Arab American Heritage Month: April
Arab American Heritage Month takes place in April. It celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture, and it pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans. An estimated 3.7 million Americans have Arab roots, with ancestries traced to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and others.
Beginning in the 1990s, Arab American heritage was celebrated sporadically in various states at different times of the year. In 2017, Arab America (a national media organization) began a nation-wide initiative to coordinate all states under one National Arab American Heritage Month. In a strong showing of support, Arab American Heritage Month was recognized federally for the first time in April 2021 by the United States Department of State and the President of the United States, Joe Biden. As of April 2022, States that have passed permanent legislation designating April as National Arab American Heritage Month include Illinois, Oregon, and Virginia. Similar legislation is pending in Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
Currently, a resolution co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) has been re-introduced to Congress proclaiming April as National Arab American Heritage Month. “It is my hope as a strong and proud Arab American in Congress that our nation can uplift our contributions in the United States by supporting Arab American Heritage Month,” Tlaib, a first-generation American, said about the resolution.
Learn more about celebrating Arab American Heritage Month on CMU's Campus.
View books that are available in the CMU Libraries' collection: