Informational Organization Management Louiza Patsis
DIS 826 December 18, 2004

Cultural Greek American Archive

Abstract
Many immigrant groups have come to the United States. Often, their cultures have “melted” into American culture. In other cases, or sometimes simultaneously, they keep their traditions, and assimilate American culture into their own. Often, many documents and artifacts of their history are lost, especially if there is no effort to archive, organize and keep them in a safe place. Many Greek American cultural artifacts are being lost. Hardships and accomplishments of ancestors may be forgotten forever. This is an exploratory, qualitative research of Greek-American archives in the United States. This is a preliminary report, which includes interviews of people involved in the effort to archive Greek American cultural documents and artifacts. The purpose of the interviews is to see if there is an organized national effort to collect and maintain Greek American archives, and to explore the reasons why there is or is not such an effort. A small comparison of Greek-American and other ethnic groups’ archival efforts will be presented. This research includes efforts of Greek Americans to archive their own history in this country, and excludes efforts of archiving information on Greek cultural or of solely religious material.
1.0 Methodology
Research initially was conducted on the Internet to see if there is a national Greek-American archive. A small search was conducted to see about archives of other immigrant groups: Polish-, Italian, French-, German, Irish-, Finnish-, Cuban-,Norwegian-, Swedish-, Czech-, Slovakian-, and Jewish-American people. Some people from these groups were contacted and interviewed to see why they would keep archival material, and what in their cultures would hinder archival collections. Large local Greek archives were identified. Online articles were retrieved. People that are active in the push for a national Greek American archive, such as Steve Frangos, Mary Mousalimas and Anastasia Nicholas, were contacted. They were asked the following open-ended questions in a structured interview on the telephone. The exception is Joel Wurl, who completed the answers on email. For those who had an email (all but Mezelsohn and Skedros), their responses were emailed to them, and appropriate changes were made. Suggested books such as “An Amulet of Greek Earth” by Helen Papanikolas were read for a background of Greek American culture. Interview questions were devised to find out what artifacts people have collected, and to answer some of the research questions. Suggestions for future study were made.
The research questions were:
• Are there a national Greek-American archive?
• How does this compare to national archives of other ethnic groups?
• What is the integrity of the archives?
• What is the authenticity of the archives?
• What is the make-up of the archives?
• Who keeps the archives?
• Is there a united effort to combine local archives?
• Does the Greek Orthodox Church help in a united archive?
• How does Greek-American culture influence the archive effort?
The following interview questions were asked:
1. Is there a national Greek American archive?
2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?
3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?
4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?
5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity? (See Appendix IV)
6. What is the integrity of your archive? (See Appendix IV) Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?
7. What do you have in your archive?
8. What are your future plans
2.0 Introduction and Background
Being a Greek American, I started the research anticipating that there is no united effort for a Greek American archive because: 1. Greek Americans have a concept of philotimo, or love of honor, whereby they care what other people think, and would not be likely to reveal family and community secrets or to want people to know that they had poor ancestors; 2. Greek Americans are more interested in education, work and social status than collecting archival material; and 3. the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States is more interested in church matters than in a cultural archive.
The strength and hard work of earlier Greek immigrants paved the way for success for Greek Americans today. They also did a great job of preserving traditions that Greek Americans still love. Many Greek Americans today, according to several of the people interviewed, do not understand the significance of early history or of keeping records. Many artifacts and documents are dumped in the garbage. If these archival materials are kept, categorized and displayed, Greek American pride would increase even more, and a feeling of connection and unity among Greek Americans throughout the country may increase. The birth and evolution of the Greek American culture can be found and researched most effectively in a united, rich archival record. The Greek and Greek American origins of religion and tradition, mysticism in religion, kefi or love of fun, music and dance, sense of humor, blend of “old-fashionedness” and cosmopolitanism can be explored in an archive. The distinction between Greek and Greek American culture can be explored. And, least but not least, the lives and struggles of early immigrants would not be lost.
According to Hunter (2003), an archive can be: a. the collections or materials of historical value; b. the place where they are stored (like the basement) or c. the agency that administers them. In this study, the focus has been on a. For the purposes of this study, a national Greek-American archive would be a comprehensive collection of material of cultural value. The material would be archived: what is kept would be known, categorized, and available. It would represent the Greek American experience from most, if not all, states. The largest centers of local Greek-American archives today are those at the Ascension Church in Oakland, California and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco. Research found that the The Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago and the University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) Greek American archival material from around the country is housed. However, neither of these can be considered an extensive national archive. The University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center has several archival records of Greek-American immigrants, but they are mostly research papers of scholars, and the center has records of other immigrant groups as well. The only center that comes close to a national Greek-American archive is that of the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago, Illinois. Katherine Boulukos and Anastasia Nicholas have a chartered Greek Museum in New York City, but do not have the funds for museum space, and to categorize archives yet.
2.1 Brief Review of Ethnic Group Archival Efforts in the United States
Many ethnic groups have come to the United States. Some melt into the melting pot more than others. Some, such as the Jewish Americans, keep archival records of their history more than others, while others, even large groups such as German Americans, do not have a huge archival effort. (Wurl 1990) Other smaller groups, like Finnish Americans, keep extensive archival records. He wrote that the new social history movement of the 1960s may have sparked interest in ethnic archives. This is the time that Theodore Saloutos wrote The Greeks in the United States, the first chronicle of archives of Greek Americans. The Czech and Slovakian museum was founded in 1974, soon after this sparked interest. Greek Americans started collecting material for most of the Greek archival centers in this study in the 1980s. Victoria Sherry and Alison Heller, two of the people interviewed for this study, said that most ethnic groups started collecting in the 1980s. Wurl (1990) wrote that there were over 800 archives, libraries and museums claiming to be “ethnic”, but no single ethnic group had anything even approaching a comprehensive documentary base. Wurl (1990) wrote that attention, resources are needed for historical immigration records.
An Internet search on Yahoo for Jewish-, Italian-, Irish-, French-, Cuban-,Czech-, Slovakian-, Polish-, Finnish-, Norwegian-, and Swedish-American archive yielded the following results: two major Jewish-American archival organizations, The American Jewish Historical Society and the Jacob Rader Marcus Center American Jewish Archives, an many smaller local and national archival centers; the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College, housing mostly a personal collection of books and periodicals; the Polish Museum of American in Chicago; the Finnish American Heritage Center in Michigan; the Finnish American Heritage Center in Sonoma, California; the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center in Rock Island, Illinois; the Norwegian-American Historical Association in Northfield, Minnesota; the Cuban Heritage Collection at Miami State University, the Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and no results for French- , Irish- and German-Americans.
The Polish Museum was founded in 1935, and includes exhibits on Polish and Polish American history. A visit and interviews would determine if it is a comprehensive collection. The Italian center is mostly a collection of personal donated research documents. The Cuban center was founded about 30 years ago and has thousand of books, documents, and photographs. The Scandinavian, Czech and Slovakian and Jewish American centers were the most comprehensive. Why do some ethnic groups have national archive centers, or at least have a unified effort to have one, while others do not? Why do some like the Scandinavian-Americans and Jewish American start in the 1800s or earlier, while others like the Greek Americans start collecting archives on a large scale in the twentieth century? The answers to these questions require further research, but short interviews with a few people involved with some of these ethnic group efforts to archive material yielded information that may put the Greek American archive effort in perspective.
Dr. Michael Feldman, Director of Reserves at the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS), said that there are several reasons that Jewish Americans have been keeping extensive archival records for a long time. He said that Jewish people have a sense of history, and were often in the diaspora. The Torah, the written word and the past were their home and they wanted to leave a legacy behind. Although they first wanted to show American people that they were Americanized and were productive citizens, the focus of the archives now is twofold. The scholarly focus is to collect and preserve the documentary record. The other focus is taking pride in accounts, freedom and contributions of Jewish Americans. He said that the AJHS has over 20 million documents, 60,000 books and 10,000 photographs. This is beyond anything that any Greek American archival center in this study has. Similarities between Jewish Americans according to Feldman and Greek Americans include that both groups tend to look to the past more than the future, and they both could use more money in their archival efforts. Kevin Proffitt of the second largest Jewish American archival center, the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, founded in 1947, said that Jewish people have a long history of taking pride of being “people of the book”, and have long been concerned for the preservation of their identity and culture. Dr. Feldman said that synagogues are not involved in the effort of archiving or contributing money, while Proffitt said that they have become interested lately. Mary Mousalimas, who is involved in a local Greek American archive in California and was interviewed for this study, said that Greek people were used to oral histories, and that they have an elitist view, associating with their ancient Greek routes. This may prevent them from seeing the importance of keeping Greek American archives.
According to Lesbia O. Varona, librarian at the Cuban Heritage Collection, the collection at the University of Miami, which is about Cubans and Cuban Americans, is important for several reasons: materials in Cuba are being lost due to lack of funds to keep them, and Cuban Americans would like to remember their heritage and the struggles of Cuban Americans in the United States the past 45 years. She said that Cuban Americans are interested in collecting and keeping archival material since they are proud, and want Americans to know what they have contributed to the country. They also feel like they are a displaced people, and would like material that represents and reminds them of their Cuban heritage, and their efforts in the United States. Further research might show that groups that have been suppressed and feel that they have been away from their homeland for a long time, such as Cuban- an Jewish-Americans, tend to collect archival materials more than other groups. Greeks were persecuted by slaves for hundreds of years, but did have a homeland and a long history. They also thought, when they first came to the United States, that they would go back to Greece to live.
According to David Muhlena, the librarian of the Czech and Slovakian Museum and Library, Czech and Slovakian Americans, like Greek Americans have been interested in keeping archival records for about 20 to 30 years. Scandinavian Americans, on the other hand, according to Jim Kurpti, Director of the Finnish American Heritage Center and editor of the Finnish American Reporter, have been collecting archival material for over 50 years. The Finnish American Heritage Center was established in 1932. Kurpti proposes that the reasons for the interest in archives are: the Scandinavians are a literate people when they immigrated to the United States. The Lutheran Church in Europe required that they know how to read and write in order to vote, marry and own land. He said that Scandinavian Americans also knew the value of collecting archival material. He said that his society holds over 11,000 books by Finnish or Finnish American people about Finnish Americans, 170 linear feet of documents, and 200 microfilms. Further research can reveal if literacy or oral tradition among Greek immigrants was relevant in their archival effort. Further research can also reveal why some groups such as German Americans and Italian Americans, the first here in this country way before the second, do not keep extensive archival records. This research may further the understanding of why Greek Americans have started to collect archive son a national level within the past 20 years.
3.0 Literature Review
3.1 Literature Review of Articles on Recent Greek American Archival Efforts
George Tselos, in an article for the Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora in 1989, wrote that the “lack of Greek American archival documentation….persists as a problem for historical researchers.” The situation has not been improved greatly since then. Steve Frangos, a freelance writer for the large North American Greek newspaper The National Herald, and an advocate for collecting Greek American archival material, wrote the article “Grassroots Efforts to Preserve Hellenism”. He wrote that the loss of archival material is a community-based problemHe wrote that, since the 1890s, Greek immigrants have made sustained efforts to establish local cultural centers. As Frangos wrote, Greeks are characterized by hierarchy and self-aggrandizement, but these organizations are characterized by a lack of egoism and dedication to local history. Frangos wrote that Greek-Americans are recently making an attempt to systematically preserve history and heritage in North America, in what he names this a “new preservation movement”, where Greek Americans, as never before, are establishing museums, historical societies, archives, and libraries. Historical photographs, documents and artifacts are being amassed. Books, catalogues and documentary films have been issued based on their collections, research, exhibitions and lecture series. He wrote that all organizations have the same goal: to collect, preserve, and share with Greeks and non-Greeks, the Greek American historical experience, as understood on a community level. He wrote that church organizations such as the Archdiocese have as a primary goal of collecting church records, and to keep and spread the importance of the Greek Orthodox Church, and to raise money. Churches keep records of baptisms, weddings, funerals, priests, budgets and more, and supposedly send them to the Archdiocese.
Some local efforts to preserve family, business, social, and political history have begun. The majority of local archival centers were started by children of the 1880 and 1924 wave of Greek immigrants, who are very old or no longer here, and it is sometimes difficult to get complete records. Immigrants after World War II are involved, but are more interested in preserving Greek, rather than Greek-American, culture. According to Frangos, the Onassis Cultural Center, for instance, is not interested in promoting Greek-American culture. A representative of this center indicated by email that they did not want to corroborate with my project.
The 36th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America took place on June 30 - July 4, 2002 to discuss matters that are important to the laity, clergy-laity relationships, Greek relationships to American society, and Greek clergy and laity relationship with the Patriarchate in Constantinople. The 2002 meeting was the first one of the biennial congress where the subject of a national Greek American archive was discussed. Three main speakers presented their articles, which can be found on the Internet: Paul Manolis, Nikie Calle, and Mary Mousalimas.
Manolis (2002) wrote about the procedures for the preservation of parish and cultural histories. He wrote that the first step is to look at city directories, published in the late 1800s and early 1900s, before there were telephone directories. A prosopography (from the Greek word “prosopo” for face) is conducted, is a list of names with as much information for each name as possible gathered. He said that another place to look is newspapers. He also looked at church records, which can offer interesting community information. Mousalimas (2002) wrote that generalization is too simple for defining the Greek American culture. She wrote that she does not want Greek Americans or Americans to think that Greek Americans are perfect, or that they all speak with funny accents. Mousalimas (2002) wrote that “We live in museums” and “We are able to boast so glowingly of our accomplishments today because of the deprivations and struggles of those early pioneers who established our institutions for us. If we do not act, and act promptly, then they and their labors will be forgotten.” She wrote: “While other ethnic groups are trying to discover their roots, our own rich heritage is being diminished and even distorted. We are losing untold volumes of written and material resources on a daily basis. The time has come when we all must realize that to ignore the loss of these resources is to rob our future generations of their due legacy.” She and others at the conference stressed the need for a systematic approach. Mousalimas pointed out that many Greek Americans assume that all immigrants have been the same: “They came to Ellis Island, worked hard, married a picture bride, and opened a restaurant. They assume that there are no differences between eastern, heartland, and western immigrants. There are differences. For instance, in the east, people were more likely to find others like them that would lend them a hand and hire them. In the west, the few Greek communities that there were, were far apart, and states did not join the country until much later.” About cost, she said that a lot of time is wasted on funding, and primary material can be lost. The solution, according to Mousalimas, is to let people know that their history counts and to stimulate interest. Once people see another person’s family history included in an archive, they are more likely to include their own.
Nikie Calle (2002), archivist for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, said during the conference that the Archdiocese, founded in 1922, has been recording archives since 1964. The focus of their archives is to record the history, progress, and growth of the church institutions, the Greek American Community and numerous fraternal, social, cultural and educational organizations. According to her speech, categories include: the establishment and incorporation of the Archdiocese; b. the historical development of key institutions and governing bodies within the church; c. the structure and reorganization of the Archdiocese; d. the listings of all clergymen within the hierarchy of the Church; e. the correspondence of clergy and parishes within the Archdiocese; f. the progress of the ecumenical and other orthodox Patriarchates; and h. an extensive photograph file and library of books on Greeks in America. The goal is to meet the needs to preserve, restore, and index documents which are the historical accounts of events leading up to the organization and development of the Greek Orthodox Churches of the Americas.
She claims to also record social, cultural, and educational organizations to
preserve the indelible past, chronicle the present and provide a valuable resource center for future generations interested in unique history of the Archdiocese, the “vast richness of the Greek Orthodox faith”, and Hellenism in the Americas. The archives are not sufficient to tell Greeks and non-Greeks about Greek American history and culture. They consist of: Archdiocesan encyclicals; clergy-laity congresses; diocesan congresses; Archdiocesan and diocesan council records; clergy records; clergy correspondences; religious educational material; minutes of church meetings; correspondence with church institutions; correspondence with Ecumenical Patriarchate; correspondence with other Orthodox Christian jurisdictions; correspondence with other religions; and correspondence with political figures. The archives of the Archdiocese are open to students and scholars with academic credentials and a letter of reference from the diocesan metropolitan or parish priest. Callie has not gotten back to my telephone call or email.
The San Francisco Diocese Resolution was composed on February 4, 2002, partly as a result of the biennial congress. A problem, solution, and resolution were identified. The problem was deemed to be that the following are being lost at an alarming rate: parish; community; Philoptochos; youth group; and fraternal organization records; photographs; and personal histories. They are also being neglected and destroyed, possessors sometimes not knowing their own value. The resolution of the 36th Biennial Congress was that history preservation committees within each parish community would be in charge of collecting, itemizing, and storing items pertaining to the history and culture of the founders, and their descendants. The committee goals would be to identify, collect, record, organize, preserve and maintain the records and artifacts of each community’s culture and history. This resolution, however, is not much more than a suggestion, and is not mandated.
3.2 Literature Review of Greek American Immigrants in the United States
After the Greek emancipation from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, the new Greek President, Captain John Capodistrias, was assassinated. Greece was in a state of chaos and a slow economy for some years. Although Greeks may have been in the United States since the 1700s, the first significant small wave of Greek immigrants did not come until the 1830s. (Papanikolas 2001) They were given an amulet of precious Greek earth by their mothers; it was a sewed cloth amulet with a piece of Holy Scripture or a sliver of the True Cross, a dried basil leaf or thyme for remembrance, garlic or blue bead to protect against the Evil Eye, and a pinch of Greek earth. (Papanikolas, 2001) Their initial intention was to come and earn enough money to send back to their poor parents living in a generally arid land, and to contribute to the dowries that their sisters needed in order to marry. The largest wave of Greek immigration came to the United States around 1890. (Appendix I) After the 1870s, the largest export product of Greece was currants. The exportation of currants dropped by 1890, and the Greek market crashed in 1893. (Dickson 1991)
Any land outside of Greece was ksenitia, from the Greek word “kseno”, meaning foreign or strange. To many Greek Americans, even today, the United States is ksenitia. This still connotes estrangement. Most, if not all, early immigrants were men. They lived in bekiarika, or bachelor houses, where they took turns doing housework, something still customarily done by Greek American women. Those who intended to stay would send away for new brides or for their wives and children in Greece. Others eventually married women inside the United States, and many women of a whole generation in Greece stayed unmarried. (Papanikolas, 1996)
The immigrants usually entered through New York City, and either stayed on the eastern coast or went West to find jobs in coal mines and railroads. Before 1920, the Greek immigrants could be divided into three groups: 1. Greeks going to the western states to work on railroad gangs and in mines, Greeks going to New England mill towns to work in the textile and shoe factories, and Greeks who went to the large northern cities, or to work in factories, as peddlers or in service trades. (Psomiades and Scourby 1982) Jobs held by early immigrants included shoe shiners, coal miners, railroad workers, farmers, laborers, factory workers, and other jobs that would be held by immigrants who, for the most part, do not speak English. The Greek language was the second language in a Utah coal mine caution sign in several languages. (Papanikolas 2001, 90) Greek Americans were very independent and saved money to send home to Greece, and to establish businesses of their own. Early businesses included those in the areas of food service, confectioneries or sweet shops, floral shops, dry cleaners, shoe repair shops, retail and wholesale produce and pool halls. (Psomiades and Scourby 1982) The more involved in business they became, the more contact they had with people of other ethnic backgrounds and more Americanized they became. (Saloutos 1964)
Soon, kafeneia, or coffeehouses, were open. These are very popular in Greece and the United States today. In these coffeehouses, men discussed politics and soccer, and play cards. Immigrants went to kafeneia for discussing work, church and politics. (Papanikolas 2001) It is perhaps in these kafeneia that discussion first occurred about organizing unions, sending money overseas, saving money, and starting their own businesses. The first church was open in New Orleans in 1864. (Papanikolas 2001) Forming churches and communities, and saving money, gave the early immigrants the option to go home to a relatively, dry, poor country, or to stay. Many men sent for women that they had promised to marry or for “picture brides”, photographs of which their parents had sent them. The women came with trunks of their dowry.
Greek people were and are, very independent. Illiteracy rates decreased, and Greek Americans began to open businesses. As early as 1909, an inventory of Greek American businesses in New York City reported: 151 bootblack parlors, 113 florists, 107 lunchrooms and restaurants, 70 confectioneries, 62 retail fruit shops, and 11 wholesale produce dealers. (Scourby 1984) An old expression was: “When two Greeks meet, they open a restaurant; when three Greeks meet, they form a political party”. (Papanikolas 2001, 92) Many of these businesses did not require a deep knowledge of the English language. The independence of Greek Americans also may be why they do not tend to unite readily to have a large united archive, and instead concentrate on making money and educating their children.
By the early 1900s, Greek American men had begun to marry in the United States in a substantial amount. A few afternoon schools opened, where students went after “regular school” to learn the Greek language and history. Today, most church communities have a day and/or afternoon school. The day school has state-approved English classes, as well as some Greek classes. Sunday schools are also popular. Greek parents stress and want their children to be “better than I am”. (Saloutos 1964) In 1912, many Greek immigrants traveled back to Greece during the Crimean War against Turkey to be soldiers. (Papanikolas, 2001) By the 1920s, Greek American men often stayed and married picture brides, or American women, and opened businesses of their own. With hard work and one helping the other, the Greek businessman emerged from the Great Depression “injured but not crushed”. (Saloutos 1964) “His recuperative powers were formidable, his business acumen sharpened, and his determination to profit from past mistake insurmountable.” (Saloutos 1964)
This quote summarizes the immigrants, and is probably true of most Greek Americans today: “The Greek immigrant fell into the image that the Americans had about the kind of immigrants they needed to build their new country, yet they only approximated this image. The Greeks were ignorant, humble people destined to do the ‘hard and menial work’ expected of them. But being the descendants of a high culture and civilization they were not deprived of ambition. This they proved over the years that followed the date of their first arrival to the United States.” (Zotos 1976) The early Greek settlers often encountered a hostile place, and their “superhuman efforts” won them a place in the new world. (Zotos 1976) Immigration legislation after 1924 placed higher restrictions on Greeks than on anyone else, and Greek Americans were often not given citizenship easily.
Some Greek Americans were not treated well by employers, and many perished in mining and railroad accidents. Many Americans, such as labor writer Jack London, mostly saw the Greeks as a dark non-Caucasian race at first. The Ku Klux Klan, founded in 1865, often attacked Greek immigrants. The first Greek American union was Athena in New York City, formed in 1890. (Zotos 1976) The Pan-Hellenic Union, formed in 1907, was the first national Greek American organization. Its goals were to instill love for nationality; stimulate respect and devotion to American principles; assist it members in immigration; and to offer moral and material and assistance to Greek Americans. (Zotos 1976) The Pan-Hellenic Union fell apart in 1937, mostly because of internal strife. Greek and Greek American people are prone to political differences. Xenides wrote : “Whatever Greeks touch turns political”. (Xenides 1922) In fact, early Greek Boy Scouts were associated with the Royalists in Greece.TIE IN***
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Organization (AHEPA) was formed in July 26, 1922, in Atlanta, Georgia, by Americans of Greek descent to protect Hellenes from bigotry and to help assimilate them into American society in the early 20th Century. (See Appendix III) Application for membership was open to everyone who believes in the mission of the organization, which is: to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence. Another organization that was formed and is not very active today is the Greek American Progressive Association (GAPA), formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1924, with the mission to preserve Greek language and traditions. Both AHEPA and GAPA told Greek Americans to stay in this country. (Zotos 1976) Other organizations such as the Sons of Pericles and the Hellenic Women’s Club were formed. (Saloutos 1964) By the early 1900s, Greek organizations of specific places of origin, like islands such as Crete and Cephalonia, were formed to preserve traditions specific to those Greek locals. Many of these organizations still exist in place of a high Greek American population such as Astoria, Queens. These organizations show that many Greek Americans are interested in preserving their traditions. In fact, most Greek Americans opt to marry inside their own ethnic groups.
Two causes of Americanization were the two World Wars, especially the second one. (Papanikolas 2001)Greek soldiers, with a reputation of being good fighters, fought valiantly for the United States. George Dilboy, fighting in World War I, was the first Greek American to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. During World War I, many immigrant soldiers were granted instant citizenship. They became members of the American Legion, formed in March 1919, although the organization campaigned against immigrants. *REL* As with all American women, Greek women took men’s places in jobs while men fought in World War II. Some Greek women were even soldiers, loosening the grips of tradition. Anjeline J. Geo-Karis served as Lt. Commander with secret clearance in the Navy. (Papanikolas 2001, 230) For Greek Americans serving in the armed forces, and for those who worked in big industry, the war period brought a greater intermingling with other peoples. The rate of intermarriage increased. Greek-Americans founded the Greek War Relief soon after the beginning of World War II. They amassed two million dollars within two weeks of their formation. They fought valiantly as American soldiers. There was a shift of how they were thought of by many Americans after the war; they were appreciated and respected more. Philhellinism was felt by many Americans after the war. (Saloutos, 1964) After World War II, a civil was began in Greece. Many Greek Americans were scared off from the conflict in Greece, and began associating with skyscrapers, more than Greek mountains. (Saloutos 1964) A new wave of immigrants came to the United States. These Greeks, like the earlier immigrants and Greek Americans today, focused on working hard and educating their children. “They overcame the initial obstacles, put down firm economic roots, and became a well-integrated part of the American community.” (Saloutos, 1964)
By the 1950s, Elia Kazan was a huge director, Maria Callas sang in the opera, and the Skouras brothers owned many theaters in St. Louis, Missouri. Greek Americans were moving more into the main stream. Greek Americans who visited Greece did not really feel that they were the same type of Greek as Greeks living in Greece. The Greeks in Greece referred to them as ksenoi, or foreigners. Today, many retired Greeks go back to live in Greece, or live six months in each country. At the same time, there is a distinction between the two groups. This can be the focus of research, and is something that a national archive can assist in distinguishing.
Greek Americans started to become involved in politics. The first Greek American elected to high public office in the United States was Lucas Miltiades Miller, who served as a representative in the House of Representatives in 1891 and served until 1893. Mike Manatos was appointed to White House Staff by President Kennedy. He is believed to be the first Greek American to work on Capitol Hill. George Bournas, an AHEPAN leader, was a confidant to several Presidents. Tom Pappas was a power broker in the Republican politics of the Eisenhower and Nixon eras. Harvard-educated John Brademas was elected to the House of Representatives, and became chief majority whip, the third position in the House of Representatives. In 1968 Spiros Agnew, or Anagnostopoulos, became Vice President of the United States. Now we have Jennifer Aniston (Anastinopoulos) and George Tenet (Tenetonopolos).WHERE PUT***
Greek Americans were and are interested in being respected and in climbing the social ladder, and assimilate many American cultural characteristics. For instance, they love sports (the Olympic Games did start in Greece) and they have been Scout members for a while. They also generally love the good life like electronics, automobiles, and beautiful houses, and enjoy rock music. More and more are intermarrying, although it is generally still looked down upon or at least not preferred. The only exception may be marriage with Italians. The old expression “Una fazza, una raza” (“one face, one race”), is still used. At the same time, they keep their values and are not interested in being seen only as Americanized, as the founders of the Jewish Historical Society were. (Kaplan, 2000) Some keep very old traditions, like vendouzes, or placing water glasses heated with burning cotton on one’s back to draw up flesh and rid of “bad blood”, or magiritsa, or intestine pie, on Easter.
Greek people are a mixture of tradition, cosmopolitanism and love of other cultures since ancient times. While keeping many Greek traditions, they took on several American ones. The fact that AHEPA has survived, as opposed to GAPA, speaks to the desire of Greek Americans to become accepted into American society. AHEPA promoted Greek American political leaders, and tried to be involved in American politics right away. For instance, by 1938 they came out against anti-Semitism, fascism and Nazism. (Saloutos 1964). At the same time, the value of language and religion that still remains in Greek American culture, and the local community groups speak to the keeping of traditions and culture from the mainland. Greek Americans sometimes “work, sleep, eat and drink according to villages, districts and provinces.” (Saloutos 1964) Curiously, Greek Americans, unlike immigrants of other cultures, underwent structural assimilation, where they entered certain societal groups (for instance, the Boy Scouts or political organizations), while they did not behaviorally or culturally assimilate to the same extent. (Psomiades and Scourby 1982) (Vlachos, 1968) For instance, they still keep the Holy Friday tradition of a street procession with the Epitaphios, or symbolic tomb of Jesus Christ. At the same time, Greek Americans have taken on American traditions as well. Language shows how Greek Americans were influenced by American culture. Many words, still used today, were a combination of Greek and English: caro for automobile, licenza for licence, tseki for check, farma for farm, flori for floor, and politsimanos for police man. For instance, Greek exchange presents on St. Basil’s Day on January 6th. Soon the tradition of present exchange during Christmas took over. However, Greek-Americans did not, and, for the most part, have not melted in the melting pot. The birth and evolution of this dual culture would be represented by a national archive.
Traditions were kept: Church services, arranged marriages, the hard work ethic, food, love of gardening, newspapers with news of Greece, and more. In fact, even today, most Greek Americans are knowledgeable of and/or keep many traditions such as religious holidays, food, music, dance, festivals, and patriarchy, although the extent to which they are kept, especially without assimilating American and other cultural traditions, lessened after World War II and after the 1960s. Greek immigrants inherited the concept of moira, or fate, as determining one’s life. Work and gifts or economic prosperity, as exemplified by the dowry, were thought to propitiate the fates. (Scourby 1964) Greek babies, new homes, new businesses and new ships are blessed by a priest, even today. People are believed to give each other the evil eye because of jealousy, and evil eye necklaces are used to guard against this. ***REF*** However, at the same time, Greek Americans are very much a part of the main stream: they work hard and excel in education and business. The current era of general prosperity for Greek Americans does not necessitate them to band together as much as they did during the early years of immigration and discrimination. (Psomiades and Scourby 1982) Seveal people interviewed agreed that most Greek Americans are interested in education and work more than in preserving archival material. However, Jewish-Americans, who are also hard-working, do preserve a great amount of archival material. Further research will be needed to see why this discrepancy exists.***
Many immigrants felt like marginal people, especially from the third generation on, where they felt like they were on the margin between two cultures, and were often confused about which culture is dominant. (Vlachos, 1964) To keep Greek American archives would shed light on immigrant assimilation with American culture and the keeping of tradition, and may increase appreciation of and understanding of Greek American culture, as well as communication and unity between its members of different generations. They are Americanized, yet generally love their traditions and are a very proud people. They are among the last people to hang onto their religion, traditions and customs. (Zotos 1976) They care about belonging, especially when it comes to climbing the social ladder, but perhaps not like some groups such as Jewish Americans, to whom “belongingness” is very important. (Lewin 1948) Jewish Americans, however, also hold onto traditions, yet they collect more archival material than Greek Americans collect. Scandinavian Americans, that have for the most part melted into the melting pot more than Greek- or Jewish-Americans, also collect more archival material than Greek Americans. Further study can reveal how the degree of holding onto tradition affects collecting archival material among different ethnic groups.
3.2.1 Philotimo
Greeks and Greek Americans had and have the value of philotimo or personal and family honor, pride and self-respect (loosely translated). It is the love of honor, and implies that respect is given to one’s honor by others and includes self-esteem. In the Greek villages, it was associated with sex-linked virtues, strength in the number of relatives, a well-ordered household and wealth in land. (Scourby 1984) This can be “good”; for instance, it furthers the hard work ethic. Or it can be “bad”. For instance, they often are not inclined to “tell” on themselves or their families, anything that may be embarrassing, even stories about poor ancestors. Several people that I interviewed agreed with this. In the concept of philotimo, other people have the power to inflict ridicule and embarrassment, so one may accept social norms without a choice. This has relaxed after World War II and the 1960s, but is still common in Greek and Greek American culture today. If a person tells lies to protect themselves or their families, they are still in integrity with their families. (Scourby 1984) This philotimo and hard work ethic still exists. Several people that I interviewed agree that this preoccupation with climbing the social ladder and being independent may have some Greek Americans weary of divulging information of poor ancestors, or may have them think it is not as important than the business of the day. **COMARE** Scourby (1984) wrote: They persevered: “The jump from blue-collar to white-collar status in one generation can perhaps be explained by the strength of the primary group, the fear of bringing shame to one’s family, the approbation accorded the achiever by the community, and, finally, the reluctance to accept assistance from charitable organizations. All these factors helped develop individual and group resourcefulness which facilitated occupational mobility.”
4.0 Examples of Greek American archives in the United States
4.1 The Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum in Topeka, Kansas
An example of a local Greek American folk museum is the Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum in Topeka, Kansas. Several Greeks went to Kansas and Missouri between 1900 and 1920. They were young men who sent a huge part of what they earned to their families in Greece. The museum was open from 2001 to 2004, and recently closed due to lack of funds. It was funded by private and church contributions from the 14 Orthodox churches of Kansas and western Missouri. They also had major foundation support from the Virginia H. Farah Foundation for the renovation of our building. (Mrs. Farah was a rich widow, who is now deceased.) Sherry said that they were hurt by the fact that it opened around the time of September 11th and the recession, and the donors could not give a lot of money any more.
The museum held photographs, liturgical art and family heirlooms, documenting work experience from railroads and packing houses to their rise as entrepreneurs. The interviews were done from 2000 to 2003, and all but one were with second-generation Orthodox immigrants (one is first-generation, i.e., post World War II). The photographs collected date from the late 1800s through the present. The amount of photographs in this museum is impressive. Yet this collection is not close to a national archive. The museum also documented accounts of the “picture” brides that came with their dowries, and of traditions such as name day parties, baptisms, wine-making, and Easter Sunday lamb barbecues.
4.2 The Hellenic Cultural Museum, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Salt Lake City, Utah
This museum was dedicated on May 3, 1992. It was founded and supervised by the Hellenic Cultural Association, and is acknowledged to be the first authentic Hellenic cultural museum in the United States. Helen Papanikolas, a renown ethnohistorian, author and Salt Lake City resident who recently passed away, was the first to start collecting documents and artifacts of the many Greek American settlers in Utah. She was a leading authority on Greek immigrant life in the United States, and presented papers at national and international conferences. She has also conducted interviews, taken photographs, and has served as a consultant for television documentaries. Greek-owned businesses were already established by 1900 in Salt Lake City, a city with many mining and railroad activities in which early Greek American settlers found work. By the early 1900s, Salt Lake City's Greek Town had become the economic, social, and residential center for these early settlers. Taking Papanikolas’s work as an example, a group of residents started collecting documents and artifacts of their community in the 1970s. By 1982, they had a collection in the church basement. In 1992, the archive opened officially. It is closed now due to a three-million-dollar building renovation.
4.3 Ascension Historical Society at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland, California
This Greek American community dates back to the early 1900s. In 1989, some members started an effort to collect local archival material. The 1989 Ascension Historical Committee did the following: 1. took oral histories; 2. looked at city directories which listed names and addresses; 3. and talked to collect primary sources. They had to be careful of name changes in the city directories. Their archive is the church basement now, and is temporarily closed for renovation. It was available, by appointment only, to all those with legitimate need to do research or to explore the archives, if a member of the archival committee was present; only these members have a ey to the archive. The fire department was told to knock down the door in case of a fire. According to Mary Mousalimas, one of the founding members of the committee, no material, thankfully, “has made legs”. She is one of the founders of Preservation of American Hellenic History (PAHH), whose website www.pahh.com serves as a place of information and communication for state societies interested in preserving Greek American cultural heritage.
4.4 The University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center (IHRC)
The IHRC was an offspring of ethnic revival in the 1960s. Holdings include books, pamphlets, newspapers, serials, photographs, and oral histories, and records of scholars, religious bodies, fraternal organizations and cultural societies. The IHRC sponsors conferences, seminars, and publications. The cornerstone of the IHRC’s Greek American holdings is the collections of writer Theodore Saloutos, a leading historian of Greek immigration. Collections include papers of journalism and Chicago community leader Kostis Tamias Argoe. Collections of papers of priest, journalist author and former National Herald editor Demetrious P. Callimachos include biographical information, correspondence, writings and speeches, legal documents and photographs. The IHRC holds papers of the family of Sophia Fergis, that lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Records of correspondence, finances, photographs and press releases of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America are kept. Organizational records of the Minnesota Friends of Cyprus are kept, as well as records of convention minutes, yearbooks, magazine, and death benefit records of AHEPA are kept. Some records of the United States Department of State pertaining to Greek immigrants are kept. About 500 books and pamphlets are kept, and newspapers and serials are a large part of the collection. Sources are available to the public.
The collection focuses on research material of scholars and writers, and official government and organization records. There are some materials of family and community histories. Although much research can be conducted at IHRC, this is not an extensive, organized archive of Greek American cultural material.
4.5 The Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago
This museum has exhibits on Greek American culture and is a national collection of Greek American archival material. It was officially opened in 1992, and is undergoing renovation now to a new 40,000 square foot building. The effort to collect and display archival material is huge here. However, based on interviews, this cannot be called a naitonal central archival collection. According ot Jim Mezelsohn, one of the curators at the museum, documents and artifacts are in 40 large cardboard boxes that take up the floor of a factory building. As much material as is available in Chicago, more can be available to depict the rich culture of Greek Americans. In addition, although private contributors have been generous, funds are lacking for an official archivists to categorize all the material and to know what is available. Future plans include to obtain more material for archiving, and to move into a larger facility.
4.6 The Greek Museum: The Center for Greek-American Heritage in New York City
Kathryn Boulukos and Anastasia Nicholas are two Greek-American women that had the idea of a Greek Museum in New York City about a nine years ago. They have been collecting artifacts for about a year. Boulukos is the owner of the Boulukos Insurance Agency, and a private yacht charter company, Grecian Charter Yacht ‘n ‘Sail. She has been chairperson and co-editor of three books on Greek food, and has been president of St. Anna’s Philoptochos (Greek women’s charity group) for four years at the Cathedral of St. Paul She is also the founding member of the Solon Society, the Hellenic University Club of Long Island. Nicholas is a professor at Hunter College and president of the Greek American Women’s Network, a national organization, with 600 members. Even with their roles in the community, they have had a hard time raising interest and money in the museum. They have called and sent letters to people in the community, and have received some artifacts such as photographs, letters, and clothes. However, they have had a very difficult time raising interest and money for the museum. New York City was the largest entry point for Greek immigrants, and has the largest population of Greek Americans.
According to Boulukos and Nicholas, the purpose of the museum is: 1. to preserve the contributions to Greek immigrants have made to the United States of American; and 2. to collect objects that represent the life of Greeks in American and to increase the awareness of the contributions of Greek immigrants. The ladies would like the museum to be located in Manhattan. They have a space where they are collecting archives and records, and now have work tools, embroideries, artifacts, photographs, oral histories, music, garments, and travel documents. They have volunteers that help. Nicholas has a list of the wealthiest Greek-Americans. So far they have received $5,000.00. Nicholas says that they have encountered difficulty getting money from men: Greek men do not like to give money to women. People on the honorary board include Olympia Doukakis, George Stephanopoulos, and Maestro Dino Anagnost. According to Nicholas, these people lend their name, but are too busy to be directly involved in the museum, and have not contributed money.
During one mailing, out of 206 letters to local communities to formally announce that the museum is up and running, and they received three responses. According to Boulukos, one respondent verbally castigated her on not writing in Greek. When she rewrote the letter in Greek, and had it checked by a schoolteacher, the response was that there were many mistakes. The Alexander Onassis Foundation Cultural Center replied to them that it “does not fit into their plan for the Diaspora, according to Boulukos. Nicholas said that 26 ethnic groups have museums in New York City, but not Greek-Americans.
In an article on the Greek Museum website, Yiannis wrote that the museum will showcase Greek American contributions to the arts, businesses, politics, labor, medicine, law, education, journalism, the food industry and sports. It will have film showings; concerts; dance recitals; lectures; play performances and receptions; library and research collections; books; newspapers; magazines and manuscripts; oral histories; videotapes; audio recordings; hands on children displays, artifacts such as embroideries, jewelry, and costumes; photographs, religious items and a museum shop. The women are looking for input, ideas, money and talent for archivist, space and “that we identify with our cultural heritage
Some people have been generous in being interviewed, providing oral histories and providing documents and artifacts. People interviewed include: Theo Hios, the internationally recognized artist, Peter Peterson, head of the Blackstone Group, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for President Nixon; Judge Yorka Linakos, retired Judge from the New York State Supreme Court; Dr. John Breams, President Emeritus of New York University and former United States Representative in Congress from Indian's Third District for 22 years; and The National Herald publisher Antonis Diamataris. Fraternal organizations that have given financial support include: the Skoura Varritsa Foundation, the Anabryton Society, AHEPA chapters, the North Shore Hellenic Women’s Organization, and the New York Community Trust.
***According to Demetrios Rompiotis, a writer for the National Herald whose article Push for a Greek Museum appears on the museum website, Boulukos and Nicholas have already established a legally chartered non profit organization in the State of New York with a tax free IRS status under the name of The Greek museum – The Center for Greek American heritage. The New York Historical Society, close to the Museum of Natural History, has agreed to give space for the Museum. Rompiotis wrote that the biggest setback came from Greek Americans who did not want to share about parents or grandparents who held lowly jobs and were looked at as second-class citizens. This concern is voiced by several people that I interviewed.
A Greek Museum in New York that focuses on Greek American culture is long overdue. The Metropolitan Museum has an ancient Greek and a Byzantine section, but there is no museum focusing on Greek-Americans and their unique mix of customs in New York City, the place where most Greeks entered the country through Castle Garden, also called Ellis Island.
4.7 Common Trends
Several common trends between these groups are apparent. All of the people involved in each group care about preserving Greek American archives. They each acknowledge the importance of money for archivists, space and upkeep of space. They all believe that Greek Americans need to realize how important it is not to throw out archival material.
Three centers have been affiliated with local churches: The Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum, The Hellenic Cultural Museum in Utah, and the Ascension Historical Society. Each person involved with these groups did not see the church as a hindrance to their efforts. Rather, they said that the Church helped in allowing for fundraising efforts and donating space. This does not support the assumption that the Church would not support cultural archival methods. Paspalas shed some light on this by pointing out that the Archdiocese does not have as much influence on clergy in western states, as opposed to eastern states such as New York. This might explain why these local centers have no problem getting money from the Church, while the Boulukos and Nicholas are not getting much support from the Archdiocese or local New York churches. However, the local churches mentioned did not give a lot of money to the archival centers. The centers in California, San Francisco and Chicago are expanding due to Further research is needed to see if the Church helps of hinders cultural archival efforts of the Greek American community.
The centers in Minnesota and Chicago are not local. They differ in that the center in Minnesota has archival collections of several ethnic groups. Chicago collects archives from every state, yet also needs funds for a professional archivist to categorize what they have. They do not seem to have enough material to be considered a national archival center, although some people interviewed do consider them that. A trip to their center in Chicago would be useful to determine the extent of their collection. Boulukos and Nicholas seem to have collected a great deal that can go toward a national archival center, but they lack the funds to establish the Center and to have archivists. All of the centers mentioned, except for the one in Minnesota, have a wide variety of documents and artifacts. The collection at the IHRC is mostly of research paper documents, and society minutes.
The people at most of the centers started collecting material in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and opened the centers at about the same time. Exceptions are the museum in Topeka, which opened in 2001.
5.0 Results
5.1 Interviews
The following are the results of the individual interviews:
Steve Frangos (prominent freelance journalist for the largest Greek American newspaper The National Herald; proponent for a national Greek American archive)

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

Steve said that the closest that there is the one in the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago, but this is not anywhere near as extensive as it can be.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

Steve, as all people that were interviewed, believes that it is mandatory to have a national Greek American archive. He believes that Greek American culture differs from Greek culture, and the rich history of immigrants, such as the hardships that they endured, should not be lost.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

Steve, as all of the people that I interviewed, believes that Greek Americans do not know the value of what they have or of having a Greek American archive. He believes that philotimo stands in the way of some of them wanting to record their ancestors’ history. Some of them may be ashamed of poor ancestors, for instance. They also tend to lead busy lives, getting educated and working. He also believes that Greek Americans are stubborn and do not tend to unite, unless there is prestige or money in it for them.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

Steve believes that the Greek Orthodox Church is just involved in matters that would benefit them financially, and is afraid that people and money would be taken from them and put into an archive project.

Questions 5 through 8 do not apply to Frangos. He is knowledgeable about Greek American History, and through his writing and search for artifacts, he provides information to Greek Americans interested in archiving. Everyone that I interviewed knows him and has a high regard for him.

Victoria Sherry of the Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum in Topeka, Kansas

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

Victoria agrees that the museum in Chicago is the closest there is to a national Greek American archive.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

Victoria believes that it is invaluable. Through her own collections, she sees the richness of the tradition and struggles of Greek American ancestors and believes that the information that a national archive would provide for Greek American culture and unity is very important, and would help in research and interest in Greek American studies. She also believes that ancestor struggle and history should not be forgotten for their own sake.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

She said: “I think that most Greeks still don't see their own history in America as important. Everyone I interviewed seemed amazed that I wanted their story. Greeks have such a long, illustrious cultural history that the American chapter is just a tiny footnote.”

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

The church is neutral. The main reason churches are involved is historical.
In America, the church was the only Greek institution that brought all
Greeks together and the only Greek institution today of any real size and
significance. Sherry did not have an experience where the Church hindered her efforts. They did donate money and space for the museum in Kansas. She did not feel that the Church kept any documents that would embarrass them, such as any priest scandals. It is not out of her imagination, however, that the Church would be more interested in its own finances and reputations for a large, national project.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

Victoria did not work hard to ensure authenticity. She trusted the donators, and the people that she interviewed.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

Victoria did not reject any material based on a scandalous nature. She only rejected material if there was no space.

7. What do you have in your archive?

She does not have a specific count. She provided the following information: eight oral history interviews (now transcribed and archived with the Kansas State Historical Society), 12 informal interviews (notes only), and more than 500 photographs were (many are now archived at the KSHS.

8. What are your future plans?
She said that the museum has closed due to lack of funds, and that all of their items are now archived with the Kansas State Historical Society for longevity of preservation.

Jim Mezelsohn, an octogenarian and curator of the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?
The museum that he works at is the only one.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

He believes that it is imperative for Greek Americans to have a sense of the rich history of their ancestors, who paved the way for them. He said that, if we do not have a growing Greek American national archive tha hathoume, which in Greek means “we will be lost”, and we will end up like other people who have come to this country and intermarried, not aware of our rich heritage. He does not want Greeks, Greek Americans and non-Greeks to think that Greek heritage means “baklava and gyros”. People will not know, for instance, of how many Greek-Americans lost their lives in coal mine and railroad accidents years ago. He is concerned with the growing rate of intermarriage.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

He believes that many Greek Americans just do not realize the importance of preserving artifacts and documents. Sometimes precious material is thrown out. He also believes that making money is their primary concern, and all else is secondary.
He said that Greek Americans are concerned with what would bring prestige to them. He believes that organizations like AHEPA are more interested in who will be elected local and national president each year, than in a national archive project.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

He is not aware of the Church hindering their archival efforts, although most donations came from private sources, like one million dollars given by a local female physician.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

He said that they are aware at the museum of what they include in the collection, yet they do not perform extensive searches to ensure authenticity of material.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

Mezelsohn said: “Regardless of how insignificant something seems, if it has to do with Greek American history, I’d like to save it.” He is not concerned if it would bring shame to a family or community, as long as someone specifically asks him to have a document or artifact source remain anonymous. He believes that all material is significant, and part of a true history.

7. What do you have in your archive?

He does not have a specific count of material in the archive. The museum is undergoing renovation, and their documents and artifacts are in 40 large cardboard boxes that take up the floor of a factory building.

8. What are your future plans?

Plans include to obtain more material for archiving, and to move into a larger facility. Their facility includes a museum with special exhibitions, and the archive, which is accessible by permission.

Con Skedros, octogenarian and curator of the The Hellenic Cultural Museum, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Salt Lake City, Utah
1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

He only knew of the one in Chicago. He acknowledged that a larger one would be good. He could not believe that the Greek Museum in New York City is not a reality yet.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

He believes that it is “vital”, and that Greeks, Greek-Americans and non-Greeks must know the rich history and the hardships that early Greek American settlers endured, such as prejudice and hard work in coal mines and railroads, in which many of them lost their lives.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

He said that Greek people are very independent, outspoken and stubborn, and do not want anyone telling them what to do, even to contribute to an archive. He said that one must be careful in how he approaches them. He does not see philotimo as a hindrance.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

He agreed that the Church has not given a lot of money for a national archive, but the local Salt Lake City experience has been good: their church has donated a lot of money, and space, to their archive.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

He said that archivists “have to be very careful” about authenticity, but extensive measures are not taken to ensure it.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

Skedros said that no material is rejected, and it is all very important. For instance, many Greek American settlers were bootleggers, and the archivists or priests in his community do not reject such material.

7. What do you have in your archive?

He does not have an exact count. He said that they have over 300 documents, 1000 photographs, and artifacts such as wedding material and costumes, all in 5000 square feet of the cathedral basement. Access is free with identification.

8. What are your future plans?

The Church is undergoing a three-million-dollar renovation, and documents and artifacts are being kept in boxes for a few more months.

Mary Mousalimas, one of the founding members of the Ascension Historical Committee in Oakland, California

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

The only one that she is aware of is the one in Chicago.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

She believes that it is invaluable. If records are not kept, “the real Greek American history will be lost” and will fade.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

She mentioned that she is aware of how Jewish Americans have been preserving artifacts and documents longer. She stated the following reasons that she believes about why Greek Americans do not have such a national archival method: 1. They have not been in this country as long as other groups such as Jewish Americans; 2. They have a rich oral tradition, and tend not to keep journals; 3. They do not believe that their material is important to preserve; and 4. There are not as many Greek American people. She does agree with some other people that some Greek Americans’ philotimo would stand in the way of telling the truth about family past. She also believes that some Greek Americans are brought up to be “elitists” in the sense that they believe that their culture is the best, stemming from the contributions of the ancients Greeks to their culture in general. One reason parents brought children up this way was to have them be strong against sentiments like those of the Ku Klux Klan.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

She said that the church does not control what is accepted into their archives or not.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

She said that committee members are careful, yet it may be difficult to be completely make sure of authenticity. She recounted the story of one woman who traced the origin of photographs found in a demolished building, by traveling to Italy and Asia Minor. She said that it is ensured by release forms, documentation of documents and identification of photographs.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

She says that all that people give them is included. Contemporary records are also kept.

7. What do you have in your archive?
See Appendix II.

8. What are your future plans?

The archive is temporarily closed while the Church is undergoing renovations for at least six more months.

Kathryn Boulukos of the Greek Museum: The Center for Greek-American Heritage

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

I do not know of any Greek American archive anywhere in America. What I do know that there are two museums that have archives: one in Chicago and the other in Salt Lake City. There are several over places that are trying to set up museums, but none are up and running, as is the case with us.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

The value of such an archive is tremendous. It will serve as the source for historical documentation on the lives and activities of the Greek immigrants as they came to America. It is necessary to preserve our Greek American identify and to be a place to investigate one’s “roots”, and lineage.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek
American archive?

She believes that Greek Americans are not motivated and do not realize the significance of a Greek American archive. She believes that Greek Americans are independent and not organized, and, because of philotimo, often do not want people to know of their ancestors’ hard times. In addition, there is an innate unwillingness to discuss their backgrounds. Many have no records from their parents; others have no interest. Many would like to have such information, but do not know how to find out their backgrounds.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

She said that she believes that the Church does not want people, money and resources to be taken away from it, and is interested in promoting its own interests. She said: “The Church hierarchy gives us support in word only. They are not truly interested in helping us get the financial support, since they would prefer money spent on the church priorities.”

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure
authenticity?

There are individuals who are professional archivists who would assist them in verifying the authenticity of the items that they collect. They have the background and the skill to ascertain age, value, etc., since they are professionally trained in these areas of expertise.

They take notes from the people who donate the items, and I have been maintaining a list of the items given, their origins, and of course, recording the information and cataloguing it for future use.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

Material is not rejected. She said that she believes that everything has importance.

7. What do you have in your archive?

They have textiles, embroideries, books (in Greek and in English), written documents, visas, legal papers, tools of the various trades, photographs from the early days, organizational data from AHEPA, GAPA, and other organizations. They have religious items, collectible artifacts, and furniture, as well as newspapers, magazines, journals from organizations. Their material is in boxes. They need funds for archivists and volunteers.

8. What are your future plans?

They plan to establish a location to exhibit the material collected; write a book, present a rotating exhibit, and establish a library for researchers to find historical information about the immigrant Greeks.

She has given several lectures about the history of the Greek American immigrant to Greek and to American organizations, using a slide show presentation and a running narrative. She calls it “Our People, Our Story”.

Anastasia Nicholas of the Greek Museum: The Center for Greek-American Heritage

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

The only one that she knows of is the one in Chicago. The New York City museum would be the next one, but they do not have the funding.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

She said that she believes that it is very important not to lose Greek American history, especially in New York City where so many Greeks entered the country and still live.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

She strongly believes in philotimo leading people to keeping secrets. She recounted one story in which she had the permission of a rich Greek American woman to go into her home and to interview her. This woman’s ancestors in the United States had been poor until they won a sweepstakes. Now her family is rich. When Anastasia went knocked on the door, the woman had changed her mind about the interview. Anastasia believes that it is because she did not want the truth told about her family’s humble, poor beginnings.

She agrees with people like Mezelsohn that many Greek Americans just do not understand the value of what they have, and throw it out.

Anastasia also believes that Greek Americans care about something that would bring them prestige. She has not gotten help from AHEPA, for instance. An AHEPA and an archdiocese official recently met with Colin Powell to talk about the country of Macedonia, which many Greeks and Greek Americans believe has stolen a Greek name. Anastasia said that the officials knew that nothing would be done, yet went “for show”.

She said that the Onassis Hellenic Cultural center is interested in promoting Greek, not Greek American, culture in the United States.

She also said that she believes that rich Greek Americans are likely to give money to institutions that are large and established. Recently, she pointed out, the Archiocese has set up a club for those contributing at least one million dollars, since the $100,000.00 club was too large.

She believes that Greek American people are not taught philanthropy as much as other ethnic groups, such as Jewish American people, are taught. She also said that many organizations such as AHEPA are more concerned with electing a new President every year.

She said that people on the Honorary Board, such as Olympia Doukakis and George Stephanopoulos, lend their name, but are too busy to give time and money for the museum.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

She believes that the Church cares for its own affairs and funds, and does not want people and money to be taken away from its businesses.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

Right now there are no volunteers or funds for employees to check authenticity. She tends to trust donors, but plans to set up a system to check authenticity.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

Nicholas plans to reject nothing that is donated; she believes that everything is important.

7. What do you have in your archive?

She does not know exactly what they have since the material has not been professionally categorized or archived. She knows that they have a variety of material: documents, books, newspapers, photographs, clothes, costumes, wedding material, silverware, and more.

8. What are your future plans?

She plans to keep working hard to raise money for the museum, by calling people, writing to people, placing advertisements in newspapers, and giving speeches at places like the biennial clergy laity congresses.

Allison Heller, curator of Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

She recognizes the one at the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

She said that it is needed and valuable to preserve the rich history.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

She is not aware of this. They received a donated space from a Greek American to make the center possible. Donations have been received from 22 states. Local AHEPA chapters do give some proceeds from events. She noted that all ethnicities that she knows of in Chicago did not open museums until the 1980s. She said that the majority of Ethnic Museum and Cultural Centers did not open until the 1970s and 1980s. The "trend" to begin preserving cultural
history begain to increase around this time period.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

She said that she does not know either way. She has not seen financial donations from the Archdiocese or local churches, but a local church does allow people from the museum to make announcements, and to advertise events or donation requests in bulletins and flyers.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

Our archival collections are reviewed and cataloged by a certified
archivist.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

We accept all donations that complement the mission of our institution,
regardless of donor.

7. What do you have in your archive?

In the archive they have documents. In the museum they have: antiquities, photographs, music records textiles, artifacts, and other objects. In the library they have books, newspapers, magazines and personal documents.

8. What are your future plans?

They will move into a new building in 2008.

Andrew Paspalas, Professor of Humanities and collector and contributor of Greek American archival material

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

There is none. The museum in Chicago needs funds for a professional archivists. The material in Minnesota is valuable, but is basically research documents from Theodore Saloutos’s collection, and cannot be called an archive.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

This would preserve the history and culture of Greek Americans. More material will not end up in the wastebasket.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?

More people in the first, than second generation or immigrants after World War II, are interested in a national archive. This may be because the second generation or late immigrants are more interested in education, working and getting ahead. The sense of philotimo may keep some people from wanting to reveal some family and community secrets.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

The Church would rather keep human and financial resources for its own work. They are in need of both types of resources; there are not many Greek Americans giving time and money for the Church. In the Midwest and West, priests are less under the control of the Archdiocese, and there are less Greece-born priests. These priests are more likely, according to Paspalas, to want their congregations contributing time and money to archiving material.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?

You can visually look for a stamp or for an imprint in a photograph.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

This question does not pertain to Paspalas; he does not manage an archive. He does collect and contribute archival material to place like the Hellenic Cultural Center in Chicago. He does not collect, reject or throw away material, or not contribute it based on personal opinion or preference.

7. What do you have in your archive?

He collects historical documents and artifacts at vintage sales.

8.What are your future plans?

He plans to keep collecting and contributing archival material.

Joel Wurl is at the University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) (taken directly from an email response)

1. Is there a national Greek American archive?

Not officially. The IHRC probably comes closest to serving in
this capacity; our collections are national in scope. But we do not assert
ourselves to be THE National Greek American archive.

2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?

Not sure how to answer this. There is tremendous value in
preserving documentation of any immigrant/ethnic community. This is a
crucial, if not defining, aspect of American history and culture.

3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way
of a Greek American archive?

Most all immigrant/ethnic communities struggle to find resources
to support or develop archival enterprises. There are so many worthwhile
needs and objectives within and outside of the community, including other
projects to preserve heritage.

4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?

In my experience, it has been neither a hindrance nor a major
proponent of archival activity. We do have a significant set of records
from the Greek Orthodox Church Dept. of Laity, as well as the papers of a
prominent cleric; these are mainly the outcome of individuals rather than
the institution of the church itself.

5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how
do you ensure authenticity?

We have no systematic method of affirming authenticity. In part,
we see this as the role of scholars who consult our sources and others.

6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material,
or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?

We have discretion to appraise what we deem to be of importance
for our collection and do reject some offers. We have not been pressured
by the church or other entities to reject anything.

7. What do you have in your archive?

See Web site and attached paper.

8. What are your future plans?

They are to continue to locate and preserve valuable documentation,
particularly of national significance, and to make it as fully accessible
as possible.

6.0 Discussion
6.1 Overall Results of Interviews
1. Is there a national Greek American archive?
All but Victoria and Joel said that the one in Chicago is an archive, although there can be a greater effort to amass more material.
2. What do you think is the value of a national Greek American archive?
All agreed that preserving the customs and hard work of Greek Americans is mandatory to remember a history and to add the appreciation and understanding of Greek American culture, especially as many immigrants passed away or will soon pass away. Some people had further reasons to have a large national archive. Victoria added that the national archive would help in research and interest in Greek American studies. Jim added: He said that, if we do not have a growing Greek American national archive, “tha hathoume”, which in Greek means “we will be lost”, and we will end up like other people who have come to this country and intermarried, not aware of our rich heritage. He does not want Greeks, Greek Americans and non-Greeks to think that Greek heritage means “baklava and gyros”. People will not know, for instance, of how many Greek-Americans lost their lives in coal mine and railroad accidents years ago. He is concerned with the growing rate of intermarriage. Nicholas believes that an archive is especially necessary in New York City where so many Greeks entered the country and still live.
3. What in the Greek American culture, if anything, stands in the way of a Greek American archive?
Interestingly, only Frangos, Boulukos, Nicholas and Paspalas name philotimo as an impedance to Greek Americans offering family material to be archived. Mousalimas mentioned that it may be a small problem. All participants agreed that Greek Americans do not know the value of keeping an archive. Skedros added that Greek Americans are independent, outspoken and stubborn, and not philanthropic. Boulukos added that they are not motivated to keep an archive. Nicholas added that they are inclined to be involved in something if there is prestige in it, and do not tend to be philanthropic like Jewish Americans. Mousalimas contributed that Greek Americans have not been in this country as long as other groups such as Jewish Americans, have a rich oral tradition, and tend not to preserve journals as much. She also said that there are not as many Greek American people, and some may have a tendency to be elitist. Mezelsohn added that Greek Americans are concerned with prestige, and AHEPA is concerned with electing a new President every year. Heller noted that all ethnicities that she knows of in Chicago did not open museums until the 1980s.
4. Does the Church help or hinder a Greek-American archive?
Only Frangos, Boulukos, Nicholas and Paspalas seemed to think that the Church hinders the keeping of a large national archive. Skedros said that the Holy Trinity in San Francisco gives money to the Salt Lake City Greek archive, but that other donations are mostly private. Mezelsohn said that most donations to the Museum in Chicago are private. Sherry mentioned that the Greek Orthodox Church is in need of money. Paspalas contributed that he thinks that priests in the eastern United States are more under the control of the Archdiocese, that may not want them to inspire others to contribute time and money to a cultural archive.
5. Can you ensure authenticity of what is in your archive? If so, how do you ensure authenticity?
None of the participants indicated that they have a rigorous system to ensure archival authenticity. Mousalimas was the closest to this system. She said that it is ensured by release forms, documentation of documents and identification of photographs. Sherry said that they have a professional archivist. The museum in Chicago has more donated money than the other places mentioned.
6. What is the integrity of your archive? Do you reject any material, or does a donor body such as the Church, push you to reject any material?
Surprisingly, no one said that they would reject any material. There seemed to be little bias.
7. What do you have in your archive?
No one had an exact count of dated archival material. The closest to this was provided by Sherry and Mousalimas. (See Sherry Answer 7Appendices II)
8. What are your future plans?
Frangos plans to keep writing and pushing for more Greek American archived material, and the Greek Museum. Material from the Kansas museum will be archived at the Kansas State Historical Society. The institutions correlated with Mousalimas, Skedros, Mezelsohn, and are undergoing renovation and enlargement. Boulukos and Nicholas plan to keep fighting for* the Greek Museum in New York City to become a reality.
6.2 Answers to Research Questions
There is a national collection of Greek American archival material, but it is not extensive or organized enough to be called a national Greek American archive. A trip to the collection is a point for future research. This would also add to the answer of the second research questions about the extent of a national archive. Other centers studied are local, and the Minnesota collection is mostly research papers and other documents of scholars. The museum in New York is not a reality yet, and the archival collection is not categorized. More funds for people to ensure authenticity for the archival centers studied are needed. The integrity of the archives studied seems *intact; material is not rejected. There is no effort to combine local archives. The Greek Orthodox Church is not helping for realizing a united Greek American archive. Philotimo; not realizing the importance of keeping, collecting and donating archival material; the valuing of prestige; and the work ethic might have to do with the fact that a national archive is not a priority for most Greek Americans. Three local and one national archival center are expanding. The museum in Kansas closed. The museum in New York City does not have enough support to get started yet, but Nicholas and Boulukos are not giving up.
7.0 Conclusion
Every culture would like to have a “face” in the United States, a way to be known. Many Americans know of the enormous contribution that Greek culture has played in everything from democracy to the Olympic games to medicine to literature and philosophy. Many people know of Greek Americans as being hard working and traditional. They may have heard of the play Zorbas, Alexander Onassis, Maria Callas, the gynecologist George Papadopoulos who invented the pap smear, and George Tenet, former head of the Central Intelligence Bureau, Michael Dukakis, and Paul Tsongas. Other people may not know where Greece is, or may think of Greeks as being a third world people. Although the hard work ethic of Greek Americans has done a lot to rid most people of the last assumption, and certainly the Olympic Games of 2004 did also, a unified effort to preserve Greek American culture does not exist. Part of this may have to do with philotimo, loosely translated as “love of honor” and “integrity”. Greek Americans may be ashamed to tell of ancestors who shined shoes or were prejudiced against, for instance, or may wonder why anyone would want to know that. Frangos, Boulukos, Nicholas and Paspalas verify this assumption. Mousalimas thought that it was important, but not a major factor. Rompiotis in his online article also thought that philotimo is a factor in Greek American archives. Further research is needed to determine how much of a factor philotimo plays in having a Greek American archive.
Another thing standing in the way may be being busy – people are getting and education and working and do not realize the value of a national archives fully. Frangos, Nicholas, Mezelsohn said that Greek Americans are interested in something that will bring them prestige, rather than in a national archive. Paspalas pointed out that Greek Americans, especially those in the second or third generation, or those who came to the United States after World War II, are too busy educating themselves and working to care a lot about a national archive. This was supported by the cultural literature review. Further research is needed to determine differences in wanting to collect and archive material based on what generation immigrants belong to, and their economic status.
What is important is establishing the identity of Greek American culture, an identity that includes Greek culture, from the mystery and richness of the religion, to the sarcastic sense of humor, social accomplishments, and varied personalities of Greek Americans, which incorporate Greek and American characteristics and values. As was seen with the Iraqi National Library and the National Archeological Museum, a whole culture or people can be lost with the burning and loss of archival material. Everything is valuable and can shed light on what it was like for those early immigrants, and what in the Greek culture and their culture remains with us today. This documentation should not be tied to the church or looking good; there is nothing to hide. Certainly all records of hardships and joys of people, each of them important, are worth remembering. The Greek American community may be experiencing an archive fever by some members and a death drive by others, or perhaps a death drive for the covering of certain information, or a wish to melt into the American public. A large national Greek archive will not only influence what Greek Americans learn about and think about themselves, but will influence how others see them, and maybe even the power they have in American society. (Blouin 1999)
As Tselos (1989) wrote, many Greek American businesses and publishers may not know the need to keep old records, or may think that they exist elsewhere. Large congregations may not be counted on to get a professional archivist. Material in private hands may be lost as time passes. As he wrote, for security and accessibility in research, records must be maintained by a historical institution with the resources to house the records over time in a single location with good staff. People like Boulukos, Nicholas and Skedros are committed and working toward this reality.
7.1 Is there a national Greek American Archive?
There is no in-depth categorization or archival system to assure a balance of different types of material, or material from different time periods. *Out of all of the participants interviewed, only Mousalimas and Wurl said that their holdings were digitized. In addition, considering the extent of time that Greek Americans have been in this country, and the extent of materials that can be housed in a national archive, these collections are impressive but not commensurate. Wurl said that, based on his last trip five years ago to the Hellenic museum in Chicago, it was not a national archival center.
7.2 Future Research
More research is needed. Trips to the archival centers mentioned (besides the Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum in Topeka, Kansas which his closed) can be done to see exactly what archival material is kept, how authenticity is verified, if there is bias in collecting and selecting material, and what is needed by the centers in terms of volunteers and money. More people can be interviewed. Church representatives can be interviewed to see if they indeed support a united archival effort for Greek Americans, and if they are in need of money themselves, as Sherry and Paspalas indicated. The Archdiocese has not returned a call and an email, and so could not be asked about their non-religious archives, or their contributing to or financing of any Greek national archive, or the money situation of the Greek Orthodox Church.
A study can be conducted to see why certain ethnic groups such as Jewish Americans keep a national archive, and why this is important to them. What in their culture has them keep archival material for years as opposed to the Greek American culture? Or is it common, as Heller suggested, for immigrant groups to collect archival material decades or centuries after first coming to the United States.
A focus group interview via telephone could be conducted to have interviewees exchange ideas. For instance, Wurl had not been to the museum in Chicago for years. He recalled that they did not have a huge collection. If that has changed through the years, someone from Chicago on the telephone call would be able to inform him.
Limitations to this study included: more time and money were needed to take trips to various Greek-American archival centers. More time may have been needed to communicate with group such as the Archdiocese, and to identify other individuals to interview.

Appendix I

Greek Immigration to the United States

Era Approx. Total Approx. Annual Ave.
Early migration 1873-1899 15,000 500
Great Wave 1890-1917 450,000 25,000
Last Exodus 1918-1924 70,000 10,000
Closed Door 1925-1946 30,000 1,300
Postwar Migration 1947-1965 75,000 4,000
New Wave 1966-1979 160,000 11,000
Declining Migration 1980-1989 25,000 2,500
Source: Charles Moskos, Greek Americans: Struggle and Success, p. 156

Appendix II – Inventory of Ascension Church archives in Oakland, California

Mary Mousalimas provided a rough list of what they have at eth Ascension Greek Orthodox Church in Sacramento, California. They are still in need of volunteers to categorize and provide specific lists of what they have. Their collection covers about 500 linear feet and consists of artifacts, printed material, out of print periodicals, newspapers, books, and photographs. They have seven filing cabinets. Only members of the archive committee have a key to the archives. The fire department does not even have a key. They were given permission to knock down the door in case of a fire.

Out of print materials: monthly periodicals: Krikos, Athene Magazine, Newspapers, etc

Personal histories: both written & over 100 hours tapes (several oral histories of primary sources)

Obituaries

Military documents and artifacts

Wedding memorabilia and dowries

Printed material from community events: both historical & contemporary

Photographs: uncounted (estimate more than 1,000), including several panoramic photos

Old books

Artifacts such as: Hanging Kandili from an immigrants' home in the late 1890's; Stefanothiki & stefana, some home spun textiles, costumes (2); OLD coffee mill from immigrant's home

Partial iconostasis & original baptismal font from the first GO church in the entire East Bay of northern California.

Appendix III
Goals of AHEPA (Zotos 1976, 141-142)

To promote and encourage loyalty of members to the United States
To instruct members in the tenets and the fundamental principles of government

To instill the due appreciation of the privileges of citizenship

To encourage the active participation in politics, civic, social and community fields of human endeavor

To pledge its members to oppose political corruption and tyranny
To promote better and more comprehensive understanding of the attributes and ideals of Hellenism and Hellenic culture
To promote good fellowship, endow members with the spirit of altruism, common understanding and mutual beneficence and helpfulness to fellow men
To endow members with the pefect6ion of moral sense
To promote the education and maintenance of new channels for facilitating dissemination and culture

Appendix IV

Authenticity

Different authors attribute different definitions to authenticity and integrity. For the purposes of this study, I will briefly overview some definitions, and explain why I chose the ones for this study.
Smith wrote about provenance. Regarding Greek American archival material, this would include verifying the originality of records and any tampering of original records. Gladney wrote that authenticity is comprised of integrity and provenance. Authenticity in this study will mean that the record has provenance, and it represents truthfully what it appears to represent, from a certain time period and place if it purports to do so. For instance, a photograph of Greek immigrants arriving at Ellis Island in the late 1800s is not authentic if it is a photograph of Hungarian immigrants arriving at Castle Garden in the early 1800s.
MacNeil wrote that an authentic record is reliable and has truth-value. She wrote: Reliability thus refers to the truth-value of the record as a statement of facts and it is assessed in relation to the proximity of the observer and recorder to the facts recorded.” For most archival material discussed in this study, the people collecting artifacts and records were not close in time and place to the “birth” of the material. (MacNeil 2001) Her concept of reliability would apply to these materials and is akin to the definition of authenticity in the previous paragraph. The definition of authenticity at the Minnesota State Archive is that authenticity is a function of a record’s preservation and is a measure of a record’s reliability over time. (www.mnhs.org) This would pertain to this study. An old newspaper or photograph would have to be well-preserved and reliable over time.

Integrity

Manoff wrote that the excluding of archival material influences perceptions made about the subject of the archive. Gladney gave the Random House definition of integrity: “the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished; to preserve the integrity of the empire; a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition; the integrity of the text, of a ship's hull”. In the case of Greek American documents and artifacts, a record may not be whole. For instance, it can be part of an old advertisement, or part of a menu. I will use integrity in this study to mean if the presentation of the archival material is displayed in an unbiased, truthful context. For instance, a document or photograph about a picture bride will be displayed neutrally, and not to show that she was either happy or despondent being a picture bride, unless she explicitly states so.

Bibliography

Blouin, Francis X.. 1999. Archivists, mediation, and constructs of social memory Archival Issues 24(2): 101-112.

Calle, Nickie. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Department of Archives. Presented at the 36th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress
http://www.pahh.com/symposia/workshops2002/calle.html
Accessed on October 29, 2004.

Derrida, Jacques. Archive fever: A Freudian impression. Trans. Eric Prenowitz. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1996.

Dickson, Peter W. 1991. The Greek pilgrims: Tsakonas and Tsintzinians In: Georgakas, Dan and Moskos, Charles C. ed. 1991. New Directions in Greek American Studies New York: Pella Publishing Company, Incorporated.

Frangos, Steve. Grassroots efforts to preserve Hellenism
http://www.pahh.com/news/news017.html.com
Accessed on October 29, 2004

Frangos, Steve. A Museum serving to preserve our heritage.
http://www.greek-museum.org/PRsvngHeritage.htm
Accessed on November 6, 2004.

Georgakas, Dan and Moskos, Charles C. ed. 1991. New Directions in Greek American Studies New York: Pella Publishing Company, Incorporated.

Gladney, H. M. and J. L. Bennett. 2003. What do we mean by authentic? What's the real McCoy? D-Lib Magazine 9.

Hirtle, Peter B. Archival authenticity in a digital age
http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub92/hirtle.html
Accessed on October 25, 2004

Hunter, Greg. 2003. Developing and maintaining practical archives: A How-To-Do-It manual, Second Edition. New York, New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.

Ioannides, Christos P., ed. 1997. Greeks in English-speaking countries: Culture, identity, politics New Rochelle, New York: Aristide D. Caratzas.

Kaplan, Elisabeth. 2000. We are what we collect, we collect what we are: Archives and the construction of identity. The American Archivist 63 (Spring/Summer 2000): 126-151.

Lewin, K. 1948. Resolving social conflicts; Selected papers on group dynamics. Gertrude W. Lewin (ed.). New York: Harper & Row, 1948.
MacNeil, Heather. Autumn 2000. Providing grounds for trust: Developing conceptual requirements for the long-term preservation of authentic electronic records Archivaria 50: 53-76.
MacNeil, Heather. 2001. Trusting records in a postmodern world. Archivaria 51 Spring 2001: 36-47.

Manoff, Marlene. 2004. Archives & records. Libraries and the Academy 4(1): 9-25.

Manolis, Paul G. Parish Community histories: Planning an approach for recording parish history. Presented at the 36th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress
http://www.pahh.com/symposia/workshops2002/mano.html.

Martin, Louise. 1989. The Theodore Saloutos collection: A summary and an assessment.
Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora 16(1-4): 161-166.

Menninger, W. Walter. 1996. Memory and history: What can you believe? Archival Issues 21(2):97-106.

Mousalimas, Andrew S. Greek/American operational group office of strategic services (OSS): Memoirs of World War II.
http://www.pahh.com/news/news021.html

Mousalimas, Mary. Preservation of our histories: Past, present and future. Presented at the 36th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress
http://www.pahh.com/symposia/worksops2002/mous.html
Accessed on October 29, 2004.

Nicolaidis, Maria George. 1989. Aspects of Greek-American ethnic identity: An Intergenerational study of Greek-Americans Ann Arbor, Mi: University of Michigan Press.

Papanikolas, Helen. 1996. The apple falls from the apple tree Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press/Ohio University Press.

Papanikolas, Helen. 2002. An amulet of Greek Earth: Generations of immigrant folk culture Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. Threshold Publications.

Psomiades, Harry J. and Scourby, Alice.1982. The Greek American community in transition New York, New York: Pella Publishing Company

Rompiotis, Demetrios. Push for a Greek museum. http://www.greek-museum.org/pushfor museum.htm. Accessed on November 6, 2004.

Rothenberg, Jeff. Preserving authentic digital information http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub92/rothenberg.html
Accessed on October 25, 2004

Saloutos, Theodore. 1964. The Greeks in the United States. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

Scourby, Alice. 1984. The Greek Americans. Boston, Massachusetts: Twayne Publishers.

Smith, Abby. Authenticity in Perspective http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub92/smith.html
Accessed on October 25, 2004.

Tselos, George. 1989. Archival sources for the history of Greek American community: Problems and challenges Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora 16(1-4): 167-177.

Vlachos, Evangelos C. 1968. The Assimilation of Greeks in the United States. Athens.

Wurl, Joel. 1993. Recovering the American mosaic: Ethnic archives – past, present, and future. Westwords No. 3: 1-15.
Xenides, J.P. 1922. The Greeks in America. New York: George H. Doran Co.
Yiannas, Vicki. Homage to our forefathers.
http://www.greek -museum.org/forefathers.htm
Accessed on November 6, 2004

Authenticity Task Force Final Report
www.interpares.org/documents/atf_draft_final_report.pdf
Accessed on October 25, 2004

The San Francisco Diocese Resolution
www.pahh.com/news/000.html
Accessed on November 17, 2004

Ascension Historical Committee of Oakland, California
http://www.pahh.com/ahc/history.html
Accessed on October 29, 2004

Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum
http://www.orthodoxmuseum.org/churches.html
Accessed on October 29, 2004.

Hellenic Communication Service, L.L.C.
http://www.helleniccomserve.com/contents.html
Accessed on November 13, 2004

Hellenic Cultural Association (HCA) of Salt Lake City, Utah
http://www.pahh.com/hca/index.html
Accessed on October 29, 2004

Lowell
http//www.ecommunity.uml.edu/hellenicheritage/Acropolis3/index.htm
Accessed on October 29, 2004.

University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center (IHRC)
http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/
Accessed on November 26, 2004