In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, due to socio-economic problems, a mass emigration of Rusyns from Galicia, Ugric Rus, and Bukovina—then parts of Austria-Hungary—to North America took place. This led to the formation of a large and influential Carpatho-Rusyn diaspora in the United States and Canada. Members of this diaspora founded many important civic and cultural organizations, educational societies, and print publications in North America. One of the most well-known Carpatho-Rusyn organizations in the United States in the early 20th century was the "Russian People's Organization in America".
It was founded in 1907 and became the first major civic organization of Rusyns in the United States. The organization’s main goal was to unite Rusyns living in the United States, support their cultural identity, and provide assistance in adapting to new living conditions.