Pashtun Americans

Nowadays, Pashtun Americans is a topic that is constantly talked about and that continues to generate great interest in society. For years, Pashtun Americans has proven to be a determining factor in various aspects of our daily lives, from politics to technology, including culture and the economy. Its influence is so marked that it leaves no one indifferent, since Pashtun Americans has managed to capture the attention of specialists, experts and the general public. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Pashtun Americans to understand its importance, its implications and the impact it has had and will continue to have on our lives.

Pashtun Americans
Regions with significant populations
New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, Virginia, Los Angeles Texas, Washington, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Languages
American English · Pashto
Dari Persian and Hindi Urdu spoken as second/third languages
Religion
Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Christianity, Judaism,
Related ethnic groups
Afghan diaspora, Pakistani diaspora, Indian Diaspora

Pashtun Americans (Pashto: د امريکا پښتانه) are Americans who are of Pashtun origin, an Eastern Iranian ethnic group originating from a region of Afghanistan and Pakistan[1] historically called Pashtunistan.[2]

Demographics

US states with significant Pashtun populations, based on the 2000 Census.

In the early 1860s, the first Pashtuns began migration to the United States and then in the 1920s, approximately 200 Pashtun families moved to the US in regularly low numbers. As a result of the Soviet–Afghan War, the largest exodus of all Afghan communities to the United States was recorded to date. Now, many Pashtuns residing in America are from Afghanistan and Pakistan, in particular Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan. A minority of Pashtuns came from India to America, Pashtun Americans are a sub-community within the wider Pakistani American and Afghan American communities. Areas with large populations include New York City, where there are over 12,000 Pashtuns,[3] as well as the San Francisco Bay Area, Virginia, Los Angeles, Georgia, Chicago metropolitan area, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and Oregon. Fremont, California has the largest Afghan community in the United States.[4] According to the 2010 Census, 15,788 individuals identified Pashto as their first language spoken at home.[5] Pashtun-Americans are categorized as White-Americans under the US census.[6]

Military

A small number of Pashtun Americans have served in the United States Armed Forces, in varying roles in the War in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Colonel Asad A. Khan, a Pakistani-American marine, was a member of one of the first conventional units to enter Afghanistan.[7] Khan would return to Afghanistan in command of the 1st Battalion 6th Marines in 2004; only to be later relieved of command.[8] Pfc. Usman Khattak, an ethnic Pashtun from northwest Pakistan, is a US Army Food Specialist with the 539th Transportation Division and is based at the US Army camp in Kuwait.[9]

Media

The Voice of America has a Pashto language service.[10]

Organizations

The Pakhtoon American Community Association (PACA) is a cultural association based in Maryland, which organizes an annual Pashto Conference, in addition to other events.[11][12] The Khyber Society, founded in 1986 in New York, also arranges cultural events.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Siddique, Abubakar (2014). The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key to the Future of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Oxford University Press. p. 12.
  2. ^ "Pashtunistan | region, Asia | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  3. ^ a b Zaheer, Mohsin (6 January 2011). "'I Am a Khan, I Am Not a Terrorist' Say Pashtuns in New York". Feet in 2 Worlds. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  4. ^ Robson, Barbara; Lipson, Juliene (2002). "The Afghans: Their History and Culture" (PDF). Center for Applied Linguistics.
  5. ^ "US Census 2010 (see row# 89)". U.S. Census Bureau. Table 1. Detailed Languages Spoken at Home and Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over for the United States: 2006-2008
  6. ^ "In the Matter of K, 2 I&N Dec. 253 | Casetext". casetext.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  7. ^ Tempest, Rone (25 May 2002). "U.S. Heroes Whose Skills Spoke Volumes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  8. ^ Lowrey, Colonel Nathan S. (2011). U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, 2001-2002: From the Sea (PDF). Washington, D.C.: History Division, United States Marine Corps. pp. 299–300. ISBN 978-0-16-089557-9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-29.
  9. ^ Roesch, Kelli (13 May 2009). "Pakistani-American Soldier Compelled to Serve in U.S. Army". DVIDS. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Homepage". Pashto VoA. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  11. ^ "Homepage". Pakhtoon American Community Association. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  12. ^ Sherazi, Zahir Shah (3 September 2013). "Portraying the true face of Pashtuns to the world". Dawn. Retrieved 24 August 2015.

13. ^ 42% of 200,000 Afghan Americans = 84,000 and 15% of 363,699 Pakistani Americans = 54,554. Total Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns in USA = 538,554.