THE PUBLISHER OF THE FIRST GREEK NEWSPAPER IN THE USA

The famous New York-based Greek newspaper "National Herald", in a special honorary publication several decades ago, described Nisyrian journalist Konstantinos Fasoularidis, "As father of Greek journalism in America ", accompanying this title with the following clarification: "Great, undoubtedly and heavy this characterization. Perhaps it was not given to anyone else this title. Perhaps no one else will claim to receive it. Because everyone knows that the precursor and the initiator of the idea of ​​creating a Greek newspaper in New Cosmos, which would guide and help the first immigrants, was the Nisyrian journalist, Constantine Fasoularides. "

The late Constantine, son of Dimitrios Fasoularidis was born in Mandraki Nisyros in 1843. Following the tendency of that time, he left Nisyros very young to Constantinople, where he studied at the Great School of Greek Nation (Megali tou Genous Scholi). He taught Greek schools there and collaborated with Stavros Voutyras in the great Greek newspaper Neologos.

In 1889 he left Constantinople to America where he studied at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He initially worked as an interpreter at Ellis Island, and in 1892 he published in Boston the first Greek-language newspaper called "New Kosmos", an effort that lasted for only a few months. In 1894 he was appointed editor-in-chief of New York's newspaper Atlantis, and in 1905, following a dispute with the Atlantis editor, he began a new effort to publish his new weekly newspaper in New York entitled "Flag". Then, (apparently due to financial difficulties), in collaboration with John Boura, who had meanwhile begun publishing the weekly newspaper "Thermopylae," they began jointly publishing the daily newspaper "Flag-Thermopylae" until 1908.

We copy from a related article in a Greek publication of America: "With his national-filled articles, he turned the attention of the Greeks to the national and social issues they had previously been indifferent to. In the first main article on the first issue of the "Flag", (31-3-1905), he wrote: "In support of national interests, in favor of the Greek communities in America, in favor of the unbreakable future of Hellenism, we shall work always and while the breath is to our lips". A fighter, with a fiery national pulse-beat, stood faithful to his promise. It struggled to revolutionize the Hellenism of America for the issues of Cyprus, Crete, Macedonia. He accused the great nations for their injustices, the Greek Authorities and the Greeks abroad, when they did not show the necessary interest in national affairs. He was seeking with pain for national unity and support moral and material, especially for education, but also for foreign Greek communities when facing difficult conditions.

His contribution was also valuable in other areas. He supported and helped the Greek immigrants a lot. He was a leader in the establishment of national and community associations. In Boston, with N. Anagnostopoulos they founded the national union "Alexander the Great", with many American Philhellenes as members. He was one of the first and most prominent organizers of Nisyrian Societies in New York.

In 1906 he was elected first president of the "Porphyris" (Nisyrians Society in NY). Unfortunately, at that time, the small Greek community was divided. This division, affected the course of Greek newspapers as well.

Finally, he suffered from tuberculosis, and that is why he was forced to leave America for Greece in March 1909 with the S/S KARMANIA. The fare to Greece was collected by contribution between Greeks in America. He arrived in Piraeus on March 20th and, due to his deterioration in health, he was immediately introduced to the hospital Evangelismos and died three days later at the age of 66. "

The Nisyrian Studies’ Society, in the framework of its policy of promoting and honoring the work of those who offered to the community, to the homeland, to the sciences, decided to honor as he deserves, even after 114 years, this distinguished compatriot, dedicating the 22nd volume of magazine NISYRIAKA, to his memory.

Click here to view the first issue of newspaper SIMEA, 31-3-1905.