Afghan Americans

There are an estimated 70,000 to 90,000 people of Afghan ancestry in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010, although community groups and researchers estimate the actual population to be higher—possibly up to 150,000. The vast majority of Afghan Americans live in major urban areas, particularly the San Francisco Bay Area; in and around Washington, D.C.; New York City; and Los Angeles.

Small numbers of Afghans have lived in the United States throughout the 20th century, arriving on student scholarships or as businessmen. However, the vast majority of Afghans living in the United States came to the country as refugees beginning in 1979. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979–89), Afghan refugees were welcomed to the United States as victims of a Communist regime. After the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan, civil war followed by the Taliban regime meant that Afghan refugees did not return to Afghanistan; instead, where possible, they arranged for their extended family members to join them in the United States. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent U.S.-led coalition attacks on Afghanistan, Afghans continued to arrive in the United States, mainly through family reunification or through special refugee resettlement programs aimed at vulnerable Afghans such as widows and other female-headed households.

Most Afghan Americans come from relatively wealthy, urban backgrounds in Afghanistan. Many had previously worked for the Afghan government or in other professional roles such as university professors, doctors, lawyers, or engineers. Some have been able to continue their professional careers in the United States, but for many, language issues and the difficulties of transferring professional qualifications have meant that they have sought out other employment as business owners or in local government, for example. Younger Afghans, both male and female, are generally encouraged by their parents to go to university and pursue professional careers.

Afghanistan is a culturally diverse country, comprising many different ethnic groups, including Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazara, Uzbeks, and others. There are two official languages—Dari (an Afghan variant of Persian) and Pashto. All these ethnic and linguistic groups are represented in the Afghan diaspora, but most Afghan Americans prefer to publicly stress the unity of the label Afghan, especially when interacting with non-Afghans. The religious heritage of most Afghan Americans is Sunni Muslim, followed by Shi'a Muslim, and a tiny number of non-Muslim Afghans. In areas [Page 135]where there are sizable populations of Afghan Americans, communities have built mosques. Other indicators of sizable Afghan American populations include Afghan grocery stores and restaurants serving halal food, and banqueting halls, used to host Afghan weddings, engagement parties, funeral wakes, and other events such as concerts or fund-raisers for humanitarian projects in Afghanistan. For example, in Fremont, California, the concentration of Afghan businesses in one particular area has led to its being referred to as Little Kabul.

Afghan Americans draw on a rich and extended cultural heritage that combines Islamic culture and traditions specific to the geographical area now called Afghanistan. Afghan Americans’ two biggest annual celebrations reflect this combined heritage, with one being religious (Eid-ul Fitr, the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting) and the other pre-Islamic (Now Ruz, the Persian new year).

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