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Syrian-Lebanese immigrants have played a vital role in El Paso’s development. The term “Syrian” relates to a Semitic people whose homeland is known as the Levant, a stretch of land extending east from the Mediterranean Sea. Mount Lebanon, the only portion of the Levant where Christians outnumbered Muslims, was the greatest source of immigrants; most of these individuals became known as Lebanese after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. Between 1880 and 1924, a steady stream of Syrians and Lebanese came to the U.S. for economic opportunity. Many chose to emigrate first to Veracruz, entering the U.S. from Mexico rather than through Ellis Island. El Paso was a gateway for Syrian-Lebanese immigrants intending to settle the American southwest or west, and for some, it became their new home. The earliest known Syrians to reside in El Paso arrived here by the 1890s. These early immigrants lived close to each other, mostly along El Paso Street, and operated grocery and dry goods businesses serving mainly Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. They were diverse in their religious beliefs, but most were either Maronites or Syrian Orthodox. By the 1930s, many of the immigrants had established thriving businesses, such as clothing and real estate, or pursued professions, such as law and medicine. By 1953, there were 450 Syrian families in El Paso. Today, Syrian-Lebanese residents in El Paso remain a tight-knit community whose economic, political, and social influence on the city continues to be significant. (2009) |
