Serbian American
Encyclopedia
Serbian Americans are citizens of the United States
who are of Serbian
ancestry. For the 2000 US Census
, 140,337 Americans indicated Serbian as their first ancestry, while 170,312 persons declared to have Serbian ancestry. Those can include Serbian Americans living in the United States for one or several generations, dual Serbian American citizens, or any other Serbian Americans who consider themselves to be affiliated to both cultures or countries. Some Serbian Americans might be born in Serbia
, the United States or other countries with an ethnic Serbian population. Because some Serbs are not American citizens, others are dual citizens, and still others' ancestors have come to the US several generations ago, some of these people consider themselves to be simply Americans, Serbs, Serbs living in the United States or American Serbs.
, Illinois
, is of particular note for its large Serbian community. This can be seen in a number of architecturally notable church complexes such as St. Simeon Mirotochivi in the East Side
neighborhood and New Gračanica monastery in Third Lake
. Other substantial Serbian-American communities are Atlanta, Georgia
; Cleveland, Ohio
; Detroit, Michigan
; New York, New York; and Wheeling, West Virginia
.
But more Serbians are thought to live in the Southern and Western U.S., primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area
and the Las Vegas
area; Los Angeles
as well across Southern California
(i.e., Orange County
, San Diego and the Coachella Valley
) by recent Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian immigration; and Phoenix, Arizona
, since the 1980s; and Dallas, Texas
; Greensboro, North Carolina
; Houston, Texas
; and Orlando, Florida
, since the 1990s.
There are some 359,254 American-Yugoslavs (15.1% Entered before 1990, 59.7% Entered 1990 to 1999).
.
Serbs came in two periods to Cleveland, the early 20th century and from World War II to the 1980s. Lazar Krivokapic, a Serb from Montenegro
who settled in Cleveland in 1893, is considered the city's first Serb.
In the second half of 19th century, most Serbs in California lived in mining regions, but later settled in larger communities.
Serbs in California formed social-cultural organizations, church-schooling communities and parishes. They were initially united with Russians, Greeks and Syriacs thus part of mixed Orthodox Christian parishes. Russian clergymen supported the idea of Serbian parishes since the ethnic groups had differing customs, (language
, overall traditions
, Krsna slava, etc.)
The largest number of Californian Serbs today live in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Chicago is regarded the Serbian stronghold of America. In 1872, Ivan Vucetich arrives in Chicago. The first organization "Obilich" is formed in 1878. In 1893 the first Serbian parade is held in Chicago on Michigan avenue. Mihajlo Pupin, a Serbian inventor, lived in Chicago.
In 1930 there were 40.000 - 60.000 Serbs (Yugoslavs) in Chicago.
Chicago is also known as second city by the number of Serbs, right after Belgrade. According to unofficial data, the number of citizens of Serbian origin is between 350,000 and 500,000.
Serbs, along with Croats and other South Slavs
settled in the state of Pennsylvania
in fairly large numbers in the late 1800s and in three phases throughout the 20th century. The first wave was halted by World War I
, then came refugees fleeing World War II
and Josip Broz Tito
's regime of what was then Yugoslavia
and the recent wave since 1980 by the breakup of Yugoslavia followed by the Bosnian Civil war of the 1990s. Large Serbian communities and ethnic neighborhoods can be found in Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Harrisburg
and Erie, Pennsylvania
.
who was honored by Medal of Honor
from World War II
and Mele "Mei" Vojvodich a major-general with great reputation and many decorations. George Fisher (settler)
had an important role in history of Texas
and he was a sort of polymath
.
Rose Ann Vuich
was the first female member of the California State Senate. Helen Delich Bentley
is a former Republican
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Maryland
(1985–95). The port of Baltimore
was named Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore
after her in 2006.
Many notable Serbian American come from the field of film and generally art, such as - Brad Dexter
and Peter Bogdanovich
. Steve Tesich
(1942–1996) was an Oscar
-winning screenwriter, playwright and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1979 for the movie Breaking Away
. Predrag Bjelac
is mostly known for his roles in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Charles Simic
and Dejan Stojanovic
are the finest among poets.
Walt Bogdanich
(1950) is an investigative journalist. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Specialized Reporting in 1985, the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2005 and the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting in 2008. Bogdanich led the team that won the 2008 Gerald Loeb Award for their story "Toxic pipeline". Branko Mikasinovich
is a scholar of literature as well as a noted Slavist and journalist. He has appeared as a panelist on Yugoslav press on ABC's "Press International" in Chicago and PBS's "International Dateline" in New Orleans. Alex N. Dragnich is the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award for distinguished service to Vanderbilt University
, and he is author of numerous books on Serbian/Yugoslav history.
Nikola Tesla
and Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin are the world-known scientists. Pete Maravich
(1947–1988) is listed among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Sacha Kljestan
is American football player, Alisa Marić
holds the FIDE titles of Woman Grandmaster and International Master.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who are of Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
ancestry. For the 2000 US Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, 140,337 Americans indicated Serbian as their first ancestry, while 170,312 persons declared to have Serbian ancestry. Those can include Serbian Americans living in the United States for one or several generations, dual Serbian American citizens, or any other Serbian Americans who consider themselves to be affiliated to both cultures or countries. Some Serbian Americans might be born in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, the United States or other countries with an ethnic Serbian population. Because some Serbs are not American citizens, others are dual citizens, and still others' ancestors have come to the US several generations ago, some of these people consider themselves to be simply Americans, Serbs, Serbs living in the United States or American Serbs.
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2005, 169,479 Americans declared Serbian descent. The metropolitan area around ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, is of particular note for its large Serbian community. This can be seen in a number of architecturally notable church complexes such as St. Simeon Mirotochivi in the East Side
East Side, Chicago
East Side is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the far south side of the city, between the Calumet River and the Illinois-Indiana state line, approximately south of Downtown Chicago...
neighborhood and New Gračanica monastery in Third Lake
Third Lake, Illinois
Third Lake is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Third Lake is located at ....
. Other substantial Serbian-American communities are Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
; Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
; Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
; New York, New York; and Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
But more Serbians are thought to live in the Southern and Western U.S., primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and the Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
area; Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as well across Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
(i.e., Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, San Diego and the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
) by recent Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian immigration; and Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, since the 1980s; and Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
; Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
; Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
; and Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, since the 1990s.
There are some 359,254 American-Yugoslavs (15.1% Entered before 1990, 59.7% Entered 1990 to 1999).
History
In the 1880s Serbs settled in MontanaMontana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Serbs came in two periods to Cleveland, the early 20th century and from World War II to the 1980s. Lazar Krivokapic, a Serb from Montenegro
Serbs of Montenegro
Montenegrin Serbs is a regional, ethnographic group of ethnic Serbs. They compose the second largest ethnic group in Montenegro after the Montenegrins....
who settled in Cleveland in 1893, is considered the city's first Serb.
In the second half of 19th century, most Serbs in California lived in mining regions, but later settled in larger communities.
Serbs in California formed social-cultural organizations, church-schooling communities and parishes. They were initially united with Russians, Greeks and Syriacs thus part of mixed Orthodox Christian parishes. Russian clergymen supported the idea of Serbian parishes since the ethnic groups had differing customs, (language
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, overall traditions
Serbian culture
Serbian culture refers to the culture of Serbia and of ethnic Serbs.The Serbian culture starts with that of the South Slavic peoples that lived in the Balkans. Early on, Serbs may have been influenced by the Paleo-Balkan peoples...
, Krsna slava, etc.)
The largest number of Californian Serbs today live in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Chicago is regarded the Serbian stronghold of America. In 1872, Ivan Vucetich arrives in Chicago. The first organization "Obilich" is formed in 1878. In 1893 the first Serbian parade is held in Chicago on Michigan avenue. Mihajlo Pupin, a Serbian inventor, lived in Chicago.
In 1930 there were 40.000 - 60.000 Serbs (Yugoslavs) in Chicago.
Chicago is also known as second city by the number of Serbs, right after Belgrade. According to unofficial data, the number of citizens of Serbian origin is between 350,000 and 500,000.
Serbs, along with Croats and other South Slavs
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
settled in the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in fairly large numbers in the late 1800s and in three phases throughout the 20th century. The first wave was halted by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, then came refugees fleeing World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's regime of what was then Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and the recent wave since 1980 by the breakup of Yugoslavia followed by the Bosnian Civil war of the 1990s. Large Serbian communities and ethnic neighborhoods can be found in Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
and Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
.
Notables
Notable Serbian Americans among others include war veteran Mitchell PaigeMitchell Paige
Mitchell Paige was a recipient of the Medal of Honor from World War II...
who was honored by Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Mele "Mei" Vojvodich a major-general with great reputation and many decorations. George Fisher (settler)
George Fisher (settler)
George Fisher was a customs officer and early leader of the Texas Revolution.Fisher was born to Serbian parents in Székesfehérvár, Hungary in April 1795...
had an important role in history of Texas
History of Texas
European conquistadors first arrived in the region now known as Texas in 1519, finding the region populated by various Native American tribes...
and he was a sort of polymath
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
.
Rose Ann Vuich
Rose Ann Vuich
Rose Ann Vuich served as a member of the California State Senate from 1977 until 1993. She was the first female member of the California State Senate....
was the first female member of the California State Senate. Helen Delich Bentley
Helen Delich Bentley
Helen Delich Bentley is an American politician and a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Maryland .-Life and career:...
is a former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(1985–95). The port of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
was named Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore
Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore
Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, consists of seaport facilities for cargo, especially roll-on/roll-off ships, and passengers operated by the Maryland Port Administration , a unit of the Maryland Department of Transportation....
after her in 2006.
Many notable Serbian American come from the field of film and generally art, such as - Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter , was an American actor.-Life and career:Dexter was born Boris Malanovich , in Goldfield, Nevada, of Serbian parentage. He spoke Serbian as his first language. Burly, dark and handsome, Brad Dexter was usually given supporting roles of a rugged character...
and Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich is an American film historian, director, writer, actor, producer, and critic. He was part of the wave of "New Hollywood" directors, which included William Friedkin, Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Michael Cimino, and Francis Ford Coppola...
. Steve Tesich
Steve Tesich
Stojan Steve Tesich was a Serbian-American screenwriter, playwright and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1979 for the movie Breaking Away.-Career:...
(1942–1996) was an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-winning screenwriter, playwright and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1979 for the movie Breaking Away
Breaking Away
Breaking Away is a 1979 American film. A coming of age story, it follows a group of four male teenagers in Bloomington, Indiana, who have recently graduated from high school. It stars Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern , Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie and Paul Dooley...
. Predrag Bjelac
Predrag Bjelac
Predrag Bjelac is a Serbian actor. He portrayed Igor Karkaroff in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Lord Donnon in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. He is a graduate of the Belgrade University's Faculty of Dramatic Arts , class of 1986, and studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre...
is mostly known for his roles in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Charles Simic
Charles Simic
Dušan "Charles" Simić is a Serbian-American poet, and was co-Poetry Editor of the Paris Review. He was appointed the fifteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 2007.-Early years:...
and Dejan Stojanovic
Dejan Stojanović
Dejan Stojanović is a Serbian-American poet, writer, essayist, philosopher, businessman, and former journalist. His poetry is characterized by a recognizable system of thought and poetic devices, bordering on philosophy, and, overall, it has a highly reflective tone. According to the critic Petar V...
are the finest among poets.
Walt Bogdanich
Walt Bogdanich
Walt Bogdanich is an American investigative journalist.-Life:Bogdanich graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1975 with a degree in political science...
(1950) is an investigative journalist. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Specialized Reporting in 1985, the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2005 and the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting in 2008. Bogdanich led the team that won the 2008 Gerald Loeb Award for their story "Toxic pipeline". Branko Mikasinovich
Branko Mikasinovich
Branko Mikasinovich is a scholar of Yugoslav and Serbian literature as well as a noted Slavist. He has edited Introduction to Yugoslav Literature , a representative anthology of modern Yugoslav prose and poetry in English, Five Modern Yugoslav Plays , a unique collection of plays written between...
is a scholar of literature as well as a noted Slavist and journalist. He has appeared as a panelist on Yugoslav press on ABC's "Press International" in Chicago and PBS's "International Dateline" in New Orleans. Alex N. Dragnich is the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award for distinguished service to Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, and he is author of numerous books on Serbian/Yugoslav history.
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
and Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin are the world-known scientists. Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
(1947–1988) is listed among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Anderlecht in the Belgian First Division.-Youth and College:...
is American football player, Alisa Marić
Alisa Maric
Alisa Marić is a Serbian chess player, who holds the FIDE titles of Woman Grandmaster and International Master. She is living in Belgrade, capital of Serbia . She has dual citizenship, Serbian and American...
holds the FIDE titles of Woman Grandmaster and International Master.