Since 1959, NAASR has banded with Harvard and 19 other universities to further the study of Armenian language and civilization.
"All of us at NAASR thought it was critical to start educational chairs because many Armenian-Americans were craving a knowledge of our civilization that was becoming more difficult to remember," Young said.
Many Armenian-Americans felt that their culture was slipping away because it had been years since they had left their country.
In Young's case, because he had not been born in Armenia, his entire knowledge of his homeland depended on oral histories.
"These folk histories are always a little suspicious. Sometimes people just don't remember things as they really happened," Young said. "That's why we started NAASR."
Religious Life
In addition to NAASR, religion is another base in the community to which many Armenians turn for support and group membership.
Saint James Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown is one of the three oldest predominantly Armenian parishes in Boston. It is the parish that serves a large portion of the Belmont and Watertown parishioners that also frequent the NAASR reading room.
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