Chaldean immigration to the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please help improve this article or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since September 2006. (help, talk) |
Chaldean immigration, mainly to Detroit, MI, began in the early 20th century. The first reported Chaldean who immigrated to the United States was Zia Attala, who was a hotel owner in Philadelphia, PA.
Chaldeans began immigrating out of Telkaif, where they worked mainly as farmers, to the bigger cities, such as Baghdad & Mosul, for more opportunities in Iraq. There, they were employeed as doctors, lawyers, and businessmen, many of whom received their degrees from accreditted universities of Iraq.
Before the 1950s, Chaldeans came to the United States in search of greater economic opportunities. After the 1950s, many Chaldeans had the same reason to immigration: political freedom, especially after the rise of Saddam Hussein & the Gulf War. Some Chaldeans were drawn by the economic opportunities they had seen successfully affect their family members who had already immigrated. Immigration in the 1960s and 1970s were at the all time highest due to less strict immigration laws, which made it easier for immigrants to enter the United States. This is the time period, especially the 1970s, when most Chaldeans came to the United States. Another major reason to leave Iraq is the way Chaldeans were treated as a religious (Catholic) and ethnic minority (compared to the Muslims). Many were tormented, persecuted, and treated as a minority rather than a significant group of people.
Chaldean immigrants were initially drawn by the potential employment at the Ford Motor Plant in Detroit, MI. When many of these newly arrived Chaldeans did not become employed by Ford, they went on the work in grocery stores, to make ends meet for their families. These grocery stores were small and mainly to make quick money, but many in recent days have grown to large, full-scale convenience stores. Mostly all of these stores were owned and operated by the Chaldean businessman and his family. In 1962, the number of Chaldean-owned grocery stores was 120, but grew to 278 in 1972. The main cause of this were the 1967 riots, in which white grocery store owners left the area and left the opportunity open for Chaldeans to take over.
Once a good amount of Chaldeans concentrated in Detroit, many new immigrants were drawn there due to being near other family members. Alongside the economic benefit of working and making money, Chaldeans were also drawn to being with their own people, who practiced the same Catholic religion and spoke the same Chaldean Neo-Aramaic language. Mostly all immigrations are to reunite with family, and to eventually work with them and live near them. Mostly all Chaldean stores are owned and operated by Chaldeans and their families. It is a rarity to see non-Chaldeans employed in a Chaldean party store.
The largest Iraqi Chaldean diaspora is located in Metropolitan Detroit, where there are an estimated 100,000 members. These cities include, but are not limited to, Detroit, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Oak Park, Troy, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Warren, & Ann Arbor. More and more Chaldeans, as they establish themselves financially, quickly move out of Detroit and into the other mentioned cities. Other diasporas in the United States include California (mainly San Diego), Arizona, & Illinois (where there is a large diaspora of Assyrians).
Mostly all new Chaldean immigrants and low-income senior citizens tend to reside in Detroit, in the 7 Mile Road between Woodward Avenue and John R Street. This area was officially named "Chaldean Town" in 1999.
There are five Chaldean Parishes in Metropolitan Detroit, including West Bloomfield, Troy, Oak Park, Southfield, & in Chaldean town (Detroit).
Today, more and more Chaldeans are returning to the old time tradition of college education, seen last in Iraq before the immigration. The number of doctors, lawyers, and businessmen is rapidly rising. Most Chaldeans todays are professionals. The family factor and professionalism has always been a key part of Chaldean life, whether in Iraq or the United States.
