Somali American
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Somali American |
|---|
 |
| Total population |
|
150,000 (est.) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Throughout the United States |
| Languages |
| Somali, American English |
| Religions |
| Sunni Islam |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Afar, Agaw, Amhara, Bilen, Jeberti, Oromo, Saho, Tigray and Tigre |
Somali Americans are Americans that are originally from Somalia.
The first Somalis to arrive in the United States came in the 1940s. They were seamen and New York was their destination. In the late '70's, more Somalis followed suit. However, it wasn't until the civil war broke out in Somalia in the 1990s that the majority of Somali Americans first arrived.
The Somali American community is the seventh largest in the world behind those of Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Kenya, Djibouti, the Middle East, the United Kingdom (see British Somalis) and Canada respectively.
The heaviest concentrations of Somali Americans live in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota), and Columbus, Ohio areas. The Twin Cities has the highest population of Somalis in North American.[1]
There are also Somali American communities in San Diego, CA, Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Atlanta, GA, Portland, OR, Denver, CO, Lewiston, ME, Portland, ME, Boston, MA, Nashville, TN, in Washington, DC metro area, Louisville, KY, Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, New York City, NY, Rochester, NY, Buffalo, NY, Chicago, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Evansville, IN, Charleston, WV, Hartford, CT, Bridgeport, CT, Providence, RI, Ashland, OR, Des Moines, IA, Memphis, TN, Rochester, MN Arlington, VA, Garden Grove, CA, Orange, CA, San Jose, CA, Oakland, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Anaheim, CA, Riverside, CA, Cleveland, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Cedar Rapids, IA, Phoenix, AZ, Glendale, AZ, Tucson, AZ, San Antonio, TX, Houston, TX, Garden City, KS, Wichita, KS, Kansas City, MO, St. Louis, MO, Las Vegas, NV, Madison, WI, Milwaukee, WI, Kenosha, WI, Lansing, MI, Detroit, MI, Grand Rapids, MI, Fargo, ND, Orlando, FL, Pittsburgh, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Greensboro, NC, Falls Church, VA, Fairfax, VA, Dutch Harbor, AK, Clarkston, GA,Decatur, GA, Salt Lake City, UT, Jacksonville, FL, Omaha, NE, Juneau, AK, Boise, ID, Tacoma, WA, Beaverton, OR, although they are scattered throughout the United States of America in small numbers.
Arizona has seen recent Somali migration in recent years, mostly to Phoenix and Tucson. The states with the most Somali Americans are Minnesota, Ohio, California, Georgia, Washington, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Colorado and Maryland. In Minnesota it is possible to find Somalis in almost every small town, especially in Southern Minnesota.
[edit] People
While the overwhelming majority of people arriving from Somalia to the United States are ethnic Somalis, a minority belong to other non-Somali ethnic groups such as the Bantu.
Most Somali Americans have managed to retain their culture and religion despite long-term residence in the United States. Somali Americans are doctors, professors, and hold other important positions in American society.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Mosedale, Mike (February 18, 2004), "The Mall of Somalia", City Pages
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