Do you know who was the first Albanian who went to America? Due to the political, social and economic conditions, Albanians have known emigration from an early age, and while the nearby countries were the ones that attracted them the most, a country across the ocean quickly began to arouse their interest.

America turned into a dream has been waiting for Albanians since the beginning, since 1892 when the first Albanian went there.

The first Albanian to go to America was Kole Kristofori from the village of Katund of Korca in 1884.

After six years, Kola returned to Katund dressed in French clothes, with a luxurious hat, iron collar and pockets full of money. He told the villagers about what he had seen in the New World and that in America, a laborer earned $10 a day selling flowers and fruit on the road, when a laborer in Albania barely made it in a year.

In 1892, Kole Kristofori returned to Boston as a priest with 17 friends from this village who were previously in exile in Romania and Greece.

Thus, the first Albanian pioneers in America are: Fr. Kole Kristofori, Hari Take, Rrapo Laska, Dhoske Sotir Adham, Thoma Sotir Adham, Josif Sotir Adham, Sotir Lezi, Geli Goni Stevenson, Father Dhosi Katundi, Dhime Pano Peterson, Fani Kosta, Thoma Kosta, Hari V. Kaçka, Argjir Peto, Fani Cico Angel, Dhima Andrea Pano, Rrapi Fanes, Toli Dhami.