Arab American Heritage Month

​​The University of Nebraska is proud to celebrate Arab American Heritage Month during the month of April. Our celebration includes education on issues and topics that are important to this growing community on our campus. Please review our resource list for articles and books related to this diverse group. Our students represent different cultures but bring together a commitment to inclusive excellence on our campus. We are so proud of our students!

Beginning in the 1990s, Arab American heritage was celebrated sporadically in various states at different times of the year, primarily in school districts. It was not until 2017 when Arab America began a national initiative to coordinate all states under National Arab American Heritage Month. On April 30, 2019, Arab American organizations asked Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to issue a congressional resolution proclaiming National Arab American Heritage Month.  It was then introduced to the house on April 30, 2019, and then referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.  The largest and most promising achievement towards federal recognition of the month of April as the National Arab American Heritage Month was the proclamation published by the U.S. Department of State, which was accomplished on April 1, 2021, by the efforts of independent Syrian-American advocate and author, Pierre Subeh.

An identical bill was introduced in the House on May 1, 2020, to support the designation of an Arab American Heritage Month but it has not currently been passed. Some individual states (such as the Commonwealth of Virginia) and 26 others observed April as Arab American Heritage Month early on before any federal recognition was proclaimed.  It wasn't until April 19, 2021, that the first recognition on a federal level was issued, which was published as a White House letter from President Joe Biden recognizing April as the National Arab American Heritage Month, otherwise called NAAHM.

“Arab” is a cultural and linguistic term that refers to people who speak Arabic as their first language and/or are from the Middle East/North Africa region. While more than 300 million Arabs from 22 countries across the Middle East and North Africa share a language and history, many have different traditions, ethnicities, and religions. While most Arabs are Muslim, there are also millions of Christian Arabs, thousands of Jewish Arabs, and other religious denominations. According to the Arab American Institute (AAI), a non-profit educational and cultural organization, there are nearly four million Arab Americans in the United States, and more than 300,000 Arab Americans in California, the highest population of people who identify as Arab American in the country.

MENA Student Association​

At UNL we have a wonderful RSO (Recognized Student Organizations), which is focused on the lives of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) students. Some of these students also identify as Arab. The organization has as its mission to create a home for all, spread awareness about cultures, and support the community on and off campus. Through MENA, UNL students can learn about different cultures, make new friends, and work with other organizations to create a support system. They welcome anyone and everyone to join their community.

Journeys of Resilience: A Panel Discussion with Immigrants and Refugees

• Date: April 3
• Time: 5:30-7:00 PM

UNL is excited to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month in May. Our city and campus are made better by the contributions and participation of AAPI community members. Our celebration allows us to point out the individuals and groups whose brilliance is often overlooked.

Asian and Pacific American Heritage month was the idea of former congressional staffer Jeanie Jew who first approached Rep. Frank Horton about the idea of designating a month to recognize Asian Pacific Americans, following the United States’ bicentennial celebration in 1976. In June 1977, Horton, and Rep. Norman Y. Mineta, introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to proclaim the first 10 days of May as Asian Pacific Heritage Week. A month later, a similar bill was introduced in the Senate by former U.S. Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga. President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution for the celebration on Oct. 5, 1978. In 1990, George H.W. Bush signed a bill passed by Congress to extend Asian American Heritage Week to a month. On May 14, 1991, a public law was passed unanimously by congress and then signed by Bush, proclaiming May 1991 and May 1992 as Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month. By 1992, May was officially designated as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The month of May was chosen because it commemorates the migration of the first immigrants from Japan to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to celebrate the completion of the transcontinental railroad by over 20,0000 Asian immigrants on May 10, 1869. However, the first Asian immigrants arrived in the U.S. in 1587 when Filipinos first began migrating to California. Immigrants continued to come from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands through 1920 when the first Samoans were documented in Hawaii.

​​Sigma Psi Zeta​

Sigma Psi Zeta is a progressive, multicultural Greek organization that provides a means to success and support for womxn, particularly womxn of color. The sorority has a history of Asian/Asian American culture. As a sorority, they build on the unity of strong and independent leaders to bring change in our organization, UNL's campus, and the Lincoln community.

When They Hear Us

• Date: April 30
• Time: 5:30-8:30 PM
• Location: Louise Pound Hall 137

Asian Student Union​

The Asian Student Union (ASU) has a mission to inspire, educate, and unite those interested and passionate about Asian American issues.

​​Lincoln AAPI Heritage Celebration​

A celebration of culture and community to be held at the Lincoln Lancaster County Event Center.

• Date: April 30
• Time: 1:00-4:00 PM

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