Romani Americans
Romani Americans are people in the United States who are Romani. Their ancestors mainly came to the United States from Eastern Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is estimated that there are one million Romani people in the United States. They are also known as American Gypsies.
 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| est. 1,000,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and Portland as well as in rural areas in Texas and Arkansas | |
| Languages | |
| American English, Romani | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Islam |
History
Spain shipped Romani slaves to Louisiana. An Afro-Romani community exists in St. Martin Parish due to intermarriage of freed Africans and Romani slaves. Romanichal and British Roma were enslaved in the Southern United States. Massive Roma migration from Europe began in the nineteenth century. Most were Romanichal. Many resided in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. They were mostly horse traders.[1]
Groups
They are different Roma groups in the USA, with different religions. Majority are Christian Dasikane Roma (Roma Gypsy has nothing to do with Romanians) from Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Spain, and few Muslim Xoraxane Roma from former Ex-Yugoslavia.[2]
Settlements
The Roma are concentrated in large cities such Chicago and Los Angeles and states such as New York, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, and Massachusets.[3]
Romani Americans Media
"How War is driving the Gipsies to America", article from newspaper, The Star Press, 1915
Distribution of Romani language in the United States according to the 2000 census
References
- ↑ Emerging Voices: Experiences of Underrepresented Asian Americans. p. 115.
- ↑ "Gypsy Law: Romani Legal Traditions and Culture". 2001.
- ↑ Emerging Voices: Experiences of Underrepresented Asian Americans. p. 116.