ERT1: "On the streets of the Greeks" with Maya Chokli - "In Lowell, Massachusetts" -

In the history of Greek immigration to America, a leading role was played by a small town in Massachusetts, which today few know, Lowell.

Sunday, April 30, 2023, at 18:00 p.m

Also known as the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, Lowell has been the heart of the American textile industry since the early 19th century, and thanks to the rushing "water" power of the Merrimack River. Lowell's factories were initially staffed by girls from the American countryside, who went down in history as "The mill girls" and then, when they demanded better working conditions, they were replaced by less demanding immigrants.

Οι Έλληνες έρχονται μαζικά να δουλέψουν στα εργοστάσια του Λόουελ γύρω στο 1892, και το 1900 είναι κοντά στους 1.800. Η πλειονότητα των μεταναστών είναι αγρότες κυρίως Μανιάτες, Λάκωνες και Μεσσήνιοι. Τους Πελοποννήσιους ακολουθούν Macεδόνες, Θεσσαλοί και σιγά σιγά μετανάστες απ' όλη την Ελλάδα και η παροικία του Λόουελ γίνεται, στις αρχές του 20ού αιώνα, η πιο πολυπληθής (μετά τη Νέα Υόρκη και το Σικάγο) ελληνική κοινότητα στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, ένα υποδειγματικό Greek town!

In Lowell, Massachusetts, birthplace of Olympia Dukakis and Jack Kerouac, the Maya Tsokli meets one of the most well-known figures of the Greek diaspora in America, the scientist, businessman and benefactor George Behrakis. He visits one of the few remaining dynamic full-day Greek schools, meets the proud members of the Greek American Veterans Organization, but also representatives of the new generation, who create new ties with Greece through modern activities.

The editing of the episode has been edited by Stavros Simeonidis.

 Father Nikolaos Pelekoudas in front of the Holy Trinity of Lowell

Με τον Θεοφάνη Μπούρα, προπονητή ποδοσφαίρου και ιδρυτή της ΜΚΟ United through Football

Son of Vietnam War Veteran holds vintage photo

The benefactor Giorgos Behrakis with his daughter

A young student at Lowell's full-day Greek school

"On the streets of the Greeks"

Through the new documentary series, the "Travelling" team, the journalist Maya Tsokli and the director Chronis Pehlivanidis, they take up the paths of the world again following – this time – the paths of the Greek Diaspora in the United States.

With tenderness and objectivity, they record modern Hellenism and meet representatives of the Homogenia, who, through their personal, family narrative, narrate essential chapters of modern Greek History.

Ambition of the series "On the Roads of the Greeks" and its contributors is, through the episodes of the documentary, broadcast by ERT1 each Sunday: at 18: 00, viewers to have one clear picture both of her History and the great currents of mass immigration, which led hundreds of thousands of Greeks to America, as well as the importance that is today for Hellenism the enormous capital of the Homogeneity.

Some episodes they are historical, like that of the First Arrival, a result of the raisin crisis that hit the Peloponnese and the whole of Greece in the 1890s. Others are thematic, like the episode dedicated to the decisive role of the Church for Homogenia, centered on the interesting interview that the Archbishop of America, Elpidophoros, admitted to the show. Others concern specific groups such as the particularly moving episode dedicated to Greek Jewish immigrants. The show enters museums, universities, hospitals, clubs, and Greek restaurants. He attends classes, celebrations, functions and exhibitions...

To "Streets of the Greeks" very different people give their precious stories. Some represent the old world, making us move and smile, some on the contrary open windows to the future, breaking down timeless stereotypes.
Historical consultant is the most prolific Alexander Kitroev, specialist in Greek Diaspora issues.

Scenario-presentation: Maya Tsokli
Historical Advisor: Alexander Kitroeff
Αρχισυνταξία-Research: Ioanna Fotiadis, Maya Tsokli
Original music: Nikos Portokaloglou
Directing-Filming: Chronis Pehlivanidis
Montage: Stavros Symeonidis, Nathaniel Nathanailoglou, Yannis Daridis, Argyris Konstantinidis
Production company: Onos Productions