Roma
The Roma, often referred to as Gypsies, are a distinct ethnic group with an estimated population of one million in the United States as of 2010. Their origins trace back to ancient India, with migrations that occurred over centuries to regions such as Persia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Significant migration to North America occurred during colonial times, with later waves in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe. The Roma maintain a unique ethnic identity and have historically been more nomadic than most Americans, though modern Roma tend to settle primarily in urban areas for employment opportunities.
There are diverse subgroups within the Roma community in America, such as the Rom and Romnichels, each with their own cultural nuances. Despite their long history in the U.S., the Roma have often faced misunderstandings and negative stereotypes, leading to a reluctance to disclose their identity due to fear of discrimination. Issues such as employment and housing discrimination, along with racial profiling, continue to affect the Roma population. In recent years, Roma activists have sought to raise awareness about their culture and advocate for the rights and recognition of their community.
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Roma
The United States was home to an estimated one million people of Roma ancestry in 2010. Nevertheless, the Roma (commonly called Gypsies) are one of the least visible and most misunderstood ethnic groups in the United States and Canada, as well as in Europe. Most scholars believe that the Roma are descended from a low-level caste in ancient India. No one knows precisely why they left their original home, but ancient historical records report that thousands were migrated to Persia in the ninth century b.c.e. From Persia, they apparently migrated to various parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
Some Roma migrated to North America and Latin America during colonial times from the British Isles and from Spain and Portugal. Napoleon Bonaparte deported hundreds from France to the French colony of Louisiana, which became part of the United States in 1803. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, North America received large waves of immigrants from Southern Europe, and many arrived at this time. The fall of European communism in the early 1990’s led to another wave of Roma migration from Eastern Europe.
Despite their long history in the United States, the Roma long retained a distinctive ethnic identity and resisted assimilating into mainstream American culture. They frequently avoided census takers; therefore, there is no precise count of the Roma in the United States, although estimates ran as high as one million, as of 2010. The two largest Roma American groups are those who trace their ancestry to Southern and Eastern Europe and refer to themselves as the Rom and those who trace their ancestry to the British Isles and refer to themselves as Romnichels. There are also American Roma who came from Romania, Germany, and Hungary. Roma from Mexico, who migrated to the Americas from Spain, often call themselves Gitanos. Some Roma Americans still speak a dialect of the Romani language as well as English.
Modern Roma are less nomadic than their ancestors were, but they still move around much more often than most other Americans do. They tend to make their homes in large cities, where employment is available.
Relations between Roma Americans and other ethnic groups are often troubled by a lack of trust and understanding. Traditional Roma belief teaches that outsiders are ritually unclean, and historically the Roma voluntarily remained separate from non-Roma. Popular images of Roma stereotype them as romantic wanderers, as career criminals preying on all outsiders, as fortune-tellers, or as kidnappers. In the United States, many Roma have assimilated and hidden their true ethnic identity for fear of persecution due to these pervasive, enduring stereotypes. In the early twenty-first century, Roma activists began speaking out openly about the problems they face and challenging popular misinformation about their history and culture. Discrimination in employment and housing, as well as racial profiling by law enforcement, nevertheless remain salient issues for the Roma in America.
Bibliography
"'Gypsies' in the United States." Migrations in History. Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, n.d.
Nelson, Dean. "European Roma Descended from Indian 'Untouchables', Genetic Study Shows." Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 3 Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Roma (Gypsies) in Prewar Europe." Holocaust Encyclopedia. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 20 June 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
Strochlic, Nina. "American Gypsies Are a Persecuted Minority That Is Starting to Fight Back." Daily Beast. Daily Beast, 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
Webley, Kayla. "Hounded in Europe, Roma in the U.S. Keep a Low Profile." Time. Time, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.