Belarusian American
Encyclopedia
Belarusian Americans are Americans whose ancestors where born in the territory of Belarus
.
The total estimate of Belarusian immigrants to the USA is between 650,000 and 750,000 (this estimate includes only actual immigrants, and not people of Belarusian descent born in the United States
). A precise number of Belarusian Americans is difficult to determine, since historically, census and immigration statistics did not recognize Belarusians as a separate category. Many of them were recorded as Russian
or Polish, depending on the region of Belarus in which they were born.
The largest concentrations of Belarusian Americans are in the metropolitan New York area, New Jersey
(especially Highland Park
and South River
), Cleveland (and its suburbs), Chicago
(recent immigrants concentrated around Wheeling
), Los Angeles
, and Detroit.
There were several waves of influx of Belarusians into the USA, one before the Russian Revolution, then in 1919-1939 from West Belarus
, then in late 1940s - early 1950s (after the Second World War), and after the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s.
One major group of Belarusian immigrants to the U.S. are Belarusian Jews
who migrated starting in the mid-19th century, facing discrimination in the Russian Empire
of which Belarus was part of at the time.
According to the Census Bureau report in 2000 in the USA lived 38,505 people who were born in Belarus. From them - 1,363 spoke Belarusian language at home.
Belarusians
Belarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
.
The total estimate of Belarusian immigrants to the USA is between 650,000 and 750,000 (this estimate includes only actual immigrants, and not people of Belarusian descent born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). A precise number of Belarusian Americans is difficult to determine, since historically, census and immigration statistics did not recognize Belarusians as a separate category. Many of them were recorded as Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
or Polish, depending on the region of Belarus in which they were born.
The largest concentrations of Belarusian Americans are in the metropolitan New York area, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(especially Highland Park
Highland Park, New Jersey
Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,982....
and South River
South River, New Jersey
South River is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 15,322....
), Cleveland (and its suburbs), Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(recent immigrants concentrated around Wheeling
Wheeling, Illinois
Wheeling is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of Chicago. The population was 34,496 at the 2000 census, and 38,555 at the 2006 special village census.-Geography:Wheeling is located at ....
), Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and Detroit.
There were several waves of influx of Belarusians into the USA, one before the Russian Revolution, then in 1919-1939 from West Belarus
West Belarus
West Belarus is the name used in reference to the territory of modern Belarus which belonged to the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939. The area of West Belarus was annexed into the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic following staged elections soon after the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of...
, then in late 1940s - early 1950s (after the Second World War), and after the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s.
One major group of Belarusian immigrants to the U.S. are Belarusian Jews
History of the Jews in Belarus
The Jews in Belarus were the third largest ethnic group in the country in the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, Jews were the third among the ethnic groups in Belarus, and in cities and towns comprised more than 40% of the population. The population of cities such as Minsk,...
who migrated starting in the mid-19th century, facing discrimination in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
of which Belarus was part of at the time.
According to the Census Bureau report in 2000 in the USA lived 38,505 people who were born in Belarus. From them - 1,363 spoke Belarusian language at home.
Notable Belarusian Americans
- Andrei ArlovskiAndrei ArlovskiAndrei Valeryevich Arlovski is a Belarusian kickboxer, mixed martial artist and a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.-Biography:...
- Ralph LaurenRalph LaurenRalph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
- Michael Mukasey
- Larry KingLarry KingLawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
- Kirk DouglasKirk DouglasKirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
- Michael DouglasMichael DouglasMichael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
- Janice DickinsonJanice DickinsonJanice Doreen Dickinson is an American actress, author, fashion photographer, model and talent agent.Initially notable as a model, she has described herself as the first supermodel. One of the most successful models throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she expanded her profession to reality television...
- Harrison FordHarrison FordHarrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
- Lisa KudrowLisa KudrowLisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
- Paul MazurkiewiczPaul MazurkiewiczPaul Mazurkiewicz is the Polish-American drummer of Cannibal Corpse, and one of two remaining original members, the other being bassist Alex Webster.-Musical History:...
- Steve BallmerSteve BallmerSteven Anthony "Steve" Ballmer is an American business magnate. He is the chief executive officer of Microsoft, having held that post since January 2000. , his personal wealth is estimated at US$13.9 billion, ranking number 19 on the Forbes 400.-Early life:Ballmer was born in Detroit, Michigan to...
- Yury ShulmanYury ShulmanYuri Shulman is a Belarusian American chess grandmaster. He also goes by the alternate spelling of "Yury Shulman."-Chess career:Shulman started formal chess lessons with coach Tamara Golovey when he was six years old. He went on to study under International Master Albert Kapengut at age 12, and...