April is National Arab American Heritage Month! This is a time where we celebrate the diverse traditions, multifaceted culture, science, history, and achievements of Arab Americans. At Rio Salado College, we’re deeply proud of all our Arab American students, faculty, and staff members.
This month-long celebration of the rich cultural heritage and history of Arab Americans represents the culmination of years of advocacy. Independent groups and activists across the nation lobbied for this formal recognition for years. National Arab American Heritage Month was established in April 2021 by President Biden to recognize the more than 3.5 million Arab Americans that embody “so much of what our country stands for: hard work, resilience, compassion, and generosity.”
The Arab American community represents individuals and families with roots in 22 countries based in the Middle East and North Africa. These 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.
Looking for ways to deepen your knowledge and cultural awareness about Arab American history and culture? Read on for links to our library guide, upcoming virtual event, and classes. Stay tuned to our site for a follow-up blog later this month as we present some of our favorite books and films about Arab culture.
Learn More About Arab American Heritage Month
Our Rio library staff have put together an informative guide about Arab American Heritage Month. This guide includes historical information, links to PBS documentaries, and an Arabic humanities research guide.
Join Us For A Live Event
On Thursday, April 25, we will be presenting a special virtual event for Arab American History Month. We will be hosting a presentation by the esteemed researcher and Professor of Arabic and Linguistics Dr. Rania Habib. Dr. Habib is also the Arabic Program Coordinator at Syracuse University. Dr. Habib will present a talk on the vibrant contributions of Arab culture and take part in a Q&A session afterward.
Take A Class
Did you know that we offer Arabic language courses & cultural classes at Rio Salado? If you’re looking to pick up some humanities or language credits, consider picking up some of these courses.
- AHU245: Arabic Culture and Islam
- ARB101: Elementary Arabic I
- ARB102: Elementary Arabic II
- ARB201: Intermediate Arabic I
- ARB202: Intermediate Arabic II
Article by Austin Brietta