With the organization’s centennial anniversary on the horizon, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) on Monday launched ahepahistory.org, a website dedicated to the organization’s history.
The website’s goal is to demonstrate the evolution and contributions of Greeks in American society dating back to the founding of AHEPA in 1922 amid bigotry and discrimination from the Ku Klux Klan.
Information on the site includes biographies of prominent figures of Greek descent and philhellenes in American history, recipients of AHEPA’s Socrates Award and links to an AHEPA-published book about America’s contributions to the 1821 Greek Revolution.
“Throughout the span of our nearly 100-year history, AHEPA has served as a vital vehicle for the progressive development and emergence of American citizens of Greek heritage in every facet of society,” AHEPA Supreme President George Horiates said. “The website demonstrates this evolution and the contributions of Greek Americans to society.”
The site shares little-known historical facts about the organization, including that boxing great Jack Dempsey was a member or that Henry R. Luce, publisher of TIME and LIFE magazines, was the first recipient of AHEPA’s Socrates Award.
Another fact: In 1938, AHEPAns condemned the persecution of European Jews in what would be known as “Kristallnacht,” “The Night of Broken Glass,” a pogrom against Jews in Nazi Germany.
Another main component of ahepahistory.org is offering detailed accounts and data about Greek immigrants and immigration to America.
“What Greek Americans confronted, experienced and accomplished simply is astounding,” Horiates said. “We are proud to launch ahepahistory.org as a service to the community and to all who have a vested interest in the history of the Greek American community. AHEPA is woven into the fabric of America.”
The site was created by members of AHEPA Bergen Knights Chapter 285 of Tenafly, New Jersey.
“Our hope is the website will grow with content to become an essential ‘go-to’ resource for the public,” Horiates said. “As such, there is a crowdfunding appeal that we ask members, stakeholders, and friends of AHEPA to support.”
Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, AHEPA remains the largest and oldest association of Greek Americans and philhellenes with more than 400 chapters in the United States, Canada and Europe. The organization’s mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.
