Yemeni Americans are citizens of the
United States of
Yemeni ancestry. Although it is unknown when Yemenis first arrived, it is believed that Yemenis were immigrating to the U.S. after
1869, and are recorded in the
1890s. Some Yemenis gained U.S. citizenship by fighting in
World War I and
World War II. Yemenis immigrants settled in existing
Lebanese communities in cities like
New York. They were outcast as Muslims, as the Lebanese communities were predominately Christian, as were
Syrian and
Palestinian communities. After becoming situated, many Yemenis traveled westward for better job opportunities. They worked in factories in the
Midwest and on farms in the
San Joaquin Valley in
California. There are also
American Jews of Yemeni ancestry, mostly whose parents or ancestors came to the U.S. via
Israel. Significant Yemeni communities exist in
Brooklyn, New York;
Buffalo, New York;
Lackawanna, New York;
Dearborn, Michigan;
Hamtramck, Michigan;
Alexandria, Virginia;
Chicago, Illinois;
Oakland, California;
San Diego, California and
Fresno, California. There is an estimated 20,000 Yemenis living in the United Sates as of 2010. The
Yemeni American Net was established in June 2007 as a web-site dedicated to bring a view to the world on the Yemeni Americans. One year later, a newspaper was established as the Yemeni American News. The American Association of Yemeni Scientists and Professionals promotes Yemenis in technical fields and provides a college scholarship...
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