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Refugees and Immigrants

Pathbreakers of Arab America—Ernest Hamwi

This is the sixty-seventh of Arab America’s series on American pathbreakers of Arab descent. The series includes personalities from entertainment, business, sports, science, arts, academia, journalism, and politics, among other areas. Our sixty-seventh pathbreaker is Ernest Hamwi, a Syrian born Arab American businessman and entrepreneur. Born on November 18, 1883, in Damascus, Syria he is considered by some as the creator of the ice cream cone, which he purportedly conceived of while working as a concessionaire at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Contributing writer, John Mason, informs us that there is much more information available on the ice cream cone than exists on Ernest himself. Nevertheless, this is his brief but eventful story.

Israel’s Blockade and UNRWA Ban Worsen Gaza’s Crisis

By: Jad Elsaghir / Arab America Contributing Writer For many in Gaza, finding essential aid has become exponentially difficult. Israel has consistently blocked all forms of aid from entering Gaza from food, water, medicine, and other essential items; this comes after months of continuous bombardment which has left Gaza’s hospitals, agricultural, and housing institutions in … Continued

The Lebanese National Pact: History and Controversy

By: Liam Nagle / Arab America Contributing Writer Lebanon is a unique country in the Middle East. It is made up of a variety of religious groups, including Maronites, Sunni and Shia Muslims, and Druze. This diversity shapes the country’s identity. The political system reflects this diversity as well. The National Pact was created to … Continued

I am Muslim. I am Arab. I am Canadian

By: Shaden Ahmed / Arab America Contributing Writer Trigger Warning: This article may contain content that triggers Islamophobia or Arabophobia… My Life Isn’t a Movie – But It Sure Feels Like One To the dismay of my middle school classmate who accused me of masterminding 9/11 at the age of 13 (flattering, considering I didn’t … Continued

Rizk’s Enduring Message: Lessons from 1943 for the 2024 Election

By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer As the 2024 presidential election draws near, it’s more important than ever for the Arab American community to make their voices heard. The message of Salom Rizk, a mid-20th-century Arab American author, remains strikingly relevant today—particularly in discussions around immigration and civic duty. In his 1943 autobiography, … Continued

How to Leave Your Country in the Middle of War

By: Lina AbiRafeh / Arab America Contributing Writer A few weeks ago, in the unusually empty halls of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, I could hear the same conversations, spoken in whispers: What now? What next? What should we do? What will they do? Expecting to return in two weeks, I left all my … Continued

Why Are Arab Americans Classified as White?

By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer The history of Arab American racialization is complex. It has changed over the decades to facilitate different agendas. The Arab identity is primarily linguistic and includes people of all skin tones. Early Arab immigrants to the U.S. faced a new classification system that determined their legal status. … Continued

Abraham Rihbany in New York’s Syrian Colony

By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Abraham Rihbany arrived in New York on October 6, 1891, and quickly found refuge within the Syrian colony. Fellow Syrians promptly came to his aid, lending him the necessary funds to survive. Beyond financial support, the colony helped him secure shelter, employment, and a sense of community, … Continued

​​Salom Rizk’s Syrian Yankee: A Misfit in Arab American Literature?

By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Salom Rizk’s Syrian Yankee (1943) has largely been avoided in Arab American literary discussions, not only due to its assimilationist rhetoric but also because of its promotion of problematic views, such as anti-Arab racism and Islamophobic tropes. However, understanding Rizk’s personal history and the historical context in … Continued

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