March 23 – April 30, 2013
Russell J. Ebeid Library & Resource Center

How and when did the early immigrants from Greater Syria and their descendants become Arab Americans? What were the markers of their identity formation, and what challenges did they encounter on their American journey?

AANM and the Arab American Studies program at the University of Michigan–Dearborn present the exhibition From Syria to Michigan: Flint and Highland Park Pioneers in the Arab American Journey.

Prof. Hani Bawardi (UM-D) discusses the staggering importance of the early Arab Michiganders between 1890 and World War II in Arab American history. Dr. Bawardi curated this exhibition from the rare manuscripts and papers of Ameen Farah (1888 -1975), an immigrant from Nazareth. The display includes pictures, official documents and letters Farah received from writers and political leaders, among them Mikhail Naimy, Ameen Rihani, Hajj Amin Al-Husseini and Sultan Al-Atrash.