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Tag: History
This Date In History: A Greek Star-spangled Banner
October 23, 2003: Musician, Yanni, performs a keyboard instrumental version of The Star-Spangled Banner before Game 5 of the 2003 World Series at Pro Player Stadium, Florida. Born Yiannis Chryssomallis in 1954 in Kalamata, Greece,…
Odessa: The “Society” Port
My late father always wanted to go to Odessa. A proud Hydriot, every port had a visceral, nostalgic resonance to him. It reminded him of younger days and open horizons, sailing, like his ancestors before…
This Date In History: Greek Fashion Designer James Galanos Is Born In Philly
On September 20, 1924, James Galanos was born in Philadelphia to Greek immigrant parents from Naousa. His mother, Helen Gorgoliatos, and his father, Gregory Galanos, a frustrated artist, ran a restaurant in southern New Jersey.…
This Date In History: The Greek Billionaire’s Club Of 2013
September 16, 2013: Forbes magazine lists 6 Greek-American billionaires, including John Paul DeJoria, John Catsimatidis, Jim Davis, Michael Jaharis, Dean Mitropoulos, and George Argyros. The first issue of Forbes Magazine, an American business magazine, came…
This Date In History: A Banana Split – Greek Style
September 7, 1968: The Banana Splits Adventure Hour premiers on television. Greek-Canadian/American puppeteers, Sid Krofft, and Marty Krofft designed the costumes. Siblings, Sid (Cydus) Yolas and Marty (Moshopopoulos) Yolas, who later changed their names to…
The Merchant Marine: An Integral Part Of The Greek Identity
When pondering why Greeks are so involved in shipping, the answer seems obvious. A country of peninsulas and an archipelago, it is hardly a surprise that men of the Aegean have plied the waters of…
This Date In History: A Greek For President
July 21, 1988: Massachusetts Governor, Michael S. Dukakis becomes first Greek-American to be nominated for the U.S. Office of the President. Born to Greek immigrant parents in 1933 in Massachusetts, Dukakis became the 65th Governor…
The Blessed Liberty Ships: The Yeast that Caused the Greek Fleet to Rise
I grew up in a family of Greek merchant sailors. My father, from Hydra, served in the Greek Navy and then the merchant marines, as did his father, grandfather, brother, cousins, and most of his…
Chris Jaymes, Sons Of Chaos – A Story Of The Greek Revolution
What does a modern-day American skateboarder from the beaches of California have in common with a Greek Revolutionary from 1821? Simple – the love of freedom. One man who fought for, it and the other…
This Date In History: The Greek That Brought Auto Racing Into Our Homes
July 4, 1961: Greek-American, Chris Economaki, announces the running of the Firecracker 250 NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway for ABC Sports. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1920, Christopher “Chris” Constantine Economaki, was enthralled…
The Greeks And The Making Of Modern Egypt
The story of the Greeks in Egypt from Muhammad Ali to Nasser From the early nineteenth century through to the 1960s, the Greeks formed the largest, most economically powerful, and geographically and socially diverse of…
Remembering Chrysostomos: A Modern Day Martyr
Archbishop Chrysostomos was an admired and revered figure among the Greeks of Smyrna. He strongly believed in the ideals of Hellenism until his tragic death in September 1922. When the Greek army landed in Smyrna…
