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{{Infobox Ethnic group
{{Infobox Ethnic group
|group = Russian Americans<br/><small>Русские американцы</small>
|group = Russian Americans<br/><small>Русские американцы</small>
|image = <div style="white-space:nowrap;"><!--If you swap out an image, change the "x##px" entry for EACH image in the row so that the width of the row lines up with the others-->[[image:Igor Stravinsky LOC 32392u.jpg|x106px]][[image:Sergei Rachmaninoff LOC 33968 Cropped.jpg|x106px]][[Image:Zworykinkinescope.jpg|x106px]]<br>[[image:Sikorsky crop.jpg|x112px]][[image:Turchin.jpg|x112px]][[image:Emma Goldman seated.jpg|x112px]]<br>[[image:Mikbar.JPG|x111px]][[image:Sergey Brin.JPG|x111px]][[image:Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments film trailer.jpg|x111px]]<br>[[image:Rudolf Nurejev 1961.jpg|x106px]][[image:Ayn Rand1.jpg|x106px]][[image:DavidSarnoff 1922.jpg|x106px]]<br>[[image:George Ballanchine.jpg|x110px]][[image:Isaac.Asimov01.jpg|x110px]][[image:BerlinPortrait1.jpg|x110px]]
|image = <div style="white-space:nowrap;"><!--If you swap out an image, change the "x##px" entry for EACH image in the row so that the width of the row lines up with the others-->[[image:Igor Stravinsky LOC 32392u.jpg|x106px]][[image:Sergei Rachmaninoff LOC 33968 Cropped.jpg|x106px]][[Image:Zworykinkinescope.jpg|x106px]]<br>[[image:Sikorsky crop.jpg|x112px]][[image:Turchin.jpg|x112px]][[image:Emma Goldman seated.jpg|x112px]]<br>[[image:Mikbar.JPG|x111px]][[image:Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments film trailer.jpg|x111px]]<br>[[image:Rudolf Nurejev 1961.jpg|x106px]][[image:Ayn Rand1.jpg|x106px]][[image:DavidSarnoff 1922.jpg|x106px]]<br>[[image:George Ballanchine.jpg|x110px]][[image:BerlinPortrait1.jpg|x110px]]
|caption = <small>Notable Russian Americans:<br/>[[Igor Stravinsky]] • [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] • [[Vladimir Zworykin]]<br>[[Igor Sikorsky]] • [[Ivan Turchaninov]] • [[Emma Goldman]]<br> [[Mikhail Baryshnikov]] • [[Sergey Brin]] • [[Yul Brynner]]<br>[[Rudolf Nureyev]] • [[Ayn Rand]] • [[David Sarnoff]]<br>[[George Balanchine]] • [[Isaac Asimov]] • [[Irving Berlin]]
|caption = <small>Notable Russian Americans:<br/>[[Igor Stravinsky]] • [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] • [[Vladimir Zworykin]]<br>[[Igor Sikorsky]] • [[Ivan Turchaninov]] • [[Emma Goldman]]<br> [[Mikhail Baryshnikov]] • [[Yul Brynner]]<br>[[Rudolf Nureyev]] • [[Ayn Rand]] • [[David Sarnoff]]<br>[[George Balanchine]] • [[Irving Berlin]]
|poptime = '''3,152,959 self-reported'''<ref name=census1 /><br/>
|poptime = '''3,152,959 self-reported'''<ref name=census1 /><br/>
<small>'''1% of the U.S. population'''</small><br/>'''409,000 Russian-born'''<ref name=census2 />
<small>'''1% of the U.S. population'''</small><br/>'''409,000 Russian-born'''<ref name=census2 />
Line 10: Line 10:
|popplace = [[Alaska]], [[California]], [[Florida]] ([[South Florida]]), [[Northeastern United States]] ([[New York]]: [[New York City]], [[New Jersey]]: [[Northern New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Massachusetts]]), [[Illinois]]: [[Chicago metropolitan area|Chicagoland]], [[The Dakotas]] ([[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]]), [[Midwest]]: ([[Ohio]] and [[Wisconsin]]), [[Pacific Northwest]] ([[Oregon]] and [[Washington]])
|popplace = [[Alaska]], [[California]], [[Florida]] ([[South Florida]]), [[Northeastern United States]] ([[New York]]: [[New York City]], [[New Jersey]]: [[Northern New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Massachusetts]]), [[Illinois]]: [[Chicago metropolitan area|Chicagoland]], [[The Dakotas]] ([[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]]), [[Midwest]]: ([[Ohio]] and [[Wisconsin]]), [[Pacific Northwest]] ([[Oregon]] and [[Washington]])
|langs = [[American English]], [[Russian language|Russian]]
|langs = [[American English]], [[Russian language|Russian]]
|rels = [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]], [[Jewish]]
|rels = [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]]
|related = [[Ukrainian American]], [[Belarusian American]]
|related = [[Ukrainian American]], [[Belarusian American]]
}}
}}

Revision as of 20:13, 18 February 2010

Russian Americans
Русские американцы
Regions with significant populations
Alaska, California, Florida (South Florida), Northeastern United States (New York: New York City, New Jersey: Northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts), Illinois: Chicagoland, The Dakotas (North Dakota and South Dakota), Midwest: (Ohio and Wisconsin), Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington)
Languages
American English, Russian
Religion
Eastern Orthodox
Related ethnic groups
Ukrainian American, Belarusian American

Russian Americans are Americans whose ancestors were born in Russia. Non-ethnic Russians in this group could be Jews, Ukrainians, Armenians, or any other ethnicity who were born and grew up in Russia.

Demographics

The Russian American population is reported to be around 3 million.[1], but less than half a million were born in Russia[2]. Many Russian Americans do not speak Russian, having been born in the USA and brought up in English-speaking homes. According to the year 2000 U.S. Census, only 706,242 Americans use Russian as the primary spoken language in their homes.[3], and according to Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard, 750,000 Russian Americans were ethnic Russians in 1990.[4].

Sometimes Carpatho-Rusyns and Ukrainians who emigrated from Galicia in the 19th century and the beginning of 20th century are confused with Russian Americans.[citation needed] More recent emigres would often refer to this group as the 'starozhili', which translates to mean "old residents". This group became the pillar of the Russian Orthodox Church in America. Today, most of this group has become assimilated into the local society, with ethnic traditions continuing to survive primarily around the church.

Chronology

Russian America

Main article: Russian America

The territory that today is the United States state of Alaska was settled by the Russians and controlled by the Russian Empire. The southermost such post of the Russian American Company was Fort Ross, established in 1812 by Ivan Kuskov, some 50 miles north of San Francisco, as an agricultural supply base for Russian America. It was not part of Russian America, but was established under an agreement with the government of New Spain. After the Independence of Mexico, the lease arrangement was renewed with the new government of Mexican California.

Russian America was not a profitable colony, due to high transportation costs and declining animal population. After it was purchased by the United States in 1867, the majority of the Russian setters went back to Russia, but some resettled in southern Alaska and California.[citation needed]

First wave

The first massive wave of immigration from all areas of Europe to the United States took place in late 19th century, following the 1862 enactment of the Homestead Act. Although some immigration took place earlier—the most notable example being Ivan Turchaninov, who immigrated in 1856 and became a Union army brigadier general -- millions traveled to the new world in the last decade of the 19th century, some for political reasons, some for economic reasons, and some for a combination of both. Between 1820 and 1870 only 7,550 Russians immigrated to the USA, but starting with 1881, immigration rate exceeded 10,000 a year: 593,700 in 1891-1900, 1,6 million in 1901-1910, 868,000 in 1911-1914, and 43,000 in 1915-1917.[5] The most prominent Russian groups that immigrated in this period were the groups seeking freedom from religious prosecution: the Russian Jews, escaping the 1881-1882 pogroms by Alexander III, moved to New York and other coastal cities, the Molokans, treated as heretics at home, settled in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas[5][6], two large groups of Shtundists moved to Virginia and the Dakotas[5], and, finally in 1908-1910, the Old Believers, prosecuted as schismatics, arrived and settled in small groups in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and New York[5]. Immigrants of this wave include Irving Berlin, legend of American songwriting.

Second wave

Main article: White Emigre

A large wave of Russians immigrated in the short time period of 1917-1922, in the wake of October Revolution and Russian Civil War. This group is known collectively as the White emigres. United States of America was the second largest destination for those immigrants, after France.[citation needed] This wave is often referred to as the first wave, when discussing Soviet era immigration. The head of the Russian Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky, was one of those immigrants.

Since the immigrants were of the higher classes of the Russian Empire, they contributed a lot to American science and culture. Inventors Vladimir Zworykin, often referred to as "father of television", Alexander M. Poniatoff, the founder of Ampex, and Alexander Lodygin, arrived with this wave. The American army benefited greatly with the arrival of such inventors as Igor Sikorsky (who invented the Helicopter and Aerosan), Vladimir Yourkevitch, and Alexander Procofieff de Seversky. Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky are by many considered to be the greatest composers ever to live in the United States of America. The novelist Vladimir Nabokov, the violinist Jasha Heifetz, and the actor Yul Brynner also left Russia in this period.

Soviet era

Main article: Eastern Bloc emigration and defection

During the Soviet era, emigration was illegal, and limited to very few defectors and dissidents who immigrated to the United States of America and other Western Bloc countries for political reasons. Some fled the Communist regime, such as Ayn Rand in 1926 or Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in 1974, some were communists themselves, and left in fear of prosecution, such as KGB operative Alexander Orlov who escaped the purge in 1938 or Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Joseph Stalin, who left in 1967. Some were diplomats and military personnel who defected to sell their knowledge, such as the pilots Viktor Belenko in 1976 and Alexander Zuyev in 1989.

Following the international condemnation of the Soviet reaction to Dymshits-Kuznetsov hijacking affair in 1970, the Soviet Union temporarily loosened emigration restrictions for Jewish emigrants, which allowed nearly 250,000 people leave the country[7], escaping covert anti-semitism. Emigrants included the family of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, which moved to the US in 1979, citing impossibility of advanced scientific career for a person of Jewish descent.

The slow Brezhnev stagnation of the 1970s and the following economic and political reforms of 1980s prompted an increase of economic immigration to the United States, where artists and athletes defected or legally emigrated to the US to further their careers: ballet stars Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1974 and Alexander Godunov in 1979, composer Maxim Shostakovich in 1981, hockey star Alexander Mogilny in 1989 and the entire Russian Five later, gymnast Vladimir Artemov in 1990, glam metal band Gorky Park in 1987, and many others.

Post-Soviet era

With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent transition to free market economy by means of shock programs came hyperinflation and a series of political and economic crises of the 1990s, culminating in the financial crash of 1998. By mid-1993 between 39% and 49% of Russians were living in poverty, a sharp increase compared to 1.5% of the late Soviet era[8]. This instability and bleak outcome prompted a large new wave of both political and economic emigration from Russia, and one of the major targets became the United States, which was experiencing an unprecedented stock market boom in 1995-2001.

The major group of post-Soviet immigrants were the political refugees, persons who claim persecution or reasonable fear of persecution in Russia. 50,716 citizens of ex-USSR were granted political refugee status by the United States in 1990, 38,661 in 1991, 61,298 in 1992, 48,627 in 1993, 43,470 in 1994, 35,716 in 1995[9] with the trend steadily dropping to as low as 1,394 refugees accepted in 2003[10]. For the first time in history, Russians became a notable part of illegal immigration to the United States, the most common example being mail-order brides—Russian women would advertise themselves in international marriage agency with the express purpose to marry American citizens. Nearly half of all mail-order brides to come to the United States in 1996 originated from Russia and Ukraine[11] Together with illegal immigration, the influence of the Russian Mafia became prominent in the United States.

A notable part of the 1991—2001 immigration wave consisted of scientists and engineers who, faced with extremely poor job market at home[12] coupled with the government unwilling to index fixed salaries according to inflation or even to make salary payments on time, left to pursue their careers abroad. This coincided with the surge of hi-tech industry in the United States, creating a strong Brain drain effect. According to the National Science Foundation, there were 20,000 Russian scientists working in the United States in 2003[13], and the Russian software engineers were responsible for 30% of Microsoft products in 2002[12].

The Soviet Union was a sports empire, and many prominent Russians sportsmen found great acclaim and rewards for their skills in the United States. Examples are Maria Sharapova, Alexander Ovechkin, Alexandre Volchkov, Andrei Kirilenko, and most recently, Nastia Liukin.

Russian American communities

Distribution of Russian Americans according to the 2000 census.

US communities with high percentages of people of Russian ancestry

The top US communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Russian ancestry are:[14]

  1. Pikesville, Maryland 19.30%
  2. Roslyn Estates, New York 18.60%
  3. Hewlett Harbor, New York 18.40%
  4. East Hills, New York 18.00%
  5. Wishek, North Dakota 17.40%
  6. Eureka, South Dakota 17.30%
  7. Beachwood, Ohio 16.80%
  8. Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania 16.70%
  9. Kensington, New York and Mayfield, Pennsylvania 16.20%
  10. Napoleon, North Dakota 15.80%
  11. Lake Success, New York 15.60%
  12. Woodbury, New York 15.50%
  13. Jericho, New York 15.30%
  14. Highland Park, Illinois 15.20%
  15. Great Neck Estates, New York 14.80%
  16. Great Neck Plaza, New York and Roslyn Harbor, New York 14.60%
  17. Lido Beach, New York 14.50%
  18. Woodmere, New York and Russell Gardens, New York 14.30%
  19. Garrison, Maryland and Goldens Bridge, New York 14.00%
  20. Thomaston, New York 13.80%
  21. Linton, North Dakota and Glen Ullin, North Dakota 13.60%
  22. Buffalo Grove, Illinois 13.50%
  23. Sharon, Massachusetts 13.20%
  24. Lower Moreland Township, Pennsylvania 12.80%
  25. Aventura, Florida 12.40%
  26. Moraine Township, Illinois 12.20%
  27. West Hollywood, California 12.10%
  28. Viola, New York 12.00%
  29. Morganville, New Jersey 11.80%
  30. North Hills, New York and Deerfield, Illinois 11.70%
  31. Riverwoods, Illinois 11.50%
  32. Bal Harbour, Florida 11.40%
  33. Chappaqua, New York 11.30%
  34. Hidden Hills, California 11.10%
  35. Wesley Hills, New York 11.00%
  36. Highland Beach, Florida and Atlantic Beach, New York 10.90%
  37. Bayside, Wisconsin and Brookville, New York 10.80%
  38. Sands Point, New York and both the village and town of Scarsdale, New York 10.70%
  39. Huntington Woods, Michigan 10.50%
  40. Glencoe, Illinois, Northbrook, Illinois and Vernon Township, Illinois 10.40%
  41. Pomona, New York, Lower Merion, Pennsylvania and Palm Beach, Florida 10.30%
  42. Plainview, New York 10.20%
  43. Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Port Washington North, New York and Mandan, North Dakota 10.10%
  44. Millburn, New Jersey 10.00%

U.S. communities with the most residents born in Russia

Top 101 U.S. communities with the most residents born in Russia are:[15]

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, an Orthodox church by Louis Sullivan.
  1. Peaceful Valley, Washington 12.2%
  2. Sharon Springs, New York 6.0%
  3. West Buechel, Kentucky 5.7%
  4. Big Delta, Alaska 5.6%
  5. West Hollywood, California 5.3%
  6. Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania 5.2%
  7. Deltana, Alaska 5.1%
  8. East Whatcom, WA (Whatcom County, Washington) 4.9%
  9. Fair Lawn, New Jersey 4.7%
  10. Belleville, Pennsylvania 4.5%
  11. Sunnyside, Oregon 4.3%
  12. West Sacramento, California 4.3%
  13. East Yolo, CA (Yolo County, CA) 4.3%
  14. Pikesville, Maryland 4.2%
  15. Mill Plain, Washington 4.1%
  16. Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 3.9%
  17. Minnehaha, Washington 3.7%
  18. Delta Junction, Alaska 3.7%
  19. Black Point-Green Point, California 3.6%
  20. Postville, Iowa 3.3%
  21. Harbor Hills, New York 3.0%
  22. Sharon, Massachusetts 2.9%
  23. Mayfield Heights, Ohio 2.8%
  24. Kingston, New Jersey 2.8%
  25. Buffalo Grove, Illinois 2.7%
  26. Reisterstown, Maryland 2.6%
  27. Skokie, Illinois 2.6%
  28. Yacolt, Washington 2.5%
  29. Fort Lee, New Jersey 2.5%
  30. Keystone, Colorado 2.5%
  31. Marietta-Alderwood, Washington 2.4%
  32. Village Shires, Pennsylvania 2.4%
  33. Century Village, Florida 2.4%
  34. Brownville, New Jersey 2.4%
  35. Garrison, Maryland 2.4%
  36. Brookline, Massachusetts 2.3%
  37. Orting, Washington 2.3%
  38. Woodmere, Ohio 2.3%
  39. Dayton, Virginia 2.3%
  40. Churchville, Pennsylvania 2.2%
  41. Sagaponack, New York 2.2%
  42. Swampscott, Massachusetts 2.2%
  43. Poquott, New York 2.2%
  44. Richmond Heights, Ohio 2.2%
  45. Soap Lake, Washington 2.1%
  46. Palm Beach Shores, Florida 2.1%
  47. Sea Cliff, New York 2.1%
  48. Brooklyn, New York 2.1%
  49. Waverly, Nebraska 2.1%
  50. Northwest Ithaca, New York 2.1%
  51. Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania 2.0%
  52. Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota 2.0%
  53. Ojus, Florida 2.0%
  54. Warren, New York 2.0%
  55. River Edge, New Jersey 2.0%
  56. Napavine, Washington 1.9%
  57. Woodburn, Oregon 1.9%
  58. Olivette, Missouri 1.9%
  59. Fox River, Alaska 1.8%
  60. Shorewood, Wisconsin 1.8%
  61. South Euclid, Ohio 1.8%
  62. Lincolnwood, Illinois 1.8%
  63. Beachwood, Ohio 1.8%
  64. Lyndhurst, Ohio 1.8%
  65. Homestead, Pennsylvania 1.8%
  66. Bancroft, Kentucky 1.7%
  67. Steele, North Dakota 1.7%
  68. Blaine, Washington 1.7%
  69. Newton, Massachusetts 1.7%
  70. Boxford, Massachusetts 1.7%
  71. Bayside, Wisconsin 1.7%
  72. Glendale, Colorado 1.7%
  73. Lido Beach, New York 1.7%
  74. Cascade Valley, Washington 1.7%
  75. North Highlands, California 1.7%
  76. Schuyler, New York 1.6%
  77. Sharon, New York 1.6%
  78. Orchards, Washington 1.6%
  79. Ashland, Massachusetts 1.6%
  80. Springfield, New Jersey 1.6%
  81. Northbrook, Illinois 1.6%
  82. Wheeling, Illinois 1.6%
  83. Millers Falls, Massachusetts 1.6%
  84. Waldon, California 1.6%
  85. Princeton North, New Jersey 1.5%
  86. Golden Beach, Florida 1.5%
  87. Washougal, Washington 1.5%
  88. Miller, South Dakota 1.5%
  89. Blawnox, Pennsylvania 1.5%
  90. Niles, Illinois 1.5%
  91. Strasburg, Colorado 1.5%
  92. Morganville, New Jersey 1.5%
  93. Princeton Junction, New Jersey 1.5%
  94. Terre Hill, Pennsylvania 1.5%
  95. Due West, South Carolina 1.4%
  96. Lake Dalecarlia, Indiana 1.4%
  97. Kings Point, Florida 1.4%
  98. Great Neck Estates, New York 1.4%
  99. Brush Prairie, Washington 1.4%
  100. Mountain View, California 1.4%
  101. Beverly Hills, California 1.4%

Apart from such settlements as Brighton Beach, concentrations of Russian Americans occur in Anchorage, Alaska; Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Bronx, New York; Brooklyn, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Northern New Jersey (Suburban New York City); Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Queens, New York; Sacramento, California; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and Staten Island, New York. In 2002, the AmBAR was founded, to help the Russophone community of Palo Alto, CA.


See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States: 2007". U.S. Census American Community Survey. 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  2. ^ a b "2007 ACS Study". Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  3. ^ "Language Use and English-Speaking Ability 2000" (PDF). U.S. Census. 2000. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  4. ^ "Immigration: Russia. Curriculum for Grade 6-12 Teachers". Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  5. ^ a b c d Template:Ru icon Nitoburg, E. (1999). "Русские религиозные сектанты и староверы в США". Новая И Новейшая История (in Russian) (3): 34–51. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  6. ^ Chapter 1 - The Migration in Molokans in America by John K. Berokoff, 1969
  7. ^ History of Dissident Movement in the USSR by Ludmila Alekseyeva. Vilnius, 1992 (in Russian)
  8. ^ Branko Milanovic, Income, Inequality, and Poverty During the Transformation from Planned to Market Economy (Washington DC: The World Bank, 1998), pp.186–90.
  9. ^ "Fiscal Year 1999 Statistical Yearbook" (PDF). Department of Homeland Security, Office of Immigration Statistics. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  10. ^ "Refugees and Asylees: 2005" (PDF). Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration Statistics. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  11. ^ "The "Mail-Order Bride" Industry and its Impact on U.S. Immigration" (PDF). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  12. ^ a b Brain Drain: history and present
  13. ^ Template:Ru icon ""Утечка мозгов" - болезнь не только российская". Экология И Жизнь. 2003. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  14. ^ "Ancestry Map of Russian Communities". Epodunk.com. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  15. ^ "Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Russia (population 500+)". city-data.com. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
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