Painting of an African-Indian Merchant, 17th or 18th century

The New York Public Library (NYPL) at the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture has extended their exhibition entitled “Africans in India: From Slaves to Generals and Rulers” through July 18th, 2013.

The exhibition boasts over 100 painting reproductions and photographs which attest to the prosperity attained by East African slaves in India throughout the global slave trade, beginning as early as the 13th century A.D. During their height, this demographic found work in nearly every capacity, ranging from soldiers to sailors, traders and businessmen, government officials and architects, generals and rulers.

Since then the Habshi and Sidi communities have experienced a decline in their status, experiencing widespread poverty. While they no longer speak African languages, they are an important component of a larger Muslim community in India, referencing their heritage mostly through ceremonial or celebratory dances.

For more information on Africans in India, visit an online exhibition through the NYPL entitled “The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean World”.

For more information on the exhibition, click here. Exhibition hours are from 10h00 – 18h00, Monday through Saturday, at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard in the heart of New York City.