Some of famous Americans with Slovak descent

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• published: 19 Oct 2010
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Slovakia is at the crossroads between eastern and western Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Hungary to the south, the Czech Republic to the west, and Ukraine to the east. Although a small country, with a land mass of 18,919 square miles, Slovakia's topography varies widely. Slovakia's population is 5,297,000. Although the country is ethnically diverse, Slovaks are the overwhelming majority accounting for 4.5 million (85.6 percent) of the inhabitants. The populace also includes approximately 600,000 (10.8 percent) Hungarians and 79,500 (1.5 percent) Gypsies. The remaining population consists primarily of Czechs, Jews, and Carpatho-Rusyns. The official language is Slovak. Slightly more than 60 percent of Slovakia's inhabitants are Roman Catholic while 8.4 percent are Protestant. Throughout most of its history modern-day Slovakia was not an independent country. Its inhabitants were subject peoples of multi-national empires. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed in 1918, Slovaks joined with Czechs to create an independent Czechoslovakia. Except for a short period of independence during World War II (1939-1945), Slovakia remained part of that multi-national state until 1993. A few Slovaks immigrated to the United States before the American Civil War but their numbers were small. Large-scale Slovak immigration to the United States began in the late 1870s, steadily increased during the following two decades, and peaked in 1905 when 52,368 Slovaks entered. Slovak immigration declined precipitously during World War I and started up again after hostilities ended in 1918. The movement came almost to a complete halt in the 1920s when American immigration laws virtually stopped East European immigration into the United States. According to immigration records 480,201 Slovaks entered the country between 1899 and 1918. Often called "birds of passage," they worked temporarily in America and then returned to Europe. They wanted to earn money to buy property in their homeland. It was common for Slovaks to make several trips between the United States and Upper Hungary. Over time, many birds of passage decided to stay in America and sent for their families. The reasons for staying varied. Some were unable to save enough money to buy land and in some regions of their homeland no land was available. Others decided that America promised a better future while others married and decided to stay. Whatever their motives, between 1880 and the mid-1920s probably between 450,000 and 500,000 Slovaks moved permanently to the United States. More than half the Slovak immigrants went to Pennsylvania and primarily to the milltowns and coal mining districts in the state's western region. Other popular destinations included Ohio, New Jersey, New York, and Illinois. Eighty percent of Slovak immigrants had been common or farm laborers in their homeland. Having few skills Slovaks found jobs as manual laborers in heavy industries, especially in steel and allied industries that produced durable goods. A large number of Slovaks also toiled in coal mines. In 1910 surveys revealed that 82 percent of Slovak males labored as miners or in iron and steel mills. Some Slovak women were employed as domestics, but in cities they often worked in food processing plants. Here are some of the famous americans with slovak descent: Andy Warhol - famous painter (both parents were from Slovakia) Paul Newman - actor and film director (mother was Slovak) Michael Strank - Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Strank was leader of the group in the famous picture of Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (born in Slovakia and grew up in Pennsylvania) Steve McQueen - actor (Slovak father and McQueen being his adopted name) Jon Voight - actor (paternal grandfather was from Slovakia-Kosice) Angelina Jolie - actress, former fashion model and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency (Slovak grand-grandfather) Jon Bob Jovi - singer, musician, actor (his father has slovak ancestry) Jim Caviezel - film actor (mother of his father was Slovak) Jesse Ventura - 38th Governor of Minnesota, wrestler, television personality (his paternal grandparents were from Slovakia) Tom Selleck - actor (slovak father) Tom Ridge - politician (slovak maternal grandparents) But these people are not the only famous ones with slovak descent as I am finding a bit more from viewers's comments :-) Song: Robbie Williams-Millenium (I do not own rights on music used in my video)