Syrian Culture in Early Twentieth-Century Nebraska
Many groups made their way to the American Plains during the wave of immigration that lasted from approximately 1880 to 1924. Many of these immigrants were not the traditional groups from the Northern or Western European regions. There were immigrants of all types, including Italians, Greeks, Irish, Polish, and Russians—as well as many others. Syrians from the Ottoman Empire made the journey to the United States, too. These immigrants have received little attention historically, especially those who settled on the American Plains. Source: Wikipedia Commons The Syrian immigrants who came to Kearney, Nebraska, at the turn of the twentieth century were a very determined group that eventually became successful entrepreneurs and farmers in Nebraska. As they settled down, Syrian immigrants educated their children, learned the English language, bought their own homes and businesses, and established themselves in their new community. Pressure to assimilate to their new community was