Kenyan American
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (estimated 92,638) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Major concentrations in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C, other communities in Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Texas | |
| Languages | |
| Kiswahili, English | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism and Protestantism |
Kenyan Americans are Americans of Kenyan descent. As of the 2010 census, there were an estimated 92,638 Kenyan-born persons living in the United States. Most Kenyan Americans are concentrated in the greater Washington, D.C. area, Texas, California, Indiana, Maryland, Georgia, New York, and North Carolina.
Restrictions against immigration from Asia and Africa led to little voluntary immigration from Kenya until the latter half of the 20th century. Kenyan emigration to the United States then noted a large increase, nearly doubling from the decades before.
This increase was caused by several factors; political instability and a downturn in the economy in the 1980s in Kenya coupled with a high rate of unemployment (over 35 percent) led to a greater desire to immigrate. Some immigrants were also attracted to technology-oriented careers in the United States that boomed in availability in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Kenyan American come from ethnic groups such as the Kikuyu, Kisii, Kalenjin or Luo people.
The largest populations of Kenyans in the United States are found in Massachusetts and the greater Washington, D.C. area. There are also large populations in Texas, California, and parts of the Midwest. Many Kenyans are established in Georgia and North Carolina, states with important health care and technological centers.
According to the 2010 census, approximately one-third of persons born in Kenya who are living in the US have become naturalized citizens While many Kenyan Americans express the desire to eventually return to Kenya, the instability of Kenya's economy deters them. Those who remain in the US maintain contact with their Kenyan relatives and make frequent trips to Kenya.
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Wikipedia