History of Bosnian Americans in St. Louis

The city of St. Louis, Missouri, and metropolitan area includes the largest Bosnian American population and largest Bosnian population outside of Europe. The highest concentration of Bosnians in St. Louis is in the "Little Bosnia" neighborhood of Bevo Mill. The Bosnian cultural imprint can be seen in the numerous Bosnian restaurants, bakeries, and cafes, as well as several Bosnian mosques and religious organizations.

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Ethnic groups in St. Louis
Sebilj in St. Louis, a replica of the Sebilj in Sarajevo, June 2018
"Little Bosnia" in the neighborhood of Bevo Mill, July 2017

History
St. Louis Bosnian Chamber of Commerce, April 2013

The first wave of Bosnians arrived in the 1990s, refugees of the Bosnian War.[1] According to the refugee organization International Institute of St. Louis, the metropolitan area had about 70,000 people of Bosnian origins circa the late 1990s and early 2000s, the highest recorded number as of date.[2]

On September 29, 2013, the Bosnian community donated a replica of Sebilj (kiosk-shaped public fountain) to the city of St. Louis for its 250th birthday.[3] It was modeled after the famous 18th century one in Sarajevo, to mark the center of their community.

In 2014, a Bosniak-American named Zamir Begic was beaten to death with hammers. The murder caused shock in the Bosnian community of St. Louis and protests were held against violent crime. Because Begic was white and his suspected assailants were Black and Latino, some claimed that the murder of Begic was an example of "black-on-white" crime while others claimed it was a "a targeted attack on Bosnians". While the belief that Begic was targeted due to his ethnicity or race contributed to racial tensions between the Black community and white Muslims of Bosnian descent, St. Louis police did not believe the attack had any ethnic or racial basis.[4][5]

By 2019, according to the International Institute of St. Louis, the number of people of Bosnian ancestry in the metropolitan area had declined to 50,000, with an outflow of ethnic Bosnians from the St. Louis city limits and with some going to other states. A decline in the St. Louis economy and criminal activity were factors behind ethnic Bosnians leaving the city.[2]

Demographics

As of 2013 there were 70,000 Bosnians in St. Louis. This is the largest population of Bosnians in the United States and the largest Bosnian population outside of Europe.[6] Most are Bosniak and practice Islam, but a minority practice other religions including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

As of 2013 the highest concentrations of Bosnians are in the neighborhood of Bevo Mill.[7] There are also Bosnians in Affton, Mehlville and Oakville of south St. Louis County.

See also

References
  1. "Keeping Up With the Jasarevics". The Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  2. Delkic, Melina (2019-08-18). "'It's Not the Same': Why War Refugees Who Helped Revive St. Louis Are Leaving". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  3. In Little Bosnia, a gift from immigrants -
  4. "Are the media ignoring another St Louis killing?". BBC. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
  5. "St. Louis Bosnians Have Been Dragged to the Forefront of the City's Racial Tensions". Vice News. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
  6. "Why Are There So Many Bosnians in St. Louis?". The Atlantic Cities. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  7. Gilsinan, Kathy. "Why Are There So Many Bosnians in St. Louis?". The Atlantic Cities. Atlantic Media Company. Retrieved 15 February 2013.

Further reading
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