Bengali Muslim Merchants

Dating back to the mid-1880s, Hooghly merchants from West Bengal (present-day India) laid the foundation for the first significant settlement of South Asians in the U.S. They lived, worked, and moved in the shadow of two empires, navigating the influences of both the U.S. and Great Britain and overcoming anti-Asian prejudices. They built a thriving network, selling handmade cotton and silk textiles first in New Jersey’s beach resorts, then expanded south to New Orleans. Remarkably, there are multiracial (Black and South Asian) communities today who can trace their ancestry back to the Hooghly merchants, highlighting their enduring legacy in shaping not only economic landscapes but also contributing to the diverse cultural tapestry in the East Coast.

K–5 Materials