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Croatian Americans

Croatian Americans or Croat Americans[a] (Croatian: Američki Hrvati) are Americans who have full or partial Croatian ancestry. In 2012, there were 414,714 American citizens[1] of Croat or Croatian descent living in the United States as per revised 2010 United States Census. The figure includes all people affiliated with United States who claim Croatian ancestry, both those born in the country and naturalized citizens, as well as those with dual citizenship who affiliate themselves with both countries or cultures.

Croatian Americans identify with other European American ethnic groups, especially Slavic Americans and are predominantly of Roman Catholic faith. Regions with significant Croatian American population include metropolitan areas of Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Southern California and especially Pittsburgh, the seat of Croatian Fraternal Union, fraternal benefit society of the Croatian diaspora.[3][4] Croatia's State Office for the Croats Abroad estimated that there are up to 1.2 million Croats and their descendants living in the United States.[2]

Demographics edit

Numbers edit

According to the 2007 U.S. Community Survey, there were 420,763 Americans of full or partial Croatian descent.[5] According to the 1990 United States Census, there were over 544,270 Croatian Americans who identified themselves as being of Croatian descent or being born in Croatia.[6] As of 2012, there were 414,714 American citizens.[1] It is estimated by the Croatia's State Office for the Croats Abroad that there are around 1,200,000 Croats and their descendants living in the United States today.[2]

In the 2006–2010 American Community Survey, the states with the largest Croatian American populations are:[7]

History edit

  • 1880 estimate: 20,000[8]
  • 1980 census: 252,970[9]
  • 1990 census: 544,270[10]
  • 2000 census: 374,241[10]
  • 2005 community survey: 401,208[11]

Croatian-born population edit

Croatian-born population in the U.S. from 2010 to 2017 according to the American FactFinder numbered:[12]

Year Number
2010 47,740
2011   41,484
2012   45,295
2013   39,026
2014   43,067
2015   36,978
2016   39,747
2017   35,962

History edit

The first major immigration of Croats was recorded in 1715.[13] At the time, approximately twelve hundred Croatian Protestants, whose ancestors had left the Austrian Empire after unsuccessful peasant revolts in 1573 and anti-Reformation edict of 1598, arrived in the American colony of Georgia. They settled in the valley of Savannah River.[13] Those settlers introduced silk-worm cultivation in Georgia. The community prospered for 150 years, until it was demolished during the Civil War.[14]

In 1683, a Croat Jesuit, named Ivan Ratkaj (Juan Ratkay) established a mission in northwest New Spain. In 1746, another Jesuit, Ferdinand Konšak (Consago Gonzales), drew the first dependable map of Baja California. Beginning in 1783, Joseph Kundek, a Croat missionary, helped to develop several midwestern towns, including Ferdinand and Jasper, both in Dubois County, Indiana. In the 1830s, various groups in the Austrian Empire sent financial aid to America to support missionary activities.[14]

Many early Croat immigrants settled in New Orleans,[13] and were employed as traders, artisans and fishermen. By the 1860s, there were around six hundred Croat families in New Orleans. Several families settled permanently in Alabama. During the Civil War, some three thousand Croats resided in the South, mostly in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Hundreds of them volunteered for the Confederate Army and Navy. After the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865, many Croats who had served in the Confederate military moved to the West.[14]

Significant emigration from what is now Croatia dates from the late 1890s and early 1900s, peaking around 1910, when many Croatians, the majority of them Roman Catholics, began emigrating to the United States. Many were economic immigrants, while others considered themselves political refugees.[15][16]

Like other immigrants of that period, they migrated to find employment. Many of them, mostly single young men but, often, married women with or without their families, settled in small towns in Pennsylvania and New York as coal miners or steelworkers. Many also settled in factory towns and farming areas in Midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. For most of the single men, the stay was only temporary. Once they had saved enough money, many Croatian men returned to Croatia. However, those who did choose to stay found permanent residence.[13][15][17]

Within a comparatively short period of time, Croatians could be found all over the United States from New York to California, from New Orleans to Minneapolis-St. Paul.[15] As it went through its most rapid expansion during the time of the 1890-1914 Great Migration and shortly thereafter from the onset of the First World War to the general clampdown on immigration in 1924, Croats and other South and West Slavs and members of other groups peaking in influx at the time were prominent in the history of the mining industry in the Iron Range of Minnesota; much the same is the case with the forestry-related industries there, elsewhere in Minnesota and in much of Wisconsin. A notable Croatian-American from the Iron Range was Rudy Perpich, the 34th and 36th Governor of the state representing the Democrat/Farmer-Labor Party; he served terms in office from December 29, 1976, to January 4, 1979, and from January 3, 1983, to January 7, 1991, spans of time which add up to make him the longest-serving governor in the state's history. In private life, Perpich was a dentist and after leaving office in 1991 assisted the post-communist government of Croatia. He was born in Carson Lake, Minnesota (now part of Hibbing) on June 27, 1928, and died of cancer in Minnetonka, Minnesota on September 21, 1995.

A new wave of Croatian immigrants began to arrive after World War II. These were mostly political refugees, including orphans whose parents had been killed during the war, individuals and families fleeing Yugoslavia's communist authorities.[15] Most of these Croatians settled in established Croatian colonies, often among relatives and friends. Beginning in 1965, America saw a new influx of Croatians.[15] Gradually, this new wave of immigrants joined Croatian Catholic parishes and organizations, and soon became the contemporary bearers of Croatian culture and tradition in the United States. Currently, only a small number of Croatians continue to emigrate, mostly those who have relatives already well established in America.[16]

Croatian immigrants also settled in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri (esp. Kansas City and St. Louis).[18] A Croatian community developed in Mobile, Alabama[19] and another similar community in Pueblo, Colorado.[20]

Mississippi and Biloxi declared 22 September Croatian Heritage Day on 22 September 2023.[21]

Settlements edit

 
Group of Croatian men in the club of town Joliet, Illinois around 1900

The first recorded Croatian immigrants to the United States arrived in 1850, often via the resettlement from nations that are presently known as Austria, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal, and southern France. During this period many Croats, who were employed in manufacturing the maritime sector of the Mediterranean states, began emigrating to the Americas. This first wave arrived in regions of the United States where employment opportunities were similar to where they had arrived from. By the middle of the 20th Century, the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York City, San Francisco Bay Area and the region of Southern California had the largest populations of people with Croatian ancestry.[22][18]

 
Croatian Place district in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.

Croatian immigrants first settled in the Western United States in the second half of the 19th century, mainly in what were then growing urban centers of Los Angeles, San Pedro, San Francisco, Phoenix and Santa Ana.[23] It is estimated that more than 35,000 Croats live in Los Angeles metropolitan area today, making it the biggest Croatian community on the Pacific coast.[23] San Francisco became the center of Croatian social life in California, where they established the first Croatian emigration society, Croatian American Cultural Center of San Francisco, in 1857.[15][24] Tadich Grill in San Francisco is an example from the era, the oldest continuously running restaurant in the city.[25] The Los Angeles metropolitan area was a major destination for the post-1980s Yugoslavian immigration, including Croats and Bosnian Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina who escaped the Bosnian civil war in the 1990s. They formed several communities in Orange County, San Diego and San Fernando Valley.[15]

An unspecified number of Croats also settled in Washington state and Oregon, particularly metropolitan areas of Seattle and Portland respectively.[15][23]

Some of the first groups of immigrants settled in Pennsylvania as well.[15][16] As a major industrial center of the state, Pittsburgh employed a lot of immigrants from Croatia, many of them were working in the heavy industry. At the beginning of the century there were an estimated 38,000 Croats in Pittsburgh. It was estimated that there were more than 200,000 Croatians and their descendants living in Pennsylvania in the early 1990s.[4]

The first Croatian settlers in Michigan appeared in the late 19th century.[15][23] In Illinois, the Croatians started concentrating mostly around Chicago. Although it was created a bit later, the Croatian settlement in Chicago became one of the most important ones in the United States. The settlement especially started developing after World War I and Chicago became the center of all Croatian cultural and political activities. It is calculated that there were roughly 50,000 Croats in Chicago in the 1990s, while there were altogether 100,000 Croats living in 54 additional Croatian settlements in Illinois. Croats form a large community in Indianapolis in Indiana since the 1910s, as well in Gary, Fort Wayne and South Bend.[15][16]

While at first New York City served merely as a station on arriving settlers' way elsewhere into the United States, mainly the Midwest, East Coast saw an influx of Croatian and other European settlers in early 19th, before and following First World War; mainly the cities of Hoboken and New York, the latter of which is the site of SS. Cyril, Methodius, and Raphael's Church, a Roman Catholic parish, part of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.[26][27]

During the Klondike Gold Rush, a group of 3,000 Croatian immigrants settled in Alaska and Canada.[23]

There is a Croatian community in Las Vegas.[28]

Culture edit

Social association edit

Croatian Americans maintain a close relationship with the region they come from.[15] The diaspora is considered to have played a pivotal role in securing Croatia's victory in Croatian War of Independence by providing substantial financial aid and advocating for American involvement in the conflict.[29] Chain migration contributed to the creation of settlements of Croats coming from the same regions of Croatia.[17] They were connected because of their similar occupations that they had, equal social status and Roman Catholic religion.[17] The most popular informal meeting points of Croatians were the saloons. They were usually engaged in various charity organizations, and were among the first Croatian immigrants who learned to speak English.[30] Beside these informal gatherings, Croatian Americans established several thousand organizations of different importance. In his work, "Early Croatian Immigration to America After 1945", Prpic states that there were around 3,000 organizations founded between 1880 and 1940 in the United States.[30] Croatians first started founding charitable, cultural, educational, religious, business, political, sporting or athletic organizations. All these organizations were firmly rooted in the settlement where they were initiated. Croatians were a minority group both in relation to Americans and other nationalities.[26] Furthermore, the Croats came with the latest groups of immigrants, which led to a further feeling of insecurity. Most of early settlers did not speak English and held low-paid jobs, which created an inferiority complex. They found security within an organization of their own ethnic group.[26][30]

Religion edit

Croatian diaspora is predominantly Roman Catholic.[15] Croatian missionaries founded parishes, churches and benevolent societies throughout the country wherever Croatian Americans settled.[15] Often, the priests were the only educated members of the Croatian colonies, and thus they had to assume leadership roles; moreover, they were among the first to learn English well and often served as translators and interpreters.[17] Their primary responsibility, however, was the organization of Croatian Catholic parishes in the urban centers with substantial Croatian populations. Thus, at the beginning of this century there were Croatian churches in Pittsburgh and Steelton, Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Saint Louis and other cities. The oldest parish is St. Nicholas Church in Pittsburgh, founded in 1894; several others were erected in the early 1900s, such as the Church of the Nativity in San Francisco. Even before being officially established in 1926, the Croatian Franciscan friars traveled throughout the United States, establishing and assisting in Croatian parishes and keeping alive the religious and national sentiments of their people.[15] Today, there are over 30 Croatian parishes in North America.[31] For example, in New Jersey there are St. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael Catholic parishes that also serve as Croatian Catholic missions.[32]

Organizations edit

  • The Croatian American organization Croatian Fraternal Union is a society with long roots in the country. It was founded in 1897.[3] During World War II, the organization provided financial aid for Croatia.[3] The CFU contributes to Croatian Americans by scholarships and cultural learning.[3]
  • The National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation was founded in 1993 in Chicago[33] as a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the interest of the Croatian people - embodying heritage of culture and language, integrity in human rights and equality in self-determination, advancing economic development, and freedom from persecution.[34]
  • The Croatian American Association is a group which lobbies the United States Congress on issues related to Croatia.[35]
  • In 2007, the annual Croatian Film Festival in New York was founded by The Doors Art Foundation.[36]
  • In October 2022, National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation held inaugural induction of laureates in the Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame in Cleveland: Helen Crlenkovich, Fred Couples, John Havlicek, Mickey Lolich, Roger Maris, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Mark Pavelich, Joe Sakic and Joe Stydahar.[37]

Clubs edit

In 1973, Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac was established in Montville, New Jersey at the land acquired by the Croatian community, parishioners of St. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael parishes, on the initiative of the Father Mladen Čuvalo.[32] Club gathers Croats of New York and New Jersey.[32]

Events edit

City of Los Angeles Croatian Culture Week is held in LA from 19 to 28 May 2023., with Croatian Heritage Night hosted by Los Angeles Football Club and Southern California Croatian Bocce Ball Tournament.[38] Croatian Festival and Picnic of the Croatian Catholic Parish of St. Anthony in Los Angeles is traditionally organized on the feast day of Nativity of Mary.[39] Traditional picnic for the same occasion is also organized in New York by Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac.[40]

San Pedro, California is a host of the Croatian Tennis Tournament.[41]

Radio Days of Vinko Kužina (Croatian: Radijski dani Vinka Kužine) premiered at the Croatian parish of ‘St. Cyril and Methodius’ in Manhattan, at the end of October 2023.[42]

Media edit

Croatian American Media Association Corp runs "Croatians Online" digital media platform in four languages (Croatian, English, German and Spanish) with radio, streaming, social media content and podcasts with aim to "connect Croats around the world through their life experiences, customs, culture, history, music, art and gastronomy".[43]

Notable people edit

Notable Croatian Americans, past and present, include:

Art edit

Film edit

Music edit

Science edit

Politics edit

Entrepreneurs edit

Sports edit

Religion edit

Other edit

In Literature edit

John Grisham's novel "The Boys from Biloxi" is focused on the Croatian American community of Biloxi. Grisham describes in considerable detail the family history of his protagonists, third-generation Croatian Americans, and the general development of the Croatian community in Biloxi.[45]

See also edit

Notes and references edit

  1. ^
    "Croat Americans" is seldom used in the United States, with "Croatian Americans" being far more common. In Croatian itself, "American Croats" (Američki Hrvati) is most commonly used, with "Croats in America" (Hrvati u Americi) being a close alternative.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c "Table B04006 - PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY. - 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau.
  2. ^ a b c . Republic of Croatia State Office for Croats Abroad. 2013. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d . CFU. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2007.
  4. ^ a b . popularpittsburgh.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  5. ^ "S0201 - Selected Population Profile in the United States - Population Group: Croatian (109-110), Data Set: 2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Survey: American Community Survey". US Census Bureau.[dead link]
  6. ^ Elliott Robert Barkan (2013). Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. ABC-CLIO. p. 1294. ISBN 978-1-59884-220-3. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  7. ^ "Table B01003: 2006-2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "Croatian Americans - History, Modern era, The first croatians in america, Missionaries". Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  9. ^ Brittingham, Angela; G. Patricia de la Cruz. "Persons Who Reported at Least One Specific Ancestry Group for United States: 1980" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Ancestry:2000 - Census 2000 Brief C2KBR-35". US Census Bureau. June 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2004. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  11. ^ "Population Group: Croatian (109-110) - Data Set: 2005 American Community Survey". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020.
  12. ^ "American FactFinder - Results". Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d Preveden, Francis (1962). A History of the Croatian People. New York: Philosophic.
  14. ^ a b c Thompson Dele Olasiji, Migrants, Immigrants, and Slaves: Racial and Ethnic Groups in America, pp. 119-123
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Čuka, Anica (April 14, 2009). "Hrvati u SAD-u" [Croats in the United States] (in Croatian). geografija.hr. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  16. ^ a b c d [Connection of Croats outside of the Croatian Republic] (in Croatian). hia.com.hr. 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  17. ^ a b c d Gorvorchin, Gerald G. (1961). A History of the Croatian People. Gainesville: University of Florida.
  18. ^ a b . Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  19. ^ "ABOUT CROATIA AND CROATIANS". Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Barkan, Elliott Robert (2013). Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781598842197.
  21. ^ "Mississippi and Biloxi declare September 22 Croatian Heritage Day". croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  22. ^ Prpic, George J. (July 15, 1997). "Croatians". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  23. ^ a b c d e Eterovich, Francis H.; Spalatin, Christopher, eds. (1964). Croatia: Land, People, and Culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  24. ^ . sanfrancisco.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  25. ^ Berne, Amanda (September 28, 2005). "A grand old Grill / After 155 years, San Francisco's iconic restaurant still packs them in". SFGate. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  26. ^ a b c Shapiro, Ellen (1989). The Croatian Americans. New York: Chelsea House.
  27. ^ "History". Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  28. ^ Simich, Jerry L.; Wright, Thomas C. (March 7, 2005). The Peoples Of Las Vegas: One City, Many Faces. University of Nevada Press. ISBN 9780874176513.
  29. ^ Benković, Vladimir (1999). Dokumenti iz iseljeništva - Uloga hrvatskih intelektualaca u borbi za slobodnu Hrvatsku [Documents from exile - the role of Croatian intellectuals in a fight for independent Croatia]. AMCA Toronto.
  30. ^ a b c Prpic, George (1971). The Croatian Immigrants in America. New York: Philosophic. ISBN 9780802220356.
  31. ^ a b Gledhill, Shelly (March 3, 2005). . eagle.ceu.edu. Archived from the original on July 30, 2010.
  32. ^ a b c "50 years of Croatian Land and Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac in America". croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  33. ^ National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation celebrates 30th anniversary in nation’s capital croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. Published 7 June 2023. Access date 10 June 2023.
  34. ^ "National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation". Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  35. ^ . caausa.org. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  36. ^ . javno.com. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  37. ^ "Inaugural Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame induction held". croatianweek.com. October 18, 2022.
  38. ^ First-ever Croatian Culture Week in Los Angeles starts croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. Published 20 May 2023.
  39. ^ "Croatian citizenship ceremony highlights LA's vibrant Croatian festival & picnic". croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. September 12, 2023.
  40. ^ "Croatian-American community celebrates 'Mala Gospa' with traditional picnic". croatiaweek.com. Croatian Week. September 11, 2023.
  41. ^ "San Pedro hosts Croatian Tennis Tournament as Team USA prepares for Croatian World Games". croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. April 3, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  42. ^ "Celebrating a Croatian-American visionary: 'Radio Days of Vinko Kužina' premieres in New York". croatiaweek.com. Croatia Week. October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  43. ^ "Follow Croatians Online on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn". croatiansonline.com. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  44. ^ Hawley, Charles C.; Miscovich, John; Miscovich, Andrew (2006). "Peter Miscovich". Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  45. ^ "The Boys from Biloxi". jgrisham.com. Retrieved April 20, 2024. Chapter 1
    A hundred years ago, Biloxi was a bustling resort and fishing community on the Gulf Coast. Some of its 12,000 people worked in shipbuilding, some in the hotels and restaurants, but for the majority their livelihoods came from the ocean and its bountiful supply of seafood. The workers were immigrants from Eastern Europe, most from Croatia where their ancestors had fished for centuries in the Adriatic Sea. The men worked the schooners and trawlers harvesting seafood in the Gulf while the women and children shucked oysters and packed shrimp for ten cents an hour. There were forty canneries side by side in an area known as the Back Bay. In 1925, Biloxi shipped twenty million tons of seafood to the rest of the country. Demand was so great, and the supply so plentiful, that by then the city could boast of being the 'Seafood Capital of the World'.
Bibliography
  • Barkan, Elliott Robert (2013). Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-219-7.
  • Dele Olasiji, Thompson (1995). Migrants, Immigrants, and Slaves: Racial and Ethnic Groups in America. University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-81919-738-2.
  • Eterovich, Francis H.; Spalatin, Christopher, eds. (1964). Croatia: Land, People, and Culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • Gorvorchin, Gerald G. (1961). A History of the Croatian People. Gainesville: University of Florida.
  • Preveden, Francis (1962). A History of the Croatian People. New York: Philosophic.
  • Prpic, George (1971). The Croatian Immigrants in America. New York: Philosophic. ISBN 9780802220356.
  • Shapiro, Ellen (1989). The Croatian Americans. New York: Chelsea House.

Further reading edit

  • Adamic, Luj (1945). A Nation of Nations. New York: New York, Harper.
  • Antić, Ljubomir (1992). Hrvati i Amerika [Croats and the America] (in Croatian). Zagreb: Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada.
  • Bonutti, Karl (1974). Selected Ethnic Communities of Cleveland: A Socio-Economic Study. Cleveland: Cleveland State University.
  • Cordasco (1971). . New York: Philosophical Library. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2007.
  • Habenstein, R. W.; Wright, R. Jr. (1998). Ethnic families in America: Patterns and variations (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-444-01319-9.
  • Ifković, Edward. "Croatian Americans." in Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2014), pp. 577–589. Online
  • Momeni, Jamshid A. (1986). Race, Ethnicity, and Minority Housing in the United States. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-24848-6.
  • Thernstrom, Stephen (1980). Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-37512-2.

External links edit

  • , Books about Croats in America
  • , Papers about Croats in America

croatian, americans, croat, americans, croatian, američki, hrvati, americans, have, full, partial, croatian, ancestry, 2012, there, were, american, citizens, croat, croatian, descent, living, united, states, revised, 2010, united, states, census, figure, inclu. Croatian Americans or Croat Americans a Croatian Americki Hrvati are Americans who have full or partial Croatian ancestry In 2012 there were 414 714 American citizens 1 of Croat or Croatian descent living in the United States as per revised 2010 United States Census The figure includes all people affiliated with United States who claim Croatian ancestry both those born in the country and naturalized citizens as well as those with dual citizenship who affiliate themselves with both countries or cultures Croatian Americans Americki HrvatiTotal population414 714 1 1 2 million est 2 Regions with significant populationsPennsylvania Illinois Ohio California North Carolina Pacific Northwest New York Wisconsin Indiana Michigan Florida Tennessee Louisiana Missouri Colorado and MinnesotaLanguagesAmerican English and CroatianReligionPredominantly Roman CatholicismRelated ethnic groupsSlavic Americans Croatian Canadians European Americans Czech Americans Polish Americans Serbian Americans Italian Americans Slovak Americans Lithuanian Americans Slovene Americans Hungarian Americans Croatian Americans identify with other European American ethnic groups especially Slavic Americans and are predominantly of Roman Catholic faith Regions with significant Croatian American population include metropolitan areas of Chicago Cleveland New York City Southern California and especially Pittsburgh the seat of Croatian Fraternal Union fraternal benefit society of the Croatian diaspora 3 4 Croatia s State Office for the Croats Abroad estimated that there are up to 1 2 million Croats and their descendants living in the United States 2 Contents 1 Demographics 1 1 Numbers 1 2 History 1 3 Croatian born population 2 History 3 Settlements 4 Culture 4 1 Social association 4 2 Religion 4 3 Organizations 4 4 Clubs 4 5 Events 5 Media 6 Notable people 6 1 Art 6 2 Film 6 3 Music 6 4 Science 6 5 Politics 6 6 Entrepreneurs 6 7 Sports 6 8 Religion 6 9 Other 7 In Literature 8 See also 9 Notes and references 10 Further reading 11 External linksDemographics editNumbers edit According to the 2007 U S Community Survey there were 420 763 Americans of full or partial Croatian descent 5 According to the 1990 United States Census there were over 544 270 Croatian Americans who identified themselves as being of Croatian descent or being born in Croatia 6 As of 2012 there were 414 714 American citizens 1 It is estimated by the Croatia s State Office for the Croats Abroad that there are around 1 200 000 Croats and their descendants living in the United States today 2 In the 2006 2010 American Community Survey the states with the largest Croatian American populations are 7 Pennsylvania 50 995 California 45 537 Illinois 44 065 Ohio 41 430 New York 26 607 Michigan 20 547 Florida 16 360 Wisconsin 15 775 Indiana 13 306 Washington 13 268 New Jersey 13 154 History edit 1880 estimate 20 000 8 1980 census 252 970 9 1990 census 544 270 10 2000 census 374 241 10 2005 community survey 401 208 11 Croatian born population edit Croatian born population in the U S from 2010 to 2017 according to the American FactFinder numbered 12 Year Number 2010 47 740 2011 nbsp 41 484 2012 nbsp 45 295 2013 nbsp 39 026 2014 nbsp 43 067 2015 nbsp 36 978 2016 nbsp 39 747 2017 nbsp 35 962History editThe first major immigration of Croats was recorded in 1715 13 At the time approximately twelve hundred Croatian Protestants whose ancestors had left the Austrian Empire after unsuccessful peasant revolts in 1573 and anti Reformation edict of 1598 arrived in the American colony of Georgia They settled in the valley of Savannah River 13 Those settlers introduced silk worm cultivation in Georgia The community prospered for 150 years until it was demolished during the Civil War 14 In 1683 a Croat Jesuit named Ivan Ratkaj Juan Ratkay established a mission in northwest New Spain In 1746 another Jesuit Ferdinand Konsak Consago Gonzales drew the first dependable map of Baja California Beginning in 1783 Joseph Kundek a Croat missionary helped to develop several midwestern towns including Ferdinand and Jasper both in Dubois County Indiana In the 1830s various groups in the Austrian Empire sent financial aid to America to support missionary activities 14 Many early Croat immigrants settled in New Orleans 13 and were employed as traders artisans and fishermen By the 1860s there were around six hundred Croat families in New Orleans Several families settled permanently in Alabama During the Civil War some three thousand Croats resided in the South mostly in Louisiana Alabama and Mississippi Hundreds of them volunteered for the Confederate Army and Navy After the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865 many Croats who had served in the Confederate military moved to the West 14 Significant emigration from what is now Croatia dates from the late 1890s and early 1900s peaking around 1910 when many Croatians the majority of them Roman Catholics began emigrating to the United States Many were economic immigrants while others considered themselves political refugees 15 16 Like other immigrants of that period they migrated to find employment Many of them mostly single young men but often married women with or without their families settled in small towns in Pennsylvania and New York as coal miners or steelworkers Many also settled in factory towns and farming areas in Midwestern states such as Wisconsin Minnesota Indiana Illinois and Iowa For most of the single men the stay was only temporary Once they had saved enough money many Croatian men returned to Croatia However those who did choose to stay found permanent residence 13 15 17 Within a comparatively short period of time Croatians could be found all over the United States from New York to California from New Orleans to Minneapolis St Paul 15 As it went through its most rapid expansion during the time of the 1890 1914 Great Migration and shortly thereafter from the onset of the First World War to the general clampdown on immigration in 1924 Croats and other South and West Slavs and members of other groups peaking in influx at the time were prominent in the history of the mining industry in the Iron Range of Minnesota much the same is the case with the forestry related industries there elsewhere in Minnesota and in much of Wisconsin A notable Croatian American from the Iron Range was Rudy Perpich the 34th and 36th Governor of the state representing the Democrat Farmer Labor Party he served terms in office from December 29 1976 to January 4 1979 and from January 3 1983 to January 7 1991 spans of time which add up to make him the longest serving governor in the state s history In private life Perpich was a dentist and after leaving office in 1991 assisted the post communist government of Croatia He was born in Carson Lake Minnesota now part of Hibbing on June 27 1928 and died of cancer in Minnetonka Minnesota on September 21 1995 A new wave of Croatian immigrants began to arrive after World War II These were mostly political refugees including orphans whose parents had been killed during the war individuals and families fleeing Yugoslavia s communist authorities 15 Most of these Croatians settled in established Croatian colonies often among relatives and friends Beginning in 1965 America saw a new influx of Croatians 15 Gradually this new wave of immigrants joined Croatian Catholic parishes and organizations and soon became the contemporary bearers of Croatian culture and tradition in the United States Currently only a small number of Croatians continue to emigrate mostly those who have relatives already well established in America 16 Croatian immigrants also settled in Texas Oklahoma and Missouri esp Kansas City and St Louis 18 A Croatian community developed in Mobile Alabama 19 and another similar community in Pueblo Colorado 20 Mississippi and Biloxi declared 22 September Croatian Heritage Day on 22 September 2023 21 Settlements edit nbsp Group of Croatian men in the club of town Joliet Illinois around 1900 The first recorded Croatian immigrants to the United States arrived in 1850 often via the resettlement from nations that are presently known as Austria Italy Greece Spain and Portugal and southern France During this period many Croats who were employed in manufacturing the maritime sector of the Mediterranean states began emigrating to the Americas This first wave arrived in regions of the United States where employment opportunities were similar to where they had arrived from By the middle of the 20th Century the metropolitan areas of Chicago Cleveland Pittsburgh New York City San Francisco Bay Area and the region of Southern California had the largest populations of people with Croatian ancestry 22 18 nbsp Croatian Place district in San Pedro Los Angeles California Croatian immigrants first settled in the Western United States in the second half of the 19th century mainly in what were then growing urban centers of Los Angeles San Pedro San Francisco Phoenix and Santa Ana 23 It is estimated that more than 35 000 Croats live in Los Angeles metropolitan area today making it the biggest Croatian community on the Pacific coast 23 San Francisco became the center of Croatian social life in California where they established the first Croatian emigration society Croatian American Cultural Center of San Francisco in 1857 15 24 Tadich Grill in San Francisco is an example from the era the oldest continuously running restaurant in the city 25 The Los Angeles metropolitan area was a major destination for the post 1980s Yugoslavian immigration including Croats and Bosnian Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina who escaped the Bosnian civil war in the 1990s They formed several communities in Orange County San Diego and San Fernando Valley 15 An unspecified number of Croats also settled in Washington state and Oregon particularly metropolitan areas of Seattle and Portland respectively 15 23 Some of the first groups of immigrants settled in Pennsylvania as well 15 16 As a major industrial center of the state Pittsburgh employed a lot of immigrants from Croatia many of them were working in the heavy industry At the beginning of the century there were an estimated 38 000 Croats in Pittsburgh It was estimated that there were more than 200 000 Croatians and their descendants living in Pennsylvania in the early 1990s 4 The first Croatian settlers in Michigan appeared in the late 19th century 15 23 In Illinois the Croatians started concentrating mostly around Chicago Although it was created a bit later the Croatian settlement in Chicago became one of the most important ones in the United States The settlement especially started developing after World War I and Chicago became the center of all Croatian cultural and political activities It is calculated that there were roughly 50 000 Croats in Chicago in the 1990s while there were altogether 100 000 Croats living in 54 additional Croatian settlements in Illinois Croats form a large community in Indianapolis in Indiana since the 1910s as well in Gary Fort Wayne and South Bend 15 16 While at first New York City served merely as a station on arriving settlers way elsewhere into the United States mainly the Midwest East Coast saw an influx of Croatian and other European settlers in early 19th before and following First World War mainly the cities of Hoboken and New York the latter of which is the site of SS Cyril Methodius and Raphael s Church a Roman Catholic parish part of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York 26 27 During the Klondike Gold Rush a group of 3 000 Croatian immigrants settled in Alaska and Canada 23 There is a Croatian community in Las Vegas 28 Culture editSocial association edit Croatian Americans maintain a close relationship with the region they come from 15 The diaspora is considered to have played a pivotal role in securing Croatia s victory in Croatian War of Independence by providing substantial financial aid and advocating for American involvement in the conflict 29 Chain migration contributed to the creation of settlements of Croats coming from the same regions of Croatia 17 They were connected because of their similar occupations that they had equal social status and Roman Catholic religion 17 The most popular informal meeting points of Croatians were the saloons They were usually engaged in various charity organizations and were among the first Croatian immigrants who learned to speak English 30 Beside these informal gatherings Croatian Americans established several thousand organizations of different importance In his work Early Croatian Immigration to America After 1945 Prpic states that there were around 3 000 organizations founded between 1880 and 1940 in the United States 30 Croatians first started founding charitable cultural educational religious business political sporting or athletic organizations All these organizations were firmly rooted in the settlement where they were initiated Croatians were a minority group both in relation to Americans and other nationalities 26 Furthermore the Croats came with the latest groups of immigrants which led to a further feeling of insecurity Most of early settlers did not speak English and held low paid jobs which created an inferiority complex They found security within an organization of their own ethnic group 26 30 Religion edit Croatian diaspora is predominantly Roman Catholic 15 Croatian missionaries founded parishes churches and benevolent societies throughout the country wherever Croatian Americans settled 15 Often the priests were the only educated members of the Croatian colonies and thus they had to assume leadership roles moreover they were among the first to learn English well and often served as translators and interpreters 17 Their primary responsibility however was the organization of Croatian Catholic parishes in the urban centers with substantial Croatian populations Thus at the beginning of this century there were Croatian churches in Pittsburgh and Steelton Pennsylvania New York Chicago Cleveland Saint Louis and other cities The oldest parish is St Nicholas Church in Pittsburgh founded in 1894 several others were erected in the early 1900s such as the Church of the Nativity in San Francisco Even before being officially established in 1926 the Croatian Franciscan friars traveled throughout the United States establishing and assisting in Croatian parishes and keeping alive the religious and national sentiments of their people 15 Today there are over 30 Croatian parishes in North America 31 For example in New Jersey there are St Cyril and Methodius and St Raphael Catholic parishes that also serve as Croatian Catholic missions 32 Organizations edit The Croatian American organization Croatian Fraternal Union is a society with long roots in the country It was founded in 1897 3 During World War II the organization provided financial aid for Croatia 3 The CFU contributes to Croatian Americans by scholarships and cultural learning 3 The National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation was founded in 1993 in Chicago 33 as a non profit organization dedicated to promoting the interest of the Croatian people embodying heritage of culture and language integrity in human rights and equality in self determination advancing economic development and freedom from persecution 34 The Croatian American Association is a group which lobbies the United States Congress on issues related to Croatia 35 In 2007 the annual Croatian Film Festival in New York was founded by The Doors Art Foundation 36 In October 2022 National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation held inaugural induction of laureates in the Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame in Cleveland Helen Crlenkovich Fred Couples John Havlicek Mickey Lolich Roger Maris Kevin McHale George Mikan Mark Pavelich Joe Sakic and Joe Stydahar 37 Clubs edit In 1973 Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac was established in Montville New Jersey at the land acquired by the Croatian community parishioners of St Cyril and Methodius and St Raphael parishes on the initiative of the Father Mladen Cuvalo 32 Club gathers Croats of New York and New Jersey 32 Events edit City of Los Angeles Croatian Culture Week is held in LA from 19 to 28 May 2023 with Croatian Heritage Night hosted by Los Angeles Football Club and Southern California Croatian Bocce Ball Tournament 38 Croatian Festival and Picnic of the Croatian Catholic Parish of St Anthony in Los Angeles is traditionally organized on the feast day of Nativity of Mary 39 Traditional picnic for the same occasion is also organized in New York by Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac 40 San Pedro California is a host of the Croatian Tennis Tournament 41 Radio Days of Vinko Kuzina Croatian Radijski dani Vinka Kuzine premiered at the Croatian parish of St Cyril and Methodius in Manhattan at the end of October 2023 42 Media editCroatian American Media Association Corp runs Croatians Online digital media platform in four languages Croatian English German and Spanish with radio streaming social media content and podcasts with aim to connect Croats around the world through their life experiences customs culture history music art and gastronomy 43 Notable people editFor a more comprehensive list see List of Croatian Americans Notable Croatian Americans past and present include Art edit Mirko Ilic graphic designer and comics artist Ivan Mestrovic sculptor and Professor at Syracuse and Notre Dame Vinko Nikolic writer poet and journalist Maksimilijan Vanka painter Matthew Yuricich Academy Award nominated special effects artist Film edit Anna Chlumsky actress Christina Cindrich television producer host and actress Jenna Elfman actress Josip Elic actor Judah Friedlander actor and comedian Mira Furlan actress Gloria Grey actress Bobby Grubic film and commercial director producer Anne Jackson actress Lou Lumenick film critic Branko Lustig film producer Academy Award winner John Malkovich actor Joe Manganiello actor Ivana Milicevic actress John Miljan actor Sergio Mimica Gezzan television director Daniella Monet actress Patrick Muldoon actor Frank Pavich director George Payne actor pornographic film actor Rick Rossovich actor Izabela Vidovic actress Goran Visnjic actor Dianne Wiest actress Louis Zorich actor Jim Zulevic actor and comedian Music edit Weird Al Yankovic singer musician songwriter record producer actor and author Thana Alexa jazz vocalist composer arranger and producer Zlatko Balokovic violinist Tony Butala lead singer of vocal group The Lettermen Clair Marlo born Clara Veseliza singer songwriter composer and record producer Sanya Mateyas Croatian born as Sanja Matejas singer lead singer for Los Angeles based hard rock band Duda Did It Tatjana Matejas Cameron singer Miljenko Matijevic singer and songwriter the lead vocalist of rock band Steelheart Johnny Mercer four time Academy Award winner Helen Merrill born Jelena Milcetic jazz singer Zinka Milanov operatic spinto soprano Tomo Milicevic musician and lead guitarist of the alternative rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars Guy Mitchell pop singer Krist Novoselic bassist of Nirvana Marty Paich pianist composer arranger record producer music director and conductor David Paich keyboardist for the rock band Toto composer arranger producer Mia Slavenska prima ballerina Louis Svecenski violinist and rector of the Boston Academy of Music Paul Salamunovich renowned choral conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale Frank Secich rock musician songwriter author record producer Blue Ash Stiv Bators Club Wow Johnny Vidacovich jazz drummer Father s side Croatian mother s side Sicilian Science edit Milislav Demerec geneticist Terry Jonathan Hart former astronaut Jacob Matijevic NASA engineer Paul L Modrich biochemist Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015 Mario Puratic inventor of Puretic power block Bogdan Raditsa historian George M Skurla aeronautical engineer for the Apollo Program Henry Suzzallo president of the University of Washington Dinko Tomasic sociologist Politics edit Michael D Antonovich Republican politician in California Mark Begich Democratic Senator from Alaska Nick Begich Democratic Representative from Alaska Michael Anthony Bilandic Democratic Mayor of Chicago Frank Ivancie Democratic Mayor of Portland Oregon Dennis Kucinich Democratic Representative from Ohio John Kasich Republican Governor of Ohio Rose Mofford Democratic Governor of Arizona Rudy Perpich Democratic Governor of Minnesota George Radanovich Republican Representative from California Michael Stepovich Republican Governor of Alaska Territory Pete Visclosky Democratic Representative from Indiana Entrepreneurs edit Tony Robbins coach Mike Grgich winemaker Anthony Francis Lucas oil industry pioneer Anthony Maglica entrepreneur and inventor of Maglite flashlights Mario Puratic entrepreneur and inventor of Puretic power block Sports edit Lonzo Ball professional basketball player Bill Belichick professional football coach Pete Carroll professional football coach Jason Chorak college football player Kresimir Cosic professional basketball player Duje Dukan professional basketball player born in Croatia David Diehl professional football player Croatian on mother s side Greg Dulcich professional football player full Croatian on father and mother s sides Elvis Grbac professional football player Toni Kukoc professional basketball player John Jurkovic professional football player Mickey Lolich professional baseball player Roger Maris professional baseball player John Mayasich hockey player Kevin McHale and John Havlicek NBA hall of fame members both share Croatian ancestry on their mothers sides Starcevic and Turkalj being their mothers respective maiden names Travis Kelce professional football player Pat Miletich UFC Hall of Famer Stipe Miocic UFC World Heavyweight Champion George Mikan professional basketball player Mark Pavelich professional hockey player Mike Pecarovich American college football coach lawyer and actor Johnny Pesky professional baseball player and announcer Christian Pulisic professional soccer player Gene Rayburn game show host Lou Saban football coach Nick Saban professional football coach Rudy Tomjanovich professional basketball player and coach Danny Vranes Vranjes professional basketball player NBA 31 Fritzie Zivic boxer held the world welterweight championship Religion edit Blase Joseph Cupich American catholic cardinal Ivan Dragicevic Catholic visionary Ferdinand Konscak Croatian missionary to North America John E Kozar Roman Catholic priest and President of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association Other edit Mike Cernovich social media personality and political commentator Both of his paternal great grandparents were Croatian immigrants Norman Cota United States Army general Louis Cukela United States Marine two time Medal of Honor recipient Jaksa Cvitanic mathematician William Feller mathematician Gary Gabelich race car driver Anthony Jeselnik comedian His maternal grandfather was Michael Nicholas Mike Bakarich the son of Steven Bakarich who was the son of Croatian immigrants Nick Bakarich and Catherine Popic Kathy Keller Christian writer Ron Kovic anti war activist Brian Krzanich ex CEO of Intel Peter Miscovich born Pero Miskovic 1885 1950 founder of the world s longest operating family owned gold mine still in operation 44 Steve Nelson activist labor activist and organizer political Commissar in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and National Commander of the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade VALB Nick Piantanida an amateur parachute jumper Bill Rancic entrepreneur reality TV star winner of the first season of The Apprentice John J Tominac Medal of Honor recipient Peter Tomich Medal of Honor recipient United States Navy sailorIn Literature editJohn Grisham s novel The Boys from Biloxi is focused on the Croatian American community of Biloxi Grisham describes in considerable detail the family history of his protagonists third generation Croatian Americans and the general development of the Croatian community in Biloxi 45 See also edit nbsp Croatia portal nbsp United States portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Croatian diaspora in the United States Croats List of Croats Croatia United States relations Yugoslav AmericansNotes and references edit Croat Americans is seldom used in the United States with Croatian Americans being far more common In Croatian itself American Croats Americki Hrvati is most commonly used with Croats in America Hrvati u Americi being a close alternative Citations a b c Table B04006 PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY 2019 American Community Survey 1 Year Estimates US Census Bureau a b c Croatian Diaspora in the United States of America Republic of Croatia State Office for Croats Abroad 2013 Archived from the original on February 6 2019 Retrieved January 23 2016 a b c d History of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America CFU Archived from the original on April 29 2013 Retrieved May 28 2007 a b Croatia Small Country Has Big Impact on Pittsburgh popularpittsburgh com Archived from the original on April 18 2012 Retrieved October 2 2014 S0201 Selected Population Profile in the United States Population Group Croatian 109 110 Data Set 2007 American Community Survey 1 Year Estimates Survey American Community Survey US Census Bureau dead link Elliott Robert Barkan 2013 Immigrants in American History Arrival Adaptation and Integration ABC CLIO p 1294 ISBN 978 1 59884 220 3 Retrieved January 23 2016 Table B01003 2006 2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 23 2016 Croatian Americans History Modern era The first croatians in america Missionaries Retrieved March 17 2015 Brittingham Angela G Patricia de la Cruz Persons Who Reported at Least One Specific Ancestry Group for United States 1980 PDF US Census Bureau Retrieved January 23 2016 a b Ancestry 2000 Census 2000 Brief C2KBR 35 US Census Bureau June 2004 Archived from the original PDF on December 4 2004 Retrieved January 23 2016 Population Group Croatian 109 110 Data Set 2005 American Community Survey US Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 10 2020 American FactFinder Results Archived from the original on February 14 2020 Retrieved April 23 2018 a b c d Preveden Francis 1962 A History of the Croatian People New York Philosophic a b c Thompson Dele Olasiji Migrants Immigrants and Slaves Racial and Ethnic Groups in America pp 119 123 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cuka Anica April 14 2009 Hrvati u SAD u Croats in the United States in Croatian geografija hr Retrieved January 23 2016 a b c d Veza s Hrvatima izvan Republike Hrvatske Connection of Croats outside of the Croatian Republic in Croatian hia com hr 2006 Archived from the original on March 4 2007 Retrieved January 23 2016 a b c d Gorvorchin Gerald G 1961 A History of the Croatian People Gainesville University of Florida a b Naslovna Archived from the original on February 6 2019 Retrieved February 23 2014 ABOUT CROATIA AND CROATIANS Retrieved April 2 2021 Barkan Elliott Robert 2013 Immigrants in American History Arrival Adaptation and Integration Bloomsbury Academic ISBN 9781598842197 Mississippi and Biloxi declare September 22 Croatian Heritage Day croatiaweek com Croatia Week September 23 2023 Retrieved September 23 2023 Prpic George J July 15 1997 Croatians The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History Retrieved January 23 2016 a b c d e Eterovich Francis H Spalatin Christopher eds 1964 Croatia Land People and Culture Toronto University of Toronto Press Croatian American Cultural Center of San Francisco sanfrancisco com Archived from the original on January 4 2015 Retrieved January 4 2015 Berne Amanda September 28 2005 A grand old Grill After 155 years San Francisco s iconic restaurant still packs them in SFGate Retrieved January 23 2016 a b c Shapiro Ellen 1989 The Croatian Americans New York Chelsea House History Retrieved January 4 2015 Simich Jerry L Wright Thomas C March 7 2005 The Peoples Of Las Vegas One City Many Faces University of Nevada Press ISBN 9780874176513 Benkovic Vladimir 1999 Dokumenti iz iseljenistva Uloga hrvatskih intelektualaca u borbi za slobodnu Hrvatsku Documents from exile the role of Croatian intellectuals in a fight for independent Croatia AMCA Toronto a b c Prpic George 1971 The Croatian Immigrants in America New York Philosophic ISBN 9780802220356 a b Gledhill Shelly March 3 2005 Colby Vranes awaiting his mission in life eagle ceu edu Archived from the original on July 30 2010 a b c 50 years of Croatian Land and Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac in America croatiaweek com Croatia Week October 3 2023 Retrieved October 8 2023 National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation celebrates 30th anniversary in nation s capital croatiaweek com Croatia Week Published 7 June 2023 Access date 10 June 2023 National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation Retrieved March 17 2015 Croatian American Association caausa org Archived from the original on January 24 2016 Retrieved January 23 2016 Croatian Film Festival Opens in New York javno com Archived from the original on January 29 2016 Retrieved March 17 2015 Inaugural Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame induction held croatianweek com October 18 2022 First ever Croatian Culture Week in Los Angeles starts croatiaweek com Croatia Week Published 20 May 2023 Croatian citizenship ceremony highlights LA s vibrant Croatian festival amp picnic croatiaweek com Croatia Week September 12 2023 Croatian American community celebrates Mala Gospa with traditional picnic croatiaweek com Croatian Week September 11 2023 San Pedro hosts Croatian Tennis Tournament as Team USA prepares for Croatian World Games croatiaweek com Croatia Week April 3 2023 Retrieved July 17 2023 Celebrating a Croatian American visionary Radio Days of Vinko Kuzina premieres in New York croatiaweek com Croatia Week October 31 2023 Retrieved November 5 2023 Follow Croatians Online on Facebook Instagram and LinkedIn croatiansonline com Retrieved April 20 2024 Hawley Charles C Miscovich John Miscovich Andrew 2006 Peter Miscovich Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation Retrieved September 28 2010 The Boys from Biloxi jgrisham com Retrieved April 20 2024 Chapter 1 A hundred years ago Biloxi was a bustling resort and fishing community on the Gulf Coast Some of its 12 000 people worked in shipbuilding some in the hotels and restaurants but for the majority their livelihoods came from the ocean and its bountiful supply of seafood The workers were immigrants from Eastern Europe most from Croatia where their ancestors had fished for centuries in the Adriatic Sea The men worked the schooners and trawlers harvesting seafood in the Gulf while the women and children shucked oysters and packed shrimp for ten cents an hour There were forty canneries side by side in an area known as the Back Bay In 1925 Biloxi shipped twenty million tons of seafood to the rest of the country Demand was so great and the supply so plentiful that by then the city could boast of being the Seafood Capital of the World Bibliography Barkan Elliott Robert 2013 Immigrants in American History Arrival Adaptation and Integration Santa Barbara California ABC CLIO ISBN 978 1 59884 219 7 Dele Olasiji Thompson 1995 Migrants Immigrants and Slaves Racial and Ethnic Groups in America University Press of America ISBN 978 0 81919 738 2 Eterovich Francis H Spalatin Christopher eds 1964 Croatia Land People and Culture Toronto University of Toronto Press Gorvorchin Gerald G 1961 A History of the Croatian People Gainesville University of Florida Preveden Francis 1962 A History of the Croatian People New York Philosophic Prpic George 1971 The Croatian Immigrants in America New York Philosophic ISBN 9780802220356 Shapiro Ellen 1989 The Croatian Americans New York Chelsea House Further reading editAdamic Luj 1945 A Nation of Nations New York New York Harper Antic Ljubomir 1992 Hrvati i Amerika Croats and the America in Croatian Zagreb Hrvatska sveucilisna naklada Bonutti Karl 1974 Selected Ethnic Communities of Cleveland A Socio Economic Study Cleveland Cleveland State University Cordasco 1971 Dictionary of American Immigrants in America New York Philosophical Library Archived from the original on July 13 2011 Retrieved November 15 2007 Habenstein R W Wright R Jr 1998 Ethnic families in America Patterns and variations 3rd ed Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice Hall ISBN 0 444 01319 9 Ifkovic Edward Croatian Americans in Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America edited by Thomas Riggs 3rd ed vol 1 Gale 2014 pp 577 589 Online Momeni Jamshid A 1986 Race Ethnicity and Minority Housing in the United States New York Greenwood Press ISBN 0 313 24848 6 Thernstrom Stephen 1980 Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups Cambridge Harvard University Press ISBN 0 674 37512 2 External links editCroatia and Croatians Books about Croats in America Bibliography about Croatian Americans Papers about Croats in America Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Croatian Americans amp oldid 1220822657, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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