Scientists who immigrated to the United States after the revolution of 1917 worked in difficult economic conditions and lacked certain rights, but they maintained a cohesive and active academic community. Divided by their political opinions and beliefs, they were nevertheless united by the idea of preserving the Russian tradition of academic science and culture that in their opinion had been destroyed in the USSR. One particular feature of the Russian academic diaspora was that, despite territorial divides, it did not disintegrate into closed immigrant communities, but maintained common interests and scientific and cultural contacts. On the whole, Russian 6migre scientists in America pursued a wide spectrum of activities in locales ranging from large aviation firms to observatories, university centers, and laboratories. They contributed to and established professional, political, and youth organizations, schools and institutes, libraries and archives, theaters, and publishing houses.