they organize in a completely different way ( mainly through social media ), and their social and other activities are interest-based . Many are associated within the American Slovenian Education Foundation , which enhances Slovenian education and research activities , the VTIS Association of Slovenes Educated Abroad , and other institutions ( Fulbright Program , Kerže Funds ).
All immigrants and their offspring have many possibilities to learn or practice Slovenian language . In addition to newspapers and radio shows , Saturday language schools and Sunday religious services , they can attend online Slovenian classes provided by some universities ( lectureship of Slovenian language at the Cleveland State University organized by Center for Slovene as a second or foreign language , Faculty of Arts , University of Ljubljana ), summer schools of Slovenian in Slovenia , etc .
To sum up : the fabric of the Slovenian ethnic community in the United States changed over time . In the early 20th century , the community was mainly composed of generations born in Slovenia , whereas today , the generations born in the USA , who are U . S . citizens , account for nearly 90 %. However , they ever more intensely , especially after Slovenia ’ s independence and now , in the time of crisis and pandemic , explore and manifest their Slovenian origin and roots , while at the same time repositioning the notion of national identity to other fields , such as culture and cultural heritage , music , dance , customs and traditions , and traditional food and cooking .
Modern technology , in particular the Internet and social networks , allow Slovenian immigrant community in the U . S . to establish closer relations with Slovenian ethnic communities in other parts of the world as well as with their motherland .
Based on U . S . census data , 123,631 individuals , born in Slovenia , and 59,800 people born in the USA reported Slovenian as their mother tongue in 1910 . In 1920 , the number of Slovenian immigrants amounted to about 228,000 .
In the 1990 census , barely 124,437 individuals ( 0.05 % of the entire U . S . population ) acknowledged their Slovenian origin , of which only 87,500 reported Slovenian as their primary ethic identity . In the 2000 census , the number of individuals acknowledging their Slovenian ethnicity totaled 175,099 .
There are an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people of Slovenian descent living in the U . S . today , of whom 75 % in six states : Ohio ( 50,000 – 80,000 ), Pennsylvania ( up to 15,000 ), Illinois ( up to 12,000 ), Minnesota ( up to 7,000 ), Wisconsin ( up to 6,500 ) and California ( up to 20,000 ).
Generalni konzulat Republike Slovenije v Clevelandu , Slovenska skupnost v ZDA . https :// www . gov . si / predstavnistva / generalni-konzulat-cleveland / slovenska-skupnost-v-zda Matjaž Klemenčič , Slovenska tvarna kulturna dediščina v ZDA , Dve domovini , 2001 . http :// twohomelands . zrc-sazu . si / uploads / articles / 1546711769 _ Klemencic _ tvarna % 20kulturna % 20dediscina . pdf
Matjaž Klemenčič , Slovenske naselbine v Združenih državah Amerike , http :// www2 . arnes . si /~ krsrd1 / conference / Speeches / Klemencic _ Slovenske _ naselbine . htm
Janez Stanonik , Slovenci v Clevelandu , Zgodovinski časopis • 51 • 1997 • 1 ( 106 ) • 21-3 , file :/// C :/ Users / mzz / Downloads / 1468-Besedilo % 20 % C4 % 8Dlanka-4741-1-10-20200924 % 20 ( 4 ). pdf
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