National and ethnic cultures of Utah: Difference between revisions

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===Sweden – Swedes===
===Sweden – Swedes===
Most [[Swedish people|Swedes]] came to Utah as a result of their conversion to the LDS Church, similar to the Danes and the British.<ref>Woods, Fred E., and Nicholas J. Evans, [https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=6807 'Latter-day Saint Scandinavian Migration through Hull, England, 1852-1894'], ''BYU Studies'', Volume 41, Number 4 (2002), pp. 75-102.</ref> They were in smaller numbers. According to the 1910 census about 17,000 Swedes and their children were living in Utah. This is a 4.6 percent of the state's population. They must have been fairly successful, because the 2000 census confirmed a similar 4.3 percentage. The counties with the highest rate of Swedes were [[Tooele, Utah|Tooele]], Salt Lake and Cache. [[Grantsville, Utah|Grantsville]] and a neighborhood in Salt Lake City had a Swedish majority. As usually happens when foreign immigrants transplant to a foreign country, they had the desire to keep their language and culture. The LDS Church encouraged them to participate in the English-speaking wards. A group of them asked instead for Swedish-speaking wards. The refusal of the church caused what was called the “Swedish rebellion,” of 1902, and a few people left the Church as a result of that situation. One of these “rebels” was Johan Ahmanson, who became a state legislator in [[Nebraska]] and wrote a book against the Mormons. On the whole, the Swedish integrated very well in the new society. They prospered in the various fields of business, industry, and in the political and in the ecclesiastical institutions. The former President of the LDS Church, [[Thomas S. Monson]], has Swedish ancestry. The most famous Swedish remains [[Joe Hill]] (Hagglund), who was a Union leader of the mining period.<ref>William Mulder, ''Homeward to Zion: The Mormon Migration from Scandinavia'' (1957); and Allan Kastrup, ''The Swedish Heritage in America'' (1975)</ref>
Most [[Swedish people|Swedes]] came to Utah as a result of their conversion to the LDS Church, similar to the Danes and the British.<ref>Woods, Fred E., and Nicholas J. Evans, [https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=6807 'Latter-day Saint Scandinavian Migration through Hull, England, 1852-1894'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208015508/http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=6807 |date=2011-12-08 }}, ''BYU Studies'', Volume 41, Number 4 (2002), pp. 75-102.</ref> They were in smaller numbers. According to the 1910 census about 17,000 Swedes and their children were living in Utah. This is a 4.6 percent of the state's population. They must have been fairly successful, because the 2000 census confirmed a similar 4.3 percentage. The counties with the highest rate of Swedes were [[Tooele, Utah|Tooele]], Salt Lake and Cache. [[Grantsville, Utah|Grantsville]] and a neighborhood in Salt Lake City had a Swedish majority. As usually happens when foreign immigrants transplant to a foreign country, they had the desire to keep their language and culture. The LDS Church encouraged them to participate in the English-speaking wards. A group of them asked instead for Swedish-speaking wards. The refusal of the church caused what was called the “Swedish rebellion,” of 1902, and a few people left the Church as a result of that situation. One of these “rebels” was Johan Ahmanson, who became a state legislator in [[Nebraska]] and wrote a book against the Mormons. On the whole, the Swedish integrated very well in the new society. They prospered in the various fields of business, industry, and in the political and in the ecclesiastical institutions. The former President of the LDS Church, [[Thomas S. Monson]], has Swedish ancestry. The most famous Swedish remains [[Joe Hill]] (Hagglund), who was a Union leader of the mining period.<ref>William Mulder, ''Homeward to Zion: The Mormon Migration from Scandinavia'' (1957); and Allan Kastrup, ''The Swedish Heritage in America'' (1975)</ref>
* Organizations. Swedish Honorary Consulate of Salt Lake City.
* Organizations. Swedish Honorary Consulate of Salt Lake City.


Revision as of 12:11, 14 February 2018

National and ethnic cultures are an important element of diversity in cities and states. These cultures make cities and states more cosmopolitan and better prepared for the challenges of economic globalization.

Salt Lake City. Panorama from South Temple Street taken in 1912

Introduction

Bingham Canyon Mine, April 2005.

Immigrants came to Utah in three major “waves”. The first wave took place between 1850 and 1880, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormon" or LDS Church) invited all the new converts, who were mostly from Northern Europe, to “gather in Zion.” The second one occurred between 1880 and 1920 and involved people from all over the world. This happened in connection with the booming railroad and mining industries. The third one, after World War II, was slower and it is still happening to this day. It involves mostly people from Mexico and Latin America. All these peoples brought with them the cultures of their countries of origin. National and ethnic cultures are a big part of diversity in any state and city, because they are the result of thousands of years of traditions and civilization. There is no easy substitute for these cultural treasures. In today's always increasing globalized economy, people are better prepared for its challenges if they are exposed to a variety of different cultures.[1]

Demographic data

According to 2000 official estimates,[2] the population of the state of Utah was 2,470,000.

  • The percentages of
    ethnic groups
    are as follows: Asian 2.4%, American Indian 1.7%, Black 1.3%, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.9%. This is a total of 6.3%.
  • The percentages of the major national groups are as follows: German: 11.5%, Hispanic (mostly Mexicans) 10.4%, Danish: 6.5%, Irish 5.9%, Scottish 4.4%, Swedish 4.3% Italian 2.1%. This is a total of 45.1.
  • Other national groups, such as people from Bosnia, France, Russia, Sudan, Venezuela and so on, total 12.8%.
  • The percentage of the English and American (mostly of English ancestry) population is respectively 29% and 6.8%, for a total of 35.8%

From this data it can be inferred that the ancestry of a little over half of the population of Utah belongs either to the ethnic groups or, for the most part, to the non-English speaking national groups.

Ethnic and national groups

Scholars have never reached stable consensus on the distinction between ethnic and national groups, because their meaning can change according to political opinions. Nationality and ethnicity refer both to a combination of

African Americans, and Native Americans (or American Indians) are typically associated with the ethnic groups because of their evident physical traits. "National group", instead, is linked more with the differences in language and customs. Therefore, it usually refers to Caucasians
belonging to nation-states with specific cultures, such as Russians, Germans, Turks, and so on. “Hispanic” or “Latino” people are often placed in an intermediate category, because they are mostly (mixed), due to the diffused intermarriage between Caucasians from Spain and Native Americans. The two terms are fairly vague and they can often be interchangeable. In this article current American terminology is mostly adopted, but readers should be aware of the various points of view.

Ethnic groups

African Americans

There were about sixty blacks in 1850 and the majority of them worked in farms. In 1900 blacks increased to 677 because of the railroad construction companies. By the 1890s two churches were already established in

civil rights. In 1976, the Reverend Robert Harris, a Democrat from Ogden, became the first African American elected to the Utah Legislature. In 1978 the LDS Church allowed blacks to be ordained to the priesthood. Since those years the situation of African Americans in Utah has improved. According to the 2000 Census, there are about 30,000 blacks in Utah. This is 1.3 percent of the total population.[3]

  • Organizations. NAACP Salt Lake Branch. Black Affairs, Ethnic Office, Utah Government.

Native Americans

Utes 1878
Utes 1878

The most important Utah tribes today, the

Anasazi who had lived in that territory for several centuries, starting from about 400 a. D.[4] When the Mormon pioneers arrived in Utah in 1847, these tribes numbered about 20,000 people. Notwithstanding several programs aimed to maintain their survival, for several years they lost control of their ancestral territory. In 1960 the tribes’ population was down to around 7,000 people. Following the implementation of more favorable federal and state programs, in 1970 their population increased to 11,000 and in 1980 returned toward the same figure of 1847, about 19,000. Today (2007) many of Utah's American Indians are experiencing a better balance between tribal life and coexistence with the dominant society.[5]

Chinese

Chinese workers started to arrive in Utah around 1860 in connection with the railroad construction companies. They were very appreciated as skillful and dependable workers. After the railroads were built, at the beginning of 1900 some found occupations in the new mining industry and others dedicated themselves to independent businesses such as laundries, restaurants and mini markets. They lived in their humble but colorful chinatowns, mostly singles without families, because they had the intention to return one day to China. Many of them had periods of hard times and experienced discrimination. For example, in 1902 the mining unions decided to boycott their businesses. The major Chinese communities before World War II were in Ogden, Salt Lake City and Park City. In 1890 there were about 500 Chinese people in Utah. This number grew a little at the beginning of 1900, but then, as a result of the Depression, in 1940 declined to about 500. After World War II it started to steadily grow. In 1970 Chinese numbered about 1.200, and in 1990 their population increased to over 5,000 people.[6]

  • Organizations. UOCA, Utah Organization of Chinese Americans.

Japanese

Similar to the Chinese, the Japanese started to arrive in Utah in the 1860s as laborers in the railroad companies. By 1900, according to the census, over 400 Japanese people were living in Utah. Their number grew in the next twenty years as a result of the booming mining industry. In 1910 their number was 2,100 and in 1920 they reached almost 3,000 people. The most important areas where they were located were Ogden, Salt Lake City and Carbon County. Due to this significant population a newspaper was started, a Buddhist Temple, and a Christian church were built near Japan Town in Salt Lake City. All three are still in existence today (2007). Instead, Japan Town was razed to build the Salt Palace. A similar destiny had China Town in Plum Alley. This short period of prosperity was followed by the anti-immigration laws of 1924. Discrimination worsened when Japanese children were denied access to activities in the public schools. The really big blow came with World War II, when almost all Japanese were segregated in Camps in remote areas of Utah, such as Topaz. Their cemetery was vandalized by paranoid people. Many Japanese from California were also sent to the Camps in Utah. Some of them remained after the end of the war. Because of this, according to the 1950 Census, Utah's Japanese population almost doubled.

Since the 1950s the Government has acknowledged the bad treatment suffered by the

Japanese Americans and has offered some form of reparation. Today the Japanese in Utah continue to keep their national traditions while actively contributing to the local community.[7]

  • Organizations. Salt Lake Buddhist Church, Japanese Church of Christ, Utah Nippo newspaper, Japanese-American Citizen's League.

National groups from Africa

Sudan – Sudanese

As of 2005, there were about 2,000

Muslims of the North and the Christians of the South. For them life in Utah is better and they especially enjoy the security, far from the dangers of the war. They live mostly in Salt Lake County, with concentration in Salt Lake City and West Valley. They plan to remain in the USA. Most of them are working and many are also studying at college. They have found jobs at convenience stores like 7-Eleven
or in warehouses. Several of the Sudanese women are attending school at Horizonte High School to obtain the skills necessary to start their own businesses. Almost all of them are renting their homes and apartments.

The official language in Sudan is

Arabic, but most of them know English, also because of the proximity with Kenya
. Some of those not from the cities speak their dialects instead of Arabic, but they also know some English. Since they are mostly from South Sudan, they are in great majority Christians (95%), and the rest are Muslims. They are very religious and meet every Sunday at church.

  • Organizations. Sudanese Association of Utah, a 501c3 non-profit organization.

National groups from Latin America

Hispanics

Spanish (or Portuguese) cultural heritage. Genetically, their heritage is also, for a good part, American Indian
. Consequently, the immigrants from the various states of Central and South America are grouped under the term "Hispanics."

Mexico - Mexicans

About 80 percents of the Hispanics in Utah come from

Mormon missionaries. Social organizations of mutual aid were founded also by the immigrants. These included the Cruz Azul (Blue Cross) similar to the Red Cross, and Union y Patria (union and fatherland). After World War II the Centro Civico Mexicano was started in Salt Lake City, and still exists (2007). Today, a good number of Mexicans are well integrated in Utah, but many social problems remain. High rates of school dropouts, of unemployment, and of poverty are still too common among Mexican immigrants.[9]

  • Organizations. Centro Civico Mexicano, Salt Lake City

National groups from Europe

Basque

Most

Basques immigrated to Utah at the end of the 1800s. Their major occupation was at first shepherding on big ranches. They were considered the most reliable ranchers in the West. In fact, shepherding had been for centuries their profession in their rugged land of origin, between France and Spain. Many of them went to work in the mines when they were opened at the beginning of 1900. Today the Basques number just a few hundred in Utah, but they are still very dedicated to their ancestral culture.[10]

  • Organizations. Utah Basque Club, member of the North American Basque Organization. Utah'ko Triskalariak Basque Dancers, a traditional folk dance troupe.

Spaniards

Spaniards were the first Europeans to visit Utah. After visiting, steady waves of migrants from Spain and New Spain continued throughout the next century. Many Spaniards in the 18th century immigrated to the northern region of Utah. Many lived in ranches and in small villages.

Denmark - Danes

The pattern of immigration of

Norwegian and sometimes Swedish, appeared, and lasted until 1935. Several Danes soon became prominent in all sectors of civil and ecclesiastical activities, but for most of those of the first generation the language barriers were difficult to overcome.[11]

  • Organizations. Danish consulate

Finland - Finns

Scofield mine disaster at the Winter Quarters mine near Scofield, Utah. Many of the surviving Finns left Utah, but a few remained. Some of them, like John Westerdahl became successful entrepreneurs. Today the Finnish group is small, but is still very active in keeping their ancestral culture alive.[12]

  • Organizations. Finlandia Society, Salt Lake City.

Greece - Greeks

The

Holy Trinity Church in Salt Lake City attracts over 100,000 people every September.[13]

  • Organizations. Hellenic Cultural Center of Salt Lake City.

Germany – Germans

Of the 143 Mormon pioneers who first entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, one of them was

German American Society of Utah was organized in 1983. Around 100,000 tourists from Germany visit Utah every year.[14]

Great Britain - British

The immigrants in Utah from the British Isles were different from most of the others for several reasons. They came early, they came in big numbers, they were mostly Mormons. Particularly, they were English speaking, and they soon became part of the leadership both in the LDS Church and in the civil society. Many arrived as part of the initial Mormon migration to Utah, and a big influx continued for the next twenty years. The 1870 census shows that about 24 percent of Utah population were born in Great Britain. If their American born children are included in this count, their percentage could almost reach fifty percent. An even higher proportion of British is reflected in their participation in the leadership of the LDS Church. For example, the successor of Brigham Young as President of the Church was John Taylor, a Briton. The same situation happened in the government and in the business sectors. Being of the same language, culture and religion of the Mormon leadership greatly helped them to completely integrate to early Utah culture. On the other side, British immigrants greatly helped American Mormons to start the development of the new land, in the critical first years before the arrival of the railroad. Their immigration continues today, even though at much lower rates. According to the 1980 census, 3.2 percent of Utahns were born in the British Isles.[15]

  • Organizations. Cambrian Society, Caledonia Society, Scottish social club.

Italy – Italians

Main article: Utah Italians
Price is the governmental seat of Carbon County and the economic center for the county and East-Central Utah

A small group of about 60

Italian Americans can be found in all professions and businesses, in percentages similar to those of any national group. The first Italian to become state legislator was Frank Bonacci, in the 1930s. Today Italian immigration in Utah has practically come to an end. An exception is represented by a few converts to the LDS Church.[16]

Sweden – Swedes

Most

Swedes came to Utah as a result of their conversion to the LDS Church, similar to the Danes and the British.[17] They were in smaller numbers. According to the 1910 census about 17,000 Swedes and their children were living in Utah. This is a 4.6 percent of the state's population. They must have been fairly successful, because the 2000 census confirmed a similar 4.3 percentage. The counties with the highest rate of Swedes were Tooele, Salt Lake and Cache. Grantsville and a neighborhood in Salt Lake City had a Swedish majority. As usually happens when foreign immigrants transplant to a foreign country, they had the desire to keep their language and culture. The LDS Church encouraged them to participate in the English-speaking wards. A group of them asked instead for Swedish-speaking wards. The refusal of the church caused what was called the “Swedish rebellion,” of 1902, and a few people left the Church as a result of that situation. One of these “rebels” was Johan Ahmanson, who became a state legislator in Nebraska and wrote a book against the Mormons. On the whole, the Swedish integrated very well in the new society. They prospered in the various fields of business, industry, and in the political and in the ecclesiastical institutions. The former President of the LDS Church, Thomas S. Monson, has Swedish ancestry. The most famous Swedish remains Joe Hill (Hagglund), who was a Union leader of the mining period.[18]

  • Organizations. Swedish Honorary Consulate of Salt Lake City.

Switzerland – Swiss

cheesemaking and watchmaking have been transplanted to Utah. Several notable Utahns are descendants of Swiss pioneers, professors, artists, musicians, businessmen and politicians. The Swiss influence in Utah is still alive today, and it becomes very visible during the Swiss Days in Midway, that attracts over 60,000 visitors every year.[19]

  • Organizations. Swiss Festival of Midway. Swiss Honorary Consulate of Salt Lake City.

Religious groups

Jewish community

The

Hungarian origin coming from the Eastern United States. They started successful stores and enterprises. Their number increased with the opening of the railroad. In 1876 there were some forty families, and by 1891 that number was already doubled. Several of them became prominent businessmen and citizens, occupying top positions in the city council, in the legislature, and in the chamber of commerce. Simon Bamberger became the first non-Mormon Governor in 1916, and Louis Marcus became mayor of Salt Lake in 1932. On the religious side, the Jewish community built their first synagogue in 1883, in the downtown area. They had problems because of the antagonism between the orthodox minded East Europeans and the liberal Germans. At the end they decided for separation and the building was sold. Another beautiful synagogue was built by the liberal group in 1891. For their social events the Jewish community purchased a large and elegant building near downtown, that remained active for many years. In 2003 a new Jewish Community Center was purchased near the campus of the University of Utah. Also the synagogue has been moved from downtown, closer to a residential area. In 2005 the Jewish community counted about 5,000 members.[20]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Cultural competence
  2. ^ Official Census data
  3. ^ Ronald G. Coleman article in Utah History Encyclopedia, by Allen Kent Powell, University Press, 1994, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  4. Richard Poll
    , et al. (1989)
  5. ^ Fred A. Conetah, A History of the Northern Ute People (1982)
  6. ^ Don C. Conley, "The Pioneer Chinese of Utah", in Helen Zeese Papanikolas, ed., The Peoples of Utah (1976)
  7. ^ Helen Zeese Papanikolas and Alice Kasai, "Japanese Life in Utah", in Helen Zeese Papanikolas, ed., The Peoples of Utah (1976)
  8. ^ State of Utah official data
  9. ^ Vicente V. Mayer, Jr., Utah: A Hispanic History (1975); Orlando A. Rivera, Chicanos in Utah (1976)
  10. ^ Lisa Carricaburu article in Utah History Encyclopedia, by Allen Kent Powell, University Press, 1994, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  11. ^ William Mulder, Homeward to Zion (1957)
  12. ^ Yvonne R. Lockwood, "The Sauna: An Expression of Finnish-American Identity", Western Folklore 36 (1977); A. William Hoglund, Finnish Immigrants in America, 1880-1920 (1960)
  13. ^ Helen Zeeze Papanikolas, Toil and Rage in a New Land: The Greek Immigrants in Utah (1970); and "The Exiled Greeks", in Helen Zeese Papanikolas, The Peoples of Utah (1976)
  14. ^ Allan Kent Powell, Splinters of a Nation: German Prisoners of War in Utah (1989); Utah Historical Quarterly (Fall 1984)
  15. ^ P. A. M. Taylor, Expectations Westward: The Mormons and the Emigration of their British Converts in the Nineteenth Century (1966)
  16. ^ Philip F. Notarianni, "Italianita in Utah: The Immigrant Experience", in Helen Z. Papanikolas, ed., The Peoples of Utah (1976)
  17. ^ Woods, Fred E., and Nicholas J. Evans, 'Latter-day Saint Scandinavian Migration through Hull, England, 1852-1894' Archived 2011-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, BYU Studies, Volume 41, Number 4 (2002), pp. 75-102.
  18. ^ William Mulder, Homeward to Zion: The Mormon Migration from Scandinavia (1957); and Allan Kastrup, The Swedish Heritage in America (1975)
  19. ^ Douglas F. Tobler article in Utah History Encyclopedia by Allen Kent Powell, University Press, 1994, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  20. ^ Juanita Brooks, The History of the Jews in Utah and Idaho (1973); Louis C. Zucker, Jews of Salt Lake City (1975)
  21. ^ Evans, Whitney (January 3, 2015). "Jews look for ways to keep their heritage alive". SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. Deseret News. Retrieved 5 January 2015. To help Jews understand their unique roles and learn about Judaism, Rabbi Zippel regularly teaches courses from the Jewish Learning Institute. During the final class of a course called "How happiness thinks," Zippel encouraged those in attendance to find meaning in following the commandments, or mitzvahs, of Judaism. His son, Rabbi Avremi Zippel, will be founding and developing a Chabad Hebrew school and preschool, as well as a Jewish summer and winter camp, as ways to help Jews feel like "proud, staunch members of Judaism" while they are young.".
  22. ^ Tribune staff report (December 31, 2014). "Navigating parenthood: Courses offered". Lake Tahoe, Utah: Swift Communications, Inc. Tahoe Daily Tribune. The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will present The Art of Parenting... "As parents we are constantly being bombarded with various educational approaches and methods," said Rabbi Zalman Abraham of JLI's New York headquarters. "How do you strike the correct balance between discipline and freedom? This course answers these great questions by looking to timeless Jewish wisdom."
  23. ^ Ferguson, Joey (May 20, 2011). "Jewish lecture series focuses on Sabbath Course at Chabad center focuses on secrets of sabbath's serenity". Salt Lake City, Utah. Deseret News. Rabbi Benny Zippel adjusts his yarmulke. "Let me show you something," he said as he leans over to point out words in the liturgy on the desk of his Salt Lake City office . "Come let us go welcome the Sabbath because it is the source of blessing," it read in both English and Hebrew. The Rohr Jewish Institute (JLI) will present "Oasis in Time: The Gift of Shabbat

External links

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