Arab Americans are not what you think

By Maimoona Harrington | FāVS News Columnist

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News.

April is Arab American Heritage Month, and when I was asked to write about it, I found myself with a question: What should I write? The answer came to me during a visit to a newly opened Arab coffee shop on its first day.

The coffee shop I visited is called Turath, which means “heritage.”

Heritage — brought from the Middle East to the Midwest. Arabs carry a rich legacy, and Arab Americans are its torchbearers, weaving together their Arab roots and American lives.

According to the 2022 U.S. Census, approximately 2.2 million people reported having Arab ancestry in the American Community Survey (ACS). There are many stories to tell, but there are also many misconceptions. 

Sometimes the best way to understand a people group is not just by defining who they are, but by clarifying who they are not. Here is my reflection, told through the lens of Arab heritage. 

Arabs and Muslims are not synonymous terms. All Arabs are not Muslims. And Arab is not a race. Arabs are an ethno-linguistic group of people, many of whom are Muslim, but many others are not. 

The Arab world encompasses a rich diversity of ethnicities, languages and cultural traditions. It is a world of common traditions, customs and values shaped by a single and unifying language.

“To name a few, Arab and Persian physicians and scientists inspired European thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci. The Arabs invented algebra and the concept of zero. Numerous English words-algebra, chemistry, coffee, and others-have Arab roots. Arab intellectuals made it feasible for Western scholars to develop and practice advanced educational systems. In astronomy Arabs used astrolabes for navigation, star maps, celestial globes, and the concept of the center of gravity. In geography, they pioneered the use of latitude and longitude. They invented the water clock; their architecture inspired the Gothic style in Europe. In agriculture, they introduced oranges, dates, sugar, and cotton, and pioneered water works and irrigation. And, they developed a tradition of legal learning, of secular literature and scientific and philosophical thought, in which the Jews also played an important part.”

– Jack G. Shaheen

Arab civilization is not confined to a single place or people. It spans from the Middle East to North Africa and reflects a rich tapestry of cultures and histories. It has long been a crossroads where the three Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — have coexisted and shaped one another.

The Arab world is not homogeneous. It brings together diverse peoples from the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa and the Levant including Arabs, Berbers, Egyptians and many others forming a dynamic and interconnected cultural landscape. 

Geographically, the Arab world stretches across the Middle East and North Africa, encompassing countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

This diversity challenges a common misconception that Arab identity is not singular, but rather expansive, layered and deeply interconnected. Arabs have made significant contributions to science, mathematics, technology, astronomy, architecture, arts, medicine, navigation, horticulture, language and calligraphy, music, philosophy and so much more. 

“To see how frequently we encounter Arabic names among the visible stars, look up in the northern night sky and locate one of the most easily recognizable constellations, Ursa Major (the Great Bear) — commonly known in North America as the Big Dipper because its seven main stars resemble a bent-handled water-dipper.

All of these stars, from handle to bowl, have Arabic-origin names:

Alkaid — from al-qa’id, “The Leader”

Mizar — from mi’zar, “Loincloth”; originally called Mirak, from maraqq, “Loins”

Alioth — probably mistranscribed from Aliore, derived from al-hawar, “White Poplar” or “White of the Eye”

Megrez — from maghraz, “Root of the Tail”

Phecda — from fakhdha, “Leg”

Merak — from maraqq, “Loins”

Dubhe — from dubb, “Bear”

– Robert W. Lebling

In the end, I would say that through immigration, Arabs brought their talent, knowledge, heritage, curiosity and zest for life to America. Today, Arab Americans are represented in nearly every field in the United States, including entertainment, arts, politics, technology, business and sports. 

Notable Arab Americans include Dr. Elias Corey, Dr. Ahmed H. Zewail, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mona Simpson, Steve Jobs, Rami Malek, Danny Thomas, Christa McAuliffe, Salma Hayek, Hoda Kotb, Paula Abdul, Khalil Gibran, DJ Khaled, Tony Shalhoub, Farouk El-Baz, Anthony Shadid and Jordyn Wieber, among many others who have Arab heritage from one or both sides of their family. 

Together, these examples challenge common stereotypes and affirm a broader truth: Arab Americans are not defined by misconceptions, but by their diversity, contributions and lasting impact on American society.

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