Arab American Heritage Month 2023 History, Message, Wish, Quotes and Status

Arab American Heritage Month, observed in April, marks a time to reflect on the Arabs in the United States and the various community groups that have upgraded the country’s Middle Eastern population.

It is difficult to get a complete picture of the Arab-American population during Arab American Heritage Month because the US government has classified people of Middle Eastern descent as “white” since the 1970s.  This challenged Arab Americans to get an accurate count.  In the United States and how members of this population are faring economically, academically, and so forth. 

The Arab American Institute asks its members to identify as “some other race” and then fill in their ethnicity.  Through the 2022 census, there is a movement by the Population Bureau to include the population of the Middle East in a unique category.

History Of Arab American Heritage Month

The origins of the celebration of Arab American Heritage Month go back to the 90s when it was observed sporadically – mostly in schools around the country, due to the long presence of people of Middle Eastern descent in the United States. Arab Americans and Americans of Middle Eastern heritage have a long history in the United States that began when people of Middle Eastern descent first began to enter America in large numbers in the 1800s.  Historians note that these immigrants were the first wave of Middle Easterners to immigrate to the United States around 1875.

According to the US government portal, the second wave of immigrants came in the 1940s and then in the 1960s during the horrific Lebanese civil war, with thousands of annual Middle Eastern immigrants from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq entering the country.

Today it is known that more than four million Arab Americans live in the United States, holding many positions in the military, entertainment, politics, and all other areas of social life.  According to the US Census Bureau, Lebanese Americans constitute the largest group of Arabs in the United States, followed by Egyptians, Syrians, Palestinians, Jordanians, Moroccans, and

Iraqis.  About half of the Arab Americans profiled by the Census Bureau in a survey conducted in 2000 were born in the United States, where men make up the largest percentage of the Arab American population and most households live as married couples.

Why Arab American Heritage Month is Celebrated?

While Arab Americans are often glossed over as the permanent indigenous people of the United States, people of Middle Eastern descent first began entering the country in significant numbers in the 1800s, often seen during Arab American Heritage Month.  America’s first wave of Middle Eastern immigrants arrived in the United States around 1875, according to america.gov.  A second influx of such immigrants came after 1940. 

The Arab American Institute reports that by the mid-1960s, 15,000 Middle Eastern immigrants from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq were settling in the United States each year.

In the following decade, the annual number of Arab immigrants increased by tens of thousands due to the Lebanese civil war.

How Arab American Heritage Month is Celebrated?

Read about immigration history

Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month by learning about the history of the explosion of Middle Eastern descent in the United States in the 1940s, 1960s, and 1990s.  Although Arab Americans are sometimes stereotyped as foreigners in the United States, they continue to make important contributions to American society.  Learn about them as a way to celebrate and honor them during Arab American Heritage Month.

Arab American heritage supports friendly initiatives

Arab America – the national media organization established to promote an accurate image of the Arab American community and the Arab world, launched a national initiative that prompted Congresswoman Debbie Dingle to issue a congressional resolution officially declaring April as National Arab American Heritage Month.  Support it!

Share your thoughts on social media

With nearly four million Arab Americans in the United States and a wider range of people with close friends of Middle Eastern descent, there is not enough to generate attention on social platforms that lead to widespread awareness of the holiday.  To celebrate the day, share opinions on important issues affecting Arab American communities or simply showcase culture.

Arab American Heritage Month Message.

An estimated 4 million Arab Americans live in the United States today.  The United States Population Bureau estimated in 2000 that Lebanese Americans constitute the largest group in the United States.  One in four Arab Americans is Lebanese. There is a lot of important history so we should message our friends, family, and all around us to remember this day.

1. We must stand united against the targeting, demonization, and denigration of any group of people.”

2. “Days, months, and years, at last, uncover like a Polaroid, a clear picture of how necessary events and decisions ultimately shape our lives.”

3. “Have beliefs, never lose your perseverance, and constantly trust your gut instinct.”

You may read Happy United Arab Emirates National Day 2022

Arab American Heritage Month Wish

Arab Americans live in all states of the United States, with two-thirds living in 10 states: California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.  One-third live in the greater Los Angeles area, Detroit, and New York, the Arab American Institute reports.  Lebanese Americans are the largest group, comprising about one-third of the Arab American population, and according to the US Census Bureau, Dearborn, Michigan, outside of Detroit, boasts the highest percentage of Arab Americans in the country.

In memory of the month’s official national designation the month, the initiative was launched in 2017 by the non-profit media and education organization Arab American Foundation and its subsidiary Arab America.  It began with the support of a few states but gained momentum every year. We Have to Send a wish message for our loving person on this day.

1. “Everyone starts small.  We all begin life as individual cells.  Every business starts as one person with an idea.  How quickly you go, and how distant you go, is up to you.  The bigger your glance the bigger your achievements.  Stumbling along the way?  Perhaps, but we can’t let fear keep us short.  We have to be brave to grow.”

2.“community in the Middle East, like everywhere in the world, yearn for independence and fair play.  They want a better life and a decent education for their children.”

3. “I believe that everyone gets a few good breaks in his life.  Lucky are those who recognize them and change their lives accordingly.

Arab American Heritage Month Status.

The Department of State’s recognition of April as National Arab American Heritage Month was largely influenced by independent advocacy efforts across the United States to call for inclusion.  Most notably Pierre Subeh, a Middle East-American business expert and author of petitions and social change campaigns. He organized a self-funded social awareness campaign with over 250 billboards across the country to get the federal government to recognize April as National Arab American Heritage Month and issue an official proclamation.

His campaign for social change called the recognition critical because it celebrates Middle Eastern heritage in addressing post-9/11 anti-Arab sentiment and acknowledging the social hardships Arab Americans face in their communities every day.

1. Like everywhere else in the world, people in the Middle East crave freedom and justice.  They want a better life and a decent education for their children.”

2. “I believe that everybody gets several good breaks in his life.  Lucky are those who recognize them and change their lives accordingly.

3. “Competition itself cheer up creativity and creativity is the basis of knowledge.”

Arab American Heritage Month Quotes.

We know that quotes man speech. Which are given by the respected person. A quotation giving the estimated cost for a particular service. Now I am telling some quotes which are related to Arab American Heritage Day.

1. To overcome my fear, I shackled myself with hope, its links heavier than any metal known to man.” – Laila Lalami.

2. “When we go deep enough or high enough, we meet. It is only on the surface that we differ and sometimes clashes. True, we do not always find our way to the depth or the height, or we do not take the trouble to do so.” – Ameen Rihani.

3. “All great art allows us this: a glimpse across the limits of our self.” – Hisham Matar.

4. “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” – Naguib Mahfouz.

5. “There’s beauty in everything, but not everyone is able to feel it.” – Anis Mansour.

FAQ About Arab American Month

Which Month is Arab American Heritage Month?

Ans: Arab American Heritage month is celebrated on March 1-31. Source-Wikipedia.

Why is Arab American Heritage Month celebrated?

Ans: The Arab American Institute reports that by the mid-1960s, 15,000 Middle Eastern immigrants from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq were settling in the United States each year.

Arab Americans and Americans of Middle Eastern heritage have a long history in the United States.  They are US military heroes, entertainers, politicians, and scientists.  They are Lebanese, Egyptian, Iraqi, and more.  Yet the representation of Arab Americans in mainstream media is very limited.  When Arabs make the news, in particular, Islam, hate crimes, or terrorism are the topics at hand.