Basque Americans
Euskal estatubatuarrak | |
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Basque people and other groups of the Basque diaspora |
Basque Americans (
Ties to early American history
Referring to the historical ties that existed between the
"In a research like this, after those people in Europe who have had the skill, courage, and fortune, to preserve a voice in the government, Biscay, in
"...It is a republic; and one of the privileges they have most insisted on, is not to have a king: another was, that every new lord, at his accession, should come into the country in person, with one of his legs bare, and take an oath to preserve the privileges of the lordship".[2]
Authors such as Navascues, and the Basque-American
Migration and sheepherding
Basque immigration peaked after the Spanish
By the 1850s, there were some Basque sheepherders working in Cahuenga Valley (today
Basques who migrated to the United States versus South America faced a language barrier that took years and in some cases generations to overcome, which disadvantaged them, while Basques migrating to South America ended up having better outcomes more immediately.[3]
The current census figures demonstrated in the U.S. map on this page are remarkably low in comparison to these reports and the overall increase in the U.S. population since the 19th century. There has been a radical decrease in Basque immigration since that era, which has resulted in a significant decline in persons of Basque national or Spanish origin throughout the United States. Most of the self-reporting Basque persons remaining in the U.S. today are descendants of the original peak of Basque immigrants, who arrived between 200 and 100 years ago, typically reporting as multi-generational or great-great-grandchildren (1860 immigrants) as opposed to native-born persons of Basque ethnic identification and their subsequent immediate family, children, or grandchildren.
The degree to which one self-reports being "Basque" is a personal choice, often tied to an interest in one's heritage, whether one is the grandchild of a native-born Basque or of significantly mixed Native American (Mexican, South American, etc.), white European, or other racial admixture. There are significant numbers of Mexicans with Basque names, as many as one million self-reporting Mexicans of Basque racial or surname heritage today.
Thousands of Basques were recruited from Spain due to severe labor shortages during World War II. They came under contract with the Western Range Association between the 1940s until around 1970.[4] The Spanish Right of Return extends Spanish citizenship only to the grandchildren of Basque immigrants who were born in Spain and forced to flee during the Francoist uprising in the mid-1930s.
Basque clubs
There are nearly fifty such clubs in the United States, the oldest of which is the Central Vascoamericano (founded 1913), today
Idahoan-Basques
Basques were initially drawn to Idaho by the discovery of
Since 1990, Boise and
North American Basque organizations
In March 1973, a group of Basque-Americans met in
This detachment of the Basques was reflected in the Basque communities of the United States. Basques of Biscayne descent in parts of Idaho and Nevada interacted little with the Basques of California, who were largely northern or "French Basques." When delegates from the Basque clubs of
The North American Basque Organizations, Inc., commonly referred to by its acronym N.A.B.O., is a service organization to member clubs that does not infringe on the autonomy of each. Its prime purpose is the preservation, protection, and promotion of the historical, cultural, and social interests of Basques in the United States. NABO's function is to sponsor activities and events beyond the scope of the individual clubs, and to promote exchanges between Basque-Americans and the Basque country.
Future of Basque culture in the US
The new generations exhibit the natural process of Americanization. In recent years there has been the resurgence of Basque language classes, facilitated by new courses via the Internet.
Population
The states with the largest Basque communities are:
- California: 17,598
- Idaho: 8,196
- Nevada: 5,056
- Oregon: 3,162
- Washington: 2,579
- Texas: 2,389
- Colorado: 2,216
- Florida: 1,653
- Utah: 1,579
- New York: 1,544
- Wyoming: 1,039
The urban areas with the largest Basque communities[7]
- Boise, ID: 3,573
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 3,432
- : 2,216
- San Francisco-Oakland, CA: 1,930
- New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT: 1,604
- Portland, OR-WA: 1,520
- Sacramento, CA: 1,155
- Seattle, WA: 1,082
- Bakersfield, CA: 1,078
- Nampa, Idaho, ID: 1,008
- Salt Lake City-West Valley City, UT: 978
- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO: 957
- Phoenix-Mesa, AZ: 904
- San Diego, CA: 872
- Miami, FL: 841
- Las Vegas-Nevada, NV: 763
- Fresno, CA: 650
- San Jose, CA: 544
The top 25 U.S. communities with population claiming Basque ancestry[11]
- Winnemucca, NV4.2%
- Gooding, ID4.1%
- Battle Mountain, NV4.1%
- Elko, NV3.7%
- Shoshone, ID3.4%
- Cascade, ID3.2%
- Buffalo, WY2.6%
- Minden, NV2.2%
- Susanville, CA2.1%
- Hines, OR1.8%
- Gardnerville, NV1.7%
- Burns, OR1.7%
- Rupert, ID1.6%
- New Plymouth, ID1.5%
- Vale, OR1.4%
- Ontario, OR1.4%
- Fallon, NV1.3%
- Bellerose, NY1.3%
- Caldwell, ID1.3%
- Eagle, ID1.2%
- Homedale, ID1.2%
- Meridian, ID1.2%
- Oak Park, CA1.2%
- Palouse, WA1.1%
- Moss Beach, CA1.1%
Notable people
The following is a list of notable Basque-Americans of either full or partial Basque descent:
- Dominique Amestoy, banker, founder of Farmers and Merchants Bank
- Jeffrey Amestoy, longtime Attorney General of the State of Vermont and Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
- Rafael Anchia, member of the Texas House of Representatives
- Joe Ansolabehere, animation screenwriter and producer
- Germán Arciniegas, Writer, ambassador, college professor at Columbia University, and journalist
- Joaquín Arciniegas Tavera, Historian, ambassador, writer and ancient jewelry collector at Boston Museum of Fine Arts
- David Archuleta, singer and American Idol contestant
- John Arrillaga,[12] real estate businessman, Silicon Valley
- John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort
- Mary Azcuenaga, former member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Earl W. Bascom, painter and sculptor, father of modern rodeo
- United States Geological Survey
- Jose Antonio Bengoechea, Bedarona-born Idaho businessman who owned the Bengoechea Hotel
- Frank Bergon, author of four novels featuring Basque Americans[13]
- Monica Bertagnolli, oncologic surgeon and Director of the National Institutes of Health
- Mayor of Boise, Idaho; fluent in the Basque language[14]
- Eugene W. Biscailuz, Sheriff of Los Angeles County; founder of the California Highway Patrol
- Frenchy Bordagaray, MLB player
- Pete T. Cenarrusa, former Secretary of State of Idaho
- Héctor Elizondo, film actor
- California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers[15]
- John Etchemendy,[12] former Provost of Stanford University
- John Garamendi, U.S. Congressman and former Lieutenant Governor of California
- Galen Gering, film actor
- Pete Goicoechea, Nevada State Senator and former Nevada Assemblyman
- Paul Gosar, U.S. Congressman from Arizona and former dentist
- Shayne Gostisbehere, NHL defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers
- Jimmie Heuga, former ski racer, 1964 Olympic medalist
- Jose Iturbi, composer, conductor, and pianist
- Jim Larranaga, basketball coach
- Adam Laxalt, Attorney General of Nevada
- Paul Laxalt, former U.S. Senator and former governor of Nevada
- Robert Laxalt, writer
- Ryan Lochte, former Olympic swimmer
- Michel Moore, Chief of Police of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
- Ramón Músquiz (1797–1867), Governor of Texas from 1830 to 1831
- Gregorio Esparza, Tejano soldier that fought in the Battle of the Alamoand died in the Alamo with other fellow Tejanos fighting for Texas Independence.
- Joseph A. Unanue, businessman, Goya Foods
- martial artist appearing in Jackie Chanfilms
- Baseball Hall of Fame
In popular culture
In the 1975 Gunsmoke episode "Manolo", Robert Urich plays Manolo Etchahoun, a young man who is a member of a group of Basque immigrants who has to prove his manhood by fighting his father.
The Wyoming Basque community, including a depiction of a religious festival, is the focus of the third episode of season two of Longmire, "Death Came Like Thunder."[16]
Craig Johnson has a Basque deputy in his Walt Longmire series of books. There are frequent references to Basque culture throughout the series.
See also
- Basques in Nevada
- Basques in Oregon
- Basques in California
References
- ^ "PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY. 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
- ^ "John Adams: Defence of the Constitutions: Vol. I, Letter IV". Constitution.org. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ISBN 978-0-87417-675-9.[page needed]
- ^ "Las Rocosa Australian Shepherds". Lasrocosa.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ^ "Basque Club History". Basqueclub.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ^ "U.S. Basque Population".
- ^ a b "Urban Areas with Basque Communities". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
- OCLC 54536757.
- OCLC 23178138.
- ^ "Basque Americans in the Columbia River Basin". Washington State University, Vancouver. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007.
- ^ "Ancestry Map of Basque Communities". Epodunk.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-17. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
- ^ a b "Basque Studies Debut" (March/April 2007) Stanford Magazine. Retrieved 05 June 2010.
- ^ Monica Madinabeitia, "Getting to Know Frank Bergon: The Legacy of the Basque Indarra," Journal of the Society of Basque Studies in America, 28 (2008)
- ^ "Basque to the Future". Boise Weekly. May 28, 2014.
- ^ "Andy Etchebarren – Society for American Baseball Research".
- ^ "Longmire: Season 2, Episode 3 : Death Came in Like Thunder (10 June 2013)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
Further reading
- Douglass, William A., and Jon Bilbao, eds. Amerikanuak: Basques in the New World (U of Nevada Press, 1975).
- Douglass, William A., C. Urza, L. White and J. Zulaika, eds. The Basque Diaspora (Basque Studies Program, University of Nevada, Reno).
- Etulain, Richard W., and Jeronima Echeverria, eds. Portraits of Basques in the New World (U of Nevada Press, 1999).
- Lasagabaster, David. "Basque diaspora in the USA and language maintenance." Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 29.1 (2008): 66–90. online
- Río, David. Robert Laxalt: The Voice of the Basques in American Literature (Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, Reno, 2007).
- Saitua, Iker. Basque Immigrants and Nevada's Sheep Industry: Geopolitics and the Making of an Agricultural Workforce, 1880–1954 (2019) excerpt
- Shostak, Elizabeth. "Basque Americans." in Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2014), pp. 251–264. online
- White, Linda, and Cameron Watson, eds. Amatxi, Amuma, Amona: Writings in Honor of Basque Women (Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, 2003).
- Zubiri, Nancy. A Travel Guide to Basque America: Families, Feasts, and Festivals (2nd ed. U of Nevada Press, 2006).
External links
- Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, Reno
- (Amerketako euskaldunei buruzko webgunea)
- Buber's Basque Page
- Epodunk, Basque Ancestry Map of the United States
- Kaletarrak eta Baserritarrak: East Coast and West Coast Basques in the United States by Gloria P. Totoricagüena.
- Interstitial Culture, Virtual Ethnicity, and Hyphenated Basque Identity in the New Millennium by William A. Douglass.
- Euroamericans.net: The Basque in America
- U.S. Census
- Basque Library, University of Nevada, Reno
- Basque Digital Collection University of Nevada, Reno Libraries
- Voices from Basque America University of Nevada, Reno Libraries