MEMORY FRAGMENTS FROM THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: A Mosaic of a Shared Heritage

By Margaret DiCanio

Memory Fragments from the Armenian Genocide: A Mosaic of a Shared Heritage brings together thirty profiles of North Americans of Armenian descent. All exemplify the philosophy that doing well is doing good, a credo handed down to them by family members who lost everything when they fled from the Turkish massacres.

Family stories of how survivors escaped, survived, and made new lives are filtered through the memories of succeeding generations. The profiles reflect how the actions of the survivors shaped the lives of succeeding generations. Armenian immigrants feared their heritage might be lost in North America. Their fears proved to be unfounded. Children and grandchildren retain the culture passed on to them. At the same time, they hold dear the values of the New World that enabled their families to live free of political repression.

While details of their daily lives differ, most of those profiled share a reverence for education. In the New World, they flourish as intellectuals, artists, teachers, entertainers, and entrepreneurs, thereby filling leadership roles decimated by Turks early in their campaign to wipe out the Armenians. By making the most of their talents, they do homage to those who sacrificed so much.

Mystery and Suspense Press (2002)