Macedonian Americans

History and Immigration

Unsurprisingly, Macedonians began to immigrate to the United States in the early 20th century as poverty and political conflict increased. Most early Macedonian Americans actually considered themselves to be Bulgarians from Macedonia, and they were likely to list Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, or Greece (better-known countries near to Macedonia) on immigration forms. Even so, a reliable estimate of the numbers of Macedonian Americans between 1903 and 1906 put their population at approximately 50,000. Early Macedonian immigrants were mostly peasants, with some craftsmen, industrial workers, and scholars as well.

After World War I, a large number of Macedonian Americans returned to Europe. Only approximately 20,000 Macedonian Americans remained in the United States. The passage of the Immigration Act of 1924 (the Johnson-Reed Act) further slowed Macedonian immigration by imposing quotas on various national groups based on their numbers in the United States as of 1920. Because so many Macedonian Americans had returned to their homeland after getting a late start in the immigration wave, the basis for Macedonian immigration was disproportionately low. Still, Macedonians came via Canada and in other ways, continuing the growth of the Macedonian American community.

With the post-World War II establishment of Yugoslavia, Macedonian immigration slowed again. Yugoslavia supported the Macedonian economy and invested in the country, making economic improvements and urging Macedonians to stay. Immigration picked up again significantly in the 1960s and 1970s as immigration policy was relaxed; many Macedonian immigrants settled in Canada, with U.S. and Australian cities as their next choices.

During the 1990s, Macedonian immigration increased once more. As in earlier times, the new Macedonian Americans settled in midwestern urban areas and pursued work. By 2006, there were more than 42,000 Macedonian Americans [Page 1388]in official counts, but others estimate the number to be closer to 200,000. Detroit is home to the largest Macedonian American community.

Religion and Culture

Although the vast majority of Macedonian immigrants were Eastern Orthodox, American Protestant churches also played a key role in Macedonian patterns of immigration. Methodist churches engaged in missionary work in the Balkans in the 1860s and 1870s, sending Bulgarians and Macedonians to the United States for education. When the students returned to Macedonia, they spoke highly of their American experience. The U.S. churches also established schools in Macedonia, and these schools functioned in part as distribution centers for pro-American ideas.

Even so, Macedonian Americans kept to their Eastern Orthodox beliefs, and their religious practice helped preserve Macedonian culture. Macedonian Americans in Indiana founded a distinct Macedonian Orthodox Church, and within 20 years’ time, there were 11 of these churches in the United States; by the late 1990s, there were 19, and today there are 20 of them. Bulgarian refusal to recognize the Macedonian American church has contributed to a festering resentment between Macedonian and Bulgarian communities in America.

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