Recognizing Arab-American Heritage Month

We’re marking the start of Arab-American Heritage Month by talking about the importance of recognizing and celebrating the richness and diversity of the Arab-American experience–this month and all through the year. At One Schoolhouse, we recognize observances and holidays that center the voices and experiences of historically excluded peoples in the United States. Our goal is to lift up the words of others who share our commitment to learning, and to build for belonging. To learn more about these newsletters, read our blog post on how and why we acknowledge.

The History of Arab-American Heritage Month:  The campaign for a national recognition of Arab-American heritage began in 2017. In 2021, National Arab American Heritage Month was first proclaimed by President Biden in 2021. In 2023, the month was also recognized by 47 state governors.

Observe Arab-American Heritage Month at your school:  Visit PBS’s Arab-American Heritage Month resources to share stories from across the Arab-American experience. Their articles and resources include subjects like one mother’s experience in the Syrian conflict, Somali poetry, and Jinn, mystical beings from Islamic beliefs and Arabic mythology.

Listen to Arab-American Voices:  Linda Sayed is an assistant professor of comparative cultures and politics at Michigan State University, where she is also a core faculty member of the Muslim Studies Program. She writes, “Growing up Arab and Muslim in the U.S. was to live by omission… To be Arab and Muslim in a post-9/11 world is to exist under a microscope… As a scholar of the Middle East, I push for change by rewriting the story.”