The First Russian Immigrant-Entrepreneurs- in San Francisco

 
“Unexpected entrepreneurs: business enterprises of émigrés from Russia in San Francisco before the Second World War” – such was the title of the lecture, held on October 8 in the Russian Center, by Maria Sakovich, historian and independent investigator of the history of immigration from Russia. Maria’s forefathers arrived in America with the first wave of Russian immigration, and she herself dedicated many years to gathering materials about the life of the Russian-speaking colony in San Francisco.  Ms. Sakovich showed unique photographs, on which are depicted Russian immigrants of those times, and described two decades in the lives of these people.

The first émigrés from Russia began arriving in northern California in the 19th century.  Generally, these were people of working classes.  A separate category of immigrant was composed of religious immigrants – Malaccans and Baptists, who settled predominantly in the region of Sonoma and Sacramento.

However, the Russian colony in San Francisco truly began to be formed in the early 1920’s, when people fleeing the Bolshevik regime began to arrive from Russia.  Some arrived in America after having lived for some time in China.  There, in Shanghai and Harbin, were large colonies of émigrés from Russia.  Many of these future residents of San Francisco were well educated and knew foreign languages, primarily French and German, but few of them could express themselves fluently in English, and thus had to learn the language here in America.  Among the arrivals were Russians, Jews, and Armenians.  They settled mostly in the area of Fillmore Street, where apartments were relatively inexpensive.  Those who had arrived in the city earlier helped the new arrivals to find places to live and work.

Gradually the immigrants from Russia settled in their new location.  In the city Russian Orthodox churches were opened, as well as Russian clubs, groceries and general stores, bakeries and restaurants serving national cuisine.  In 1925, on Post Street, the first Russian kindergarten was opened. In those years four newspapers were published in Russian, two of which turned out to be “long-lived”: “New Dawn” existed until 1973, and “Russian Life” survives and thrives to this day, having recently celebrated its 90th anniversary.

In 1929 ten Russian émigré doctors practiced in San Francisco, and by 1939 the Russian medical community had 17 members, among them seven women.  Generally, in the tough conditions of immigration, Russian women demonstrated courage, initiative, and business talent.  Many of them not only helped their husbands, but themselves opened cafes and inexpensive boarding hotels and tailor shops.  In the city there were 14 musical schools and two dance studios, managed by women from Russia.

The lecture by Ms. Sakovich, organized by the Congress of Russian Americans and the Russian Center of San Francisco, aroused great interest.