[4][5] The largest wave of Romani immigrants came from the Balkans, Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia region in the late 19th century following the abolition of slavery in Romania in 1864.

[8] It seems that the United States lacks the structures and stories for Romani people to own as their heritage, something that would make their identity more visible as an individual group.

[9] There has been an increased consciousness of the existence of the Roma as an American people after the Cold War, but there remains a sense of mythology around the group.

[5] An announcement made on New York television station WABC referred to Romani people as 'real live Gypsies', suggesting a question mark on their existence.

[8] Most Romani Americans live in the United States's biggest cities, where the greatest economic opportunities exist.

[12][13][14] Romani Americans have served as experts on official delegations to meetings and conferences in the U.S. held by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

[16] Schools for young Roma students have been set up in California, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle and Camden, New Jersey.

The conference ended with a recommendation to the Government of India to recognize the Roma community spread across 30 countries as a part of the Indian diaspora.

[32] An Afro-Romani community exists in St. Martin Parish due to intermarriage of freed African American and Romani slaves.

[39] Early Romani immigrants listed such diverse occupations as farmer, laborer, showman, animal trainer, horse trader, musician, and coppersmith, among others, to census takers.

[42] This was due to the fact that, at the time, U.S. legislation prevented entry to "Gypsies", making it problematic for those who were perceived to be easily identifiable as Romani by their appearance.

[45] Many Romani people also came from Cuba, Canada, Mexico or South America, from where it was easier to immigrate to the United States.

[46] Early Romani immigrants reported a wide range of occupations to census officials, including farmer, laborer, showman, animal trainer, horse trader, musician, and coppersmith, among others.

In the 19th century, Roma American men typically engaged in nomadic occupations common in Europe, while women frequently practiced fortune telling.

[47] Romani Americans eat sarma (stuffed cabbage), gushvada (cheese strudel), and a ritually sacrificed animal (often a lamb).

[49] Romani Americans are concentrated in large cities such Chicago and Los Angeles and states such as New York, Virginia, Illinois, Texas and Massachusetts.

[50] Romani Americans live mainly in major urban areas such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and Portland.

Romani Americans today still migrate across the United States from the Midwest to Nevada, California, Texas, and elsewhere to live close to family and friends or for jobs.

Some of the Roma who had once lived in Delay and then in the Dearborn area in Michigan moved to Las Vegas Valley to work or retire.

[56] The Winsted Citizen in an article from 1947 reported that in the late 1800s Romani people visited Connecticut on a routine basis.

"[57] Numerous Romani individuals who have relocated to Northern Kentucky, whether temporarily or permanently, have conformed to the stereotype associated with the Gypsy community.