131-163

Articles

• Karanovich, Milenko

The first emigration of Serbs from their countries and their immigration to the United States started in the first half of the nineteenth century. At the beginning they emigrated in very small numbers. However, their emigrationincreased rapidly at the turn of the century.In the beginning of their immigration to the United States, the Serbsknew next to nothing about that country. However, in time, due to occasionalarticles published in a number of newspapers and magazines, their knowledgeincreased. Unfortunately, the economic possibilities in the New World weregreatly exaggerated.Mass emigration of Serbs, as well as other South Slavs, took alarmingproportions in the beginning of the twentieth century and forced their governmentsto intervene. What promted Serbs to leave their homes and go to the United States? The question is complex because, before 1918, the Serbs livedunder various conditions, in different states, and under different governments— Serbian, Montenegrin, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman.The governments of those countries did not invest much in the economicdevelopment and, therefore, living conditions for many were difficult, particularlyfor people in the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Such conditionsand mistreatment of the Serbs were major causes for their immigrationto the United States, the country of opportunities.For some, United States offered relatively good life and a great possibilityto support their families in their native countiies. However, a largenumber of them were lost in the new society without job and moral supportfiom their relatives. In order to relieve themselves psychologically, some ofthe Serbian emigrants expressed disappointment and sometimes hostilitytoward the country they once admiied and dreamed of, in letters to theirrelatives and friends.Various agents contributed a great deal to the immigration of Serbs tothe United States and other countries, especially before World War I. Inregard to their activities, they can be divided into the following groups: privateagents, agents in the service of certain countries, travel agents, agents ofsteamships, and agents of American industrial companies.A large number of emigrants were swindled by agents. They lost theirmoney without reaching their desired destination. The principal motto ofthose agents was “the more emigrants, the more money” and they followedit without the slightest concern for the future and the well-being of theirclients. The successful activities of agents and the immigration of the Serbswas criticized sharply in Serbian newspapers, both in Serbia and the UnitedStates.All efforts to prevent a mass immigration of Serbs to the United Statesproved to be more or less fruitless. The extensive immigration continued upto the outbreak of the First World War. After the war, it decreased considerablydue mainly to the creation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croatsand Slovenes and the United States Quota Acts of 1921, 1924 and 1929.After World War II, Serbs continued to immigrate to the United States.However, at that time most came for political and just a few for purelyeconomic reasons. In addition, the political emigrants’ families joined them. Only more recently did Serbs emigrate mainly to improve their economic and professional status.

• History and Archaeology

• Ιστορία

Μετανάστευση Σέρβων στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες Αμερικής, Μετανάστευση Σέρβων, Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες