Guide to the Hellenic Heritage Collection ca. 1906-2007 Bulk dates: 1925-1950


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	This is an artificial collection assembled by Angelique Lampros and Peter Markos consisting of materials donated by various members of the Greek community in and around Newark, NJ that resulted in a book titled Remembering Newark’s Greeks : An American Odyssey and in the 2002-2003 exhibition at Newark Public Library of the same title.
	Title:	Hellenic Heritage Collection
	Dates	ca. 1906-2007
	Abstract:	This collection consists of photographs, certificates, passports, clippings and ephemera reflecting the Greek-American community of Newark, NJ during the 20th century.
	Quantity:	5 linear feet (7 standard archival boxes and 4 oversize boxes of various sizes)
	Collection Number:	HHC

Historical Note

Newark’s Greek community was one of many immigrant communities to make a tremendous impact on the cultural landscape of New
Jersey. Large scale immigration from Greece in the late 19th and early 20th centuries resulted in the formation of ethnic
communities in various New Jersey cities, including Newark. Offering a less urban environment than New York City, Newark provided
a variety of job opportunities to Greek immigrants, including work in leather tanning businesses, cigar factories, and breweries.
Many worked as food vendors and later on as restaurateurs and business owners. Although small in numbers, estimated to be
around 10,000 in 1910, Greek immigrants carved their own niche in this diverse and thriving city.

Newark’s Greeks formed a close knit community based around church and family life. They founded the first Greek Orthodox Church
in New Jersey, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, also known as the “Mother Church of New Jersey,” incorporated in 1906
and located on High Street (now Martin Luther King Boulevard) since 1924. Led for thirty-six years by Rev. George Spiridakis,
and later on by Rev. James A. Aloupis for forty-seven years, St. Nicholas served as a center for Greek-American religious
life and culture. In 1928 a second Greek Orthodox Church was established in Newark, St. Demetrios Church, located in its later
years on Clinton Avenue.

Family was central to the lives of Greek Newarkers and family picnics, celebrations and get togethers were frequent occurrences.
Weddings and baptisms were large scale gatherings that served to bring the community together. Community involvement was evidenced
in the popularity of Greek American church based philanthropic, educational, and religious organizations such as Philoptochos,
G.A.P.A .(Greek American Progressive Association), and G.O.Y.A. (Greek Orthodox Youth Association). These organizations also
helped to encourage the continuance of Greek language, cultural traditions, and history. Traditional Greek costumes were worn
on occasions such as Greek Independence Day, celebrated annually on March 25th. Religious holidays such as Pascha (Easter)
were multi-day celebrations filled with church service attendance, family gatherings, and traditional Greek foods.

Greek-owned businesses thrived, with restaurants, bakeries, flower and candy shops, barbers, and hat shops located throughout
the city. Many Greek Americans served in the U.S. military with pride during World War II and participated in many war relief
efforts. Individual success stories such as those of theater owner Adam A. Adams, U.S. Army General Leonidas Gavalas, prominent
local cardiologist Dr. Nicholas Antonius, and architect William Chirgotis were a testament to the Greeks’ successful assimilation
into American society. Greek families encouraged the maintenance of traditional culture and family life while stressing the
values of education and hard work. Many more second generation Greeks entered various professions such as law, education,
engineering and the arts. The success of the community combined with the benefits of the GI Bill, afforded many the opportunity
to move to homes in suburban areas. Gradually, the once concentrated community of Newark’s Greeks began to disperse..

As a result of this exodus, other Greek Orthodox churches were founded throughout the state. Newark’s changing social and
economic landscape contributed to the diffusion of the community. In the later decades of the 20th century, church attendance
at both churches began to decline. St. Demetrios Church relocated to Union, NJ in 1984. After years of declining church attendance,
St. Nicholas Church decided to merge with the community of Sts. Constantine and Helen of Orange and will relocate to a new
church facility in Roseland. The last church service was held at St. Nicholas in Newark on December 30, 2007, signifying the
end of an era for Newark’s Greeks.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists mainly of photographs of various members of the Greek-American community of Newark, NJ and the surrounding
area, and depicts various facets of Greek community, family, and religious life in Newark. There are many photographs of the
Greek community’s most prominent individuals and families, portrait and wedding photographs, and church scenes, many of St.
Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Newark. There are many images of individuals in Greek costume and images of family events,
Greek-owned businesses, celebrations, banquets, and school photographs and sports. There are war related images and images
of Greek community and church organizations such as A.H.E.P.A. (American Hellenic Progressive Association) and Daughters of
Penelope.

There are also original documents including passports, birth and marriage certificates, immigration and naturalization documents,
restaurant menus, certificates, membership cards and various types of ephemera. There are newspaper articles pertaining to
the community’s most prominent citizens such as theater owner Adam A. Adams, U.S. Army Brigadier General Leonidas G. Gavalas,
and cardiologist Dr. Nicholas Antonius. There are postcards and images of Greece, Greek Orthodox religious brochures, and
Greek language teaching materials.

The Newark Public Library mounted an exhibit in 2003 entitled: Remembering Newark’s Greeks: An American Odyssey, which has
material in this collection such as posters, publicity materials and photographs of the exhibition opening, and several non-paper
based items, including a child’s Greek Evzone costume, war medals and baptismal pins.

The collecting of materials for this project is an ongoing process and more items will be integrated into this collection
in the future.

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Arrangement

The collection is organized into five series.

Series 1: Photographs in alphabetical orger by last name, ca. 1910-2000.

Series 2: Photographs in alphabetical order by subject, 1906-ca. 2000.

Series 3: Documents/publications pertaining to Greek Americans and Greece, ca. 1920-2005.

Series 4: Exhibit and book related documents, 2000-2007.

Series 5: Greek-American artifacts (non-paper based items), ca. 1918-2002.

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Access Points
	The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.
	Subject Names:
		Adams, Adam A.
		Aloupis, James A.
		Antonius, Nicholas.
		Chirgotis, William G.
		Gevalas, Leonidas G.
		Lampros, Angelique.
		Lampros, Demi.
		Lampros, George N.
		Markos, Peter.
		Spiridakis, George.
		Zois, Asimina.
	Subject Organizations:
		AHEPA (Organization).
		G.A.P.A.
		GOYA (Organization).
		Maids of Athena.
		Newark Public Library.
		Sons of Pericles.
		St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (Newark, NJ).
		St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (Newark, NJ).
	Subject Topics:
		Ethnic groups– New Jersey–Newark.

Baptism (Liturgy).

Church buildings–New Jersey–Newark.

Clergy–New Jersey–Newark.

Community leaders–New Jersey–Newark.

Costume–Greece.

Dinners and dining–New Jersey–Newark.

Greek American restaurateurs–New Jersey–Newark.

Greek Americans–Associations, institutions, etc.

Greek Americans–New Jersey–Newark–History.

Greek language materials.

Immigrants–New Jersey–Newark.

Library exhibits–New Jersey–Newark.

Orthodox Eastern Church.

Restaurants–New Jersey–Newark.

Schools–New Jersey–Newark.

Soldiers.

Theaters–New Jersey–Newark.

War relief–New Jersey–Newark.

Weddings–New Jersey–Newark.

World War, 1914-1918.

World War, 1939-1945.

Subject Places:

Greece.

Newark (N.J.).

Document Types:

Birth certificates.

Brochures.

Clippings.

Correspondence.

Immigration records.

Invitations.

Marriage Certificates.

Membership cards.

Menus.

Passports.

Photographs.

Postcards.

Posters.

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Related Material

Separated Material:

Atlas of World War II. New York : The Greek War Relief Association, 1943.

Kallas, Dr. John L. Growing Up as a Greek-American. Unionville, NY : KAV Books, Inc., 1992.

Kouveliotes, Stavros. To Triton Mesouranema. Second Revised Edition. San Francisco, CA : Mercury Press, 1942.

Salutos, Theodore. The Greeks in the United States. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 1964.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Hellenic Heritage Collection, The Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center, Newark
Public Library.

Acquisition Information

Click here for a list of donors.

Processing Information

Original newspaper clippings were photocopied. Nicholas and Vassiliki Lampros wedding photograph with attached wedding crown
(Box 2, Folder 2) may need future conservation work. Several items were separated from the collection and are listed under
the Separated Materials section. Also, many of the materials in this collection were microfilmed and the microfilm is located
in the Newark Public Library’s New Jersey Information Center. Select images from this collection can be viewed on the New
Jersey Digital Highway website at http://www.njdigitalhighway.org. Search “Newark Greeks.”

There are two boxes of data file materials for this collection. There is no patron access to these boxes.

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Bibliography

Cummings, Charles F. “Greeks Endured Hardships on the Road to Success.” The Star-Ledger.
19 April 2001.

Diamant, Jeff. “The End of a Spiritual Epoch : Greek Orthodox Church to Leave Newark. The Star-Ledger. 20 October 2006.

Lampros, Angelique. Remembering Newark’s Greeks : An American Odyssey. Virginia Beach, Va.: Donning Co. Publishers, c2006.

Vasilopoulos, Vicki. “A Lost World Lives on at the Newark Library.” The New York Times. 15 December 2002.

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Series Descriptions and Container List

Series 1: Photographs in alphabetical order by last name, ca. 1910-2000

Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Last names beginning with A: Adams (See also Box 4 Folder 7, Box 5 Folder 8, and Box 5 Folder 5), Aloupis (with Kostakos, Demetroulakis), Andrews, Antonakos, Antonas (with Lampros, Papastamatis) Antonius, Apostolakos (with Kostoulakos), Argyris, Arianas, Arianis, and Aridas	ca. 1920-1950
1	2	Last names beginning with B: Bacchus, Barlas (with Katramados, Manos, Gougoumis), Bistis, Bougades, Bournazos(?), and Bravakis (with Diamandas, Thomas)	ca. 1920-1950
1	3	Last names beginning with C: Capelakos, Carnegis, Charlie, Chirgotis, Chletsos (with Valauri, Nikitakis, Vasiliou), Christos, Coniaris (with Poulos, Linardakis, Demetra), Corodemus (with Faraklas), Costandakos, Costas, and Costopoulos (with Yatrakis)	ca. 1914-1990s
1	4	Last names beginning with D: Dedousis, Demas, Demos, Dermousis, Diamandas (with Linardakis), and Dokas (with Aloupis, Markos)	ca. 1920s-1960s
1	5	Last names beginning with E: Economou and Evrotas	ca. 1920s-1960s
1	6	Last names beginning with F: Faraklas, Frangos (with Midas), and Frankos	ca. 1929-1940s
1	7	Last names beginning with G: Galanopoulos, Gargas, Gavalas, Geanakis, Geannakakis, Gianas (with Vasiliow), Gecas (See also Box 5 Folder 1, Box 5 Folder 6, and OS 4), Gellas, Georgas, Georgopoulos, Gevas (with Bravakis, Faraklas, Spyridakis, Markos), and Grammata	ca. 1910s-1972
1	8	Last names beginning with H-J: Halakos, Halamandaris (with Stathopoulos and Faraklas), Halulakos, Javas, Jolas, Jovanis, and Juvelis (with Vlahakes)	ca. 1910s-1960s
1	9	Last names beginning with K: Kafalas, Kallanis, Kalliaris, Kapandais, Karakos, Karambatos (with Markos), Katica, Katsafados, Katsamakis, Katsara, Kefalas, Kehayes, Koloroutis, Koronakos, Kostakos, Kostins, Kostas, Kostoulakos, Kyriakarakos, and Kyriakoulias	ca. 1917-ca.1960
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	Last names beginning with L: Lampros, (with Theophilos, Costopoulos, Yatrakis, Vasiliou, Nikitakis), Leonidou, Linardakis (with Stathopoulos, Vlahakos, Diamandaris), Lollos (with Faraklas, Corodemus), Louis, and Lymperoupoulos (Lymp)	ca. 1930s-1950s
2	2	Lampros wedding photograph (with crown attached)	1935
2	3	Last names beginning with M: Macris, Manas, Manolas, Manolis, Manos (with Pallantios), Markos (with Gevas, Pavalakos), Maskaleris, Massas, Mastakas, Matthews, Mavrades, Mehalaris, Mellas, Mendrinos, Mesenzanos, Metsopoulos, Missirlis, and Mitilinis (with Yatrakis, Costopoulos)	ca. 1910s -ca. 1970s
2	4	Last names beginning with N-O: Nicholas, Nickopoulos, Nickolopoulos (name is spelled incorrectly in Remembering Newark’s Greeks book), and Nikitakis (with Geannakakis, Juvelis, Janulis, Pallantios, Vasiliow)	ca. 1910s-1940s
2	5	Last names beginning with P-Q: Pallantios (with Manos, Stathopoulos), Pantages, Papandreopoulos (Andrews), Papadopoulos, Papageorge, Papatheodouras, Pappas, Peters, Petine (with Kondilis), Petropoulos, Petroulakos, Politos, Polychronopoulos (with Coniaris, Poulos, Spanioles, Beretsos), Pontiakos, Poulos, and Poutsiaka	ca. 1910-ca. 1960
2	6	Last names beginning with R-S: Saros, Sarros, Sideris (with Mitilinis, Karras, Harris, and Manolis), Siemekis, Spiridon (with Maroukis, Baldsamedes), Spiropoulos, Spyridakis (with Costopoulos, Zaveson), Staikos, and Stathopoulos (with Poulos)	ca. 1910s-1971
2	7	Last names beginning with T-V: Theodos, Theophiles, Theophilos, Thomas (with Demetroulakos), Tsonas, Tsotakos (with Poulimeneas), Vagenos, Vardakis, Vasiliow, Visas, and Vlahakes	ca. 1910s-1960s
2	8	Last names beginning with W-Z: Yatrakis, Yeannakis (with Costopoulos), Zervakos, Zois, Zoulas	ca. 1930-ca. 1970
2	9	Unidentified Photographs	ca. 1910-1990s

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Series 2: Photographs in alphabetical order by subject, 1906-ca. 2000

Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	1	Businesses: bars, candy shops, delis, donut shops, factories, florists, grocers, restaurants, theaters	ca. 1914-ca. 1962
3	2	Celebrations: gatherings, picnics, lamb roast, holidays	ca. 1920s-1960s
3	3	Church (general): altars, ceremonies, christenings, clergy, holy communion, ground consecrations, stained glass (interiors)	ca. 1920s-ca. 2000
3	4	Church-St. Demetrios: Father Pappas, church exterior, board of trustees, youth groups	ca. 1920s-1950s
3	5	Church-St. Nicholas: Palm Sunday and Easter services, Sunday school, Greek School, blessing of Holy Bread, church exterior, Father Aloupis and other clergy, church festival, church exterior, plaque with founding members (See also copies of 1908 & 1913 church ledgers in OS 2)	1906-ca. 2000
3	6	Costume: mostly Greek national costume	ca. 1920s-1950s
3	7	Military: officers, Navy, Gen. Gavalas (with Bing Crosby) (See also Box 5 folder 7), WWII, victory gardens, American Legion, nurses	ca. 1940s-ca. 1960s
Box	Folder	Title	Date
4	1	Newark: street scenes, parks, parades, map of ethnic neighborhoods	1911-ca. 1960
4	2	Organizations: events and dinners, G.A.P.A. (Greek-American Progressive Association), Philoptochos, A.H.E.P.A. (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association), G.O.Y.A., Sons of Pericles, Parnassus Society, Maids of Athena	ca. 1930s-1960s
4	3	Politics: politicians, political campaigns	ca. 1950s-ca. 1970
4	4	Students and Schools: Central High School, Arts High, cheerleaders, class groupsStudents and Schools: Central High School, Arts High, cheerleaders, class groups	ca., 1920s-ca. 1950s
4	5	Ships and Immigration: Ships that brought immigrants from Greece: Patris, Byron, Acropolis, Constantinople, Themistocles, King Alexander, Athinai, Edison, also recent photos of Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty	ca. 1915-ca. 2000
4	6	Sports: baseball, football, basketball	ca. 1930s-ca. 1950s
4	7	Theaters: (Adam A. Adams owned) (See also Box 1 Folder 1, Box 5 Folder 5, and Box 5 Folder 8)	ca. 1920-1950s
4	8	War relief: WWII era events, fundraisers, knitting relief efforts, efforts to aid Greece	ca. 1940s
4	9	Weddings/Engagements: ceremonies, portraits, bride preparation, banquets. Includes Adams, Boucouvalas and Macris, Coniaris, Demetroulakos, Economou and Visas, Gecas, Gianas, Juvelis, Koronakos, Linardakis, Lymperopoulos (Lymp), Markos, Maskaleris, Nikitakis, Pallantios, Papaleo Pappas, Sarandoulias, Theofilopoulou and Galanopoulos, Vlahakes, Zois	ca. 1905-1950s
Box	Folder	Title	Date
OS	1	Oversized photographs: many group photographs, school and church organizations, Bitsis mother and son, wedding photos	ca. 1920-1955

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Series 3: Documents/publications pertaining to Greek Americans and Greece, ca. 1920-2005

Box	Folder	Title	Date
5	1	Original Documents: church and Greek organizations (certificates, menus, correspondence, receipts, invitations, immigration and naturalization documents, testimonial dinner booklets)	1940s-1978
5	2	Original Documents: immigration and naturalization related (including passports)	ca. 1920s-ca. 1960s
5	3	Original Documents: marriage and birth related documents	1929-1940
5	4	Original Documents: motor vehicle and hunting license cards	1930s
5	5	Original documents: restaurant and business related ephemera, menus (and two reproductions)	ca. 1920-1930s
5	6	Original documents: war related, war relief organizations (U.S.O., American Legion)	ca. 1930s-1960s
5	7	General documents/publications pertaining to Greek Americans, includes Asimina Zois (See also OS 1), Peter Thomas, Gen. Gavalas, William Chirgotis, Kostoulakos family, Boutsikaris family	ca. 1920s-ca. 2000s
5	8	Adam A. Adams articles/obituary (See also Box 1 Folder 1, Box 4 Folder 7, and Box 5 Folder 5)	ca. 1940s-1990s
5	9	Dr. Nicholas Antonius related documents	ca. 1950s-1960s
5	10	Gus Gevas related documents, correspondence, political organizations	ca. 1940s-1950s
5	11	St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church articles/publicity/history/copies of certificate of incorporation	ca. 1906-1990s
5	12	Rev. James A. Aloupis testimonial dinner booklets, retirement celebration books	1969-2002
Box	Folder	Title	Date
6	1	Postcards and images of Greece: Acropolis, rural scenes, patriotic images	ca. 1920s-ca. 1990
6	2	Poster depicting Greece during different periods and small map of Greece	ca. 1940s
6	3	Tes Istorias tes Kainis Diathekis (Greek language children’s religious book); Alphabetarion tou Elenopaidos tes Amerikes (Greek language children’s primer)	1946-1949
6	4	Greek Orthodox religious/organizational brochures and pamphlets and pamphlet pertaining to the consecration of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (Union, NJ) in 1989	1ca. 1960s-ca. 1990s
6	5	Essays: The Children of the Greek Pioneers of Essex County and The Maniates of Newark. John Antonakos, Editor	ca. 2005

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Series 4: Exhibit and book related items, 2000-2007

Box	Folder	Title	Date
7	1	Exhibit/book related publicity (copies of newspaper and periodical articles)	2000-2002
7	2	Exhibit/book related publicity/documents: Newark Public Library, The New Jersey Historical Society, Greek Heritage Fund, release form (blank) documents, speaking engagements	ca. 2000-2007
7	3	Printed captions used in exhibit	2002-2003
7	4	Photographs related to the exhibition opening, includes photos of Angelique Lampros and Peter Markos	2002
7	5	Correspondence to Angelique Lampros/Peter Markos regarding exhibit/book	2002
Box	Folder	Title	Date
OS	2	Mounted exhibit photographs and posters (box also includes photocopies of St. Nicholas church ledgers 1908-1913)	1908-2003

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Series 5: Greek-American artifacts (non-paper based items), ca. 1918-2002

Box	Folder	Title	Date
OS	3	Child’s Greek Evzone costume	1930s
OS	4	Greek flag, baptismal pins (marterika), wool baby boots and marterika belonging to George Lampros, Thomas Gecas handkerchief and World War I medals, Paul Andrews religious medal	ca. 1918-2002

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2000, Archives, Manuscript with EAD findings

Guide to the Hellenic Heritage Collection ca. 1906-2007 Bulk dates: 1925-1950

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Access Points

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Acquisition Information

Processing Information

Bibliography

Series Descriptions and Container List

Search

Browse the Archives