Americans of Somali birth or descent From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Somali Americans are Americans of Somali ancestry. The first ethnic Somalis to arrive in the U.S. were sailors who came in the 1920s from British Somaliland. They were followed by students pursuing higher studies in the 1960s and 1970s. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s and early 1990s, more Somalis arrived.
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Somali Americans
The percent of the population with Somali ancestry by state, 2020
Total population
169,799 (2023) Total Somali ancestry[1] 92,401 (2023) Somalia-born[2]
In the mid and late 1990s, the largest number of Somalis arrived, after civil war in Somalia. The Somali community in the U.S. is now among the largest in the Somali diaspora.
The earliest ethnic Somali immigrants to the United States were sailors who arrived in the 1920s, mainly from British Somaliland. Eventually acquiring American citizenship, they actively participated in the Somali independence movement and served as key liaisons whenever Somali political figures visited the UN headquarters. For their substantial contributions to Somali society, these early Somali expatriates were rewarded with medals by the Somali government and some were also issued land back home.
Following Somali independence in 1960, Somali students began arriving in the US to pursue higher studies while living with relatives or on scholarships. Many of the young returned to Somalia after graduation and played an important role in the development of Somali. In the 1980s, a small number of Somalis settled in the United States. They were later joined by many other ethnic Somalis from different backgrounds, who sought asylum in the US after the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia, or emigrated from other parts of Greater Somalia.[4]
A large number of the Somali immigrants settled in Minnesota, which by 2002 harbored the largest population of Somalis in North America.[5] Many of the newer arrivals came through voluntary agencies (VOLAGS) contracted with the State Department, who helped them settle in.[6][7] In 2006, Somalis in the state accounted for $164–$394million in purchasing power and owned 600 businesses.[8] The city of Minneapolis in particular hosts hundreds of Somali-owned and operated commercial ventures. In 2015, there were 57,000 residents in Minnesota of Somali ancestry, among whom 31,400 were born in Somalia.[9]
Somalis in the United States often send resources to their extended families abroad, remittances that were facilitated by the signing of the 2014 Money Remittances Improvement Act.[10] In 2012, following a greatly improved security situation in Somalia, many Somali U.S. residents began returning to Mogadishu and other parts of the country.[11] A few of the homeward-bound immigrants along with some American-born associates have been sought and/or prosecuted for allegedly providing material support to the Al-Shabaab and Islamic State political militant groups.[12][13] However, according to intelligence officials, fewer expatriates were joining the groups' ranks by late 2013.[14][15]
Most of the returnees have instead repatriated for investment opportunities and to take part in the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction process in Somalia. Participating in the renovation of schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure, they have played a leading role in Mogadishu's recovery and have helped propel the local real estate market.[11]
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Demographics
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Perspective
Counties of Minnesota by percent with Somali ancestry
Estimates of the number of Somali immigrants living in the United States vary widely, ranging from 35,760 to 150,000 persons.[16] 2010 American Community Survey data indicates that there are approximately 85,700 people with Somali ancestry in the US. Of those, around 25,000 or one third live in Minnesota;[17] 21,000 of the latter were born in Somalia.[18] Nationwide, 76,205 were Somalia-born.[3] Somalis are the second largest ethnic group from the Horn of Africa, after Ethiopians.
In 2014, the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution marking July 1 as Somali American Day. The event commemorates the Independence Day of Somalia, which is annually celebrated on the same day.[19] The council also approved a resolution making Minneapolis and Bosaso in northeastern Somalia, sister cities.[20] In 2014, the Federal Government of Somalia announced that it would start officially keeping count of Somalis abroad.[21]
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Employment
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Perspective
This strip mall in the Northland neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio has several Somali businesses: a funds transfer company, grocery store, entertainment center, and restaurant.
Many Somali refugees in the US have experienced difficulties accessing the labour market at first but has been experiencing a steady increase in employment rates. At the time of the 2010 census, 47% of Somalis in Minnesota were employed, 13% unemployed and 40% were economically inactive. By comparison, the unemployment amongst the state's overall foreign-born population was 6%.[22]
Earlier data from the 2000 US Census indicated a gender disparity in employment among Somali immigrants in Minneapolis: 65% of Somali men were employed compared to 35% of Somali women. This was cited by Helskog, who argued that finding unemployed Somalis in Minneapolis was difficult.[23]
Similarly, researcher Cindy Horst noted that Somali immigrants in Minneapolis were often perceived as economically active and highly engaged in the labor market, particularly among men.[24][pageneeded]
At the national level, survey data over the period 2011 to 2015 showed that 58% of working-age Somali Americans were employed, and 5.1% were self-employed.[25] In Minnesota, Somali Americans had slightly higher employment and self-employment rates, at 62% and 5.9% respectively, a difference attributed to the state's strong economy.[25]
Analysis by the Fiscal Studies Institute of 2014 American Community Survey five-year data showed that the labour force participation rate of Somali men aged 25 to 64 was 84%, with the rate for women being 64%, compared to 81% and 73% of US-born men and women respectively.[26]
The Somali community in the United States is represented by various Somali-run organizations. Somali Community Services in San Jose and the Somali American Council of Oregon (SACOO) on the west coast offer guidance to new Somali families and works closely with the municipal authorities to strengthen civic relations.[27][28]
The Somali Community Access Network (SomaliCAN) is one of several groups serving Columbus' Somali community.[29] In Minnesota, the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota (CSCM), Somali American Parent Association (SAPA), and Somali Action Alliance also offer various social services to the state's resident Somalis.[27][30][31]
Somalis in the United States are represented by the embassy of Somalia in Washington, D.C.[34] The embassies of Djibouti and Ethiopia in the capital provide additional diplomatic representation for resident ethnic Somalis.[35] The breakaway region of Somaliland maintains a representative office in Washington as well.
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