Korean Texans
Carrollton, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Korean immigrants first came to Texas in the early 20th century, with a handful living in the state by the 1920s. Most were laborers arriving from the Western U.S., including Hawai’i, or from Mexico. However, larger numbers of Koreans immigrated following the Korean War (1950-53). The U.S. Established military bases in Korea, and many U.S. servicemen met and married Korean women while stationed there, returning with their wives to Texas installations like Fort Hood (Bell Co.), Fort Bliss (El Paso Co.), and Fort Sam Houston (Bexar Co.). Additionally, a number of Korean orphans were adopted by Texas families following the war, particularly by Dallas residents. An increasing number of Korean nurses and other professionals immigrated to the state after 1965, when the national origins quota system was abolished. Most of these professionals settled in urban areas, establishing growing communities in cities like Dallas and Houston. Others opened businesses in these cities and others throughout Texas. Korean business districts developed in Irving (Dallas Co.), Killeen (Hood Co.), and Houston’s Spring Branch neighborhood (Harris Co.). As Korean immigrants arrived in Texas, they often formed communities centering on Christian and Catholic churches. A number of ethnic Korean churches were established in Dallas, Houston, Killeen, and other cities with large Korean populations. The churches and other organizations helped arriving Koreans acclimate to life in the U.S. Today, the social, cultural, political, and commercial impact of Korean texans continues to make a positive contribution to the state.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
A handful of Korean immigrants reached Texas by the 1920s, but larger numbers came after the Korean War (1950–53), including women who married American servicemen stationed in Korea and orphans adopted by Texas families, especially around Dallas. After the 1965 abolition of national-origin quotas, Korean nurses, professionals and entrepreneurs settled in Dallas, Houston, Killeen and beyond, building communities often centered on churches.
Why it matters
Korean Texans embody the postwar reshaping of American immigration, as Cold War alliances and 1965 reforms opened the door to new communities that enriched the state's culture and commerce.
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