For this project, the project team explored the Greek community in the Berkshires to discover their stories, experiences, and culture. As for the migration context, according to the website Immigration to the United States, significant Greek migration to the United States began in the 1880s, when young Greek men left their economically poor and under-industrialized country, hoping to find better financial opportunities in the Western Hemisphere. These opportunities often took the form of various industrial work in factories. After slowing in the 1920s, Greek migration increased after World War II and peaked in the 1970s when, after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965, whole families were permitted to reunite.
The purpose of this project is centered on three major topics/themes: experiences of migration, religion as an impetus to community building, and connections to the current immigration narrative delivered by the US Government, the media, etc. As a result, our research questions include: How did the experience of migrating to the United States influence the combination of Greek and American culture into one’s personal, social, and professional lives? How has religion influenced one’s connection to the greater Greek community of the Berkshires? How has the migration experience shaped the way one views the current socio-political climate surrounding immigration?
The target audience of the project includes the Greek community of the Berkshires, all residents of the Berkshires, and citizens of the world. First and foremost, the project is dedicated to helping create a narrative for the Greek community in Western Massachusetts, recording stories in order to provide documentation of their specific and proud history. Second, for the residents of the Berkshires, this project will further add to the rich history of the region. Finally, for oral history academics, admirers of digital technologies, future college students, and potentially all internet users, this project demonstrates the importance of humanizing migration narrative.
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Sources:
- Pierce, Bethany E. “Greek Immigrants.” Greek Immigration to the United States, Immigration to the United States, 2015, www.immigrationtounitedstates.org/529-greek-immigrants.html.