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At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Michigan was home to the second-largest Belgian population in the United States, and Detroit had one of the largest Belgian populations in the nation. Although immigration declined after World War I, the Belgian- American community is still prominent in the state. Political, religious, and economic conditions, including a nineteenth- century economic depression, helped motivate the move to America. Belgians brought with them the ability and willingness to innovate, as well as a tradition of hard work and devotion. The Gazette van Detroit, a Flemish-language newspaper first printed in Detroit in 1914, continues to be produced and distributed to subscribers throughout the United States and overseas. Belgian-Americans continue to incorporate traditional values with newfound American values, enabling them to forever preserve their heritage.
"The book begins with a very informative historical introduction. Readers will learn, for example, that (1) Belgium did not become an independent country until 1830; (2) the area that became Belgium had been a focal point of international power politics for hundreds of years; (3) the inhabitants of Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, constitute 60% of the population, while the remainder are French-speaking and, to a far lesser extent, German-speaking; (4) Flemish emigration to the U.S. began in earnest during the last quarter of the 19th century; and (5) today, there are about 350,000 Americans of Flemish descent, most of whom live in the upper Midwest (Michigan and Wisconsin)"--Publisher website (July 2007).
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