Free to Use and Reuse: Arab American Heritage
Selected images represent the historical experiences and achievements of Arab Americans, primarily during the early 1900s when many people immigrated from Lebanon and the region known as Syria. A formal celebration of Arab American heritage occurs each year in the United States in April. Unless otherwise noted, the images are from the Prints & Photographs Division.
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Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese American poet and author. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo by Carol Highsmith, around 2000. -
Josephine Wehby Sharbel playing and singing the Lebanese national anthem. Photo by Brenda McCallum, 1982. Source: American Folklife Center, Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America Project collection -
Arabic class at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church in Birmingham, Alabama, taught by Khattar Wehby, around 1915. Source: American Folklife Center, Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America Project collection -
Early Arabic language books used at St. Elias school by Josephine Sharbel's father, Khattar Wehby, in Birmingham, Alabama, around 1915. Source: American Folklife Center, Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America Project collection -
The Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, 2019. -
Donna Shalala, Lebanese American and Secretary of Health and Human Services. Photo by Michael Geissinger, 1998. -
Children of immigrants from Greater Syria playing a game on a sidewalk in New York City. Photo by Bain News Service, around 1915. -
Women chatting in New York City’s Syrian neighborhood. Photo by Bain News Service, 1916. -
12 year old Joe Hajjar, of Syrian descent, in Boston. Red Cross photo, 1920 -
Ralph Nader, a Lebanese-American and consumer advocate. Photo by Thomas O'Halloran, 1975. -
Revolutionary War muster roll for the Continental Army lists Private Nathan Badeen, a Syrian immigrant. In "History of Colonel Edmund Phinney's Eighteenth Continental Regiment ...," 1898, p. 60. Source: General Collections -
“Five Haddad Brothers on Various Fighting Fronts.” Syrian American family featured in the Waterbury Democrat newspaper, May 24, 1945, during World War II. Source: Chronicling America. -
Zaida Ben Yusuf, an Algerian-German-American photographer. Self-portrait, 1901. -
Afifa Karam, a Lebanese American author, published "The New World: A Ladies Monthly Arabic Magazine," 1912. -
Alexander Maloof, a Lebanese American composer and producer published “A Trip to Syria” in 1913. Source: National Jukebox -
Marie El-Khoury, a Syrian American and jewelry designer. Photo by Arnold Genthe, 1921. -
Sam Maloof, a Lebanese American furniture designer, created the dining room pieces for his home in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Photo by Tavo Olmos, 1999. -
Eight year old Syrian girl, Phoebe Thomas, going to work at 6 a.m., August 14, with great butcher knife, to cut sardines in Seacoast Canning Co. Factory #4, Eastport Me. Photo by Lewis Hine, 1911. -
A restaurant in New York City’s Syrian neighborhood. Photo by Bain News Service, 1916. -
Syrian food seller with a pushcart on New York City street. Photo by Bain News Service, 1916. -
Paul Anka, a Canadian American of Lebanese and Syrian descent. Photo by Bernard Gotfryd, 1960s -
Ameen Rihani, a Lebanese American and writer, published Myrtle and Myrrh in 1905. Source: General Collections -
Our Lady of Mercy Syrian Roman Catholic church in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Photo by Dick Sheldon, around 1938. -
Relief sculpture of St. George slaying a dragon at St. George's Syrian Catholic Church, New York City. Photo by Angelo Rizzuto, 1953 -
Abraham Mitrie Rihbany, a Lebanese American, theologian, and historian, published "The Hidden Treasure" in 1920. General Collections