Importance of Black/African American people History for health service professionals

Explain the unique circumstances under which the ancestors of most Black/African American people arrived in the Americas. Why is it important for health service professionals to understand this history?

The first Africans in the New World arrived with Spanish and Portuguese explorers and settlers. By 1600 an estimated 275,000 Africans, both free and slave, were in Central and South America and the Caribbean area. Africans first arrived in the area that became the United States in 1619, when a handful of captives were sold by the captain of a Dutch man-of-war to settlers at Jamestown. Others were brought in increasing numbers to fill the desire for labor in a country where land was plentiful and labor scarce. By the end of the 17th century, approximately 1,300,000 Africans had landed in the New World. From 1701 to 1810 the number reached 6,000,000, with another 1,800,000 arriving after 1810. Some Africans were brought directly to the English colonies in North America. Others landed as slaves in the West Indies and were later resold and shipped to the mainland. (African  American History: Scholastic , n.d.) However many “black” colored individuals rather identify themselves with their family-related nationality rather than where they were born or raised. Some rather the term black when being identified and some rather be identified as African American. This is very complex. I know, myself, I do not like to identified as Black I prefer to identify myself and Haitian/Bahamian because I consider the Black culture as people who only speak English and are just Americans with darker colored skin, who eat American meals and have American traditions. I speak English and Creole, I eat Haitian meals and follow Haitian traditions. I was born in America but my parents and older sisters were born in Bahamas and had the Haitian culture bestowed in them so I identify as that. It is important for health service professionals to understand the history of how most Black/African Americans were brought to the Americas so they’d be able to establish a positive relationship with their patients. The best way to approach patients on the matter would be to just humbly ask the person how they identify themselves. (cultural compentency for the  health professional)