: A Patchwork Of Cultures

Patchwork

Some call it a melting pot, others a stew.

But perhaps the most accurate way to describe the blending of the lives and cultures that make up Queens is with a quilt.

Often quilts are made from remnants and leftovers of larger swaths of fabric. Each patch provides its own unique look and texture, and it brings with it its own history. The same is true of Queens. For more than 350 years one immigrant group after another has come from every corner of the world to fill its space on the borough’s quilt.

As individual groups, each retains it unique identity - with religious beliefs, ceremonies, cuisine and social mores that define that culture. But at the same time, these patches come together to form a distinctive single object. Each portion of the quilt is essential to the whole, adding to it and making it complete.

As the patches on the quilt make the piece whole, so, too, do the varied cultures of Queens. Though we do not cover them all in this one book, join us as we get to know some of our neighbors and explore the ways that the diverse groups of immigrants have come to create this glorious borough we call Queens.