Author Archives: Arab America

At a time of major news developments in the Middle East and North Africa, the Arab-American media’s efforts to meet the demands of its audience have been complicated by declining ad revenue, new technology, and growing competition from Arab outlets in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a new study by the Pew … Continued

In partnership with the Iraqi & American Reconciliation Project (IARP), The Advocates for Human Rights (The Advocates) has designed a curriculum to familiarize students with the postwar condition of Iraqi immigrants. The curriculum includes lesson plans for both K-5 and high school classrooms. “The magnitude of the human rights abuses faced by these Iraqi immigrants, … Continued

Arabic music does not come often to America, and when it does it is usually in the form of pop songs that have little appeal to the casual American listener. Yet Arab music is a perfect tool to build bridges of understanding and appreciation. As someone who has taught Arabic in the States, I have … Continued

\ Between 1880 and 1940, Arab immigrants arriving in New York City from the region then called Greater Syria (modern-day Syria and Lebanon) forged their new American identity around Washington Street in Lower Manhattan. Their entrepreneurial spirit transformed the neighborhood, which came to be known as Little Syria, into a thriving community lined with shops, … Continued

More than an American Express card, presenting an American passport to an immigration official overseas almost always results in a gracious welcome. Besides recognized mutual diplomatic protocols that require countries to treat visitors with respect and afford them safety and ease of entry, American citizens usually enter foreign points of entry without much bureaucratic delays. … Continued

The American Egyptian Strategic Alliance (AESA) and the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association (EARLA) share the concerns expressed by other Egyptian rights organizations and civil society advocates regarding President Morsi’s constitutional declaration of November 22, 2012 in which he granted himself unprecedented and far-reaching powers. While we understand the frustration and gridlock that led … Continued

For most Muslims, what happens to the body of a deceased person is not quite as important as what happens to that person’s soul. Still, historians of all backgrounds are scrambling to locate the body and belongings of a Muslim buried in Washington, DC nearly 200 years ago, for it touches the soul of early … Continued

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: SUBMISSION DEADLINE NOVEMBER 30, 2012 The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is pleased to announce our Call for Proposals for sessions at 2013 DIWAN: A Forum for the Arts, taking place at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, April 5-7, 2013. Scholars, artists and activists are welcome and all artistic … Continued

In 1528, a slave from Morocco named Zammouri was brought to North America, making him the first person of Arabic descent to arrive in the New World. Today, there are an estimated 4.2 million Arab Americans. The story of how they have given back to America is told at the Jacksonville downtown library in the … Continued

Google announced today a month-long initiative to promote Arabic on the Internet. The program is called “Arabic Web Days” and aims to increase the amount of online content in Arabic, a language that is under-represented on the Internet. “Arabic content on the web represents just 3 percent of the total digital content online,” Google said … Continued

The National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA) and the NAAMA Foundation presented a check for $10,000 to the American Red Cross to support Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts. The check was presented to Southeast Michigan Regional Executive La Forice Nealy by NAAMA Executive Director Renee Ahee and a member of the NAAMA National Board of … Continued

Every explosion in Gaza seems personal to Said Durrah. The Washington-area resident has so many relatives in Gaza that he can’t count them all: uncles, aunts, cousins, second cousins, and so on, in Zaytoon, Rimal and other Gaza communities. His mother is one of nine children, many of whom still live in the Palestinian territory. … Continued