Book Presentation: Armenian Legacy in America: A 400-Year Heritage

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On February 26, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program hosted Dr. Hayk Demoyan for the presentation of his book “Armenian Legacy in America: A 400-Year Heritage” published in 2018 through the generous support of the Noubar and Anna Afeyan Foundation on behalf of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Dr. Demoyan has authored 12 books, and about 40 academic articles. Currently, he serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

This was the second time Dr. Demoyan presents his book in Armenia but, as he states, the event was the first of its kind since it was a classic presentation and not a business pitch. He then shared with the audience how he came up with the idea of writing this book and continued with a detailed presentation of its content.

The book is dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Armenian to America. It is an illustrated edition with 620 pages and more than 2,200 photos, including artifacts, documents and rare images depicting the history and legacy of the Armenian-American community and the important contributions it has made to the American homeland. Dr. Demoyan asserted that all the materials in the book are reproduced from the originals in order to ensure high quality.

Moreover, the volume is the first attempt to present a concise illustrated history of the American-Armenian community. It comprises materials from Armenian institutions of both the Republic of Armenia and the United States. Most of the materials and visual depictions are published for the first time. Book chapters and illustrations are presented in chronological order covering the period from 1618 to the early 1990s.

During his presentation, Dr. Demoyan showcased unique original exhibits related to the history of the Armenian-American community.The presentation was followed by a Q&A session, during which the audience had the opportunity to learn more on the topic and hear about additional details included in the book.

The book is available at the AUA AGBU Papazian Library. The complete talk is available here.

The AUA PSIA program equips students with advanced analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and communication skills through the study of political science and international affairs, emphasizing local and global perspectives and practical applications of theory. The program aims to provide world-class research and teaching, through which graduates can best contribute to the development of the nation.