Inter-Racial Solidarity and Marriage in Bengali Harlem
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The marriages between Bengali Muslim men and African-American, Caribbean, and Latina women on the U.S. East Coast reflected both survival strategies and deeper cultural connections emerging in the rapidly growing early-20th-century New York City. These unions, particularly in Harlem and the Lower East Side, were formed not just out of necessity but as an expression of shared resilience against racial exclusion, economic struggle, and the legal hurdles faced by people of color at that time.
For Bengali seamen, arriving in the U.S. as laborers or maritime workers, life was marked by uncertainty. They often deserted their ships and lived under the radar, finding themselves in Harlem—a diverse, vibrant neighborhood where marginalized groups congregated. Harlem’s racial composition, with a significant presence of African-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and West Indians, made it a place where South Asians could “disappear into” the multicultural fabric and evade the discriminatory immigration laws that targeted Asian populations (Bald, 165) .
These marriages were both practical and symbolic. Legally, they provided a degree of protection and stability, particularly for Bengali men who had few rights under U.S. law. By marrying African-American or Caribbean women, they could secure a foothold in a society that viewed them as outsiders. But these unions went beyond pragmatism; they were built on mutual recognition of shared struggles. Both South Asians and their Black or Latina partners lived at the intersection of economic marginalization and racial discrimination, forging relationships that crossed cultural and racial lines.
As Bald notes, these marriages created “unique multiracial communities” where cultural exchange occurred not only in the home but also within the broader neighborhood (Bald, 164-165). Together, these families embodied a blending of worlds, standing as a testament to the power of resilience and solidarity amid adversity.