Where did all the Marshallese come from? (Springdale: homes, public schools)

[Turnerbro]

I would have never guessed that Springdale Arkansas to have the highest Marshallese population in the country.

[Hollynla]

I'm probably not the only one that had to google Marshallese people.

[Texamichiforniasota]

They came drom the Marshall Islands.

[green_mariner]

Tyson Poultry Plant has something to do with it.

[grampaTom]

The Federal Gov't promised them homes in USA because we used their Islands for nuclear testing.

And, yes, many of them work in the poultry industry.

[aab7855]

They have the right to move to the US without needing to wait for a visa or anything, and with rising tides their entire country will likely disappear in the coming decades, so more are coming.

https://mashable.com/2018/02/25/mars.../#.eIGt1Wbc5q3

And yes, the chicken plants evidently are the reason why they started coming. It apparently all started with one Marshallese guy who was working there, and he kept spreading the word to others, and the spread the word, and so on. Many Marshallese arrive with only very basic English, and jobs like Tyson don´t require much knowledge of the language...though the next generation certainly learns, adapts and does well in the NWA public schools. It´s a success story we should all admire.

[latunafish]

Originally Posted by grampaTom

The Federal Gov't promised them homes in USA because we used their Islands for nuclear testing.

And, yes, many of them work in the poultry industry.

as paul harvey would say, "as that is the rest of the story."


great post, by the way.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

I'm probably not the only one that had to google Marshallese people.

I was surprised as well, but have known it for quite a while now.
grandpawTom has it right and BTW, though many do work in the poultry facilities tyson's nor any other company has nothing to do with there living here in America.

[gunslinger256]

The Marshallese did a presentation at my wife's company for cultural appreciation day. Apparently they are a matriarchal society so the women are the bosses and have all the say in the families. I'm trying to remember what else she told me but I'm drawing a blank. For some reason, I thought they were native English speakers.

[green_mariner]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygWtTlxpl7w