Slovene Americans

The first Slovenes in the United States were Catholic missionary priests in the early 19th century. Two of the earliest such missionaries were Anton Kappus and Frederic Baraga. Many of these early immigrants were bilingual Slovene - German speakers. Baraga's sister Antonija Höffern became the first Slovene woman to immigrate to the United States in 1837. The peak of emigration from what is now Slovenia was between 1860 and 1914; during this period, between 170,000 and 300,000 left areas that are now part of Slovenia. By 1880 there were around 1,000 Slovene Americans, many of whom worked in the Upper Midwest as miners; within 30 years, about 30,000 to 40,000 Slovenian immigrants lived in the area of Cleveland, Ohio, the center of Slovene American culture. mostly in unskilled labor. Within Cleveland, Slovene Americans developed their own cultural and social institutions, including Slovene-owned groceries, bars, furniture stores, clothing shops, and other businesses; Catholic parishes and elementary schools; mutual aid and fraternal societies; and even a Slovene bank (established in St. Clair, Cleveland in 2010). Later Slovene arrivals migrated to the industrial cities or to mining towns in the Upper Midwest, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Two later periods of increased immigration to the United States were the years immediately after World War I (1919–1923) and World War II (1949–1956). Slovene post–World War II migrants consisted primarily of political refugees fleeing Josip Broz Tito's communist regime in Yugoslavia; this group of migrants was generally older and better educated than earlier waves of Slovene migrants. or Sveti Štefan v gozdovih (literally, 'Saint Stephen in the Woods'); its roots date back to the 19th century, when it was founded by Slovene immigrants to the United States. It later became the city of Saint Stephen northwest of Minneapolis. ==Demographics==

Large concentrations kurenti in Cleveland, Ohio, United States • Cleveland, Ohio • Chicago, Illinois • Indianapolis, Indiana • Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Chisholm, Minnesota • Eveleth, Minnesota • Ely, Minnesota • Fontana, California • San Francisco, California The Slovene population in the United States has been historically concentrated in the Great Lakes and Northeastern United States including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado. Three quarters of Slovene Americans live in six states: • Ohio – 80,000 • California - 20,000 • Pennsylvania – 15,000 • Illinois – 12,000 • Minnesota – 7,000 • Wisconsin - 6,500 Numbers In 1910 census reported 183,431 people of Slovene mother tongue living in the United States. By the time of the 1920 census, that figure had increased to 208,552. Following the enactment of restrictive immigration laws in the 1920s, the number of Slovenes immigrating to the United States declined. The 1990 census reported 124,437 Slovene-identifying people. According to the data for the year 2000, 175,099 persons identified themselves as Slovenian, which indicates a (positive) shift in self-image or the perception of Slovenian identity. It is estimated that in the USA live around 300,000 Americans of Slovene descent. ==Fraternal, benevolent, social and cultural organizations==

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Slovene Americans established a variety of social groups, including fraternal organizations, and cultural and educational institutions, such as choral and drama societies, gymnastics groups, and Slovene-language newspapers. A number of mergers and name changes took place during the 20th century, Some Slovene American fraternal, benevolent, social, and cultural organizations include: • Jugoslovenska katoliška jednota (South Slavic Catholic Union), founded in Ely, MN in 1898, became American Fraternal Union (AFU) in 1941. • Kranjsko-slovenska katoliška jednota, (Carnolan Slovene Catholic Union) founded in Joliet in 1894, became the Ameriško-slovenska katoliška jednota or American Slovenian Catholic Union (KSKJ). • Slovenska narodna podporna jednota, founded in Chicago in 1904, became Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ). • Zahodna slovanska veza, founded in 1908, became Western Slavonic Association (WSA). • Indianapolis Slovenian National Home, founded in 1918. • Slovenska dobrodelna zveza (Slovenian Mutual Benefit Association), founded in Cleveland in 1910; became American Mutual Life Association (AMLA) in 1966. neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio • Slovenski Narodni Dom (Slovenian National Home), Cleveland; founded in 1914. • Progresivne Slovenke Amerike (Progressive Slovene Women of America) (PSWA), founded in 1934. • Slovenska ženska zveza Amerike, founded in Chicago in 1926, became Slovenian Women's Union of America (SWUA), and now Slovenian Union of America (SUA). • Slovenian Catholic Center, also known as Slovenian Cultural Center, Lemont, IL • Slovenian Cultural Society Triglav, Norway, WI; founded in 1952. • National Cleveland-style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland • American Slovenian Club of Fairport Harbor, Fairport Harbor, OH • Slovene Home for the Aged, Cleveland • Slovenian Museum and Archives, Cleveland • Slovenska Pristava, Harpersfield, OH; Slovenian Catholic recreation and retreat center • Slovensko društvo New York (Slovenian Society New York) • Slovenian National Home, Chisholm, MN (closed) • Slovenian Hall, Fontana, CA (slated for demolition) The Slovenian Genealogy Society, International helps members trace their Slovene roots. ==Slovene churches and choirs in the United States==

A total of 39 Slovene parishes were established in the United States. St. Cyril Roman Catholic Church in the East Village, Manhattan, was established in 1916 as a Slovene parish. Holy Family Roman Catholic Church was established in 1908 in Kansas City, Kansas by immigrants from Lower Carniola. The Slovenian Chapel of Our Lady of Brezje, in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C., is the dedicated Slovenian National Marian Shrine, founded in 1971. Multiple Slovene choruses have been formed, including The Singing Slovenes in Duluth, Minnesota (founded in 1980), the Ely Slovenian Chorus in Ely, Minnesota (founded in 1969 by Mary Hutar, final performance in 2009); the Fantje na vasi (Boys from the Village) men's a cappella choir in Cleveland (founded in 1977); and the Zarja Singing Society, Cleveland (founded in 1916). ==Slovene schools in the United States==

• St. Vitus Child Slovenian Language School, Cleveland • St. Mary Slovenian Language School, Cleveland • Slomškova slovenska šola / Slomšek Slovenian School, Lemont, IL == Media ==

The first newspaper established by Slovene Americans was Ameriški Slovenec (American Slovene), which was published in Chicago beginning in 1891 and subsequently in Cleveland. == Notable people ==

• Joe Kenda – detective lieutenant • – pilot • Anna Clobuchar Clemenc – trade unionist • Lana Rhoades – internet personality, podcaster and former pornographic film actress • Michael Lah – animator • Melania Trump – First Lady of the United States and former model • Barron Trump – son of Donald and Melania Trump • John Jager - architect and urban planner • Nick Kosir - television meteorologist Actors • Ami Dolenz – actor • George Dolenz – actor • Frank Gorshin – actor • Željko Ivanek – actor • Audrey Totter – actress • Alida Valli – actress • Andrea True – actress • Francine York – actress • Donna Anderson – actress • Ursula Parker – actress • Rozalija Sršen – actress • Laura La Plante – actress • Mira Furlan – actress Astronauts • Jerry Linenger – astronaut • Ronald Sega – astronaut • Sunita Williams – astronaut • Randolph Bresnik – astronaut Bishops • Friderik Baraga – missionary • Ignacij Mrak – bishop • Janez Vertin – bishop • Janez Stariha – bishop • Jakob Trobec – bishop and missionary Army • Ferdinand Chesarek – general • John Stephan Lekson – general • Warren Joseph Pezdirtz – major-general • Stanley Gorenc – major-general and army pilot • Frank Gorenc – general and army pilot • Ronald Zlatoper – admiral • Jerome Edward Rupnik – rear admiral • William F. Petrovic – admiral Politicians • Frank Lausche – governor, mayor and senator • George Voinovich – governor, mayor and senator • John Blatnik – congressman • Tom Harkin – senator • Dennis E. Eckart – politician • Philip Ruppe – politician • Jim Oberstar – congressman • Paul Gosar – politician • Amy Klobuchar – senator Writers • Louis Adamič – writer • Ivan Molek – writer • Jože Grdina – writer Engineers • Joe Sutter – engineer • Dušan Petrač – physicist • Anton Mavretič – engineer • Zvonko Fazarinc – computer scientist • France Rode – engineer and inventor • Franklin R. Puhek - space expert Painters • Bogdan Grom – painter • Gregor Perušek – painter Comedy • Anthony Jeselnik – comedian Musicians • Karen Kamensek – orchestral and operatic conductor • Joey Miskulin – Grammy Award – winning musician and record producer • Frankie Yankovic – Grammy Award – winning musician, known as "America's Polka King", popularized Slovenian-style polka • "Weird Al" Yankovic – comedy performer known for his parodies of popular music • Micky Dolenz – musician and actor (Drummer/Singer of The Monkees) Sports • Mike Adamle – American football player – Northwestern Wildcats and NFL – also a television and radio sports reporter and WWE wrestling announcer • Tony Adamle – American football player – Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns (member of 1950 and 1954 NFL Championship teams) • Frank Brimsek – ice hockey player • Bob Golic – American football player (Notre Dame Fighting Irish and NFL – Cleveland Browns, among other teams) – also an actor Saved by the Bell: The College Years • Mike Golic – American football player (Notre Dame Fighting Irish and NFL – Philadelphia Eagles, among other teams) – also ESPN radio personality and host on Mike and Mike in the Morning • Randy Gradishar – American football player (Ohio State Buckeyes and Denver Broncos) • Joe Kuhel – baseball player and manager • Sepp Kuss – professional cyclist • Dan Majerle – basketball (NBA) player • Anton Peterlin – soccer player • Fritzie Zivic – boxer • Mark Zupan – athlete, wheelchair rugby team captain • Mark Kastelic - ice hockey player • Joe Cerne - American football player • Ann Govednik - swimmer • Jim Nesich - ice hockey player == See also ==