwriter.-Career:Caron moved to New York at 14 after being approached by photographer Patsy Dunn and asked to take test photos for her portfolio. Patsy sent the results to the New York headquarters of Ford Models...
, model and actress - Mike ConnellMike Connell (soccer)Mike Connell is a former professional footballer. He played in his native South Africa as well as in the North American Soccer League.-Youth:...
, professional footballer - Colin CowieColin CowieColin Andrew Wilkie Cowie is a South African lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars, television personality and writer.Cowie was born in Kitwe, Zambia, but educated in South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1985...
, lifestyle guru - Cliff DrysdaleCliff DrysdaleCliff Drysdale is a former top-ranked professional tennis player of the 1960s and early 1970s who became a well-known tennis announcer. He was one of the Handsome Eight, signed by Lamar Hunt in 1968 for the newly formed World Championship Tennis group...
, tennis player - Elizabeth FurseElizabeth FurseElizabeth Furse is a small business owner and faculty member of Portland State University. She was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1999, representing Oregon's 1st congressional district...
, US politician - Robert Hamerton-KellyRobert Hamerton-KellyRobert G. Hamerton-Kelly is a Christian theologian, ordained United Methodist pastor, and author and editor of several books on religion and violence.-Life and career:...
, theologian - Johan KriekJohan KriekJohan Kriek is a South African American professional male tennis player and founder of the Global Water Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering clean water to the world's neediest communities. Kriek has won two Australian Opens and has reached the semi-finals at the French...
, tennis player - Mark MathabaneMark MathabaneMark Mathabane is an author, lecturer, and a former collegiate tennis player and college professor.- Early life in South Africa :...
, author - Dave MatthewsDave MatthewsDavid John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
, musician - Embeth DavidtzEmbeth DavidtzEmbeth Jean Davidtz is an American-born actress who spent much of her early life in South Africa.-Early life:Davidtz was born in Lafayette, Indiana, while her father was studying chemical engineering at Purdue University. Her parents, John and Jean, later moved to Trenton, New Jersey, and then...
, actress - Elon MuskElon MuskElon Musk is an American engineer and entrepreneur heritage best known for co-founding PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors. He is currently the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, CEO and Product Architect of Tesla Motors and Chairman of SolarCity...
, entrepreneur - Daniel MindelDaniel MindelDaniel Mindel A.S.C. is a South African-American cinematographer. He is known for his frequent work with film directors Ridley and Tony Scott.Mindel received education in Australia and in Britain...
, cinematographer - Victor NogueiraVictor NogueiraVictor Nogueira is a retired American soccer goalkeeper. Nogueira spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, but gained his greatest recognition in over twenty seasons in three indoor leagues, the Major Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League and the second Major...
, soccer goalkeeper - Andrew ParkinsonAndrew Parkinson (soccer)Andrew Parkinson is a retired South African-American soccer forward who pent time playing in both South Africa and England before immigrating to the U.S. where he played five seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. ...
, soccer player - Andrew PattisonAndrew Pattison----Andrew Pattison is a former South African-born Rhodesian and later Zimbabwean right-handed tennis player. His highest ever ranking was World No. 24, which he reached on 24 September 1974. Pattison won four singles tournaments, and seven doubles tournaments.Pattison became a naturalized...
, tennis player - Trevor RabinTrevor RabinTrevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
, musician - Charlize TheronCharlize TheronCharlize Theron is a South African actress, film producer and former fashion model.She rose to fame in the late 1990s following her roles in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules...
, model and actress - Ben ViljoenBen ViljoenBenjamin Johannes Viljoen was a general in the Boer army. He was born in a cave in the Wodehouse district of the Cape Colony. This was the temporary residence of the Viljoen family while their farm house was being constructed. He spent his early years on the Varkiesdraai farm near Umtata...
, Boer general, politician and author - Roy WegerleRoy WegerleRoy Wegerle is a South African-American former soccer player, who played for the United States in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He is one of two players who played in both the NASL and MLS; the other is Hugo Sánchez....
, soccer player - GoapeleGoapele-Early life:Goapele's South African father Douglas Mohlabane was an exiled political activist who struggled against the Apartheid System. Goapele's New York-born Israeli Jewish mother Noa had been attending protests since the age of 12. Noa attended Friends World College and was studying in...
, Rhythm & Blues artist - Styles PStyles PDavid Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
, Rapper - Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
, golfer - Sasha PieterseSasha PieterseSasha Pieterse is a South African-born American actress.-Career:She began acting in 2002, when she was given the role of Buffy Davis on the Warner Brothers remake of the popular show Family Affair. In 2004, she appeared in Stargate SG-1 and House...
, an actress, most known for playing the 'missing' Alison DiLaurentis and Courtney on the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars - Patrick Soon-ShiongPatrick Soon-ShiongPatrick Soon-Shiong is a South African-American surgeon who was founder, chairman, and CEO of Abraxis BioScience, a biotechnology company developing cancer treatment. He is co-developer of the metastatic breast cancer treatment drug Abraxane....
, entrepreneur