Honoring Arab American Heritage, Stories, and Changemakers

In 2022 President Biden officially declared April as Arab American Heritage Month. While the federal designation of this month is relatively new, the presence of people with Arab heritage in the United States dates back centuries. In celebration of this new commemorative month, Facing History has curated its first Arab American Heritage Month resource page to highlight the history of Arab people in the US, celebrate an array of Arab American changemakers, and share other useful resources for educators honoring this celebration in their classrooms. We look forward to bringing you more Arab American Heritage articles throughout the year.

Historical Background

The mass immigration of Arab people to the United States began in the late nineteenth century, spurred by promising economic opportunities, migration caused by famine, and the desire to escape political unrest. The majority of these early immigrants came from the Greater Syria region of the Ottoman Empire, which includes present-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. The actual number of Arabic speaking immigrants who entered the US prior to WWI is impossible to track as customs officials would group people coming through ports as Turkish (which encompassed anyone coming from the, at that time, vast Ottoman Empire) or incorrectly as Asians, Greeks, or Armenian. 

The first wave of Arab immigrants were predominantly Christian and often had little to no formal education. Like so many new arrivals to America before them, their names were frequently shortened and Americanized without full understanding or consent. These turn of the century immigrants underscored the importance of higher learning to their American-born children, encouraging their sons and daughters to pursue college and elite professions.

The second wave of people from the Middle East moving to the United States followed both the end of WWII and a loosening of restrictions with the Immigration Act of 1965. From 1948 to 1966 around 80,000 Arab immigrants made the US their new home. At first many of these immigrants were ethnic Palestinians who were displaced due to the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. Later, after 1965, Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, and Iraqis followed, often escaping political revolutions or government coups. In contrast with the first wave of Arab immigrants, this new wave was largely Muslim and educated —making the promise of American higher education opportunities and professional freedom very enticing.

Arab American Upstanders

Arab Americans have played a vital role in shaping modern America and have been leaders in social advocacy, scientific innovations, arts and culture, and other critical moments within our world history. Get to know some of the individuals who have helped lift up the stories and customs of Arab Americans and whose accomplishments have positively contributed to the fabric of our society.

Additional Resources

• Arab America Foundation
• Arab American National Museum
• PBS Special: Arab Americans
• Smithsonian Arab American Heritage Month Collection
• NYC Public Schools Arab American Heritage Month Educational Resources