List of Albanian Americans
| Lists of Americans |
|---|
| By US state |
| By ethnicity |
This is a list of notable Albanian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
Note: An asterisk (*) next to a name indicates that the person is Arbëreshe, an Albanian subgroup from Italy.
Politics
- Sal Albanese* – politician
- Richard Caliguiri* – politician
- Joe DioGuardi* – Congressman[1]
- Hasan Dosti – jurist and politician
- Victor Dosti – politician
- Mid’hat Frashëri – diplomat, writer and politician
- Gjevalin Gegaj – member of the board of trustees of the National Albanian American Council (NAAC)
- Mark Gjonaj – assemblyman, New York
- John Goci – congressional candidate[2][3]
- Spiridon Ilo – nationalist, politician
- Rexhep Krasniqi – historian, teacher, nationalist, and anti-communist politician and activist
- Petro Nini Luarasi – priest, writer, teacher, nationalist
- Konstantina Lukes – former mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
- Fan Noli – former Prime Minister of Albania and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church
- John Papajani – former Washington State Senate member[4][5][6]
- Victor H. Schiro* – politician, 55th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Nicholas Scutari* – Democratic Party politician
- Bardhyl Tirana – co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee (1976–1977) and director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (1977–1979)[7]
- Kolë Tromara – nationalist and political figure of the first half of the 20th century.
- Bilal Xhaferri – poet and novelist, political
Science and academia
- Carol Folt – biologist and first woman leader of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- William G. Gregory – astronaut
- Laura Mersini-Houghton – cosmologist
- Ferid Murad – medical researcher Nobel laureate[8]
- Arshi Pipa – philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic[9]
- Andrea Shundi – agronomist
- Stavro Skëndi – linguist and historian[10]
Cinema
- Jim Belushi – actor
- John Belushi – actor and film producer
- Robert Belushi – actor
- James Biberi – actor
- Mike Bongiorno – Italian-American television host
- Tracee Chimo – actress
- Eliza Dushku – actress
- Nate Dushku – actor
- Mike Dusi – actor and film producer
- Enver Gjokaj – actor
- Victor Gojcaj – actor
- Agim Kaba – actor and film producer
- Masiela Lusha – actress
- Pjetër Malota – actor
- Andamion Murataj – Albanian film director, producer, and screenwriter
- Mitchel Musso – actor
- J. J. Philbin – American producer and screenwriter
- Nickola Shreli – actor and producer
- Klement Tinaj – actor
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Arts and entertainment
- Michael Bellusci – musician and drummer
- Olivier Berggruen – art historian and curator; his maternal grandfather is Alessandro Moissi who is of Albanian origin
- Big Body Bes – hip-hop artist
- Anita Bitri – singer
- Njomza – singer
- Bleona – singer
- Action Bronson – hip-hop artist
- Luke Burbank[11][12] – radio and podcast host
- Drita D'Avanzo – television personality
- Kara DioGuardi* – singer/songwriter and television personality
- Tony Dovolani – professional ballroom dancer
- Stan Dragoti – film director, producer, artist
- Kristine Elezaj – singer
- Bosch Fawstin – cartoonist
- Gashi – hip-hop artist
- Jen Selter – Fitness model
- Genta Ismajli – American-Albanian singer, songwriter, and actress
- JMSN – singer/songwriter and producer
- Joe Lala – actor and singer
- Paul Leka – music songwriter and producer
- Lindita – Singer and songwriter
- Ava Max – singer
- Gjon Mili – pioneer photographer
- Burim Myftiu – contemporary photographer
- Thomas Nassi – musician and composer
- Vasiliev Nini – Albanian-born American sculptor
- George Pali – painter
- Steven Parrino – American artist and musician associated with energetic punk nihilism
- Talip Peshkepia – film composer and songwriter
- Regis Philbin* – television personality
- Bebe Rexha – singer and songwriter
- Sxip Shirey – American electric-acoustic composer, performer, and storyteller
- Bobbi Starr – pornographic actress
- Aureta Thomollari – Albanian American luxury consultant
- Sislej Xhafa – contemporary artist
- Unikkatil – Albanian American rapper
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Literature
- Pema Browne – American abstract artist
- Costa Chekrezi – Albanian patriot, historian, and publicist
- Daniela Gioseffi – poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and performer
- Betim Muço – writer, poet, translator, and seismologist
- Emin Toro – American lawyer
- Ardian Vehbiu – author and translator
Business and civil society
- Anthony Athanas – restaurateur
- Ekrem Bardha – businessman, political activist
- Nicolas Berggruen – businessman
- Mark Gjonaj – businessman, politician
- Florin Krasniqi – businessman, politician
- James J. Schiro* – businessman
- Martin Shkreli – businessman
- Ramiz Tafilaj – businessman, political activist
- Olsi Rama – project manager
- Louis V. Mato – American politician and businessman
- Gjevalin Gegaj – American businessman
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Media
- Fadil Berisha – photographer
- Emin Kadi – photographer, journalist, art director
- Florina Kaja – singer and reality TV actress, The Bad Girls Club Season 4
- Bill Kovach – journalist and editor
- Donald Lambro – journalist[13]
- Eric Margolis – journalist and editor of the Toronto Sun; mother is Albanian[14]
- Gjekë Marinaj – author and translator
- Gjon Mili – photographer
- Burim Myftiu – photographer
- Tom Perrotta* – novelist and screenwriter[15]
- Molly Qerim – moderator, reporter
- George Tames – photographer for The New York Times[16]
- Nick Tosches* – journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet
- Nexhmie Zaimi – journalist
- Iliriana Sulkuqi – journalist
Models
- Emina Cunmulaj – model
- Floriana Garo – Television presenter and model
- Jasmina Cunmulaj – American model
- Afërdita Dreshaj – model, singer, beauty queen
- Angela Martini – model
- Cindy Marina – model, volleyball player, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Albania 2019
Science and technology
- Donald Leka – pioneer in cloud computing and creator of the award-winning Glide OS[17][18]
Sport
- Panajot Pano – Albanian football player
- Dilly Duka – MLS soccer player
- Lee Elia – baseball player, coach and manager
- Elizabeta Karabolli – shooting sport
- Elvir Muriqi – professional boxer
- Aaron Palushaj – professional hockey player
- Besim Tafilaj – American basketball player
- Andy Parrino* – baseball player
- Dominick Bellizzi – American jockey
- Enkelejda Shehu – air pistol shooter who represented Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro
- Jaren Sina – basketball player
- Kristjan Sokoli – NFL player
- Donald Suxho – volleyball
- Andy Varipapa* – professional trick bowler
- Joe Albanese* – baseball player
- Robert Baggio Kcira* – American soccer player
- Šaćir Hot – American soccer player
- Frank Leskaj – American swimmer who swam for Albania at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona by swimming in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, and the 100m Breaststroke
- Halil Kanacević – American-born Montenegrin professional basketball player
- Max Rugova – Kosovo Albanian professional footballer
- Sadri Gjonbalaj – retired American soccer player
- Klonarda Nezaj – Albanian volleyball player.
- Tie Domi – professional ice hockey player.
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Religion
- Archbishop Nikon of Boston – OCA's Bishop of Diocese of New England, Locum tenens of Diocese of the South, and Archbishop of American Albanian Archdiocese
- Baba Rexheb
Criminals
- John Alite – mobster
- Joseph Ardizzone* – mobster
- Ismail Lika – mobster
- Alex Rudaj – mobster
References
- ^ Susan Araki Vergnani (2002). "Albanian Merchants Add Verve to Bronx's "Little Italy"". Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006.
- ^ "John Goci".
- ^ "Feds drop charge against former congressional candidate accused of lying in probe of hamburger joint owner". September 12, 2012.
- ^ Izhikevich, Eugene (2006), "Main Page", Scholarpedia (in Albanian), 1 (2), Qyteza.org: 1, Bibcode:2006SchpJ...1....1I, doi:10.4249/scholarpedia.1, archived from the original on October 25, 2016, retrieved October 13, 2013
- ^ "Our Campaigns – Candidate – John Papajani". ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ Dorril, Stephen (2002). MI6. Simon and Schuster. p. 379. ISBN 9780743217781.
john papajani.
- ^ "Albanian Americans – History, The first Albanians in america, Significant immigration waves". everyculture.com.
- ^ "Ferid Murad: Albanian-American Nobel Prize Winner". frosina.org. August 6, 2004. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
- ^ Elsie, Robert. "Arshi Pipa". Robert Elsie. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
Writer and scholar, Arshi Pipa (1920–1997) ..studied philosophy...published... poetry
- ^ Kondi, Rafaela; Prifti, Peter (September 22, 2000). "The Teaching of Albanian at Columbia University by Peter Prifti, Rafaela Kondi". East European Quarterly. 34 (3). Questia.com: 381. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ TBTL with Luke Burbank: 1-18-11 12:00 pm-1:00 pm, podcast at KIRO-FM website (Burbank discusses his place on Wikipedia's List of Albanian Americans).
- ^ Walsh, Andrew. "Episode #2248: A Very Specific Set Of Insecurities".
- ^ "Albanian Americans". Everyculture.com. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ "Robert Elsie: Albanian Literature in Translation". Albanianliterature.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ John Crace (February 21, 2009). "Tom Perrotta interview". Guardian. London. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ Binder, David (February 24, 1994). "George Tames, Photographer, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
- ^ "Demo: TransMedia's Glide". AllThingsD.
- ^ "Albanian-American Donald Leka Selected Among 300 of the World's Most Respected Innovators" Frosina.org
External links
- National Albanian American Council
- Alb-Net.Com – The Albanian Connection
- Albanian Americans – history, the first Albanians in America, significant immigration waves, settlement patterns and notable Albanian Americans
