History of Iranian Americans in Los Angeles facts for kids

Los Angeles, often called Tehrangeles by many, is home to the largest group of Iranian people outside of Iran. About 700,000 Iranians live in Southern California. This community is very diverse. It includes people from different backgrounds like Iranian Jews, Iranian Armenians, and Iranian Muslims. Many Iranians came to the U.S. after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Others arrived after the 2009 Green Movement, through programs like the Diversity Visa Program, or were born here.

History of Iranians in Los Angeles

Iranians started moving to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. When the 1979 Iranian Revolution happened, many Iranians left their home country. A large number of them chose to settle in Los Angeles. Many of these immigrants were from wealthier families. They included Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

Los Angeles felt like home to many Iranians. The landscape, the car culture, and the mountains were similar to Iran in the 1970s. This made it an ideal place for them to start new lives.

In November 1979, Iranians took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. They held hostages for 444 days. This event caused some anti-Iranian feelings in the U.S. Because of this, Iranians in Los Angeles sometimes wished to be less noticeable.

Over the years, the Iranian community grew across Southern California. Many settled in places like Beverly Hills, the San Fernando Valley, Irvine, and Orange County.

Who Lives in the Iranian Community?

The Iranian community in Los Angeles is made up of many different groups. These include Iranians who are not religious, Iranian Muslims, Iranian Jews, Iranian Armenians, and Iranian Baháʼí.

By 1990, about 76,000 Iranians lived in the Los Angeles area. This was about 29% of all Iranians in the United States at that time.

Iranian Armenians

Many Iranian Armenians came to the U.S. because of the Lebanese Civil War (which started in 1975) and the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Armenian communities in Lebanon and Iran were well-established. They were part of the local populations but kept their own culture. Many had lived very comfortably in their home countries. They were also good at speaking many languages while keeping their Armenian traditions.

In 1980, about 14.7% of Armenians living in Los Angeles who were born outside the U.S. came from Iran. This showed a strong connection between Iranian Armenians in Los Angeles. For example, many self-employed Iranian Armenians had other Iranian Armenians as business partners. This shows how strong their community ties are.

Iranian Jews

As of 2008, the Los Angeles area had the largest Persian Jewish population in the U.S., with about 50,000 people. A large number of Persian Jews live in Beverly Hills, California.

In the 1970s, some Persian Jewish families started buying properties in Beverly Hills. The good schools, the existing Jewish community, and the city's reputation for wealth attracted many Iranian Jews. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, about 30,000 Iranian Jews settled in Beverly Hills and nearby areas. Even if they lost money in Iran, their good education and business skills helped them adapt quickly.

In 1990, a writer for the Los Angeles Times noted that Iranian Jews were part of the larger Iranian community. But they also had their own community. They went to Iranian nightclubs, worshipped at Iranian synagogues, and shopped at Iranian businesses. At first, there were some small disagreements with Ashkenazi Jews in synagogues. This was due to cultural differences and misunderstandings about things like fundraising. However, these issues mostly disappeared by 2009.

The Iranian American Jewish Federation (IAJF) of Los Angeles is an important group. It helps the Iranian Jewish community in many ways. They work to fight against hate, protect Iranian Jews, and support the community through charity.

Where Iranians Live in Los Angeles

Many Iranian immigrants settled in Beverly Hills, California, Bel-Air, and Brentwood, Los Angeles. They were among the first immigrant groups to move into these areas. Iranians also live in Santa Monica, California, West Los Angeles, and Westwood, Los Angeles. By 2007, about 8,000 Iranians lived in Beverly Hills. This made up about 20% of the city's population.

In 1990, many Iranian restaurants and businesses opened on a part of Westwood Boulevard. This area became a central spot for Iranians in Los Angeles.

Many Iranians in Beverly Hills built large houses. These houses were very different from the smaller, older homes in the area. Some people called them "Persian palaces." In 2004, the city council of Beverly Hills created a group to review new house designs. This group could stop plans for houses that looked too different from their neighbors. In 2017, the Freedom Sculpture was unveiled on Santa Monica Boulevard. It is an art project led by Iranian-Americans. It celebrates freedom, diversity, and being welcoming to everyone.

By 1990, Irvine, California and the Palos Verdes Peninsula had the most Iranian Muslims. Glendale, California had a large number of Iranian Armenians.

How Iranians Contribute to the Economy

Many Iranian Jews and Iranian Muslims were professionals. They worked as bankers, doctors, and lawyers. In 1990, Iranian Jews often worked in clothing and jewelry making. Many Iranian Muslims worked in construction and real estate.

By 1990, Southern California had 1,600 Iranian professionals and businesses listed in the Iranian Yellow Pages. In 1996, more than 50% of Iranian managers and professionals in Los Angeles owned their own businesses.

Politics and Community Involvement

In 2003, a writer named Halleh Ghorashi noted that most Iranians in Los Angeles felt very patriotic about Iran.

In 2007, election ballots in Beverly Hills started to be printed in Persian. That same year, Jimmy Delshad, an Iranian Jew, became the mayor of Beverly Hills, California. He was the first mayor of Iranian background in the city. He was also the highest-ranking politician of Persian origin in the country at that time.

Culture and Fun Activities

Many Iranian immigrants came to Los Angeles with wealth. This led to a common idea that Iranians shopped on Rodeo Drive and drove expensive cars. In 1990, many businesses in Los Angeles stayed open later to serve Iranian customers. This was because Iranians often shopped and ate out later than others.

Many Iranian families experienced "culture shock" when they first arrived. For example, Iranian men who were used to being the main providers in their families sometimes felt their power was reduced. While arranged marriages were common at first, this practice became less frequent by 1990.

As of 2009, many older Iranian women in Los Angeles still practice doreh. This is when they have large gatherings to enjoy entertainment, talk, and eat together.

The Noor Iranian Film Festival is held in the area. It celebrates Iranian cinema. Iranians living outside Iran, especially in Los Angeles, have also greatly helped create Iranian pop music. This music is popular around the world, even in Iran.

Media and Entertainment

Los Angeles has a large Iranian media network. Many Persian-language satellite TV channels are made in Los Angeles. A lot of these channels are sent back to Iran.

A writer named Ghorashi said that Iranian media in Los Angeles often focuses on home, the past, and feelings of longing. It also strongly promotes nationalistic ideas.

The TV show "Shahs of Sunset" on the Bravo Channel shows the lives of some Iranians in Los Angeles. It started in 2012. After the show first aired, some Iranians in Los Angeles asked for it to be canceled.

Education and Learning

In 1990, Iranian Jews and Muslims in Los Angeles were generally well-educated. By 1990, about 20% of the students in the Beverly Hills Unified School District were Iranian. Because of this, the school district hired a counselor for Iranian students. They also started writing announcements in Persian. The Iranian Education Foundation also gave money to the district.

In Culture

The movie Shirin in Love tells the story of a woman of Iranian background living in Los Angeles.

Notable people

• Ray Aghayan, costume designer and Emmy award winner
• Shohreh Aghdashloo, Academy Award-nominated film/television actress
• Max Amini, comedian
• Tala Ashe, actress
• Reza Aslan, writer and professor at University of California, Riverside
• Touraj Daryaee, an Iranologist and Professor of Iranian history at University of California, Irvine
• Jimmy Delshad, Mayor of Beverly Hills, California
• Maz Jobrani, comedian
• Arash Markazi, writer at ESPN and adjunct professor at University of Southern California
• Paul Merage, co-founder of Chef America Inc., manufacturer of Hot Pockets
• Mahbod Moghadam, co-founder of Rapgenius and CEO of Everipedia - Encino
• Firouz Naderi, NASA director of Mars project
• Bijan Pakzad, fashion and perfume designer
• Nasim Pedrad, Comedian, former cast member of Saturday Night Live
• Cyrus Shahabi, computer scientist and director of the Integrated Media Systems Center at the University of Southern California.
• Bob Yousefian, former mayor of Glendale