Ethiopian Americans facts for kids

Ethiopian Americans are people in the United States who have Ethiopian roots. This includes people born in Ethiopia who moved to America, and also Americans who have Ethiopian family members.

History of Ethiopians in America

The story of Ethiopians in America began a long time ago.

Early Visits and Students

In 1919, a group from Ethiopia visited the United States. They came to congratulate the Allied powers for winning World War I. This group included important people like Dejazmach Nadew, who was the nephew of Empress Zawditu.

Later, after he became emperor, Emperor Haile Selassie sent many Ethiopian students to study abroad. Some of these students came to the United States. For example, Makonnen Desta studied at Harvard University. He later became an important Minister of Education in Ethiopia. Other students studied finance, veterinary medicine, and more at different American universities.

Between 1941 and 1974, about 20,000 Ethiopians went to Western countries for education or diplomatic work. Most of them returned to Ethiopia after finishing their studies. This was because Ethiopia was quite stable then.

Growing Immigration to the U.S.

Changes in U.S. immigration laws helped more Ethiopians move to America. Laws like the 1965 Immigration Act and the Refugee Act of 1980 made it easier.

More Ethiopians started coming to the U.S. in the 1990s. This was often due to political problems in Ethiopia, like the Ethiopian Civil War and the Eritrean–Ethiopian War. From 1992 to 2002, about 5,000 Ethiopians moved to the U.S. each year.

Ethiopian Communities in the U.S.

Over time, Ethiopian Americans have created special communities in different cities. You can find many Ethiopian businesses and restaurants in places like Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

One famous area is Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. It is even called Little Ethiopia. This street has many Ethiopian shops, restaurants, and people of Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage.

Ethiopian Jews in the United States

Since the 1990s, about 1,000 Ethiopian Jews have moved to the United States. These individuals had first settled in Israel. Many of them now live in New York City.

Where Ethiopian Americans Live

Ethiopian Americans live in many parts of the United States.

Population Numbers

In 2000, about 68,001 people in the U.S. said they had Ethiopian ancestry. Between 2007 and 2011, there were around 151,515 people born in Ethiopia living in the United States.

If you include the children and grandchildren of Ethiopian immigrants, the number could be as high as 460,000 people. A large number of these people live in Washington, D.C. (around 150,000 to 250,000). Other big communities are in Los Angeles (96,000) and New York (20,000).

States with Many Ethiopian Americans

The states and areas with the highest percentage of people with Ethiopian ancestry include:

• Washington, D.C. - 1.1% Ethiopian
• Maryland - 0.39% Ethiopian
• Virginia - 0.35% Ethiopian
• Minnesota - 0.34% Ethiopian
• Nevada - 0.33% Ethiopian
• Washington - 0.3% Ethiopian
• Colorado - 0.18% Ethiopian
• South Dakota - 0.18% Ethiopian
• Georgia - 0.17% Ethiopian
• California - 0.09% Ethiopian
• Oregon - 0.09% Ethiopian

Ethiopians are the second-largest immigrant group in both South Dakota and Washington, D.C.

Culture and Traditions

Ethiopian Americans keep many of their cultural traditions alive.

Religion

Many Ethiopian Americans follow Abrahamic religions, mainly Christianity and Islam. Most Christians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This is the biggest Christian group in Ethiopia. Most Muslim Ethiopians follow the Sunni branch of Islam. Some also follow the P'ent'ay Christian group or Judaism.

There has been a renewed interest in religion among Ethiopian Americans. More people attend church in America than in Ethiopia. Churches help to preserve Ethiopian culture for American-born Ethiopians. They also offer support and a place for new immigrants and established residents to connect. Ethiopian churches are important gathering spots. People come together to pray, socialize, and help each other.

Music and Arts

Music is a very important part of Ethiopian American culture. It helps immigrants explore their shared identity. It also allows them to express themselves and share their culture.

Public performances, often at colleges, introduce Ethiopian music and dance to others. These traditional performances often have religious themes. They feature sacred songs sung in different languages of Ethiopia. They also include musical instruments and traditional dances.

Major Ethiopian American Communities

Washington, D.C.

The largest group of Ethiopians in the U.S. lives in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding area. Some estimates say there are between 75,000 and 250,000 Ethiopians there.

The Ethiopian Community Center opened in 1980 to help these residents. Ethiopian business owners have also helped improve areas like Shaw and U Street. They bought old buildings and turned them into new offices, restaurants, and cafes. Ethiopian business owners in D.C. also own parking garages, taxi companies, grocery stores, and travel agencies.

New York City

As of 2012, about 4,610 people born in Ethiopia lived in the New York metropolitan area.

The New York Abay Ethiopian Sports Club (NYAESC) has a local football team. It is located in the Bronx. Ethiopian runners also practice there, including marathoner Bizunesh Deba.

Tadias Magazine is an Ethiopian American news source in New York. It was started by Liben Eabisa. Other well-known Ethiopian Americans in New York include supermodel Liya Kebede and chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Seattle

Around 25,000 to 40,000 Ethiopians live in Seattle. Many more live in the nearby areas. The first Ethiopian group in Seattle was founded in 1983. It is now called the Ethiopian Community Mutual Association.

The Seattle area also has three radio programs in the Amharic language. There is also an Amharic newspaper. Many Ethiopians live in the Rainier Beach and Central District neighborhoods. Ethiopian restaurants are a popular part of the city's food scene.

Other Communities

• In 2011, about 44,600 Ethiopian residents were officially counted in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Some estimates suggest the community is even larger, with about 50,000 people.
• Minnesota has a very diverse Ethiopian population. It includes many Amhara and Oromo Ethiopians. The official count shows 34,927 Ethiopian Americans in Minnesota.
• In Ohio, there is a large Ethiopian community in Greater Cleveland. The Columbus metropolitan area is home to about 40,000 Ethiopians.
• There is also an Ethiopian community in Las Vegas. Around 40,000 Ethiopians live in Clark County, Nevada.

Images for kids

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  Ethiopian businesses along Fairfax Avenue in Little Ethiopia, Los Angeles.

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  An Ethiopian restaurant in Hartford, Connecticut.

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  An Oromo Lutheran (P'ent'ay) church in Minneapolis.

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  Little Ethiopia, Shaw. 9th St, NW, D.C., Washington, D.C..

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  Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Washington, D.C..

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  19th century Ethiopian Orthodox altar, from the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

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  Ethiopian American musician Gonjasufi.

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  Little Ethiopia on Hamilton Road in Columbus.

See also

• Habesha peoples
• Ethiopia–United States relations
• Little Ethiopia, Los Angeles
• Ethiopians in the United Kingdom
• Ethiopian Australians
• Ethiopian Canadians
• Ethiopians in Washington, D.C.