Sikhism in the United States

First Immigrants

Sikhs have been a part of the American populace for more than 130 years. At the turn of the 19th century, the state of Punjab of British India was hit hard by British practices of mercantilism. Many Sikhs emigrated to the United States, and began arriving to work on farms in California. They traveled via Hong Kong to Angel Island, California, the western counterpart to Ellis Island in New York. [ [http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_korit_histical.htm#Pioneers The Pioneers, America, "A historical perspective of Americans of Asian Indian origin 1790-1997"] 31 October, 2006]

"Some Sikhs worked in lumber mills of Oregon or in railroad construction and for some Sikhs it was on a railway line, which allowed other Sikhs who were working as migrant laborers to come into the town on festival days." [ [http://kabira.freeservers.com/sikhsinnorthamerica.html Sikhism in North America, America, "Sikhs in North America"] 31 October 2006]

First Sikh Gurdwara in United States

"The first Sikh Gurdwara was built in Stockton, California; the Gurdwara was created in 1912 with joint efforts of Sardar Basakha Singh and Bhai Jawala Singh. It was in September of 1912 when land was purchased on South Granth Street in Stockton for the use of the Gurdwara. A small frame house that was already standing on the lot was used as the main building of the Gurdwara. This building still stands still where a library is now implemented. A Nishan Sahib was also hoisted for the first time at the Gurdwara. Baba Vasakha Singh and Baba Jawala Singh Thathian of Amritsar Sahib were appointed as the first Granthi Singh Jis of the Gurdwara." [ [http://www.stocktongurdwarasahib.com/ Stockton Gurdwara,America, "Stockton California"] 31 October 2006]

Sikh communities

The largest Sikh community in the United States resides in Yuba City, California. The rest of the Sikh population is spread out in such places as San Francisco Bay Area, Stockton, California, Richmond Hill, Queens, New York, Flushing, Queens, New York, Española, New Mexico, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, Detroit, and Oregon. Most Sikhs of Española, New Mexico are Caucasian converts to Sikhism. They adhere very strictly to Sikhism. In Virginia there is the Sikh Foundation of Virginia .

Sikhs in the United States total over 150,000, with a large portion of these living in California. Sikhs are the second largest religion in the Yuba City area. 15,000 Sikhs live in the Sacramento area, and there are seven Sikh temples or gurdwaras. [http://www.sikhspectrum.com/112006/denise.htm Investigating Anti-Sikh Discrimination in a Post 9/11 World ] ]

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, there was an upsurge in anti-Sikh discrimination across the United States, including a number of incidents that involved physical attacks on Sikh individuals who were wearing turbans.

Sikh professionals

Most Sikhs started life in America as farm laborers, with many eventually becoming landowners and successful farmers. In 1956, Dalip Singh Saund became the first East Indian-born person to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. At present Amarjit Singh Buttar is perhaps the only turbaned Sikh who holds elected public office. He was elected in December 2001 to the Vernon, Connecticut Board of Education for a four-year term. He has also been recently selected as the Chairman of the Board.

A number of Sikhs, who immigrated in the 1960s, received higher education at universities in the US. Many of them are now Department Chairs, endowed professors, or Deans at various top-tier universities. A number of Sikhs are physicians of high repute in a wide range of specialty fields of medicine. Sikhs hold managerial positions in engineering fields in various engineering firms, including the technology and automobile industry. Sikh Americans have historically founded new companies in disproportionately high numbers, attributed to their risk-taking entrepreneurial mindset. Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany is known as the father of fiber optics because of his exceptional research in this field. He also established a Kapany Chair of Sikh Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1998. [ [http://www.sikhspectrum.com/092002/survival.htm Sikh Spectrum, America, "Sikhs In America : Stress And Survival"] 04 September 2002]

References

External links