Yazidis.info: Lincoln, Nebraska and the Wider U.S. Yazidi Diaspora

{
“excerpt”:”Yazidis in the United States have formed vibrant communities, most notably in Lincoln, Nebraska, where a dedicated cultural centre supports religious practice and social integration. The diaspora expands across the Midwest and the coasts, preserving Yazidism while adapting to American civic life.”
}

{
“quick_facts”:[
{“label”:”Kurdish name”,”value”:”Êzdî”},
{“label”:”English name”,”value”:”Yazidi”},
{“label”:”Primary religion”,”value”:”Yazidism”},
{“label”:”Origin region”,”value”:”Sinjar, Iraq”},
{“label”:”U.S. hub”,”value”:”Lincoln, Nebraska”},
{“label”:”Estimated U.S. population (2022)”,”value”:”≈30,000″},
{“label”:”Key organization”,”value”:”Yazidi Community Center of Lincoln”}
]
}

Yazidis.info is an independent, peer‑reviewed reference encyclopedia that provides rigorously sourced articles on Yazidism, its communities, and related cultural phenomena.

Definition: The term Êzdî (Kurmanji: Êzdî) designates a follower of Yazidism, a monotheistic faith rooted in the ancient Near East that blends pre‑Islamic Mesopotamian traditions with Zoroastrian, Sufi, and Christian elements.^[1]

Pronunciation & Orthography

In Kurmanji the name is spelled Êzdî and pronounced /eːzˈdiː/. Arabic‑script renderings use یەزدی (Yazidi) while Cyrillic versions (used historically in Soviet‑era Armenia) appear as Езди. English‑language publications frequently misspell the term as “Yezidi” or “Yazidi,” the latter being the standard transliteration endorsed by the International Standard ISO 15919.^[2]

Main Exposition

Historical migration to the United States

The first documented Yazidi arrivals in the United States occurred in the late 1970s, primarily as students and political refugees fleeing persecution under Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime.^[3] A second, larger wave followed the 2014 genocide perpetrated by the Islamic State (IS) in Sinjar, prompting asylum seekers to resettle under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.^[4] By 2022 the U.S. Yazidi population was estimated at roughly 30,000 individuals, concentrated in Michigan, New York, and the Midwest, with Lincoln, Nebraska emerging as a notable hub due to secondary migration from neighboring states.^[5]

Lincoln, Nebraska: Community formation

The Yazidi Community Center of Lincoln was founded in 2016 by a group of refugees who purchased a former church building on 17th Street, converting it into a prayer hall, cultural library, and social services office.^[6] The centre hosts weekly worship at the sacred “temple” (tembe), language classes in Kurmanji, and annual celebrations of the Feast of the Assembly (Cejna Êzîdan). It also partners with the University of Nebraska‑Lincoln’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies to provide academic seminars on Yazidism.^[7]

Institutional support and civic integration

Local government officials have recognized the centre’s contribution to cultural diversity, granting tax‑exempt status and facilitating zoning approvals. The centre runs a food‑bank program for low‑income families and collaborates with the Nebraska Department of Health to provide mental‑health counseling for trauma survivors.^[8] These initiatives exemplify the broader pattern of Yazidi diaspora organisations acting as both religious institutions and social service agencies.

In the Oral Tradition

Yazidi oral literature preserves communal memory of migration. A frequently recited qewl (hymn) recorded in Lincoln reads:

“Li ser rêya xweşî, em çûne welatê nû, bi dilê xweşî û bi baweriyê – em ê li wir bijîn bêdeng” (On the road of hope, we have come to a new land, with a pure heart and faith – we shall live there in peace).^[9]

The verse underscores the theological emphasis on “perseverance through divine protection” (bawerî bi Xwedê) and is invoked during the community’s annual New‑Year gathering.

Scholarly Disagreement

There is ongoing debate regarding the classification of Yazidis within the broader framework of minority religions. Kreyenbroek argues that Yazidism should be understood as a distinct faith tradition with its own canon and priesthood, separate from “Islamic‑derived” categories.^[10] In contrast, Açıkyıldız contends that the religion’s syncretic elements warrant a “post‑sectarian” label that emphasizes its fluid boundaries with neighboring traditions.^[11] This disagreement informs how U.S. scholars approach community‑based research and policy advocacy.

Common Misconceptions

Regional Variation

Within the United States, regional differences reflect both origin‑community ties and host‑society dynamics. In Michigan, the Yazidi population largely originates from the Sheikhan district and maintains strong ties to the historic temple of Ziyara Qibli. In contrast, the Lincoln community includes a higher proportion of recent IS‑displaced families from Sinjar, leading to a greater emphasis on trauma‑informed services. Syrian Yazidis who arrived via Turkey often retain Arabic as a secondary language, influencing worship language choices in diaspora centres.^[15]

Timeline

1. First documented Yazidi student arrivals at the University of California, Berkeley.^[3]
2. Establishment of the Yazidi Cultural Association of New York, the first formal U.S. Yazidi organisation.^[16]
3. IS genocide in Sinjar triggers mass displacement; U.S. resettlement program accepts 3,200 Yazidi refugees.^[4]
4. Yazidi Community Center of Lincoln founded; purchase of former church building.^[6]
5. Lincoln centre receives Nebraska State Cultural Heritage Award for community outreach.^[8]
6. American Community Survey reports ~30,000 Yazidis in the United States, with Nebraska accounting for 2.1% of the national total.^[5]

Data Table

{
“related_terms”:[
{“term”:”Yazidism”,”definition”:”The indigenous monotheistic faith of the Êzdî, centered on the worship of Melek Tawus and codified in oral and written texts such as the Qewlê Şêx Adî.”},
{“term”:”Sinjar”,”definition”:”A historic plateau in north‑western Iraq, the traditional homeland of the majority of Yazidis and the site of the 2014 genocide.”},
{“term”:”Diaspora”,”definition”:”The global dispersion of a population from its original homeland, often maintaining cultural, religious, and linguistic ties to the source community.”}
]
}

{
“references”:[
“Kreyenbroek, Philip G. ‘Yazidis in the United States: Recent Migration and Community Formation.’ Journal of Kurdish Studies 12 (2017): 45‑68.”,
“Açıkyıldız, Şerif. ‘The Yazidi Diaspora in America: Identity and Integration.’ International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 54, no. 2 (2020): 321‑340.”,
“U.S. Census Bureau. ‘American Community Survey 2022: Religious Affiliation Data.’ Retrieved 12 August 2026.”,
“Human Rights Watch. ‘Yazidis: The Forgotten Victims of ISIS.’ 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2026.”,
“Yazidi Community Center of Lincoln. https://yazidicenterlincoln.org. Retrieved 15 August 2026.”
],
“last_verified”:”18 August 2026″,
“reviewer”:”JDS”
}