Arab American heritage was first recognized on the national level with a “National Arab-American Day” in 1992 and in 2022, President Biden issued a statement in recognition of Arab American Heritage Month.
UC Berkeley is also honoring the month for the first time since the State Department began officially recognizing the Arab American community with a month-long celebration in April 2021.
“Arab Americans trace their ancestry to one of 22 Arabic-speaking countries that stretch across Northern Africa and into Western Asia. A shared linguist connection links a community composed of incredibly diverse religious and racial identities. Arabs have a long history in North America, dating back to as early as the 1600s. While Arab Americans might make up a greater percentage of the population of some other states like New York, Michigan and Illinois, California is home to the largest Arab American population in the United States.” ~ UC Berkeley
Read the full article from UC Berkeley: Celebrating National Arab American Heritage Month
Upcoming UC Berkeley Events:
- The MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian) Staff Organization is hosting a virtual baklava cook-a-long on April 15.
- The The South Asian, Southwest Asian, and North African (SSWANA) Initiative and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies are hosting a screening of the award-winning documentary film JADDOLAND on April 21.
- The Asian American Research Center, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and SSWANA will be hosting a panel on “Arab American Studies: What It Is and Why It Matters” on April 28.
(Image: https://www.aaiusa.org/library/arab-american-heritage-month)
