By Natalie Herr ‘25
Arab American Heritage is celebrated annually in the month of April. Throughout the month, Arab Americans past and present are recognized and celebrated for their contributions to our country.
Unlike many heritage months, Arab American Heritage Month is newer in the US. It began as an initiative in only a few states in 2017. A few schools observed the event, which helped it spread in popularity. Over the years, it has become more recognized, and on April 25, 2021, President Joe Biden was the first President to sign a proclamation for Arab American Heritage Month.
The first known members of the Arab American community arrived in the US in 1527: Estebanico Azemmouri, a native from what is known today as Morocco, and Antonio Bishallany, a native from what is known today as Lebanon. The first major immigration of Arabs to America was in the early 1800’s. They were fleeing to New York because of facing religious persecution and insecurity in the Ottoman Empire.
Today the Arab American community consists of people from 22 countries throughout Africa and the Middle East. They’re not only diverse in where they come from, but also in religion, sexual orientation, race, and gender identity. But what unites them together is their culture, history, and language.
This bond is represented in a movement called the Pen Bond (or Pen League) formed in a little neighborhood in Lower Manhattan called “Little Syria.” This movement made Arab literature more popular in the States. In the 1940’s, Arabs were forced to move somewhere else so that the area could be developed, so today Little Syria no longer exists. However, that area of New York still has the second highest Arab population.
Arab Americans have been valuable to the US within a plethora of fields like arts, politics, entertainment, the military, and many more. Kathy Najimy is an actress who’s starred in some key American movies like The Sister Act, and Hocus Pocus. In 2000, she received the Humanitarian of the Year award from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Besides being an animal rights activist, she also does a lot of work in the LGBTQ community.
Farouk El-Baz another eminent Arab American. He is a space geologist and scientist who trained the astronauts who circled the moon on Apollo 15. He not only helped train the astronauts, but he also helped plan the landings using space photography and research. In 1986, he became the director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University.
Just because April is the designated month to learn, celebrate, and educate others and ourselves about Arab Americans doesn’t mean it should be only limited to the month. Throughout the year, read, watch, and celebrate the work of amazing American Arabs who fought hard in the past, and who are still thriving today.
Sources:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/arab-american-heritage-month
https://unitedafa.org/news/2023/4/11/national-arab-american-heritage-month