The origins of migrations of Albanians in USA

• Author: Naim Seferi
• Position: SHFMU, Jusuf Rexha', Kosovo
• Pages: 278-283

Vol. 2 No. 2

July 2016

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

278

The origins of migrations of Albanians in USA

Msc. Naim Seferi

SHFMUJusufRexhaKosovo

Abstract

The Albanians started to migrate in the US at the end of XIX-th century and beginning

ofXXth centuryThereasons ofemigration werethe persecutionscarried outby Ooman

Empire as well as the Balkan countries which tried to take advantage of the weakening of

OomanEmpireMigrationswerealsocommonfromtheBalkancountriessuchasRomania

Bulgaria, and Greece to USA. The migrations of Albanians in the US started very early when

they initially emigrated from Albania into various countries and from there they continued

their way to USA. In the archives of the USA they were recorded as people of countries from

where they were coming, based on the passports issued by the country they migrated to and

theAlbanians whowereunder theoccupation ofOoman empirewould beregisteredas

OomansduetotheirOomandocumentationswhereastheAlbaniansofOrthodoxreligion

would be registered as Greek in the USA. Main purpose of this study is the analysis of the

origins of emigration of Albanians in USA.

Keywords: migration, Albanian, USA, homeland, Balkans, documents.

Introduction

The migration of Albanians to USA started with the migration of Arberesh from Italy

at the beginning of XVIII century. The territories of Albanian population at the end

ofXIXcenturyandbeginningofXXcenturywereundertheoccupationofOoman

Empire, whose days were counted because of the crisis that pervaded the Empire.

When the Balkans crisis began the Albanian people encountered new problems and

newenemieswhointhenameofwaragainsttheOomanEmpirestartedinvading

AlbanianterritoriesAlbaniansdidnot wanttoleavetheircountrybuttheOoman

invaders were ruthless when it came to the freedom of Albanians. The records of

American immigration indicate that Albanians who were coming to USA were

mainly from the south of Albania. The wave of emigration that pervaded the Balkan

countriesatthebeginningofXXcenturyforabeerlifeinthelandofopportunities

as USA was called, was imposed on Albanians as a result of violence and repression.

HowevereventhoughtheymigratedtoUSAthroughalotofsueringandsacrice

as a result of their work they did not only create societies which had an impact on the

cultural emancipation of Albanians in USA but also helped Albania materially and

culturallyduringthisdicultperiodoftime

The reasons behind the migrations of Albanians to USA

ThelonginvasionofAlbaniabytheOomanEmpirehadcreatedaverydicult

situation for the Albanian population. Albanians were discriminated in all their rights,