History of Ethiopian Americans in Baltimore
The city of Baltimore, Maryland includes a small Ethiopian population. The Ethiopian-American community is centered in central Baltimore, particularly in Baltimore's historic Chinatown. This neighborhood is home to many Ethiopian businesses, including restaurants, a café, and a market. The enclave, located on the 300 block of Park Avenue, is sometimes referred to as Baltimore's Little Ethiopia.[1]
Demographics
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Of the approximately 75,000 Ethiopian Americans residing in Maryland, between 30,000 and 50,000 live in Greater Baltimore. The population generally works as small business owners, cab drivers, beauticians and medical technicians.[2] The Ethiopian community is represented by the Ethiopian Community Center in Baltimore Inc. (ECCB), which provides educational and support services to the city's Ethiopian residents.[3]
In 2011, immigrants from Ethiopia were the twenty-third largest foreign-born population in Baltimore.[4]
Culture
editDue to Ethiopian entrepreneurs, Ethiopian coffee is experiencing a surge in popularity in the Baltimore area, with many restaurants and companies in the region now offering Ethiopian coffee.[5]
As of 2013, there are about 25 doctors of Ethiopian and Eritrean background in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, as well as Ethiopian-owned travel agencies, taxi companies, and parking garages.[6]
History
editIn 1994, several Ethiopian-Israeli Jewish students visited Northwestern High School in Baltimore in an effort to help bridge cultural divides between local Black and Jewish communities. The program was sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League and aimed to debunk stereotypes about Jews and promote awareness of Black Jews.[7]
In the late 2010s, there have been attempts to revive and revitalize the Chinese-American presence in historic Chinatown, most notably by the Chinatown Collective, a group of Asian-American artists. In January 2019, the Collective reached an agreement with a group of non-Asian investors to for a $30,000,000 investment project in Chinatown/Little Ethiopia. This has caused fears among some Ethiopian residents who worry that this could entail gentrification that might displace poor and working-class Ethiopian residents and Ethiopian business owners.[8]
Religion
editThe majority of Ethiopian-Americans in Baltimore are Christians, with many belonging to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Smaller numbers of Evangelical Christians, Ethiopian Jews, and Ethiopian Muslims also live in Baltimore.
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Little Ethiopia: What was once Baltimore's Chinatown is now home to a flurry of Ethiopian businesses". Baltimore City Paper. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
- ^ Medland, Mary (10 December 2013). "Ethiopian-owned businesses enliven Baltimore neighborhoods". Bmore. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "ECCB - For Ethiopians in Baltimore". Ethiopian Community Center in Baltimore. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "The Role of Immigrants in Growing Baltimore: Recommendations to Retain and Attract New Americans" (PDF). WBAL-TV. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
- ^ "How an Ethiopian-born entrepreneur is brewing Baltimore's coffee culture". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
- ^ Francis, E. Aracelis. "Social Work Practice with African-Descent Immigrants" (Chapter 4). In: Balgopal, Pallassana R. Social Work Practice with Immigrants and Refugees (Foundations of Social Work Knowledge Series). Columbia University Press, August 13, 2013. ISBN 0231504187, 9780231504188. Start page: 127. CITED: p. 136.
- ^ "Visiting Ethiopian Jews help bridge cultural divide". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ^ "What the Gentrification of Baltimore's Chinatown Means". CityLab. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
External links
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