Oral histories of Estonian Americans: leadership and the future of the diaspora after the cold war

Abstract

The Estonian American National Council (EANC) was founded in 1952 by Estonian immigrants to the United States who had chosen exile over repatriation to Soviet-occupied Estonia. Their mission was to preserve Estonian culture in exile and to advocate for Estonian independence to the US government, which had already refused to recognize the annexation of the Baltic States. The restoration of Estonian independence in 1991 witnessed the accomplishment of at least part of the EANC’s founding purpose, which prompted reflection within the diaspora as to whether the organization was needed after the Cold War had ended. This MA thesis takes this pivotal moment as its point of departure and investigates the work and significance of the EANC leadership as community organizers through the memories and experiences of second-generation Estonian Americans affiliated with the organization in the 1980s and 1990s. These oral histories attest to the profound value of diaspora work supported for creating spaces where Estonian identity could be practiced in exile and for preserving a connection to Estonia amongst the second generation. Arguments in favor of the EANC’s continuation stated that its work was not done but had changed shape as the need for cultural preservation persisted and Russia continued to pose a security threat to Estonia. This MA thesis also finds that Estonian Americans wished to be participants, not just as visitors or tourists, in rebuilding Estonia, which prompted new organizational and individual activities to reconnect with the homeland.