President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hosted yesterday the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Greek-American community leaders at the White House on the occasion of Greek Independence Day. This was the 27th consecutive year that such a White House meeting has occurred.
Twenty-seven years ago, Manatos & Manatos created Congressional legislation and worked with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and others to establish the annual White House celebration of Greek Independence Day. Each year, from Ronald Reagan's presidency through Barack Obama's, though times of war and crisis, extensive efforts must be taken to preserve this event for our community.
Greek-Americans (less than one half of one percent of the U.S. population) and Irish-Americans (the second largest nationality in America) are the only two ethnic groups to have an annual event with the President of the United States.
