Laotian American

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Laotian American
flagicon|Laosflagicon|United_States


poptime = 206,000 (.08% of the US Population)
popplace = California, Texas, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia, Ohio
langs = Lao, English, Isan, Thai
rels = Buddhism
related = Lao people, Southeast Asian Americans, Asian Americans

A Laotian American is a resident of the United States who was originally from Laos or whose parents were originally from Laos. They constitute one group of Asian Americans.

Although many Hmong people are from Laos, Hmong Americans are usually not considered to be Lao American because they are not of the Lao ethnic group.

However, the category of Laotian American includes the Hmong and other Laotian groups, as well as Ethnic Chinese, Ethnic Vietnamese, and white Laotians of French blood from Laos.

History and demographics

Laotian immigration to the United States was at its height after the Vietnam War.

Most Laotian Americans live in the states of Virginia, California, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington or Rhode Island. There are also large communities in Ohio, Oklahoma, Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. There are about over 200,000 ethnic Lao in America. 8,000 - 11,000 more Americans are mixed with another ethnic group and Lao. Ethnic Lao would be considered both Lao American and Laotian American.Cities or regions with significant Laotian Americans include the Bay Area (numbering at about 11,545), Sacramento Metropolitan Area (9,814), Minneapolis and St. Paul (7,576), Dallas Fort Worth (7,500), San Diego (7,002), Seattle (6,572), Fresno (6,381) and Providence (6,291). Several Laotian communities dot the countryside of Lafayette, Louisiana.

Music

A number of Laotian American musicians have achieved some renown, such as the members of the Royal Lao Orchestra in Tennessee and the traditional singer Khamvong Insixiengmai of Fresno, California.

Media

The first national Laotian American publication, "Lao Roots Magazine", was released in 2007. The English language magazine is geared towards the younger generation Laotian American community. Published in San Diego, CA by a small volunteer staff the magazine has reached wide spread national circulation within the Laotian American community.

Portrayal in fiction

Perhaps the most famous Laotian American family is not a real one, but rather the animated Souphanousinphone family, found on the television show "King of the Hill".

The subject of Jamie Wyeth's masterpiece Kalounna in Frogtown depicts a Laotian American.

ee also

*Hmong people
*Laos Memorial
*List of Laotian Americans