Georgian Americans

Georgian Americans
ამერიკელი ქართველები

Total population
(100,000[1])
Regions with significant populations
New York City Metropolitan Area (including Northern New Jersey),[2][3][4][5] and other major U.S. metro areas[2]
Languages
Predominantly English and Georgian
Religion
Predominantly Georgian Orthodox, with some Catholics, Judaism

Georgian Americans (Georgian: ამერიკელი ქართველები, translit.: amerik'eli kartvelebi) are Americans of full or partial Georgian ancestry.

The precise number of Americans of Georgian descent is unknown, since during their main stage of immigration of the early 20th century the immigration records often did not differentiate between various ethnic groups originating from Russian Empire, of which Georgia was part until 1918.

History

Early stages of immigration

The earliest recorded Georgian immigrants to the US were the Georgian horsemen. One group came in 1890 as part of a troupe of Cossack horsemen hired by Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild Congress of Rough Riders. The number of Georgians coming to the U.S. saw an increase after the political upheavals following the Russian Revolution when the Georgian nobility and intellectuals, including those residing in other parts of the Russian Empire, fled the country. A second wave of immigration of Georgians to the U.S. followed the Red Army invasion of Georgia when the remaining nobility and members of the intellectual class fled the country fearing deportation and imminent death in Russian Siberia.

Immigration during and following the Soviet Union

Emigration from Georgia was brought to a halt when in the 1920s and 30s the Soviet Union put in place restrictions on travel, both in and out of the Union. Despite this, some Georgians managed to flee to the U.S. during World War II, especially those who lived in liberated parts of Eastern Europe, as well as members of the military personnel who were stationed abroad. Following World War II, emigration from Soviet Georgia was virtually nonexistent until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, following which an estimated one-fifth of the country's population left. Unlike the first half of the 20th century, this final wave of emigration was not limited to the nobility, intellectuals, or military personnel.

Assimilation

Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili of the Synetic Theater in 2011

Georgian-Americans created several organizations in order to maintain their culture. In 1924, organizations of Georgian-Americans were founded in the cities of San Francisco and New York. These organizations held cultural and social events, and has helped other immigrants. Between 1955 and 1975, the American press was very active in Georgia. Kartuli Azri (Georgian Opinion) was the most popular newspaper and its maintenance was based primarily on donations from Americans in Georgia. Although, over the years, Georgians have adapted to American culture, Georgian Americans still retain aspects of Georgian culture.

Some members of the Georgian-Jewish community in New York keep their ancestral Judeo-Georgian language.

Notable Georgian Americans

• Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Joseph Stalin
• George Balanchine, one of the 20th century's most famous choreographer; co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet
• Valery Chalidze, author and publisher
• Lasha Darbaidze, honorary counsel of Georgia
• Alex d'Arbeloff, entrepreneur
• David Datuna, artist
• Wachtang Djobadze, historian
• Andrew Eristoff, politician
• Michael Gregor, aircraft engineer
• MarQuez Haynes, professional basketball player for the Georgian national team
• Ricky Hickman, professional basketball player for the Georgian national team
• Dimitri Jorjadze, race car driver
• Alexander Kartveli, aircraft designer of the 20th century
• Kola Kwariani, wrestler
• Giorgi Latso, classical concert pianist, composer and doctor of musical arts
• Khatuna Lorig, archer
• Georges V. Matchabelli, perfumer and a former diplomat
• George Papashvily, writer and sculptor
• Jacob Pullen, professional basketball player for the Georgian national team
• Tamir Sapir, businessman
• John Shalikashvili, general
• Alexander Tarsaidze, American writer and historian
• Alexander Toradze, classical concert pianist
• Shammond Williams, professional basketball player for the Georgian national team
• Luke Zeller, professional basketball player with Georgian passport
• Shota Baghaturia, New York State Senate Candidate for Senate District 28, first Georgian-American to run for an elected office in the United States

References

1. (Georgian) ქართული დიასპორა ამერიკის შეერთებულ შტატებში State Ministry on Diaspora Issues of Georgia
2. "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2012 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
3. "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2011 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
4. "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2010 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
5. "Yearbook of Immigration Statistics: 2009 Supplemental Table 2". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2013-07-10.

External links

• Georgian Association in the United States of America
• Georgian America Foundation
• Tvistomi Association - Georgian Community Organization in New York
• Tvistomi Medical Group, New York