Assyrians of Yonkers

As early as the late 19th century, there was a small community of Assyrians in Yonkers, New York. By 1914 and 1915, many Assyrians fled Ottoman Turkey and Persia seeking refuge from genocide, and with the assistance of American Presbyterian missionaries, many found their way to bolstering a growing population in Yonkers. This community established its own churches, community associations, and businesses, becoming an essential part of the American mosaic while retaining its culture through religion, language, social gatherings, and traditional foods. Celebrating community life and their new home, Assyrian Americans of Yonkers continued to play an integral role in American society while educating themselves about the continuous plight of their brethren in the Middle East and passing on their heritage to future generations.

Author: Ruth Kambar
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
Published: 02/11/2019
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.40w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781467129633

About the Author
Kambar, Ruth: - Dr. Ruth Kambar is a second-generation Assyrian American. As the eldest grandchild, she inherited artifacts from her family--a collection of family stories, videos, and photographs. Her grandfather Nicolai Benjamin asked her to honor, preserve, and pass down her cultural inheritance, to "Keep it well." She earned her doctorate from New York University in 2013, creating a verbal monument to Assyrian Americans called A Family Archive: Construction of Identity in the Assyrian American Diaspora. In 2017, Dr. Kambar collaborated with Assyrian artist Kathy Yacoe in curating photography and narrative for the art exhibit Assyrians in Yonkers at the Blue Door Gallery.