The Vietnamese Diaspora

History and Origins

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, began on November 1, 1955, between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was backed by Communist allies, such as the Soviet Union and China, while South Vietnam was supported by anti-Communist allies, such as the United States. The conflict also spread to neighboring countries, including Cambodia and Laos, which were involved in civil wars as well.

On April 30, 1975, the capital of South Vietnam, Sài Gòn (now known as Hồ Chí Minh), was captured by North Vietnamese forces. This led to the end of the 20-year-long war, resulting in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos becoming communist states.

Many Vietnamese people fled the country, hoping to escape the Communist regime. President Gerald Ford subsequently authorized the acceptance of refugees from Southeast Asia into the United States. Over the course of the next two months, the federal government established six refugee camps.

Why is There a Large Population of Vietnamese Population in New Orleans?

Social service agencies were tasked with finding homes and sponsors for the refugees. A large percentage of Vietnamese newcomers were Catholic, and both New Orleans and national Catholic charities were involved in assisting residents find jobs and housing in the city.

The Catholic dioceses of Louisiana became very active in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees, while the Archdioceses of New Orleans sourced locations and sponsors for the newcomers in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. In 1977, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux was created and found resettlement opportunities in St. Mary, Terrebonne, and Lafourche Parishes as well.

Many Vietnamese immigrants were also drawn to New Orleans for its sub-tropical climate and proximity to water, which is similar to Vietnam.

Geographic Distribution

During the mid-to-late-1970s, many Vietnamese people settled in the isolated, suburban parts of the city, particularly in New Orleans East in a community called Versailles. Its residents were among the fastest to rebuild their neighborhood following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Many also settled in Algiers, Avondale, and other places on the West Bank. As time went on, people began to search for more job opportunities, moving to places like Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish and Empire in Plaquemines Parish.

By the early 1990s, the Vietnamese became the largest Asian population in Louisiana. Approximately 29,000 people of Vietnamese ancestry lived in Louisiana by 2018, according to the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau. Recent figures put the New Orleans Vietnamese population at around 14,000—the largest, most vibrant Vietnamese community in the state.

Work and Income

Upon arriving, Vietnamese immigrants took whatever work they could find in factories, service industries, or other fields. The Vietnamese became active contributors to the local economy. Common occupations included manicurists and pedicurists, janitors and cleaners, and construction workers. As they became more established, many opened small businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores, beauty and nail salons, and gift shops.

Others helped grow the fishing and shrimping trades as well. In the early 2000s, fishing was an important occupational concentration, making up 8 percent of jobs for Vietnamese male workers in Louisiana in 2009. However, this lowered to 3 percent by 2018.

Unemployment remained low. In 2018, the unemployment rate for the Vietnamese population in Louisiana was 5.8 percent, compared to 6.2 percent for non-Vietnamese residents.

Language and Education

Despite traveling miles away, language proved to be an important aspect to maintain. In 2018, 83 percent of Vietnamese Louisianans reported that they spoke Vietnamese at home, but most were also conversational in English. Only 7.3 percent reported that they spoke no English.

However, throughout the generations, those born in the United States are slowly becoming more dependent on English. Over one-third of young Vietnamese, ages 5–17, only spoke English. Many also have limited Vietnamese vocabulary from their limited use of the language.

In terms of education, many Vietnamese students move on to higher education. By 2018, 87 percent of those ages 18–21 were enrolled in higher education, compared to the 45 percent of non-Vietnamese Louisianans in the same age group.

Political and Civic Participation

During the 1980s and 1990s, the Vietnamese began to organize the Vietnamese Voters Associations in order to encourage members of their communities to become U.S. citizens and to vote. By 2018, 38 percent of the Louisiana Vietnamese population were foreign-born, naturalized citizens and 38 percent were citizens by birth.

In the early 1990s, proposals for landfills near Versailles sparked protests and activism in the Vietnamese community. They were successful in stopping the original plans; however, the Chef Menteur landfill was still opened two miles away following Hurricane Katrina which created toxic debris.

Some prominent figures were attorney Ánh “Joseph” Quang Cao, the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress in 2008, and Cyndi Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American member of the New Orleans City Council in 2017.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War#Names

https://64parishes.org/entry/vietnam-war-in-louisiana

https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/cultures/vietnamese/

https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/village-called-versailles/

https://64parishes.org/entry/vietnamese-in-louisiana