Syrian Americans

History

Most early Syrian immigrants were Orthodox or Catholic Christians. However, there was also a smaller number of Muslim Syrian immigrants, predominantly Sunnis, in addition to Alawite and Druze minorities. Today, the distribution of Syrian Americans in the United States, according to the Census Bureau's 2009 American Community Survey, is as follows: northeast, 38 percent; midwest, 19 percent; south, 25 percent; and west, 18 percent. Syrian Americans reside mainly in New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Massachusetts, California, and Michigan.

Between 1899 and 1907, some 41,404 Syrians were admitted to the United States. According to Alexa Naf, by 1910, the number reached 65,909. Syrian immigration to the United States was restricted by the U.S. Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924. However, the migration to the United States increased in the 1960s, after the Immigration Act of 1965, as well as after Syrian–Israeli conflicts that ended with Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights in 1967.

In the 2000 Census, the population of Syrian Americans was 76,000, constituting 8.9 percent of Arab Americans and ranking third in the Arab population, after Lebanese and Egyptian Americans. In 2009, the number of Syrians reached 159,000, maintaining its third rank with the overall Arab population. Syrian Americans, like the Lebanese, are characterized by low percentages of foreign-born immigrants, at 22 percent, whereas the percentage of Syrian Americans born in America is 60 percent.

The early Syrian immigrants worked as peddlers and were quick to interact with Americans. Syrian Americans were good in trading and business but showed less interest in the domains of construction, farming, and transportation. In 1999, the income of Syrian Americans was among the highest, with the median family income being $58,204, ranking second overall among Arab Americans. Educated Syrian Americans work in management, such as in the auto industry, as well as in related professional domains including computer science, medicine, banking, and teaching. Such occupations constituted 42 percent of the Syrian occupation distribution in 2000.

Political Activities

Early Syrian immigrants were not politically active. However, Elizabeth Boosahda states that they showed their patriotism by serving their new home in 1917, when the United States joined the Allies in World War I. The second generation of Syrian Americans, however, succeeded to be the first among the Arab Americans to be elected for political positions. Politically, Syrian American traders and businessmen support the Republican Party, but most of those who serve in public sectors support the Democratic Party.

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