Greek- Americans
Where Are They From: Greek immigrants were one of the last European ethnic groups to come to America.
When Did They Arrive in US: The first significant Greek community to develop was in New Orleans during the 1850s. By 1866, the community was numerous and prosperous enough to have a Greek consulate and the first Greek Orthodox church in the United States.
What Region of the US Did They Settle: From Ellis Island they made their way to the streets of New York and Chicago, searching for someone with the same ethnic characteristics as their own who could help them find work.
What Occupations Did They Take Part In: Sometimes they wandered about, lost in the city's maze, until a labor agent, through signs, offered them work in mills, factories, or road gangs. The more fortunate ones, who knew countrymen already working in the textile cities, went directly to them. But some of these men could not adapt to the noise and confusions of the factories and their spirit of adventure led them to climb freights and travel over the plains and mountains to the West.
The first immigrants had their own stores featuring imported olive oil, octopi, goat cheese, wines, liqueurs, Greek and Turkish tobacco, figs and dates. There were also several coffeehouses where unscrupulous labor agents often preyed on their fellow countrymen. A newspaper in the Greek language was printed regularly with reports of church and community happenings and descriptions of weddings and baptisms.
What Are The Family Patterns, Rituals: Men acted as the family's outside representative, enjoying the social prestige and esteem that this role entailed; women were often the organizer of the household, the mediators in family disputes, and the guardians of the family's cohesiveness. The family's image rested in large measure on the woman's ability to carry out her household duties properly.
The most important characteristic of the family in contemporary society is its fluidity, produced by a combination of three interrelated factors: a) the variety of socially acceptable family patterns according to which one may organize one's private life; b) the possibility of individuals choosing the way in which they wish to organize their private lives; and c) the increased possibility of an individual choosing different, successive patterns during his or her lifetime.
If grandparents who live near their married children are added to families of three generations, the total percentage of daily contacts among the three generations usually increases. Exchange and assistance between the two adult generations and the young on the one hand, and influence of the elder relatives on the other, are common patterns.
Are They A Group That Appreciates Schooling: The mission of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) is to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence. AHEPA members are proud of the ancient Greeks’ contributions to Western Civilization. As Americans, we share many of the values put forth by them: civic responsibility, philanthropy, education, family and individual excellence, and the ideals of democracy. Moreover, throughout the span of its history, AHEPA has served as a vital vehicle for the progressive development and emergence of American citizens of Greek heritage into every facet of society: government, business, education, and the arts.
What Are The Basic Demographics Today?
As of 2008:
1,350,600-3,000,000
0.4%-1% of the total U.S. population
Greek Americans (Greek: Ελληνοαμερικανοί, Ellinoamerikani) are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent. In addition, the 2000 census revealed that Greek was spoken at home by 365,436 people older than five. Greek Americans have a heavy concentration in the New York City metropolitan area, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Baltimore, and Cleveland. Tarpon Springs, Florida is also home to a large Greek American community and the highest concentration of Greek-Americans in the country (11%). The United States is home to the largest overseas Greek community, ahead of Cyprus and the United Kingdom, which despite having a Greek population of less than 1 million has a larger percentage of Greeks than the U.S.
Fun Facts:
A Greek festival or Greek Fest is an annual celebration of Greek culture presented by many ethnic Greek American communities and organization in the United States and Canada, particularly Greek Orthodox churches. Typically, these events are intended for attendance by the general public. Attendees can sample Greek music, cuisine, and dance, typically performed in traditional dress. Such events are often fundraisers for Orthodox churches of the Greek Archdiocese.
There are over 1400 islands in Greece, with 227 being inhabited, although only 78 with more than 100 inhabitants.
The Greek alphabet has different characters than the Roman alphabet. There are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet.
If you are invited to a Greek home, arriving 30 minutes late may be considered punctual!
Resources and Additional Readings
The Greek American Studies Resource Portal
http://mgsa.org/Resources/port.html
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association
http://ahepa.org/dotnetnuke/
Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674375123
What was the role of women in Athens?
To live, controlled by the men in their lives!
http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/ancientchix/
Ancient Greece
http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Main_Page/