SUNY Empire Library News & Alerts

Arab American Heritage Month 2024

According to the Migration Policy Institute, Arab Christians began immigrating from the Ottoman Empire to the United States in the late 1800s to flee religious persecution. Today, an estimated 3.7 million Americans can trace their ancestries back to 22 Arab countries. The largest group, comprising nearly one-third of the Arab American population, are Lebanese Americans. 

Arab countries in Southwest Asia and Northern Africa are all connected by their use of Arabic language, with variety in ethnicity and religion as well as linguistics across regions. Arab countries include Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Turkey and Iran are not Arab because they speak Farsi and Turkish.

The largest number of Arab Americans originate from the Levant which includes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. Religion is more varied than you may realize, with Arab Americans being Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestant, Muslim, or other/non-affiliated. Arabs migrated to other countries, too; Brazil has the largest population of Arab immigrants in the world.

Arab-Americans have made enormous contributions to our history and culture. As Joe Biden wrote to Arab America Foundation, "Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and it is essential that we continue celebrating, promoting, and educating others about the myriad ways that the Arab people have advanced human civilization and contributed to the well-being of our nation.” 

We invite you to explore the rich history and celebrate the cultural contributions of Arab Americans in this country by learning more via the librarian-curated Arab American Heritage Month guide.