Kurdish American
Encyclopedia
Kurdish Americans are Americans of Kurdish
descent, the majority of Kurdish Americans are recent migrants.
, developed since that time several waves of migration from Kurdistan to the United States. Later, the Iraqi Revolution also increased the Kurdish emigration to United States (like to Iran
). So, in 1976 arrive to Nashville, the first group of Kurdish refugees. The following year, many Iraqis of Kurdish descent emigrated to the U.S., although the majority of the Kurdish of the second wave that came in 1979 came from Kurdistan and of Iran. These Kurds rejected the theocratic system that would follow the Iranian revolution that endeavored to overthrow the Shah and replace his government with an islamic republic, which is why they emigrated. The third wave arrived between 1991 and 1992, and is considered as be the largest of the four waves. This migration was due to the support of many Kurdish to Iran in the Iran-Iraq War
, because Saddam Hussein
retaliated against this people, attacking with chemical weapons and invading Kurditan more later. Thousands of Kurds were moved to the U.S. during this time. The last wave of migration Kurdish to the United States or at least to Nashiville, the main area of Kurdish communities in this country, was Between 1996 and 1997, developed a major civil war between Iraqi Kurdistan's two major political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in which the former Saddam’s army into the region to counter his support from Iran. The Iraqi army began targeting hundreds of individuals accused of working against Saddam's regime. The International Organization for Migration make an evacuation. Kurdish refugees crossed the Turkish border, place where they were evacuated to Guam – a military outpost in the Western Pacific – and later resettled in the U.S. Many Kurdisth are immigrants and political refugees from the countries of Iran
, Iraq
, Syria
and Turkey
.
population in the United States in 2000 census was 9,423 . The city of Nashville
, Tennessee
has the United States' largest population of Kurdish people. Based on the 2000 census, the Kurdish population in Tennessee
is 2,405 and in the city of Nashville
the Kurdish
population is 1,770 based on 2000 census.Though most Kurdish people follow Sunni Islam, there are also minorities of Shi’a Muslims, Jews, Christians, Alevis, Yezidis, Yarsans, Zoroastrians, Babis and followers of different Sufi and Mystic orders, some of which have formed their own subcommunities in the U.S.
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
descent, the majority of Kurdish Americans are recent migrants.
History
Kurdish immigration in the United States began in the twentieth century. The Kurdish who immigrated to the United States, came to this country after World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, developed since that time several waves of migration from Kurdistan to the United States. Later, the Iraqi Revolution also increased the Kurdish emigration to United States (like to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
). So, in 1976 arrive to Nashville, the first group of Kurdish refugees. The following year, many Iraqis of Kurdish descent emigrated to the U.S., although the majority of the Kurdish of the second wave that came in 1979 came from Kurdistan and of Iran. These Kurds rejected the theocratic system that would follow the Iranian revolution that endeavored to overthrow the Shah and replace his government with an islamic republic, which is why they emigrated. The third wave arrived between 1991 and 1992, and is considered as be the largest of the four waves. This migration was due to the support of many Kurdish to Iran in the Iran-Iraq War
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
, because Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
retaliated against this people, attacking with chemical weapons and invading Kurditan more later. Thousands of Kurds were moved to the U.S. during this time. The last wave of migration Kurdish to the United States or at least to Nashiville, the main area of Kurdish communities in this country, was Between 1996 and 1997, developed a major civil war between Iraqi Kurdistan's two major political parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in which the former Saddam’s army into the region to counter his support from Iran. The Iraqi army began targeting hundreds of individuals accused of working against Saddam's regime. The International Organization for Migration make an evacuation. Kurdish refugees crossed the Turkish border, place where they were evacuated to Guam – a military outpost in the Western Pacific – and later resettled in the U.S. Many Kurdisth are immigrants and political refugees from the countries of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Demography
The total KurdishKurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
population in the United States in 2000 census was 9,423 . The city of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
has the United States' largest population of Kurdish people. Based on the 2000 census, the Kurdish population in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
is 2,405 and in the city of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
population is 1,770 based on 2000 census.Though most Kurdish people follow Sunni Islam, there are also minorities of Shi’a Muslims, Jews, Christians, Alevis, Yezidis, Yarsans, Zoroastrians, Babis and followers of different Sufi and Mystic orders, some of which have formed their own subcommunities in the U.S.
See Also
- Iranian Americans
- Iraqi Americans
- Syrian Americans
- Turkish Americans
- Armenian Americans
- Azerbaijani AmericanAzerbaijani AmericanAzerbaijani Americans , or Azeri-Americans, are U.S. citizens and permanent residents of ethnic Azerbaijani background, or those who were born in Azerbaijan...
- Georgian Americans