Arab American Heritage Month

A series of two patterns are on top and below the Arabic Text. They consitute tiled patterns in blue and yello and flower vine also a tile pattern in red, green, blue, and yellow.
Logo design by UIC and ArabAmCC Alumni, Laila Zayed.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell & Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, with the help of several Arab American organizing groups, issued a resolution proclaiming April to be National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) in 2017. The state of Illinois designated April as Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM) in 2018 and the Department of State recognized it nationally in 2021. During April, Arabs and Arab Americans are honored and celebrated for their historical contributions, culture, traditions, history, arts, and overall social presence as a community in the United States.

Elementary School Educational Outreach Program Heading link

A photograph of elemenatry school children sitting on the floor of the school gym with three adults standing in front of them presenting and a screen on the wall that has the power point presentation.

What We offer:

UIC ArabAmCC Staff and Students will join your school to share our Arab American Heritage exhibition and presentation. This will include:

  • Artifacts, clothing and accessories, books, children’s books, crafts, woodwork, traditional games, textiles, art, kitchenware
  • Interactive presentation with images, historical information, maps, videos, music
  • Activities: folkdance, writing in Arabic, music, crafts-making, storytelling
  • Other possibilities could include inviting artists for specific demonstrations (music, calligraphy, dance, etc..) [which may require additional funds].

We are happy to work with you to figure out a format that works best for your school. Some suggestions include setting up in a large space (auditorium or gym) where different grade levels join us for a set period of time; moving from one class to another; large lecture hall with the whole school.

Why It’s Needed

We aim to inspire Arab-positive experiences and advance unbiased concepts about Arab Americans and, more broadly, people from the Arab World/ Middle East and North Africa. There is a long history of negative representation of Arabs, Muslims, and Middle Easterners in U.S. media and popular culture.  These ideas influence how Americans interact with one another and inform institutional and interpersonal racist practices and beliefs. Education is an important strategy to address racism and implicit biases to help create a more just and inclusive society.

  • The ArabAmCC will make the Arab and Middle Eastern, and North African cultures more accessible and better understood for students of diverse backgrounds.
  • This project will assist educators in acknowledging and embracing the diversity their classrooms offer.
  • It will highlight the rich diversity of the Arab/Middle East and North African region and community, countering negative stereotypes.
  • It will enable students of these backgrounds to feel honored and respected by their school and classmates.

Resources Heading link

Arab Americans: History, Culture, and Contributions

Written by acclaimed author and researcher Randa Kayyali with the Arab American National Museum, this introductory-level, 52-page book offers an overview of Arab American immigration history, including the recent influx of immigrants, and touches on the themes of religion, cultural traditions and the impact of media stereotyping. It includes graphs, maps and historical images of the Arab American community, many never before published.

Hikayat Stories

To honor Arab American heritage, Alif Institute and the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) launched a year-long partnership with StoryCorps to provide a platform to share Arab American stories. “Hikayat: Arab American Stories” is an initiative to preserve narratives from our community, allowing us to reflect on our shared humanity, and celebrate our resiliency in the face of adversity.

Arab American Heritage Resource Guide

Blue background bottom has four hands different skin shades with green and red shirts some with bracelet and some with watch, holding up two books, one closed and one open, and one protest sign, Above them is a group of white birds flying out of the book. Text is in white, red, and green. Org logo is on the bottom left.

The Arab Resource and Organizing Center in the Bay Area, CA produced an Arab American Heritage Guide. This guide is intended for educators, school administrators, and staff, but includes many K-12 appropriate resources for students and parents to utilize themselves. The guide highlights Arab youth in their own words speaking on their experiences and struggles growing up in Bay Area public schools. This guide provides an opportunity for school districts to address critical issues of representation and education equity. Additionally, this guide aims to combat Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism through its engagement within entire school districts.

Palestine Resource Guide

The Palestinian Feminist Collective Produced this Resource Toolkit on Palestine to support education and organizing in the US.

Arab American Digital Scrapbooks

Family stories created in the Community History Studio at the Arab American National Museum (http://aanmcuratorial.wordpress.com/family-story-project). Participants can use the studio to scan copies of photos and documents, record audio, and combine their words and images in a digital scrapbook

Arab American Stories

Arab American Stories is a 13-part series presented by Detroit Public Television that explores the diversity of the Arab-American experience. Hosted by NPR’s Neda Ulaby, each half-hour features three short, character-driven documentaries produced by a variety of independent filmmakers which profile Arab Americans making an impact in their community, their profession, their family or the world at large.

Reading Lists for All Ages

Videos We Value

Podcasts We Recommend

Arab American National Museum

a photograph of a building facade with blue sky with white clouds. Building is beige with a middle section in blue tile with arabic and english calligraphy of the name of the museum

The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is the first and only museum of its kind in the United States devoted to recording the Arab American experience. It serves as a touchstone that connects communities to Arab American culture and experiences. Since opening in 2005, AANM’s goal has been to document, preserve and present the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. Our exhibitions cover the Arab world and the history of Arab Americans from the first immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century to today. AANM has one of the most extensive archives of Arab American historical documents, oral histories and artifacts. We are the only museum in the country that actively collects Arab American art. The Annex @ AANM, a multi-purpose space and a symbol of the Museum’s growing engagement with the community, opened in 2015.

Palestine Museum

A square of embroidery (cross stitch tatreez) with a geometric art pattern in red, brown, green, and black

Palestine Museum US was founded by Palestinian American businessman Faisal Saleh who, after over 40 years of entrepreneurial work, is turning his attention to managing the most ambitious Palestinian media project in the United States. Located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, USA, the museum opened its doors on April 22, 2018.

Karama: Arab and Islamic World Information Project

KARAMA is an independent, non-partisan organization seeking to promote understanding of the issues facing the Arab and Islamic world, and of the Palestinian issue in particular. KARAMA’s vision is that a fresh understanding of the hopes and aspirations of the area’s people will replace the stereotypes and distortions that dominate public discourse on the region. We are involved in several projects to help realize this vision.

Arab American Heritage Month April 2024 Programming Heading link

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The Arab American Cultural Center is partnering with a diversity of institutions at UIC and outside to celebrate and educate about Arab American history, culture, diversity, joys, pains, and identities.

At UIC, this year we are partnering with the Global Middle East Studies Working Group of the Institute for the Humanities, the Gender and Sexuality Department, the Diversity and Inclusion at UI Health.

Outside UIC, this year we are partnering with several community organizations, museums, institutions, and schools including: the Field Museum, Chicago Public Library, The Little Red School House Nature Center (Forest Preserve), D300, and more.

 

For details for specific events at UIC, please check our Upcoming Events page and our Social Media pages.

Arab American Cultural Center Partnership Events Fliers Heading link

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National Arab American Heritage Month Celebration Hafla
National Arab American Heritage Month Celebration Hafla in Oak Park Library on April 13. Event is organized in partnership with Oak Park Neighbors for Peace in Palestine/Israel, Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel Being Different Workshops, and OPRFHS MENA Student Alliance. Event will include music, crafts, storytime, games, cultural displays, food, spoken word, and more.
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D300 presents Arab American Heritage Month Event
Event is organized in partnership with the School District 300 on April 20th at 9am-12pm at. ArabAmCC is supporting with activities, crafts, presentations, and games about Arab American Heritage.
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Arab American Heritage Walk
The Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs, IL is hosting an Arab American Heritage walk in partnership with the Arab American Cultural Center and the Arab American Family Services on April 14, 11am-1pm. Event will include a Guided Forest Walk, Storytelling time, Arts and Crafts. Open to Everyone.
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Hiddlen Identities: Lack of MENA Representation
Hiddlen Identities: Lack of MENA Representation in Healthcare Outcomes. The Office of Diversity and Community Health Equity is collaborating with the UIC's Arab American Cultural Center present a moderated conversation on the topic. Guest speakers include Prof. Sarah Abboud Itedal Shalabi, and Zain Alsalhani. Discussion and moderation by Zeina Zaatari. Dinner provided Register Online: https://forms.office.com/r/uDs38DdkOf.