It is a time to learn about the contributions from the Arabic world as well as of the richness and diversity of its culture.
National Arab American Heritage Month
Arab American Heritage Month has been celebrated in some states since 2017. In 2021, President Joe Biden declared the month of April to be National Arab American Heritage Month. It is a time to learn about the contributions from the Arabic world as well as of the richness and diversity of its culture.
For a country to be considered Arabic, it needs to be a member of the League of Arab States, have a shared history/cultural tradition, and speak Arabic. According to the Arab American Institute, there are over 3.7 million people in the United States with Arab roots which can be traced to Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan,Syria, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Yemen, and other countries in the Middle East and North Africaa.
So, this April, let’s learn more about the Arab American culture and population with some interesting facts and a virtual trip to the Arab American National Museum.
Interesting Facts:
- Language: There are more than 300 million Arab speakers in the world.
- Music: Superstar Shakira (Arab South American) has proudly shared her Lebanese roots in her music and dancing.
- Technology: Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple was half Syrian. Because of his father’s Muslim faith, his maternal grandparents opposed the relationship. Steve Jobs was given for adoption at birth.
- Food: Coffee, a gift from the Arab world. Thank you for this!!!
- Engineering: Introduction of watering devices for irrigation and supply to cities.
- Psychology: Contribution to the field of multicultural psychology with the development of the Handbook of Arab American Psychology.
- If this Tuesday Tip sparked your curiosity, try immersing yourself more in the culture by engaging with others over a meal or coffee.
About the Author: Dr. Karem Cando’s name is Arabic in origin. However, it is a male given name in the Arabic language. She found out in a funny turn of events when she met a male Karem.
