100-622: Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . As of the 2020 United States census , the borough's population was 10,987, an increase of 361 (+3.4%) from the 2010 census count of 10,626, which in turn reflected a decline of 174 (−1.6%) from the 10,800 counted in the 2000 census . Little Ferry was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 18, 1894, from portions of Lodi Township and New Barbadoes Township , based on
200-531: A 20th Century-Fox film storage facility in Little Ferry. Flammable nitrate film had previously contributed to several fires in film industry laboratories, studios and vaults, although the precise causes were often unknown; in the Little Ferry fire, temperatures of 100 °F (38 °C) and insufficient venting were the proximate causes. Rosie's Diner (formerly the Farmland Diner) was used in
300-499: A sending/receiving relationship with the Ridgefield Park Public Schools that has been in place since 1953. As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,174 students and 87.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by
400-488: A 41% to 38% margin over Democrat John Kerry , with the remaining 19% undecided or voting for other candidates. However, according to a poll done by the AALDEF, the majority of Korean Americans that voted in the 2004 presidential election favored Democrat John Kerry by a 66% to 33% margin over Republican candidate George W. Bush . And another poll done by the AALDEF suggest the majority of Korean Americans that voted in
500-929: A bill to recognize references to the Sea of Japan also as the East Sea in Virginia textbooks was signed into law. In May 2014, the Palisades Park Public Library in New Jersey created a memorial dedicated to the victims of the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry off the South Korean coast on April 16, 2014. According to a 2015 investigation by The New York Times , abuse by Korean nail salon owners in New York City and Long Island
600-439: A block of stone, dedicated in 2010 to the memory of comfort women , thousands of women, many Koreans, who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II . Days later, a South Korean delegation endorsed the borough's decision. However, in neighboring Fort Lee, various Korean American groups could not reach consensus on the design and wording for such a monument as of early April 2013. In October 2012,
700-542: A combination of English and Korean depending on where they were born and when they immigrated to the United States. New immigrants often use a mixture of Korean and English ( Konglish ), a practice also known as code-switching . Korean American Day, celebrated on January 13, commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States on January 13, 1903. This day was first proclaimed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and officially recognized by
800-429: A constitutional amendment prohibited such local or special legislation. Bergen County is home to the highest number of boroughs of any New Jersey county, at 56. The Borough Act of 1878 allowed any township (or portion thereof) with a land area of no more than four square miles (10 km ) and a population not exceeding 5,000, to establish itself as an independent borough through a petition and referendum process on
900-651: A dominant nexus of Korean American culture, and its Senior Citizens Center provides a popular gathering place where even Korean grandmothers were noted to follow the dance trend of the worldwide viral hit Gangnam Style by South Korean " K-pop " rapper Psy in September 2012; while the nearby Fort Lee Koreatown is also emerging as such. The Chusok Korean Thanksgiving harvest festival has become an annual tradition in Bergen County, attended by several tens of thousands. Bergen County's growing Korean community
1000-774: A home in the 1950s signaling to other ethnic minorities that they could move into Orange County. Since then, Koreans have spread throughout northern Orange County, mainly concentrating in Buena Park , Fullerton , Cerritos , La Palma , Cypress , and Irvine . Garden Grove is now home to more than 1,500 Korean businesses, and has held a Korean festival, night market, and parade every year since 1983. Mostly older and more traditional Korean businesses and food are found in Garden Grove, while newer and trendier Seoul based chains often locate in Buena Park and Irvine. The Source OC
1100-407: A large Korean American community; this is notably high considering the overall Korean ethnicity ratio of 0.59% in the U.S. Washington State (1.28%), New Jersey (1.19%), and Virginia (1.09%) also have relatively large Korean American communities. Maryland 's proportion is 0.97%, and Alaska 's is 0.95%. Nevada has 0.72%, New York City 0.71%, and Georgia 0.69%. The two metropolitan areas with
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#17327932020851200-468: A master's degree at Harvard University , and a PhD from Princeton University in 1910. In 1910, he returned to Korea and became a political activist. He later became the first president of the Republic of Korea . In 1903, the first group of Korean laborers came to Hawaii on January 13, now known annually as Korean American Day. The migration of Koreans to Hawaii can be explained by conditions in both
1300-759: A mayor and six council members at-large in a partisan election. Only two boroughs, Roselle and Roselle Park , have ward structures with councils having five ward members and one at-large. The borough system has a weak mayor and the council performs most legislative and executive functions. This form of local government is used by 39% of the municipalities in New Jersey. There are a total of 253 boroughs in New Jersey, which include: Korean American Korean Americans ( Korean : 한국계 미국인 ) are Americans who are of full or partial Korean ethnic descent. The majority of Korean Americans trace their ancestry to South Korea . The term Korean Americans (also rendered as Korean-Americans ) usually encompasses citizens of
1400-456: A multilingual exit poll from the 2012 election, 77% of Korean Americans voted for Democrat Barack Obama , while only 20% voted for Republican Mitt Romney . The poll also showed that 60% of Korean Americans identify themselves as being Democrats, while only 14% of Korean Americans identify themselves as being Republican. In the 2016 presidential election, a majority of Korean Americans (75%) voted for Hillary Clinton. Elected in 1992, Jay Kim
1500-501: A self-executing basis. As enacted, a borough would be governed by an elected mayor (serving a one-year term) and a six-member council (elected to staggered three-year terms). The mayor would preside at council meetings, but had no vote except to break ties. This system resulted in a period, known as " boroughitis ", where large numbers of small boroughs were created. In 1894, the Legislature passed an act requiring each township to have
1600-789: A similar memorial was announced in nearby Hackensack, to be raised behind the Bergen County Courthouse , alongside memorials to the Holocaust , the Great Irish Famine , the Armenian genocide , and Slavery in the United States and was unveiled in March 2013. An apology and monetary compensation of roughly $ 8,000,000 by Japan to South Korea in December 2015 for these crimes largely fell flat in Bergen County, where
1700-464: A single school district. A wave of borough incorporations followed, as one part of several townships decided that it would prefer the cost of being a separate municipality to paying for the other schools. The Borough Act of 1897 amended the original Act, eliminating the self-executing incorporation feature of the earlier legislation. Henceforth, newly incorporated boroughs (or those seeking to dissolve or increase or decrease in size) required approval of
1800-968: A staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each November; a Chairman and Vice Chairman are selected from among its seven members at a reorganization meeting held every January. As of 2024, the county executive is James J. Tedesco III ( D , Paramus ), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026. Bergen County's Commissioners are: Thomas J. Sullivan Jr. (D, Montvale , 2025), Chair Germaine M. Ortiz (D, Emerson , 2025), Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee , 2026), Vice Chair Mary J. Amoroso (D, Mahwah , 2025), Rafael Marte (D, Bergenfield , 2026), Steven A. Tanelli (D, North Arlington , 2024) and Tracy Silna Zur (D, Franklin Lakes , 2024). Bergen County's constitutional officials are: Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale , 2026), Sheriff Anthony Cureton (D, Englewood , 2024) and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill , 2026). As of March 2011, there were
1900-408: A staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Little Ferry is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of
2000-540: A survey conducted in 2022–2023, Korean Americans have the second largest percentage of individuals who identity as Christian. Fifty-nine percent of Korean Americans identify as Christian. These statistics are in contrast with other Asian American groups such as the Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Vietnamese of whom 15 to 36% identify as Christian. The majority of Korean Americans across various social categories go to church. Won Moo Hurh attributes this to 4 factors, including
2100-545: A total of 5,008 registered voters in Little Ferry, of which 1,511 (30.2% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats , 634 (12.7% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,860 (57.1% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated . There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens . Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 47.1% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 58.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide). In
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#17327932020852200-687: A turnout of 70.5% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 62.7% of the vote (1,226 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.6% (716 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (13 votes), among the 2,012 ballots cast by the borough's 5,051 registered voters (57 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election , Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,160 ballots cast (52.1% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 908 votes (40.8% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 114 votes (5.1% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 13 votes (0.6% vs. 0.5%), among
2300-658: Is a controversial one: many individuals claim that the "model minority" label derides other communities of color and dismisses the challenges that the Korean Americans, and other Asian American ethnic groups, face. For instance, 12.8% of all Korean Americans live at or below the poverty line. A large number of Korean Americans do not have health insurance due to language access barriers. Furthermore, older Korean Americans, who are at significant risk of developing mental health conditions, are less likely to access mental health services even when exhibiting symptoms. This
2400-532: Is a multi-level Korean themed mall in Buena Park that houses over 100 restaurants, as well as Korean themed bars, a school, K-pop stores, and a PC gaming café. A substantial number of affluent Korean American professionals have settled in Bergen County, New Jersey since the early 2000s (decade) and have founded various academically and communally supportive organizations, including the Korean Parent Partnership Organization at
2500-650: Is due to stigma and cultural misconceptions regarding mental health conditions. Los Angeles has emerged as a major center of the Korean American community. The city has undergone a rapid transition in the 1990s marked by an influx of Koreans and investment by Korean banks and corporations. Many entrepreneurs opened small businesses, and were hard hit by the 1992 Los Angeles riots More recently, L.A.'s Koreatown has been perceived to have experienced declining political power secondary to re-districting, and an increased crime rate, prompting an exodus of Koreans from
2600-608: Is hard to determine the accuracy of this reporting due to the figures being sourced from the Korean Consulate in Korea, and the channels of various Korean-affiliated organizations. For example, tens of thousands of immigrant women who have been married to USFK since the 1950s and who have been adopted since the liberation of the United States have not been identified in the Korean consulate statistics. Korean Americans can speak
2700-401: Is increasing at a rate of 16.5%. Prominent scholars and Korean associations have reported that the Korean American population surpassed 2.5–3 million in the 2020s. However, the number of Korean Americans residing in the United States is fewer than that, according to some statistics. As of 2022, Americans of Korean descent composed an estimated 0.5% of the population, or 1,501,587 people. As
2800-573: Is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district. For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 9th congressional district was represented by Bill Pascrell ( D , Paterson ) until his death in August 2024. New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker ( Newark , term ends 2027) and George Helmy ( Mountain Lakes , term ends 2024). For
2900-418: Is privately owned. People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Little Ferry include: Borough (New Jersey) A borough (also spelled boro ), in the context of local government in the U.S. state of New Jersey , refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government (in addition to those established under a special charter ). The borough
3000-536: Is the most common form of local government in New Jersey . In 2023 there were 253 boroughs in New Jersey. However, boroughs were not always so common. In 1875 only 17 boroughs had been created, all by special acts of the legislature. These original boroughs were subdivisions of townships, established by state charter; Elizabeth was the first, established by royal charter in 1740, within the now defunct Elizabeth Township. About half of them had been dissolved, or changed into other forms of government—often cities. In 1875,
3100-501: Is the residence of the world's most extensive Korean diasporas, largely from South Korea. As of 2006, due to historical diplomatic challenges stemming from the Korean War in the 1950s, the number of North Korean defectors to the United States has remained below 220, constituting a negligible 0.008352 percent of the total Korean American demographic. Thus, it is evident that an overwhelming majority, approximately 99.991648 percent, of
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3200-546: The 2000 United States census there were 10,800 people, 4,366 households, and 2,785 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,075.2 inhabitants per square mile (2,731.7/km). There were 4,449 housing units at an average density of 2,914.6 per square mile (1,125.3/km). The racial makeup of the borough was 68.76% White , 4.71% African American , 0.15% Native American , 17.10% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 5.75% from other races , and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.19% of
3300-590: The 2012 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama received 2,024 votes (64.1% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,091 votes (34.5% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 25 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,159 ballots cast by the borough's 5,344 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.1% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama received 2,237 votes (58.2% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,537 votes (40.0% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 38 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among
3400-632: The 2024-2025 session , the 38th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Lagana ( D , Paramus ) and in the General Assembly by Lisa Swain (D, Fair Lawn ) and Chris Tully (D, Bergenfield ). Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive , with legislative functions performed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at-large to three-year terms in partisan elections on
3500-618: The Atlanta metropolitan area , mainly in Gwinnett County (2.7% Korean) and Fulton County (1.0% Korean). According to the statistics of the Overseas Korean Foundation and the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade , 107,145 South Korean children were adopted into the United States between 1953 and 2007. In a 2005 United States Census Bureau survey, an estimated 432,907 ethnic Koreans in
3600-696: The Bergen County Academies magnet high school and The Korean-American Association of New Jersey. Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey , within Bergen County, has undertaken an effort to provide comprehensive health care services to underinsured and uninsured Korean patients from a wide area with its Korean Medical Program , drawing over 1,500 Korean American patients to its annual health festival. Bergen County's Broad Avenue Koreatown in Palisades Park has emerged as
3700-749: The Bergen County Technical Schools , which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack , Applied Technology High School, located at Bergen Community College in Paramus, and the Bergen County Technical High Schools in Teterboro and Paramus . The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by
3800-529: The Flatbush section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. The boycott started by Black Nationalist , Sonny Carson , lasted for six months and became known as the Flatbush boycott . In May 2012, officials in Bergen County's borough of Palisades Park, New Jersey rejected requests by two diplomatic delegations from Japan to remove a small monument from a public park, a brass plaque on
3900-614: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 , Koreans became one of the fastest growing Asian groups in the United States, surpassed only by Filipinos . The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished the quota system that had restricted the numbers of Asians allowed to enter the United States. Over 560,000 Koreans have immigrated to the US from 1970 to 1990. Large numbers of Koreans, including some from North Korea who had come via South Korea, have immigrated ever since, placing Korea in
4000-627: The Korean War and later emigrated to the United States. Since the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 allowed North Korean defectors to be admitted as refugees, about 130 have settled in the U.S. under that status after 2004. The counties with largest Korean population are Los Angeles County and Orange County in California, Bergen County in New Jersey, and Queens County in New York. Korean Immigration to
4100-544: The New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed its latest plan to address issues at the circle. The plan would realign the circle into a straight intersection, complete with turning lanes; prohibit left turns onto many residential streets; and would include construction of a pump station to move water off the oft-flooded highway and into the Hackensack River. This plan was later completed, with
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4200-627: The Oriental Exclusion Act) also worked to systematically exclude Korean immigrants from coming to the US. Due to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 , opportunities were more open to Asian Americans, enabling Korean Americans to move out of enclaves into middle-class neighborhoods. When the Korean War ended in 1953, small numbers of students and professionals entered the United States. A larger group of immigrants included women married with U.S. servicemen commonly referred to as "war brides". These women faced discrimination in
4300-411: The highest Korean-American density and percentage of any municipality in the United States. The city of Los Angeles contained the highest Korean American population of any city proper in 2010, approximately 108,282. Between 1990 and 2000, Georgia was home to the fastest-growing Korean community in the U.S., growing at a rate of 88.2% over that decade. There is a significant Korean American population in
4400-614: The 1970s for the filming of Bounty paper towel commercials featuring Nancy Walker as Rosie the Waitress. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Little Ferry 35th in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough had a total area of 1.67 square miles (4.32 km), including 1.48 square miles (3.83 km) of land and 0.19 square miles (0.50 km) of water (11.44%). The borough borders
4500-462: The 2,225 ballots cast by the borough's 5,180 registered voters, yielding a 43.0% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county). The Little Ferry Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade . As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 806 students and 84.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. The district's two school buildings are located across
4600-570: The 2008 presidential election favored Democrat Barack Obama by a 64% to 35% margin over Republican John McCain In the 2008 U.S. presidential election , Korean Americans favored Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain , around 59% to 41%. However, there are still more registered Republican Korean Americans than registered Democrats. Korean Americans, due to their Republican and Christian leanings, overwhelmingly supported California's constitutional gay marriage ban, Proposition 8 . According to
4700-453: The 2011 election, Mauro Raguseo was re-elected, defeating Republican Bernard Sobolewski, while council incumbents Roberta Henriquez and Peggy Steinhilber earned new terms in office, fending off Republican challengers Eileen De Leeuw and Stephen Lanum. In the 2010 general election, incumbents Thomas Sarlo and Sue Schuck were re-elected to three-year terms of office, knocking off Republican challengers Foster Lowe and Claudia Zilocchi. Little Ferry
4800-466: The 24 counted in 2000. 19.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.8 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
4900-426: The 3,844 ballots cast by the borough's 5,393 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.3% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election , Democrat John Kerry received 2,064 votes (54.9% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,645 votes (43.8% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 29 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,759 ballots cast by the borough's 5,335 registered voters, for
5000-463: The 564) statewide that use this form, the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on
5100-679: The Bergen County municipalities of Hackensack , Moonachie , Ridgefield , Ridgefield Park , South Hackensack and Teterboro . The borough lies near the confluence of the Hackensack River and Overpeck Creek in the New Jersey Meadowlands . The 2010 United States census counted 10,626 people, 4,239 households, and 2,730 families in the borough. The population density was 7,200.1 per square mile (2,780.0/km). There were 4,439 housing units at an average density of 3,007.8 per square mile (1,161.3/km). The racial makeup
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#17327932020855200-459: The Korean American population traces its roots to South Korea. The Republic of Korea is acknowledged as a principal ally of the United States, fostering a relationship built on mutual values, intertwined economic interests, and strategic security cooperation. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, as of 2021, the population of Overseas Koreans residing in the United States
5300-700: The New York City Metropolitan Area, at 6.5% of Bergen County's population in 2022, was the highest of any county in the United States. Bergen County, host to the county's highly ranked Academies magnet public high school as well as to the North American headquarters operations of South Korean chaebols including Samsung , LG Corp , and Hanjin Shipping , was home to all of the nation's top 10 municipalities by percentage of Korean population. These top 10 municipalities in
5400-533: The New York City metropolitan area have the largest populations of Koreans outside of the Korean Peninsula. Among Korean Americans born in Korea , the Los Angeles metropolitan area had 226,000 as of 2012; New York (including Northern New Jersey ) had 153,000 Korean-born Korean Americans; and Washington had 60,000. By percentage, the Korean American population of Bergen County , New Jersey , in
5500-589: The Overseas Koreans Foundation reporting a figure of 2,615,419. As of 2023, the United States, which is home to the largest population of overseas Koreans , has the following distribution of Korean Americans. In 2023, the proportion of Korean Americans in the population varies significantly across the United States. The highest proportion is in Hawaii, accounting for 3.87% of the state's total population. California follows with 1.43%, hosting
5600-465: The Right Thing . Their children, along with those of other Asian Americans, would also be noted in headlines and magazine covers in the 1980s for their numbers in prestigious universities and highly skilled white collar professions. Favorable socioeconomic status and education have led to the painting of Asian Americans, including Korean Americans, as a " model minority ". However, this label
5700-527: The U.S. Congress in 2005. It honors the significant contributions of Korean Americans in various fields such as small business, the military, faith leadership, medicine, the arts, and politics, reflecting over a century of their impact on American society. Celebrities are named at List of Korean Americans . In a poll from the Asia Times before the 2004 U.S. presidential election , Korean Americans narrowly favored Republican candidate George W. Bush by
5800-474: The U.S. were native-born Americans, and 973,780 were foreign-born . Korean Americans that were naturalized citizens numbered at 530,100, while 443,680 Koreans in the U.S. were not American citizens. While people living in North Korea cannot—except under rare circumstances—leave their country, there are many people of North Korean origin living in the U.S., a substantial portion who fled to the south during
5900-592: The US and Korea. Koreans suffered from a series of natural disasters and heavy taxation. In Hawaii, plantation owners who had relied upon Chinese and Japanese labor faced a labor shortage after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Koreans were brought in as an alternative labor source. King Kojong promoted Korean immigration by establishing a Korean Department of Emigration and granting American businessmen permission to recruit Koreans for immigration to Korea. Between 1904 and 1907, about 1,000 Koreans entered
6000-462: The US as well as in South Korea, where many were labelled as whores or traitors. Following in 1953, South Korea had allowed international adoption. This had stemmed from the result of the Korean war as it left many children displaced. As a result of allowing external adoption in South Korea , a majority of the children have been adopted from families across the United States. With the passage of
6100-546: The US can be divided into four phases: Around 1884, following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and Korea (then referred to as Chosen) through the Treaty of Peace, Anmity, Commerce, and Navigation , a small number of diplomats entered the US as part of the 1883 Korean special mission to the United States . Included among the members of this mission were Min Yong-ik [ ko ] and Yu Kil-chun ,
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#17327932020856200-432: The US through a third country. Individuals such as Whang Sa Sun, who were deeply involved in the Korean independence movement also came to the US to escape Japanese persecution. Between 1905 and 1910, political activities in Korean American communities surged in opposition towards Japanese aggression towards Korea. Korean Americans formed organizations throughout the US, with a concentration in Hawaii and California. In 1903,
6300-529: The United States came to a virtual halt. The Japanese colonial government had initially allowed Koreans to immigrate to the US starting in 1902, but later banned Korean emigration to secure manpower on the Korean peninsula and to protect Japanese Americans from Korean competition in the US. The Japanese government did, however, allow Korean women to immigrate to the US (many of whom arrived as picture brides) to pacify nationalist sentiment in Korean American communities. The Immigration Act of 1924 (also referred to as
6400-603: The United States in 1902 for education. He founded the Friendship Society in 1903 and the Mutual Assistance Society. He was also a political activist during the Japanese occupation of Korea . Another prominent figure among the Korean immigrant community was Syngman Rhee , a Methodist. He came to the United States in 1904 and earned a bachelor's degree at George Washington University in 1907,
6500-487: The United States of full or partial Korean descent. While the broader term Overseas Korean in America ( 미주한인/재미교포/재미한인 ) may refer to ethnic Koreans residing in the U.S., the specific designation of Korean American implies that an individual holds American citizenship . Korean Americans may, however, possess dual-citizenship with the Republic of Korea. Known as "dual citizens by birth" (or 선천적 복수국적자), these individuals are
6600-468: The activities of Korean Americans across North America, holding mass protests and positioning itself as the official representative of Korean Americans. Leaders included An Changho, Syngman Rhee, and Park Yong-man . This organization, along with many others, would play a key role in the Korean independence movement between 1910 and 1945. After the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910, Korean migration to
6700-403: The age of 18; 47.9% were married couples living together; 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.6% were non-families. Of all households, 31.0% were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.19. Same-sex couples headed 27 households in 2010, an increase from
6800-746: The area. Furthermore, the aftermath of the 1992 riots witnessed a large number of Koreans from Southern California moving to the San Francisco Bay Area and opening businesses and buying property near downtown Oakland , furthering the growth of that city's Koreatown until the early 2000s. According to Park (1998), the violence against Korean Americans in 1992 stimulated a new wave of political activism among Korean Americans, but it also split them into two main camps. The "liberals" sought to unite with other minorities in Los Angeles to fight against racial oppression and scapegoating. The "conservatives," emphasized law and order and generally favored
6900-408: The average family size was 3.16. In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males. The median income for a household in the borough
7000-414: The children of parents with South Korean citizenship born in the US. As of 2021, it is estimated that there are 20,000 second generation Korean Americans who are dual citizens by birth. In contrast to Northeast Asia, which is grappling with a significant low birth rate issue, the number of Korean Americans with both parents from Korea is growing by 5.9%. Moreover, the population of those with mixed heritage
7100-565: The circle no longer in existence. NJ Transit bus routes 161 and 165 provide service between Little Ferry and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan , with local service on the 772 route. The Little Ferry Seaplane Base ( FAA LID : 2N7 ) is a public-use seaplane base located 1-mile (1.6 km) east of the borough's central business district , on the Hackensack River . The base
7200-419: The council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. As of 2024, the mayor of Little Ferry is Democrat Mauro D. Raguseo, serving now in his 5th consecutive (4 year) term of office which ends December 31, 2027. Raguseo previously was elected and served on the borough council from 2000- 2007. He
7300-542: The economic and social policies of the Republican Party. The conservatives tended to emphasize the political differences between Koreans and other minorities, specifically blacks and Hispanics. Abelmann and Lie, (1997) report that the most profound result was the politicization of Korean Americans, all across the U.S. The younger generation especially realized they had been too uninvolved in American politics, and
7400-616: The first U.S. monument to pay respects to comfort women was erected. According to The Record , the Korean American Association of New Jersey petitioned Bergen County school officials in 2013 to use textbooks that refer to the Sea of Japan as the East Sea as well. In February 2014, Bergen County lawmakers announced legislative efforts to include the name East Sea in future New Jersey school textbooks. In April 2014,
7500-583: The five Korean Americans elected to the U.S. Congress, only Andy Kim was born in the United States: Jay Kim, Young Kim, Michelle Steel, and Marilyn Strickland were all born in Korea and immigrated, with Strickland having a father in the American military. Religious Makeup of Korean-Americans (2012) Korean Americans have historically had a very strong Christian—particularly Protestant—heritage. Between 60% and 65% identify as Christian; 40% of those consist of immigrants who were not Christians at
7600-628: The growing Korean hub of Bergen County, New Jersey, across the George Washington Bridge from New York City , were led by Palisades Park , the municipality with the highest density of ethnic Koreans in the Western Hemisphere . Displaying ubiquitous Hangul signage and known as the Korean Village , Palisades Park uniquely comprises a Korean majority, at 53.7% of the borough 's population in 2022. with both
7700-755: The highest Korean American populations as per the 2010 census were the Greater Los Angeles area Combined Statistical Area (334,329) and the Greater New York Combined Statistical Area (218,764). The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area ranks third, with approximately 93,000 Korean Americans clustered in Howard and Montgomery Counties in Maryland and Fairfax County in Virginia. Southern California and
7800-617: The largest group within the Overseas Korean community, Korean Americans often trace their lineage to South Korea, which accounts for the majority of their ancestral origins. As of 2023, Korean Americans made up about 0.6% of the U.S. population, numbering approximately 2 million people. They are the fifth-largest subgroup within the Asian American community, following Chinese Americans , Filipino Americans , Indian Americans , and Vietnamese Americans . The United States
7900-410: The latter of whom stayed in the US for several years to study, making him the first Korean exchange student in the US. One of the first Korean Americans was Philip Jaisohn , who came to America in 1884 and became a leader in the movement for Korean independence . Another prominent figure among the Korean immigrant community is Ahn Chang Ho , art name Dosan, a Protestant social activist. He came to
8000-516: The legislature. The elected mayor and six-member council were retained, with the mayor now serving a two-year term. The Borough Act of 1987 was created to streamline borough law and clear away amendments, changes, and contradictory rules that had accumulated over the century of the Borough's existence as a form of government. The 1987 Act allowed for the delegation of executive responsibility to an appointed administrator. Traditionally, voters elect
8100-591: The mainland from Hawaii through San Francisco. Many Koreans dispersed along the Pacific Coast as farm workers or as wage laborers in mining companies and as section hands on the railroads. Picture brides became a common practice for marriage to Korean men. Other than those seeking better economic opportunities in the US, there were also Koreans who left for the US as refugees of the Japanese empire. Between 1910 and 1918, 541 students escaped Japan and arrived in
8200-408: The population. There were 4,366 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and
8300-437: The results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was formed during the " Boroughitis " phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. During the colonial era, the borough was the site of an important ferry crossing between the region's towns at Bergen and Hackensack , which was operated by rope on the site starting in 1659, continuing until 1826 when it
8400-549: The riot shifted their political attention from South Korea to conditions in the United States. Also accelerated by the 1992 riots, Orange County's Korean population grew from its starting point in Koreatown, Garden Grove . As of 2020, Orange County had the second largest number of Korean Americans of any county in America, neighboring Los Angeles County has the most, numbering over 229,593. Koreans originally moved into Garden Grove after Olympic gold medalist Sammy Lee bought
8500-743: The same year that the first Korean laborers arrived in Hawai, Koreans formed the Sinminhoe (New People's Association). In 1909, two of the largest Korean American organizations would merge to form the Korean National Association , the largest Korean immigrant organization in North America. Established in San Francisco, The Korean National Association, would eventually expand to 130 chapters. The organization coordinated
8600-591: The street from each other. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Washington Elementary School with 445 students in grades PreK-4 and Memorial Middle School with 342 students in grades 5-8. As Little Ferry does not have its own high school, public school students from the borough attend Ridgefield Park High School in Ridgefield Park for ninth through twelfth grades as part of
8700-409: The student's home school district. As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 20.20 miles (32.51 km) of roadways, of which 15.95 miles (25.67 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.42 miles (5.50 km) by Bergen County and 0.83 miles (1.34 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation . The Little Ferry Circle connected U.S. Route 46 and Bergen Turnpike. The circle
8800-417: The time of their arrival in the United States. There are about 4,000 Korean Christian churches in the United States. According to a 2016 survey, Presbyterian churches accounted for 42%, followed by Baptists (17%) and Methodists (12%). However, according to a study by UC Riverside in 2020, 64% of Korean American Christians identify as Presbyterians, followed by Methodists (11%) and Baptists (7%). According to
8900-795: The top six countries of origin of immigrants to the United States since 1975. The reasons for immigration vary and include the desire for freedom and to seek better economic opportunities. The 1965 Immigration Act also generated a shift in the demographics of the Korean American community, with "new immigrants" making up the majority of the Korean American population. In the 1980s and 1990s, Koreans became noted not only for starting small businesses such as dry cleaners or convenience stores, but also for diligently planting churches. They would venture into abandoned cities and start up businesses which happened to be predominantly African American in demographics. This would sometimes lead to publicized tensions with customers as dramatized in movies such as Spike Lee's Do
9000-448: Was $ 49,958, and the median income for a family was $ 59,176. Males had a median income of $ 42,059 versus $ 34,286 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 24,210. About 5.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. Little Ferry is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 218 municipalities (of
9100-424: Was $ 57,276 (with a margin of error of +/− $ 6,389) and the median family income was $ 74,000 (+/− $ 10,299). Males had a median income of $ 52,898 (+/− $ 3,123) versus $ 40,934 (+/− $ 3,050) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 29,257 (+/− $ 2,542). About 4.8% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over. As of
9200-496: Was 2,633,777. This figure includes both U.S. citizens of Korean descent and South Korean nationals living in the U.S. Specifically, there were 1,529,855 U.S. citizens of Korean descent and 1,103,922 South Korean nationals. By 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the number of Korean Americans as 1,469,854, considering only those who identified with a single race. Notably, about 1,011,589 of these individuals were born in Korea. The population has remained relatively stable into 2023, with
9300-406: Was 60.78% (6,458) White , 3.94% (419) Black or African American , 0.30% (32) Native American , 24.24% (2,576) Asian , 0.04% (4) Pacific Islander , 7.05% (749) from other races , and 3.65% (388) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.98% (2,442) of the population. Korean Americans accounted for 12.0% of the population. Of the 4,239 households, 26.5% had children under
9400-685: Was appointed instead as deputy general counsel of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . According to The Record of Bergen County, the U.S. Census Bureau has determined the county's Korean American population—2010 census figures put it at 56,773 (increasing to 63,247 by the 2011 American Community Survey ) —grew enough to warrant language assistance during elections, and Bergen County's Koreans have earned significant political respect . As of May 2014, Korean Americans had garnered at least four borough council seats in Bergen County. In 1990, Korean American owned shops were boycotted in
9500-547: Was cited by county executive Kathleen Donovan in the context of Hackensack, New Jersey attorney Jae Y. Kim's appointment to Central Municipal Court judgeship in January 2011. Subsequently, in January 2012, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie nominated attorney Phillip Kwon of Bergen County for New Jersey Supreme Court justice, although this nomination was rejected by the state's Senate Judiciary Committee, and in July 2012, Kwon
9600-587: Was elected to the council at the age of 22, at the time one of the youngest elected officials in the State of New Jersey. He was elected the youngest Mayor in Borough history November 2007 at the age of 29. In 2024 he became the longest serving mayor in Little Ferry's history elected five times to the office. Members of the borough council are Council President Ronald Anzalone (D, 2024), Jenifer Lange (D, 2023), Stephen Lanum (D, 2025), George J. Muller (D, 2024), Alexander Enrique (D, 2025) and Peggy Steinhilber (D, 2023). In
9700-457: Was originally constructed in 1933 in conjunction with the nearby Route 46 Hackensack River Bridge , which crosses the river to Ridgefield Park and beyond to the George Washington Bridge .The circle was largely reconstructed in 1985, allowing vehicles traveling on Route 46 to pass directly through the circle. The circle has been a constant site of accidents, with 40-50 accidents per year at the circle each year from 2004 through 2006. In March 2007,
9800-617: Was rampant, with 70 to 80% of nail salon owners in New York being Korean, per the Korean American Nail Salon Association; with the growth and concentration in the number of salons in New York City far outstripping the remainder of the United States since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . Abuses routinely included underpayment and non-payment to employees for services rendered, exacting poor working conditions, and stratifying pay scales and working conditions for Korean employees above non-Koreans. It
9900-620: Was replaced by a bridge on the Bergen Turnpike . Gethsemane Cemetery , an African burial ground, was opened in 1860 and was used for interments until 1924. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In the earlier 20th nearby Fort Lee on the Hudson Palisades was home to many film studios of America's first motion picture industry . On July 9, 1937, a major fire broke out in
10000-656: Was the first Korean American person elected to Congress. He represented portions of Orange County, California. He was defeated for re-election in the Republican primary in 1998. In 2018, Andy Kim was elected to Congress from central New Jersey, becoming the first Democratic and second overall Korean American to serve in Congress. The 2020 elections saw the first three Korean American women elected to Congress, Republicans Young Kim and Michelle Steel of California and Democrat Marilyn Strickland of Washington. Out of
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