Greek Immigration to the United Greek Immigration to the United StatesStates

By Maura McCarthy and Ali HassanBy Maura McCarthy and Ali Hassan

Typical Reasons for ImmigrationTypical Reasons for Immigration

Political – Many immigrants leave their homelands for political reasons, however, Greece is a very democratic country. There is no true political oppression and no harsh military requirements.

Religious – Another typical reason to leave one’s native land is for religious persecution. In Greece, 98% of the population is Greek Orthodox. Muslims account for 1.3% and they do not suffer from any religious persecution.

Social – The Greek society does have obvious social classes but they are mainly defined by wealth.

(and why the Greeks did not have these problems)

Why Greeks immigrated Why Greeks immigrated during during “The Great Wave” “The Great Wave” (Economic Problems)(Economic Problems)

1. Greece is a primarily 1. Greece is a primarily agricultural economy and agricultural economy and secondarily mercantile.secondarily mercantile.

a. Agricultural methods a. Agricultural methods were primitivewere primitive

b. The land was b. The land was inadequately cultivatedinadequately cultivated

c. The natural c. The natural landscape is landscape is very rocky and very rocky and difficult to difficult to work with. work with.

d. Economy was d. Economy was completely dependent on completely dependent on one type of crop (currant).one type of crop (currant).

2. Most Greeks lived in 2. Most Greeks lived in small townssmall towns

a. These towns, for a. These towns, for the the most part, were very most part, were very

independent. independent.

b. The majority of b. The majority of families raised their families raised their

own own food/living materialsfood/living materials

c. Each man’s c. Each man’s products products were identical to were identical to his his neighbors. Thus, neighbors. Thus, internal internal commerce was commerce was non non existent. existent.

E c o n o m i c P r o b l e m s C o n t i n u e d

3. Transportation facilities were inadequate3. Transportation facilities were inadequate

a. Too much effort was required to transport items for a profit to be a. Too much effort was required to transport items for a profit to be gainedgained

b. External trade was limited.b. External trade was limited.

Above: A boat off of the island of Crete.

Right: A current Greek Highway.

E c o n o m i c P r o b l e m s C o n t i n u E c o n o m i c P r o b l e m s C o n t i n u e de d

W h e n T h e y C a m e t o t h e U SW h e n T h e y C a m e t o t h e U S1. The Great Wave 1. The Great Wave

a. More than 500,000 Greeks, mostly mena. More than 500,000 Greeks, mostly men

b. 1890-1924b. 1890-1924

c. Great Wave ended with congressional legislation c. Great Wave ended with congressional legislation

2. Closed Door period 2. Closed Door period

a. 30,000 Greeks, mostly brides of previously settled Greeksa. 30,000 Greeks, mostly brides of previously settled Greeks

b. 1925-1945b. 1925-1945

3. Postwar Migration 3. Postwar Migration

a. 75,000 Greeks. Most attend college/universities after legislation provided a. 75,000 Greeks. Most attend college/universities after legislation provided for for immigrants under displaced persons acts immigrants under displaced persons acts

b. 1946-1965b. 1946-1965

4. The New Wave4. The New Wave

a. 160,000 Greeksa. 160,000 Greeks

b. Easier entrance if relative already settled in America.b. Easier entrance if relative already settled in America.

5. Current Phase5. Current Phase

a. Declining immigrationa. Declining immigration

b. 1980’s – approx. 2500 Greeks annuallyb. 1980’s – approx. 2500 Greeks annually

c. 1990’s – approx. 1,500 Greeks annuallyc. 1990’s – approx. 1,500 Greeks annually

d. 2000 Census – 1,175,591 reported Greek ancestryd. 2000 Census – 1,175,591 reported Greek ancestry

Settling PatternsSettling Patterns • 1860-18901860-1890

-Majority CA, AR, NY, MA-Majority CA, AR, NY, MA

-Industrial Cities- NE, Midwest-Industrial Cities- NE, Midwest

• 1920s Settling Patterns-Largest of 20th Century- NY-Midwest-Detroit, Milwaukee,

Cleveland-South- TX, Tarpon Springs, FL-Pacific Coast- Salt Lake City, San

Francisco, CO, WY, ID, NV• Statistics: Greek 1st Generation

Population Living in the US (Lerner 117)

1870- 3901880- 7761890- 1,8871900- 8,5151910- 101,2821920- 175,9761930- 174,5261950- 169,3351960- 159,169

The WorkplaceThe Workplace• Occupations of 1Occupations of 1stst--

generation immigrants:generation immigrants: – Factory laborers, Factory laborers,

peddlers, busboys, peddlers, busboys, bootblacks (Vecoli 588)bootblacks (Vecoli 588)

– Padrone System- Padrone System- exploitative (Saloutos exploitative (Saloutos 52)52)

•Savvy businessmen- development of professional class (1940s)

- doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc. (Saloutos 46)-upwardly mobile -entrepreneurial abilities

-shoeshine business (Saloutos 48-49)-candy manufacturing business (Vecoli 588)

Religious TraditionsReligious Traditions

““Hellenism and Greek Orthodoxy-Hellenism and Greek Orthodoxy-the one intertwined with the the one intertwined with the other-served as the cord that other-served as the cord that kept the immigrant attached to kept the immigrant attached to the mother country, nourished the mother country, nourished his patriotic appetites and his patriotic appetites and helped him preserve the faith helped him preserve the faith and language of his parents” and language of his parents” (Vecoli 586).(Vecoli 586).

-Early churches grew out of -Early churches grew out of “kinotitos” (communities) “kinotitos” (communities) (Vecoli 586)(Vecoli 586)

-1864- 1-1864- 1stst Church- New Orleans Church- New Orleans (Vecoli 586)(Vecoli 586)

-By 1930- approximately 200 -By 1930- approximately 200 churches (Moskos 337)churches (Moskos 337)

The FamilyThe Family

• Ideal Family = patriarchalIdeal Family = patriarchal--manman- husband, father, - husband, father, center, authority center, authority

figure, figure, --womanwoman- wife, mother, preserver of culture - wife, mother, preserver of culture

(Vecoli 584)(Vecoli 584)• PhilotomoPhilotomo- “love of honor”- “love of honor”

-obligation to -obligation to family/community (584)family/community (584)• Parents sacrifice great deal for children, strict Parents sacrifice great deal for children, strict

discipline code (Moskos 339)discipline code (Moskos 339)• Common for parents to live w/ children, once parents Common for parents to live w/ children, once parents

elderly (Vecoli 584)elderly (Vecoli 584)

Continuation of CultureContinuation of Culture Extremely ImportantExtremely Important• Organizations for Cultural Organizations for Cultural

Preservation- (Voceli 593)Preservation- (Voceli 593)-AHEPA (1922)-AHEPA (1922)-GOLPS (1931)-GOLPS (1931)

• Greek NewspapersGreek Newspapers-1-1stst- 1892- Boston - 1892- Boston -since then, more than 100 -since then, more than 100 have appeared have appeared -New York daily- -New York daily-

-conservative- -conservative- AtlantisAtlantis (1894-1971)(1894-1971)

-liberal- -liberal- National National HeraldHerald

(1915-present) (1915-present) (Moskos (Moskos 341)341)

A m e r i c a n i z a t i o nA m e r i c a n i z a t i o n

                                                                                                                                                

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in front of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in front of the World Trace Center TowersWorld Trace Center Towers

American born generation American born generation begins to replace begins to replace immigrants:immigrants:

~ English introduced into ~ English introduced into liturgy in 1960’sliturgy in 1960’s

~ Women’s role in church ~ Women’s role in church increases increases

~ Increasing incorporation ~ Increasing incorporation of non-Greeks through of non-Greeks through marriage marriage

~~Used to hold wakes in Used to hold wakes in home of deceased and have home of deceased and have a meal following the funeral a meal following the funeral at the home. Now, the wake at the home. Now, the wake is held in a funeral home is held in a funeral home and meal is at a restaurant.and meal is at a restaurant.

~~Used to celebrate the Used to celebrate the name day of a child’s saint. name day of a child’s saint. Now they typically celebrate Now they typically celebrate birthdaysbirthdays

Changing TraditionsChanging Traditions

G r e e k s T o d a yG r e e k s T o d a y

Senator Paul Sarbanes from Maryland (YEAHHHH MARYLAND)

~ Greeks initially made ~ Greeks initially made up the proletarian class up the proletarian class right after the Great right after the Great Wave. Wave.

~ In the 1920’s they ~ In the 1920’s they began to open shops, began to open shops, own small businessesown small businesses

~ Since 1960’s, Greeks ~ Since 1960’s, Greeks have been an upwardly have been an upwardly moving ethnic group. moving ethnic group. Their education has Their education has surpassed the levels of surpassed the levels of Americans of N. Americans of N. European decent. European decent. Greeks have also been Greeks have also been very visible in Politics – very visible in Politics – Michael Dukakis, Paul Michael Dukakis, Paul Sarbanes, Olympia Sarbanes, Olympia Snow.)Snow.)

Famous GreeksFamous Greeks

Michael DukakisMichael Dukakis

Science and Technology-George PapnicolaouLiterature- Mary VardoulakisJournalism- Constantine

PhasoularidesMusic- Dimitri MitropoulosEducation- Michael AnagnosSports- Jimmy Londos (wrestling), Harry Agganis (baseball)Politics- Michael Dukakis, Paul Tsongas

(Vecoli 591),(Moskos 337)

Harry Agganis

Most Greeks live in the Most Greeks live in the following cities:following cities:

New York City- 250,000New York City- 250,000

Chicago – 120,000Chicago – 120,000

Boston – 100,000Boston – 100,000

Los Angeles – 45,000Los Angeles – 45,000

Detroit – 40,000Detroit – 40,000

Philadelphia – 25,000Philadelphia – 25,000

Baltimore – 20,000Baltimore – 20,000

Cleveland – 20,000Cleveland – 20,000

Pittsburg – 20,000Pittsburg – 20,000

Where are they now?Where are they now?

Today, Greeks continue to establish Today, Greeks continue to establish themselves as an influential ethnic themselves as an influential ethnic group in the worlds of politics, arts, group in the worlds of politics, arts, and humanities. At the same time, and humanities. At the same time, they have been able to uphold their they have been able to uphold their cultural values.cultural values.