Eritrean Americans

Americans of Eritrean birth or descent

Ethnic group

Eritrean AmericanTotal population

39,063 (Eritrea-born, 2015)[1][2][3]
18,917 (Eritrean ancestry)[4]
Regions with significant populations

* Los Angeles
* San Francisco Bay Area
* San Diego
* Washington, D.C.
* Seattle
* Columbus
* Minneapolis
* Chicago
* New York City
* Philadelphia
* Boston
* Atlanta
* Miami
* Houston
* Dallas
* Denver

Languages

* Tigrinya
* Tigre
* Kunama
* Bilen
* Nara
* Saho
* Afar
* Arabic
* American English
* Italian

Religion

* Christianity (Eritrean Orthodox, Eritrean Catholic, P’ent’ay)
* Sunni Islam

Eritrean Americans are an ethnic group (or hyphenated ethnicity) of Americans who are of full or partial Eritrean national origin, heritage and/or ancestry.[5]

## History

[edit]

An Eritrean restaurant in San Francisco

Eritrea regained its independence from Ethiopia on May 24, 1991, after the Eritrean War of Independence. Since the inception of the war in the 1960s, many immigrants from Eritrea left for the United States. By 2000, the Eritrean community in the U.S. had grown to around 30,000 members.[6]

Eritrean Americans have since established ethnic enclaves in various places around the country, particularly in the Washington D.C. area. Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, California has come to be known as Little Ethiopia, owing to its many Ethiopian and Eritrean businesses and restaurants. The Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, California has many Ethiopian and Eritrean businesses and restaurants.[7] Additionally, Eritreans have opened a number of garages and auto repair shops.[6] They also run several taxi establishments, including the Eritrean Cab company based in San Diego.[8] Also the 100% Eritrean owned Indy Airport Taxi located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

## Demographics

[edit]

The exact number of Eritrean residents in the United States is unknown because Eritreans were listed as Ethiopian nationals prior to Eritrea's independence in the early 1990s.[6] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 18,917 people reported Eritrean ancestry in 2000.[4] Between 2007 and 2011, there were approximately 25,848 Eritrea-born residents in the country.[3] California had the most Eritrean-born people, at 4,782 residents, followed by Virginia (3,417), Texas (2,693), and Maryland (1,902).[9]

Most Eritrean immigrants are concentrated in Washington D.C., Arizona, and California, especially the San Francisco Bay Area. The community also has a notable presence in the Seattle, Columbus, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, and Dallas metropolitan areas.[10]

## Community organizations

[edit]

The Eritrean Community Center of Greater New York.

The Eritrean community in the United States is represented by various Eritrean-run organizations. Among these are the Eritrean American Community Association of Georgia, Eritrean American Community in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area,[11] Eritrean Community Center of Greater New York,[12] Eritrean American Community in Dallas,[13] Eritrean Community Association in Chicago,[14] Eritrean Community Center of Minnesota,[15] Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle,[16] and Eritrean American Community in Sacramento.[17]

In 2001, a chapter of the Eritrean Liberation Front–Revolutionary Council was also established in Chicago. The National Union of Eritrean Women likewise routinely holds meetings and activities in the city.[6]

Additionally, the Virginia-based Eritrean Sports Federation in North America (ERSFNA) annually hosts a soccer tournament for Eritrean residents. It also organizes adult and youth sports community programs in various U.S. cities.[18]

The Eritrean Muslims Association in North America (EMANA) and Eritrean Muslims Council (EMC) serve the Eritrean community's Muslim adherents.[19][20] Christians also gather in a number of Eritrean Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic churches.[6]

## Notable people

[edit]

Notable Eritrean-Americans:

Rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2014

* Aminé \- rapper
* Azie Tesfai\- Eritrean American actress, known for her television roles, including Jane the Virgin and Supergirl.
* Nipsey Hussle (1985-2019)- Ermias Joseph Asghedom, known professionally as Nipsey Hussle, was partially Eritrean and an American rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, community activist, philanthropist, and actor.
* Lay Bankz \- rapper
* Semhar Araia \- Eritrean political activist, professor and international lawyer.
* Bereket Habteslassie \- Eritrean American & Leading African scholar, freedom fighter, professor, international lawyer and political activist.
* Selamawi Asgedom \- Eritrean-Ethiopian author and public speaker.
* Asmeret Asefaw Berhe \- soil biogeochemist and political ecologist
* Nat Berhe \- partially Eritrean football player who is currently a free agent in the NFL; The first player of Eritrean descent drafted into the league.
* Eriam Sisters \- Eritrean musical group consisting of three sisters.
* Haile Debas\- physician and academic administrator at the University of California, San Francisco.[21]
* Haben Girma \- Disability rights advocate, first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School
* Tiffany Haddish \- partially Eritrean comedian and actress.
* J Holiday \- American born Eritrean partially Singer
* Meb Keflezighi \- Eritrean athlete and long-distance runner.
* Thomas Kelati \- American-born Polish professional basketball player of Eritrean heritage.
* Joe Neguse \- Eritrean U.S. House of Representative from Colorado's 2nd congressional district.
* Ella Thomas \- partially Eritrean, Eritrean-born actress, model and producer.
* Rubi Rose \- rapper and model

## See also

[edit]

* Eritrea portal
* United States portal

* Eritrean people
* Eritrea–United States relations
* Habesha peoples

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
2. ^ "International Migration Database". OECD. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
3. ^ a b "PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES, Universe: Foreign-born population excluding population born at sea, 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 16 July 2013.[dead link]
4. ^ a b "Table 1. First, Second, and Total Responses to the Ancestry Question by Detailed Ancestry Code: 2000". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
5. ^ Bayor, Ronald H. (22 July 2011). Multicultural America [4 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans [4 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 978-0-313-35787-9.
6. ^ a b c d e Hepner, Tricia Redeker. "Eritreans". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
7. ^ Fetini, Alyssa; Hautala, Laura (October 18, 2010). "East Africans share community values, plates of food". OaklandNorth. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
8. ^ "Eritrean Cab". Beach California. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
9. ^ "American FactFinder". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
10. ^ Ember, Melvin (1997). American Immigrant Cultures: Builders of a Nation. Simon & Schuster Macmillan. p. 264\. ISBN 0028972147.
11. ^ "Nonprofit Report for ERITREAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE D C METROPOLITAN AREA EAC". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
12. ^ "Eritrean Community Center of Greater New York". NCCS. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
13. ^ "Eritrean American Community". Manta. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
14. ^ "ERITREAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION IN CHICAGO". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
15. ^ "Eritrean Community Center of Minnesota". Manta. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
16. ^ "Association History". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
17. ^ "Eritrean American Community In Sacramento. 5419 Beauford Ct Antelope,CA. EIN:273133841". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
18. ^ "Eritrean Sports Federation in North America (ERSFNA)". Eritrean Sports Federation in North America (ERSFNA). Retrieved 28 April 2013.
19. ^ "Eritrean Muslims Association in North America (EMANA)". Eritrean Muslims Association in North America. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
20. ^ "www.erimc.org/news.php Eritrean Muslims Council (EMC)". Eritrean Muslims Council. Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
21. ^ "Haile Debas". University of California San Francisco Profiles.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Hepner, Tricia Redeker. “Eritrean Immigrants.” Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans. Ed. Ronald H. Bayor, (Greenwood, 2001) pp 617–47. .
* Sorenson, John. “Discourses on Eritrean Nationalism and Identity.” Journal of Modern African Studies 29, no. 2 (1991): 301–17.
* Tesfagiorgis, Mussie G. Eritrea (Africa in Focus). (ABC-CLIO, 2011).
* Ockerstrom, Lolly. "Eritrean Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2014), pp. 87–96. online

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eritrean diaspora in the United States.

* Organization of Eritrean-Americans

* v
* t
* e

Eritrean diaspora

* Australia
* Canada
* Denmark
* Germany
* Italy
* Norway
* Sweden
* United Kingdom
* United States

* v
* t
* e

African immigration to the United States

North Africa|

* Algerian
* Canarian
* Egyptian
* Libyan
* Moroccan
* Tunisian

Sub-Saharan Africa|

| Central Africa|

* Cameroonian
* Congolese
* Equatoguinean
* Gabonese

|

East Africa|

* Eritrean
* Ethiopian
* Kenyan
* Somali
* South Sudanese
* Sudanese
* Tanzanian
* Ugandan

Southern Africa|

* Angolan
* Malawian
* South African
* Zimbabwean

West Africa|

* Beninese
* Bissau-Guinean
* Cape Verdean
* Gambian
* Ghanaian
* Guinean
* Ivorian
* Liberian
* Malian
* Mauritanian
* Nigerian
* Senegalese
* Sierra Leonean
* Togolese

African ethnic groups
in the United States1|

* Arab
* Bantu in Maine
* Berber
* Coptic
* Fula
* Igbo
* Yoruba

1 Several African ethnic groups are dispersed throughout different areas of Africa, regardless of countries or regions.

* v
* t
* e

Demographics of the United States

Demographic history

By economic
and social|

* Affluence
* Gender inequality
* Educational attainment
* Emigration
* Home-ownership
* Household income
* Housing segregation
* Immigration
* Income inequality
* Language
* LGBT
* Middle classes
* Personal income
* Poverty
* Racial inequality
* Race and health
* Racial achievement gap
* Racial wage gap
* Social class
* Standard of living
* Unemployment by state
* Wealth
* Ethnocultural politics

By religion|

* Baha'is
* Buddhists
* Christians
* Catholics
* Coptics
* Mormons
* Protestants
* Hindus
* Jains
* Jews
* Muslims
* Ahmadiyyas
* Five Percenters
* Moorish Scientists
* Nation of Islam
* Value Creators
* Native American
* Neopagans
* Non-religious
* Rastafaris
* Scientologists
* Sikhs
* Zoroastrians

By continent and
ethnic ancestry|

| Africa|

* African Americans
* African diaspora in the Americas
* Afro-Caribbean/West Indian Americans
* Antiguan and Barbudan Americans
* Bahamian Americans
* Barbadian Americans
* Bermudian Americans
* Dominican Americans (Dominica)
* Dutch West Indian Americans
* Grenadian Americans
* Haitian Americans
* Jamaican Americans
* Kittian and Nevisian Americans
* Saint Lucian Americans
* Stateside Virgin Islands Americans
* Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans
* Vincentian Americans
* Black Hispanic and Latino Americans
* Black Indians
* African immigrants to the United States
* Central Africans in the United States
* Cameroonian Americans
* Congolese Americans
* Equatoguinean Americans
* Gabonese Americans
* Fula Americans
* Igbo Americans
* East Africans in the United States
* Eritrean Americans
* Ethiopian Americans
* Kenyan Americans
* Somali Americans
* South Sudanese Americans
* Sudanese Americans
* Tanzanian Americans
* Ugandan Americans
* Southern Africans in the United States
* Angolan Americans
* Malawian Americans
* South African Americans
* Zimbabwean Americans
* West Africans in the United States
* Beninese Americans
* Bissau-Guinean Americans
* Cape Verdean Americans
* Gambian Americans
* Ghanaian Americans
* Guinean Americans
* Ivorian Americans
* Liberian Americans
* Malian Americans
* Nigerian Americans
* Senegalese Americans
* Sierra Leonean Americans
* Togolese Americans
* Yoruba Americans

* North Africans in the United States
* Berber Americans
* Algerian Americans
* Libyan Americans
* Moroccan American
* Tunisian Americans
* Coptic Americans
* Egyptian Americans

|

Asia|

* Asian Americans
* Asian Hispanic and Latino Americans
* Central Asia
* Afghan Americans
* Pashtun Americans
* Baloch Americans
* Kazakh Americans
* Kyrgyz Americans
* Tajik Americans
* Turkmen Americans
* Uyghur Americans
* Uzbek Americans
* East Asia
* Chinese Americans
*         * Fuzhounese Americans
* Hakka Americans
* Hoklo Americans
* Hong Kong Americans
* Japanese Americans
* Korean Americans
* Mongolian Americans
* Ryukyuan Americans
* Taiwanese Americans
* Tibetan Americans
* South Asia
* Bangladeshi Americans
* Bengali Americans
* Bhutanese Americans
* Indian Americans
* Bengali Americans
* Gujarati Americans
* Indo-Caribbean Americans
* Punjabi Americans
* Sindhi Americans
* Tamil Americans
* Telugu Americans
* Maldivian Americans
* Nepalese Americans
* Pakistani Americans
* Punjabi Americans
* Sindhi Americans
* Sri Lankan Americans
* Tamil Americans
* Southeast Asia
* Burmese Americans
* Karen Americans
* Cambodian Americans
* Filipino Americans
* Hmong Americans
* Indonesian Americans
* Iu Mien Americans
* Laotian Americans
* Malaysian Americans
* Singaporean Americans
* Thai Americans
* Vietnamese Americans

* Romani Americans
* Hungarian Slovak Gypsies

* West Asia
* Arab Americans
* Bahraini Americans
* Emirati Americans
* Iraqi Americans
* Jordanian Americans
* Kuwaiti Americans
* Lebanese Americans
* Omani Americans
* Palestinian Americans
* Qatari Americans
* Saudi Americans
* Syrian Americans
* Yemeni Americans
* Armenian Americans
* Assyrian Americans
* Azerbaijani Americans
* Circassian Americans
* Chechen Americans
* Georgian Americans
* Iranian Americans
* Jewish Americans
* Israeli Americans
* Lezgin Americans
* Kurdish Americans
* Turkish Americans

Europe|

* White Americans
* Albanian Americans
* Asturian Americans
* Austrian Americans
* Basque Americans
* Belarusian Americans
* Belgian Americans
* Bosnian Americans
* British Americans
* Cornish Americans
* English Americans
* Manx Americans
* Scottish Americans
* Welsh Americans
* Bulgarian Americans
* Catalan Americans
* Croatian Americans
* Cypriot Americans
* Czech Americans
* Dutch Americans
* Estonian Americans
* Finnish Americans
* French Americans
* Cajuns
* Galician Americans
* German Americans
* Greek Americans
* Hungarian Americans
* Irish Americans
* Italian Americans
* before 1880
* Latvian Americans
* Liechtensteiner Americans
* Lithuanian Americans
* Luxembourgish Americans
* Macedonian Americans
* Maltese Americans
* Moldovan Americans
* Montenegrin Americans
* Polish Americans
* Portuguese Americans
* Romanian Americans
* Russian Americans
* Sammarinese Americans
* Nordic and Scandinavian Americans
* Danish Americans
* Icelandic Americans
* Norwegian Americans
* Swedish Americans
* Serbian Americans
* Slovak Americans
* Slovenian Americans
* Spanish Americans
* Californios
* Swiss Americans
* Ukrainian Americans
* Non-Hispanic whites
* White Hispanic and Latino Americans

North America|

* Native Americans
* Abenaki
* Apache
* Blackfeet
* Cherokee
* Cheyenne
* Chickasaw
* Choctaw
* Colville
* Comanche
* Cree
* Crow
* Houma
* Iroquois
* Cayuga
* Mohawk
* Oneida
* Onondaga
* Seneca
* Tuscarora
* Kiowa
* Lenape
* Menominee
* Mohave
* Mission Indians
* Cahuilla
* Chemehuevi
* Chumash
* Cupeño
* Diegueño
* Esselen
* Juaneño
* Kitanemuk
* Luiseño
* Miwok
* Patwin
* Pomo
* Salinan
* Serrano
* Suisunes
* Ohlone
* Awaswas
* Chalon
* Chochenyo
* Karkin
* Tamyen
* Tataviam
* Tongva
* Wappo
* Wintun
* Yokuts
* Muscogee
* Navajo
* Ojibwe
* Osage
* Odawa
* Paiute
* Pawnee
* Pima
* Potawatomi
* Pueblo
* Zia
* Zuni
* Quechan
* Salish
* Seminole
* Shawnee
* Shoshone
* Sioux
* Tohono Oʼodham
* Ute
* Yakama
* Yaqui
* Alaska Natives
* Alaskan Athabaskans
* Aleut
* Alutiiq
* Gwich'in
* Haida
* Iñupiat
* Tsimshian
* Tlingit
* Yupik

* Canadian Americans

* Hispanic and Latino Americans
* Central America
* Belizean Americans
* Costa Rican Americans
* Guatemalan Americans
* Honduran Americans
* Nicaraguan Americans
* Panamanian Americans
* Salvadoran Americans
* Cuban Americans
* Dominican Americans
* Puerto Rican Americans
* Mexican Americans
* Chicanos
* Indigenous Mexican Americans

Oceania|

* Pacific Islander Americans
* Chamorro Americans
* Fijian Americans
* French Polynesian Americans
* Marshallese Americans
* Micronesian Americans
* Native Hawaiians
* Palauan Americans
* Samoan Americans
* Tongan Americans
* Americans of Euro Oceanic origin
* Australian Americans
* New Zealand Americans

South America|

* Argentine Americans
* Bolivian Americans
* Brazilian Americans
* Chilean Americans
* Colombian Americans
* Ecuadorian Americans
* Guyanese Americans
* Paraguayan Americans
* Peruvian Americans
* Surinamese Americans
* Uruguayan Americans
* Venezuelan Americans

Multiethnic|

* Afro-Asian
* Amerasian
* Blaxican
* Cajuns
* Hapa
* Louisiana Creole people
* Melungeon
* Mulatto
* Punjabi Mexican Americans

* People of the United States / Americans
* American ancestry
* Native American ancestry
* Maps of American ancestries
* 2010 census
* Race and ethnicity in the census
* Births of U.S. states and territories by race/ethnicity
* Race and ethnicity in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
* Racism

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template