Samoan Americans

Immigration History

Samoans in the United States originated from the Samoan Islands, which are located in Central Polynesia approximately 2,270 miles southwest of the Hawaiian Islands and 1,600 miles northeast of New Zealand. The islands are divided into two political entities—American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa.

The Independent State of Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) was under New Zealand as a League of Nations mandate. After World War II, New Zealand administered it as a UN trust territory. An independent nation since 1962, Samoa's sovereignty status today provides it a seat in international organizations. Samoans from the Independent State of Samoa are considered immigrants and must have a visa when traveling to the United States.

The world powers, at the 1899 Treaty of Berlin, gave the United States jurisdiction over the group of Samoan Islands now known as American Samoa. Thus, in April 17, 1900, the high chiefs of Tutuila and Aunu'u signed a Treaty of Cession, and Manu'a followed with one of its own in 1904. American Samoa is a U.S. territory. American Samoans are considered U.S. nationals, and they travel freely in and out of the United States. They have all the rights of a U.S. citizen except the right to vote for the president of the United States.

The initial great migration of American Samoans to the United States occurred in 1952, following the closure of the U.S. naval base established in American Samoa during World War II. Many Samoan naval [Page 1190]personnel and their dependents were transferred to Hawaii and the West Coast. The U.S. military has made a big impact on the island's economy and culture. Throughout the years, the U.S. military has provided employment and educational opportunities so that many young Samoans left the islands to join, some serving with distinction. According to the best estimates, the number of American Samoans in the military, on a per capita basis, is higher than the U.S. national average.

The first Samoan settlements in the United States sprang up near military bases—in San Diego, Oceanside, and the now-defunct San Francisco and Long Beach bases, all in California. Later Samoan migrants moved to Hawai'i and elsewhere on the U.S. mainland in search of better economic, medical, and educational opportunities. American Samoans now make up the largest Pacific Islander migrant group. The 2000 census shows that the total Samoan population in the United States is 128,183, constituting 0.05% of the U.S. population.

The U.S. Community

Today, Samoans live in urban areas of almost every U.S. state, although most live in the states of California, Hawai'i, Washington, and Utah. States with small Samoan populations include Vermont, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and New Hampshire. California has the largest concentration of Samoans with most living in Southern California—Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties; another community is in the greater San Francisco Bay area.

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