The society "Malli i Mëmëdheut," founded on January 1, 1906, at Thanas Viso Mborja's home in Buffalo, New York, holds the distinction of being the first Albanian society established in the United States. This society set a precedent for many other Albanians in the diaspora, becoming a model of patriotism and cultural unity.
 |
| The founding members of "Malli i Mëmëdheut", New York, 1906, courtesy photo |
The founding members of the society included notable patriots such as Mina Grameno, Petro Nini Luarasi, Kol Rikashi, Pandi Lipi Kallanxhiu, Thimi Nuni Boçka, Pandi Mihal Furxhi, Dhimitraq Zisi Negovani, Vani Odo Karameta, Vani Vangjel, Thanas Halle, Mihallaq Kristaq Bimbli, and Thanas Viso Mborja. They came together with a shared vision of fostering a strong sense of national identity among Albanians in America.
In its early years, "Malli i Mëmëdheut" developed a formal constitution, which served as a guiding document and an example for Albanians in other American cities. The members, primarily workers with a deep sense of patriotism, looked up to those among them who had received an Albanian education and possessed cultural knowledge as their spiritual leaders.
By 1909, the society had grown and elected new leadership with Gaqi Themeli as the president, Vangjel Camçe as vice president, and Koço Grameno and Janko Vishnja as controllers.
A significant milestone occurred on November 25, 1913, when the society merged with the "VATRA" Federation, forming Branch No. 25 in Jamestown, New York, with 100 members. The elected leaders of this branch were Ilo Furxhi as president, Lambi Cale as treasurer, Perikli Murzaku as secretary, and council members Vasil Argjir, Hysen Belortaja, and Sali Selman.
Thanas Viso Mborja recollected the birth of the idea to form the first Albanian society in the US: “One day, I told a friend that we who had been in Romania and witnessed the organization of patriotic societies there could not remain idle. We needed to take the initiative to create such societies in America. It would be best to invite people from Jamestown, where there were about 80 Albanians, including patriots Petro Nini Luarasi and Mina Grameno, to help us. My friend liked the idea, and thus, we put it into action. On January 1, 1906, patriots gathered in my home to decide on the founding of the society.”
In his book, Costandin A. Demo describes Petro Nini Luarasi as the “Paul Revere” of Albanians, spreading patriotism wherever he went. Luarasi was a walking library, with his pockets full of pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers. He paved the way for the national movement that followed. The society "Malli i Mëmëdheut" also established a library with books in Albanian, English, and Greek—languages somewhat familiar to the Albanian workers in Buffalo. Thanas Viso Mborja donated the first collection of books, which he had brought from Romania. These books, authored by Albanian Renaissance patriots, were printed at the "Dituria" society’s typography in Bucharest. Society members paid a monthly fee of 50 cents. They connected with American workers and intellectuals, one of whom, Mr. Moss, greatly publicized the Albanian struggle and their demands in the "Morning Post" newspaper.
"Malli i Mëmëdheut" exemplified how a dedicated group of patriots could foster national pride and cultural preservation among immigrants, leaving a lasting legacy for the Albanian community in America.