Eritrean Americans facts for kids

Eritrean Americans are people living in the United States who have full or partial Eritrean family roots. This means their ancestors came from Eritrea, a country in Africa. As of 2013, about 33,930 people born in Eritrea lived in the U.S.

A Look at History

An Eritrean restaurant in San Francisco.

Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia on May 24, 1991. This happened after a long fight called the Eritrean War of Independence. This war started in the 1960s. Because of the war, many people from Eritrea moved to the United States. By the year 2000, there were about 30,000 Eritreans living in the U.S.

Since then, Eritrean Americans have created special communities in different parts of the country. Many have settled in the Washington, D.C. area. For example, Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles is known as Little Ethiopia. It has many businesses and restaurants owned by both Ethiopian and Eritrean people. The Temescal area in Oakland, California also has many such businesses. Eritreans have also opened car repair shops and taxi companies. One example is the Eritrean Cab company in San Diego. Another is Indy Airport Taxi in Indianapolis, Indiana, which is fully owned by Eritreans.

Where Eritrean Americans Live

It's a bit hard to know the exact number of Eritreans in the United States. This is because before Eritrea became independent in the early 1990s, Eritreans were counted as Ethiopian citizens.

However, the U.S. Census Bureau reported some numbers. In 2000, about 18,917 people said they had Eritrean family roots. Between 2007 and 2011, about 25,848 people born in Eritrea lived in the U.S.

Most Eritrean-born people live in California. About 4,782 of them live there. Next are Virginia (3,417 people), Texas (2,693 people), and Maryland (1,902 people).

Many Eritrean immigrants also live in Washington, D.C., Arizona, and California. The San Francisco Bay Area is a popular spot. You can also find notable Eritrean communities in cities like Seattle, Columbus, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, and Dallas.

Community Groups and Support

The Eritrean Community Center of Greater New York.

Eritrean Americans have many groups that help their community. These groups are run by Eritreans themselves. Some examples include:

• The Eritrean American Community Association of Georgia
• The Eritrean American Community in the Washington D.C. area
• The Eritrean Community Center of Greater New York
• The Eritrean American Community in Dallas
• The Eritrean Community Association in Chicago
• The Eritrean Community Center of Minnesota
• The Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle
• The Eritrean American Community in Sacramento

These organizations help Eritreans connect with each other. They also help new immigrants settle in the U.S.

In 2001, a branch of the Eritrean Liberation Front–Revolutionary Council was started in Chicago. The National Union of Eritrean Women also holds regular meetings and events in the city.

There is also the Eritrean Sports Federation in North America (ERSFNA). This group is based in Virginia. It hosts a yearly soccer tournament for Eritrean residents. It also organizes sports programs for adults and young people in many U.S. cities.

For Eritrean Muslims, there are groups like the Eritrean Muslims Association in North America (EMANA) and the Eritrean Muslims Council (EMC). Christian Eritreans also gather in different churches. These include Eritrean Orthodox, Protestant, and Roman Catholic churches.

Famous Eritrean Americans

Here are some notable Eritrean Americans:

See also

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