Since 2021, the month of April has been known as National Arab American Heritage Month in the United States, where the achievements and contributions of Arab Americans are celebrated. This designation serves as a way to both broaden our awareness and knowledge of other cultures as well as to combat anti-Arab prejudice. The celebrations are kicked off by an event in Washington DC, featuring art, cuisine, music, and dance, hosted by the Arab America Foundation to commemorate this month. The event is attended by members of Congress, state and local leaders, and members of the Arab American community.
On Wednesday, April 24th, the Middle Eastern Affinity Group hosted an Arab-American Heritage Month celebration at University School, where attendees learned about Arab countries and Arabic culture through a presentation given by Rabih Abboud, who heads the group. At the celebration, where 34 students had registered to attend, but many more showed up, a variety of traditional Arab cuisine was served and enjoyed by all attendees. Centuries-old Arab cuisines are often reflective of the traditional trading practices for spices, herbs, and other ingredients in the region. Meats and rice are highly popular ingredients in Arabic cuisines, with shawarma being one of the most famous Arabic foods. Thin cuts of chicken, beef, or lamb are added to sauces, and other ingredients are added in the form of sandwiches for people to enjoy.
As Rabih explained, an Arab-American is someone who lives in the United States and has ancestral roots in the Arab World. With 22 countries in the Arab League, Arab Americans make up a diverse population, rich in culture and heritage. Almost 3.7 million Arab-Americans live in the United States today, and while they mostly use the same Arabic language, they differ in the religions that they practice, including Islam (Sunni, Shia, Ibadis), Christianity (Maronites, Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Protestant), Druze, Bahai, and Judaism, among others. While the terms “Arab” and “Muslim” are often conflated, it is important to note that not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arab.
The first wave of immigration from Arab countries took place when people, mainly from Lebanon and Syria, immigrated to the United States between 1878 and 1924, seeking better economic opportunities. Since then, other factors such as WWII, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the civil war in Lebanon, and the Gulf Wars have also contributed to an increase in immigration from Arab countries to the United States and elsewhere. Early Arabs were forced to identify as White in order to gain access to the full benefits of citizenship and counter immigration quotas, a trend that still exists today, albeit for other reasons. However, it is encouraging to know that the next US Census (2030) plans to make a clear distinction between race and ethnicity and, therefore, offer new boxes for Middle Eastern or North Africans.
At the celebration, attendees also learned that many notable Arab-Americans have made significant contributions throughout history in various fields. For instance, Khalil Gibran (author/poet), Danny Thomas (founder of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital), and Michael DeBakey (inventor of a variety of surgical techniques used in cardiovascular surgeries) are all Arab-Americans who have enriched the economic, scientific, and cultural landscape of American life. The main purpose of Arab American Heritage Month is to celebrate the achievements of Arab Americans throughout history, like the people mentioned above. During the celebration at US, many Arab American contributions were commemorated, and many people learned about the purpose of this holiday for the first time. Arab American Heritage Month represents the ability to accept and celebrate people’s achievements no matter what culture, race, religion, or ethnicity they may be from.
