Afghan Americans
Afghan Americans are individuals of Afghan descent or those who have immigrated from Afghanistan to the United States. While some Afghans began arriving in the U.S. in the early twentieth century, a significant influx occurred after 1978 due to political instability and persecution, particularly during the Soviet invasion and the rise of the Taliban. Many Afghan Americans, especially those who assisted U.S. military efforts during the War in Afghanistan, were evacuated in the wake of the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, with estimates suggesting that at least 50,000 of these individuals will settle in the U.S.
As of 2019, the Afghan American population was approximately 182,000, with a notable concentration in states like California, Virginia, New York, and Texas. The community is diverse, primarily consisting of Pashtuns, along with Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks, and it retains many cultural traditions, including storytelling, family gatherings, and the celebration of Islamic holidays and Nowruz. Afghan Americans often face challenges related to trauma from war and dislocation, which can lead to mental health issues that may remain unaddressed due to cultural norms around discussing personal difficulties. Overall, Afghan Americans represent a resilient and vibrant community that reflects the broader immigrant experience in the U.S.
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Afghan Americans
Afghan Americans are individuals of Afghan descent or Americans who are native to Afghanistan. Some Afghans arrived in the United States in the early twentieth century, but the majority arrived after 1978 due to political upheaval and persecution in Afghanistan.
A large number of Afghans who had assisted the US military during the War in Afghanistan from 2001 to August 2021 were evacuated from their homeland with their families. They were housed in various countries until they could be confirmed as allies and were expected to become residents of the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2019, the Afghan American population was about 182,000.
Background
Afghanistan is a country in Central Asia. In ancient history, the region was conquered numerous times. Among the victors were Alexander the Great in 329 BCE, Mahmud of Ghazni in the eleventh century, and Genghis Khan in the thirteenth century. Inhabitants of the region became a cohesive people during the eighteenth century. By the late nineteenth century, the Afghans primarily were followers of Islam.
Britain attempted to annex Afghanistan in the nineteenth century to create a buffer between its interest in India and Russia. The country endured nearly a century of British-Afghan Wars beginning in 1838. Afghanistan emerged the victor of the Third British-Afghan War (1919- 1921) and gained its independence.
The first leader, Amir Amanullah Khan, declared the country a monarchy and named himself king. Afghanistan experienced progress but also coups and rebellions over the next decades. Millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran to escape the fighting. The Soviet Union invaded the country in 1979 and installed a puppet regime. US-backed insurgencies, whose members were typically refered to Mujahideen, emerged that began fighting the Soviets. After ten years of warfare, the Soviets withdrew.
In the power vacuum created after the Soviet withdrawal, an Islamic militant group known as the Taliban gradually took control. They governemd the country according to a strict interpretation of Islamic law, and severely repressed women and minorities. During this period, the country became an outcast from most of the international community, and also became a haven for terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda.
On September 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Osama Bin-Laden, hijacked four planes and crashed them into multiple targets in the United States, including the World Trade Center in New York City. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people, making them the deadliest terror attacks in modern history. The US quickly sought to bring Bin-Laden to justice, and demanded that the Taliban hand him over and expel Al-Qaeda from Afghanistan.
The Taliban refused to cooperate. The US and its allies began launching airstrikes and missiles in early October, and later invaded with ground forces. By December, the Taliban government had collapsed, and a new coalition government under Hamid Karzai was established in Afghanistan.
The US military remained in the country until August 30, 2021. The US military trained Afghan troops and collaborated closely with Afghanistan’s government. Nonetheless, as the United States withdrew its final troops, the Taliban, which had waged a guerilla campaign against US and government forces for the past twenty years, entered Kabul and retook control of the country.
Hundreds of Afghans who served as translators and guides for US forces feared execution by the Taliban. Many were evacuated with their families and flown to countries where they were to be screened. At least fifty thousand were expected to eventually settle in the United States, where several sizeable Afghan American communities had been established.
Overview
As of 2019, the population of Afghan immigrants in the United States was about 132,000. About 60 percent arrived in 2010 or later. Earlier groups left Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation and later during civil wars. The majority of those who could move to the United States during the 1980s and 1990s were wealthy or served as government officials. These early migrants were more educated than later arrivals. Many were doctors, lawyers, teachers, or engineers, but because they were not fluent in English, they were unable to pursue those professions in their new homes. Later arrivals were typically less educated.
The Afghan population in the United States grew between 1980 and 2000 from about 4,000 to 45,000. During the War on Afghanistan, the United States issued visas to many Afghans who worked with the US military along with their families. From 2001 to 2013, an average of 2,300 permanent resident cards were issued to Afghans. From 2014 to 2019, the number increased to 12,300.
Afghans who arrived in the United States throughout the early and mid-twentieth century largely settled in the Washington, DC, metro area, New York, and San Francisco. Later, California became home to the largest percentage of Afghan immigrants in the United States with approximately 41 percent. Another 18 percent reside in Virginia, while New York and Texas are home to 7 percent each. Communities of Afghans in New York City and San Diego, California, had adjusted to their new homes and established Afghan mosques.
The nation’s largest Afghan community is in Fremont, California, and informally known as Little Kabul. The population is majority Pashtun, the largest of Afghanistan’s four major ethnic groups. Pashtuns are predominantly Sunni Muslims and account for about 42 percent of the population in Afghanistan. Tajiks, Hazara, and Uzbeks are the other three major groups.
Young migrants who arrived in the United States from the 1970s through the 1990s and those born in the United States to Afghan parents grew up regarding themselves as Afghan Americans. Many of their parents and grandparents were slower to embrace this identity. Some believed that they would be able to return to Afghanistan when the country found peace. Many were able to visit relatives after 2001 while the United States occupied the country.
Many Afghan Americans continue traditional cultural practices. Storytelling is common at family and community events. Many tales are about the Mullah, a leader or teacher who appears at first to be a fool but is shown to be wise. Stories of heroes from Shahnama, the Book of Kings, are also favorites, as are tales of jinns, evil shapeshifting spirits. Afghans are also fond of proverbs, which are often sprinkled into conversations. Among these are “Do not stop a donkey that is not yours” and “The first day you meet, you are friends; the next day you meet, you are brothers.”
While many younger Afghan Americans have adopted Western-style clothing, their elders may continue to wear Afghan attire. For men, this consists of baggy trousers and long-sleeved shirts that reach their knees. Women wear long dresses and pleated trousers and usually cover their heads.
Many communities celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on the March equinox. The day is marked with feasts, dancing, and music. Islamic holidays including Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, are also observed in Afghan American communities and households.
Afghans, including Afghan Americans, traditionally do not discuss troubles outside their families. Many have been traumatized by war and dislocation and experience feelings of isolation in the United States, especially among the older population. Afghan Americans of all ages are believed to be at a higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues, but often will not discuss these issues with outsiders.
Afghan Americans share in the experience of many immigrant groups who settled in the United States following war and other turbulence in their native countries. For example, their experiences mirror communities such as Vietnamese Americans following the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975. Almost half a century before the fall of Kabul, the US-supported government of South Vietnam collapsed to invading forces from North Vietnam. Similar to the later experience in Afghanistan, thousands of South Vietnamese fled their native country fearing reprisals from the new government. Fears of persecution, in both Afghanistan and the former South Vietnam, proved well-founded as thousands were incarcerated and executed in both countries following the conclusion of those wars. In both instances, the United States mobilized both governmental and social organizations to help with resettlement of thousands of refugees. In the case of Vietnam, the US would resettle approximately 120,000 people in the 1970s.
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