Arab American Heritage Month: Facts About Arabs in the US

The United States celebrates Arab American Heritage Month in April to recognize the contributions of Arab Americans to the country throughout history. During this month, various events, seminars, educational activities, and cultural evenings are held to shed light on the contributions of Arabs in the United States.

Establishment of Arab American Heritage Month

The Arab America Foundation and the Arab America Institute launched the Arab American Heritage Month initiative in 2017.

In April 2021, President Joe Biden officially declared April as a national observance of Arab American Heritage Month "in recognition of the over 3.5 million people who embody so much of what our country stands for: hard work, resilience, compassion, and generosity."

In 2022, Congress, the State Department, and 45 governors issued proclamations and statements affirming the observance of the occasion.

Celebrating Arab American Heritage

The White House stated in a recent statement marking the occasion, "This month, we honor the rich heritage, history, and hopes of over 3.5 million Arab Americans across our nation who have helped write the American story."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in another statement that Arab Americans have made contributions in all fields, including science, technology, cuisine, fashion, music, and art, as well as in education, law, engineering, and medicine.

They also work in public service, from local governments to the White House.

According to the Census Bureau, about 12 percent of Arab Americans work in the federal, state, and local governments.

Arab American Heritage Month Events

Every April, the Arab America Foundation hosts an event in Washington, D.C., to commemorate Arab American Heritage Month. The event is attended by members of the Arab American community, members of Congress, and local leaders.

The event highlights Arab heritage and culture through arts, cuisine, music, and dance. Last year's celebration, held in Arlington, Virginia, showcased Arab achievements in history, fashion, and music. The evening included guest speeches, a cultural fashion show, live music, and poetry readings.

At the Library of Congress, Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib hosted a luncheon.

Facts About Arab Americans

The Arab American Institute estimates the number of Arab Americans at 3.7 million people, with roots in many Middle Eastern, North African, and Sub-Saharan countries, who have settled in large numbers in the United States since the 1880s.

The majority of Arab Americans were born in the United States, and 85 percent are citizens. Most of them trace their ancestry to Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Iraq, according to the institute.

Arab Americans live in all 50 states, with up to 95 percent living in urban areas, particularly in New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis.

Nearly 75 percent of all Arab Americans live in just 12 states: California, Michigan, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Arab Immigration to America

While Arab American Heritage Month is a recent observance, the history of Arab arrivals in the Americas dates back to the 16th century, according to the State Department.

Arab immigrants came to the United States in four waves of migration from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, several Gulf countries, and Libya.

The first wave consisted mainly of Lebanese and Syrians, who mostly worked as grocers and peddlers in the Northeast and Midwest.

However, the real wave of immigration occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, as the booming auto industry in Detroit attracted immigrants from around the world.

The third wave, which lasted until 1990, included those fleeing war in Lebanon and poverty in Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen.

The current fourth wave includes refugees from Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, and Syria.