Cambodian Americans
Cambodian Americans are a significant ethnic group in the United States, primarily composed of refugees who fled the turmoil of Cambodia during the late 1970s. Following the Khmer Rouge regime and subsequent conflicts, many Cambodians sought safety and resettlement in the U.S., especially after the Refugee Act of 1980 facilitated their migration. As of 2020, there were approximately 259,307 Cambodian Americans, with the largest populations concentrated in California, particularly in Long Beach and Los Angeles, as well as notable communities in Massachusetts, notably Lowell.
Cambodian American families tend to be larger than those of other ethnic groups, often reflecting cultural values that emphasize family and community. While their median income has improved over the years, economic challenges persist, with a significant portion living below the poverty line in the early 1990s. Despite these challenges, Cambodian Americans have made substantial contributions to the cultural landscape of their communities by establishing numerous Buddhist temples and cultural centers that promote the preservation of their heritage, including language and traditional practices. The vibrant presence of Cambodian Americans in urban areas highlights their resilience and the rich cultural tapestry they bring to American society.
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Cambodian Americans
The migration of refugees from Southeast Asia created a fairly large population of Cambodian Americans during the 1980s. Cambodian Americans mostly live in urban areas, where they come into contact with members of other American ethnic groups. According to the U.S. census, there were 259,307 Cambodian Americans in the United States in 2020. The largest concentration of Cambodian Americans was in California, where more than 65,000 lived. The largest Cambodian community was in Long Beach, California, and nearby Los Angeles. Outside California, the greatest number of Cambodian Americans were found in Massachusetts, most of them living in the city of Lowell. Cambodians also settled in Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington, New York, Minnesota, and Illinois.
Most of the Cambodians in the United States arrived as refugees. From 1975 until the end of 1978, Cambodia was ruled by the extremist Khmer Rouge. War between Vietnam and Cambodia broke out in December, 1978, and by January, 1979, the Vietnamese had conquered the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Under the Khmer Rouge, virtually all of Cambodia had been turned into a collection of forced labor camps, and the war made it possible for thousands of Cambodians to flee to neighboring Thailand. The agonies of the Cambodian people were widely publicized and aroused international sympathy. At around the same time, the plight of refugees fleeing Vietnam also received media attention. In response, the U.S. government passed the Refugee Act of 1980, which led to the resettlement of thousands of refugees from Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos in communities around the nation.
In the early 1990s, after Cambodian migration to the United States had largely ended, the Cambodian American population continued to grow. According to the U.S. Census, Cambodian American families were much larger than the families of other Americans, averaging 5.03 people per family compared to 3.06 people per family for White Americans and 3.48 per family for African Americans. The youth of Cambodian Americans also contributed to their increase in numbers. The median age of Cambodian Americans in 1990 was only nineteen, while the median age for other Americans was thirty-four. People in this growing ethnic demographic tended to be economically disadvantaged, with 42 percent of Cambodian American families living below the poverty level in 1990. Over the decades, the economic gap narrowed. As of 2019, Cambodian American householders earned a median income of $67,000, as compared to a U.S. national median income of $68,703, according to the U.S. Census.
Although Cambodia is an overwhelmingly rural nation, most Cambodian Americans have settled in big cities, where they come into close contact with members of other ethnic groups. They also brought their traditions and customs to their new homeland. By the early 1990s, for example, more than fifty Cambodian Buddhist temples had been established in Cambodian communities around the United States. In cities with large Cambodian populations, such as Long Beach, cultural centers such as the Homeland Cultural Center have been established, offering people classes in Khmer martial arts and the Khmer language. These efforts assist in preserving Cambodian traditions and heritage in the United States.
Bibliography
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