Arab American Heritage Month
Arab American Heritage Month is observed annually in April to recognize and celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking individuals in the United States. The initiative gained momentum in 2017, spearheaded by the Arab America Foundation and various Arab American organizations, and has since expanded across many states. A significant push for national recognition occurred in 2019 when Representatives Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib introduced a resolution in Congress, although it remains unpassed as of 2024. In 2022, President Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to formally declare April as Arab American Heritage Month, underscoring the importance of acknowledging the contributions of Arab Americans to the nation.
Celebrations can range from educational initiatives to cultural events featuring art, music, and cuisine, aimed at fostering understanding and appreciation of Arab heritage. The Arab American community is diverse, with roots in various countries including Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, and has a presence in all parts of the U.S., particularly in urban centers like Detroit and New York City. Despite facing challenges such as misconceptions and discrimination, advocates hope that Arab American Heritage Month will promote a more nuanced and positive perception of the Arab American experience in the broader American narrative.
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Arab American Heritage Month
Arab American Heritage Month is a time to note the history, culture, and accomplishments of Americans of Arab background. It is held annually in April. The idea first became popular in 2017, when it was promoted by the Arab America Foundation and Arab American organizations. Their proposal spread quickly in the coming years, taking root in ever-increasing numbers of states. In 2019, Representatives Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib proposed a resolution to have the designation adopted nationally. Although this was still pending by the beginning of 2025, the month has gained high-profile supporters, including President Joe Biden and numerous governors and federal leaders. In 2022, Biden was the first president to declare April Arab American Heritage Month. Observers of Arab American Heritage Month may celebrate in a wide variety of ways, from promoting education about Arab history and culture, to participating in events of art, music, and cuisine.
Background
Arab Americans are people in the United States whose ancestry may be traced to Arabic-speaking peoples. The Arabs are a widespread and diverse group, most commonly hailing from the Middle East and North Africa. Some of their many countries of origin include Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan. Although their subgroups are geographically and culturally diverse, they are connected by their use of Arabic languages and, often, by their observance of Islam.
Arabs have been immigrating to the United States for hundreds of years for a variety of reasons. The earliest Arab immigrants included adventurers, traders, soldiers, and students. Others arrived as enslaved laborers. The first large-scale Arab immigration began in the late 1800s. At that time, large numbers of Arabs fled persecution in the Ottoman Empire and sought freedom and economic opportunities in the United States.
Immigration continued for several decades, though it slowed due to legislation in the 1920s that limited newcomers to the United States. In the 1960s, another large wave of immigration from Arabic countries began. Many of these immigrants settled in the Northeastern and Midwestern sections of the United States, where many took jobs in the automobile, grocery, and sales industries.
In the 2020s, people of Arab ancestry reside in all parts of the United States, particularly in Detroit, Michigan; New York City; and Los Angeles, California. The overall number of Arab Americans is uncertain and subject to debate, but is most likely between 1.8 and 3.7 million. One major reason for the ambiguity pertains to census techniques that underemphasize Arab ancestry, leading large numbers of Arab Americans to report other ancestries instead. This skews the results and presents an inaccurately low population estimate.
Overview
The idea for Arab American Heritage Month first took hold in 2017 under the promotion of the Arab America Foundation and Arab American organizations, which promote education and media relating to the Arab American experience. In its initial year, participation was rather modest, but in subsequent years, more states and organizations adopted and celebrated the month. More than 250 volunteers in twenty-six states formed teams to promote the monthly designation.
A call to declare this celebratory month on a nationwide level arrived in 2019, when Representatives Dingell and Tlaib, Michigan Democrats, brought the idea before Congress. Tlaib, an American-born woman with parents from Palestine, pointed to her own accomplishments and those of other Arab Americans in her request for a month of recognition. Although the resolution was not passed, the idea persisted. By April 2021, President Joe Biden, multiple federal leaders, and thirty-seven states marked the month. Biden noted that Arab Americans have contributed to the success of the United States through their dedication, hard work, and generosity. The following year, several more states accepted the monthly designation, and other states began to review the legislation necessary to do so.
The call for a month of recognition resulted largely from findings that many Americans of other backgrounds had little knowledge, or unfairly negative opinions, of Arab Americans. Much of the negativity stems from the lengthy war on terrorism and on events such as the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which highlighted the violence of radical militant Arabic Muslims and unfairly spread blame among Arab Americans at large. Many Arab Americans have experienced discrimination based on this perception, and hope that Arab American Heritage Month and similar measures could spread education and appreciation, and ultimately create more accurate and balanced perceptions. The Anti-Defamation League has noted that, as with other heritage months, attention to Arab Americans should not be reserved only for some specific period, but, rather, should be acknowledged consistently throughout the American experience.
The Arab America Foundation continues in a leading role in and planning Arab American Heritage Month activities and promotion. The organization offers curriculum kits for educators containing information about Arab backgrounds, diversity in language and religion, traditions and customs, and periods of Arab immigration to the United States and their impact. The organization also hosts an in-person celebration in Washington, DC, that invites all visitors, including local, state, and national leaders, to participate in a festival of art, music, dancing, and foods.
In 2022, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken published a letter in honor of Arab American Heritage Month in which he listed several notable Arab American leaders and historical figures. These included Private Nathan Badeen, an Arab American soldier in the American Revolutionary War; diplomat and ambassador Philip Habib, who contributed to international peace talks in the 1970s; and the longest-serving Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt. Other notable Arab Americans of modern times include computer scientist Fadel Adib; White House Deputy Assistant Reema Dodin; supermodel advocates Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid; Michigan mayor Abdullah Hammoud; playwright Yussef El Guindi; political leader Ralph Nader; actor Tony Shalhoub; and chef and writer Reem Kassis.
In 2023, Biden issued a proclamation recognizing April as National Arab American Heritage Month.
Bibliography
“April is Arab American Heritage Month.” Arab American Institute, 1 Apr. 2022, www.aaiusa.org/library/arab-american-heritage-month. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
“Arab American Heritage Month 2024.” History, 26 Mar. 2024, www.history.com/topics/21st-century/arab-american-heritage-month. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Blinken, Antony J. “Recognizing National Arab American Heritage Month.” US Department of State, 1 Apr. 2022, www.state.gov/recognizing-national-arab-american-heritage-month/. Accessed 15 June 2022.
Harb, Ali. “‘It Matters’: US Marks Arab American Heritage Month.” Al Jazeera, 1 Apr. 2022, www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/1/it-matters-us-marks-arab-american-heritage-month. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Jamal, Amaney. “Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month.” Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, 1 Apr. 2022, spia.princeton.edu/blogs/celebrating-arab-american-heritage-month. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Knight, Christina. “Arab American Heritage Month.” WNET, 2 Apr. 2023, www.thirteen.org/blog-post/arab-american-heritage-month/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
“National Arab American Heritage Month.” Arab America Foundation, 2025, arabamericafoundation.org/national-arab-american-heritage-month/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
“National Arab American Heritage Month Resources.” Anti-Defamation League, 2022, www.adl.org/resources/tools-and-strategies/national-arab-american-heritage-month-resources. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.