Arab-Americans

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Arab
Arab Americans
Americans (Arabic: عَرَبٌ أَمْرِيكِيُّونَ‎ or Arabic: أمريكيون من أصل عربي‎) are Americans
Americans of Arab
Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identify themselves as Arab. Arab
Arab Americans
Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World. According to the Arab American Institute (AAI), countries of origin for Arab
Arab Americans
Americans include Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab
Arab Emirates and Yemen.[3] According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are 1,697,570 Arab
Arab Americans in the United States.[4] 290,893 persons defined themselves as simply Arab, and a further 224,241 as Other Arab. Other groups on the 2010 Census are listed by nation of origin, and some may or may not be Arabs, or regard themselves as Arabs. The largest subgroup is by far the Lebanese Americans, with 501,907,[1] followed by; Egyptian Americans
Americans with 190,078, Syrian Americans
Americans with 148,214, Iraqi Americans with 105,981, Moroccan Americans
Americans with 101,211, Somali Americans
Americans with 85,700, Palestinian Americans
Americans with 85,186, and Jordanian Americans with 61,664. Approximately 1/4 of all Arab
Arab Americans
Americans claimed two ancestries. A number of peoples that may have lived in Arab
Arab countries and are now resident in the United States are not classified as Arabs, including Assyrians (aka Chaldo-Assyrians), Jews, Kurds, Iraqi Turkmens, Azeris, Mandeans, Circassians, Shabaki, Armenians, Turks, Georgians, Yazidis, Balochs, Iranians and Kawliya/Romani.

Contents

1 Population 2 Religious background 3 Arab-American identity 4 Politics 5 Non- Arab
Arab Americans
Americans from Arab
Arab countries 6 Arab
Arab American Heritage Month 7 Festivals 8 Notable people

8.1 Pageants 8.2 Entertainment 8.3 Sports 8.4 Writers and thinkers 8.5 Public figures and politicians 8.6 Business 8.7 Scientists

9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links

13.1 Festivals 13.2 Arab
Arab American organizations

Population[edit] See also: Arab
Arab immigration to the United States and List of Arabic neighborhoods

Arab
Arab ancestry

The majority of Arab
Arab Americans, around 62%, originate from the region of the Levant, which includes Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, although overwhelmingly from Lebanon. The remainder are made up of those from Egypt, Somalia, Morocco, Iraq, Libya, the GCC and other Arab
Arab nations. There are nearly 3.5 million Arab
Arab Americans
Americans in the United States according to The Arab
Arab American Institute. Arab- Americans
Americans live in all 50 states and in Washington, D.C., and 94% reside in the metropolitan areas of major cities. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city with the largest percentage of Arab
Arab Americans
Americans is Dearborn, Michigan, a southwestern suburb of Detroit, at nearly 40%. The Detroit metropolitan area is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans
Americans (403,445), followed by the New York City Combined Statistical Area (371,233), Los Angeles (308,295), San Francisco Bay Area (250,000), Chicago (176,208), and the Washington D.C area. (168,208).[5](Note: This information is reportedly based upon survey findings but is contradicted by information posted on the Arab American Institute website itself, which states that California
California as a whole only has 272,485, and Michigan
Michigan as a whole only 191,607. The 2010 American Community Survey information, from the American Factfinder website, gives a figure of about 168,000 for Michigan.) Sorting by American states, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, 48% of the Arab-American population, 576,000, reside in California, Michigan, New York, Florida, and New Jersey, respectively; these 5 states collectively have 31% of the net U.S. population. Five other states - Illinois, Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania - report Arab-American populations of more than 40,000 each. Also, the counties which contained the greatest proportions of Arab- Americans
Americans were in California, Michigan, New York, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The cities with 100,000 or more in population with the highest percentages of Arabs are Sterling Heights, Michigan
Michigan 3.69%; Jersey City, New Jersey
New Jersey 2.81%; Warren, Michigan
Michigan 2.51%; Allentown, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania 2.45%; Burbank, California
California 2.39% and nearby Glendale, California
California 2.07%; Livonia, Michigan
Michigan 1.94%; Arlington, Virginia
Virginia 1.77%; Paterson, New Jersey
New Jersey 1.77%; and Daly City, California
California 1.69%.[6] Bayonne, New Jersey, a city of 63,000, reported an Arab-American population of 5.0% in the 2010 US Census.[7]

Arab
Arab Americans
Americans in the 2000[8] - 2010 U.S. Census[9][note 1]

Ancestry 2000 2000 (% of US population) 2010 2010 (% of US population)

Lebanese 440,279 0.2% 501,988 %

Syrian 142,897 0.1% 148,214 %

Egyptian 142,832 0.1% 190,078 %

Palestinian 72,096 0.04% 93,438 %

Jordanian 39,734 0.03% 61,664 %

Moroccan 38,923 0.03% 82,073 %

Iraqi 37,714 0.01% 105,981 %

Yemeni 11,654 0.005% 29,358[10] %

Algerian 8,752 % 14,716 %

Saudi 7,419 %

Tunisian 4,735 %

Kuwaiti 3,162 %

Libyan 2,979 %

Emirati 459 %

Omani 351 %

"North African" 3,217 %

"Arabs" 85,151 % 290,893 %

"Arabic" 120,665 %

Other Arabs

% 224,241 %

Total 1,160,729 0.4% 1,697,570 0.6%

Religious background[edit]

The religious affiliations of Arab
Arab Americans

While the majority of the population of the Arab
Arab world is composed of people of the Muslim
Muslim faith, most Arab
Arab Americans, in contrast, are Christian.[11] According to the Arab
Arab American Institute, the breakdown of religious affiliation among persons originating from Arab
Arab countries is as follows:

63% Christian

35% Catholic ( Roman Rite
Roman Rite Catholics and Eastern Catholics — Maronites and Melkites) 18% Orthodox ( Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox) 10% Protestant

24% Muslim 13% Other; no affiliation[11]

The percentage of Arab
Arab Americans
Americans who are Muslim
Muslim has increased in recent years because most new Arab
Arab immigrants tend to be Muslim. This stands in contrast to the first wave of Arab
Arab immigration to the United States between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when almost all immigrants were Christians. Most Maronites tend to be of Lebanese or Syrian extraction; those Christians of Palestinian background are often Eastern Orthodox. A small number are Protestant
Protestant adherents, either having joined a Protestant
Protestant denomination after immigrating to the U.S. or being from a family that converted to Protestantism
Protestantism while still living in the Middle East
Middle East (European and American Protestant missionaries were fairly commonplace in the Levant
Levant in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). Arab
Arab Christians, especially from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, continue to immigrate into the U.S. in the 2000s and continue to form new enclaves and communities across the country.[12] Arab-American identity[edit]

The Arab
Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
Michigan celebrates the history of Arab
Arab Americans.

Paterson, New Jersey
New Jersey has been nicknamed Little Ramallah
Little Ramallah and contains a neighborhood with the same name, with an Arab
Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015.[13]

The United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau is presently finalizing the ethnic classification of MENA populations. This process does not pertain to Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Sikh
Sikh and other religious adherents, whom the bureau tabulates as followers of a religion rather than members of an ethnic group.[14] In 2012, prompted in part by post-9/11 discrimination, the American- Arab
Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee petitioned the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency to designate the MENA populations as a minority/disadvantaged community.[15] Following consultations with MENA organizations, the Census Bureau announced in 2014 that it would establish a new MENA ethnic category for populations from the Middle East, North Africa
North Africa and the Arab
Arab world, separate from the "white" classification that these populations had previously sought in 1909. The expert groups, including some Jewish organizations, felt that the earlier "white" designation no longer accurately represents MENA identity, so they successfully lobbied for a distinct categorization.[16][17] As of December 2015, the sampling strata for the new MENA category includes the Census Bureau's working classification of 19 MENA groups, as well as Turkish, Sudanese, Djiboutian, Somali, Mauritanian, Armenian, Cypriot, Afghan, Iranian, Azerbaijani and Georgian groups.[18] The Arab American Institute and other groups have noted that there was a rise in hate crimes targeting the Arab
Arab American community as well as people perceived as Arab/ Muslim
Muslim after the September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks and the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq.[19] A new Zogby Poll International found that there are 3.5 million Americans
Americans who were identified as "Arab-Americans", or Americans
Americans of ancestry belonging to one of the 23 UN member countries of the Arab World (these are not necessarily therefore Arabs). Poll finds that, overall, a majority of those identifying as Arab
Arab Americans
Americans are Lebanese Americans
Americans (largely as a result of being the most numerous group). The Paterson, New Jersey-based Arab
Arab American Civic Association runs an Arabic
Arabic language program in the Paterson school district.[20] Paterson, New Jersey
New Jersey has been nicknamed Little Ramallah
Little Ramallah and contains a neighborhood with the same name, with an Arab
Arab American population estimated as high as 20,000 in 2015.[13] Neighboring Clifton, New Jersey is following in Paterson's footsteps, with rapidly growing Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian American populations.[21] Politics[edit] In a 2007 Zogby poll, 62% of Arab
Arab Americans
Americans vote Democratic, while only 25% vote Republican.[22] The percentage of Arabs voting Democratic increased sharply during the Iraq
Iraq War. However, a number of prominent Arab
Arab American politicians are Republicans, including former New Hampshire Senator John E. Sununu, and California
California Congressman Darrell Issa, who was the driving force behind the state's 2003 recall election that removed Democratic Governor Gray Davis
Gray Davis from office. The first woman Supreme Court Chief Justice in Florida, Rosemary Barkett, who is of Syrian descent, is known for her dedication to progressive values. Arab
Arab Americans
Americans gave George W. Bush
George W. Bush a majority of their votes in 2000. However, they backed John Kerry
John Kerry in 2004 and Barack Obama
Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012. They also backed Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton in 2016. According to a 2000 Zogby poll, 52% of Arab
Arab Americans
Americans are pro-life, 74% support the death penalty, 76% are in favor of stricter gun control, and 86% want to see an independent Palestinian state.[23] In a study, Arab
Arab Americans
Americans living in Detroit
Detroit were found to have values more similar to that of the Arab
Arab world than those of the general population living in Detroit, on average, being more closely aligned to the strong traditional values and survival values. This was less the case when participants were secular, or belonged to second and subsequent generations.[24] Non- Arab
Arab Americans
Americans from Arab
Arab countries[edit] There are many U.S. immigrants from the Arab
Arab world who are not classified as Arabs. Among these are Armenian Americans, Kurdish Americans
Americans and Jewish Americans
Americans of Mizrahi origin. Some of these groups such as Assyrians and Chaldeans are Semites, while the vast majority of the rest are not Semites. It is very difficult to estimate the size of these communities. For example, some Armenians immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq. Estimates place these communities at least in the tens of thousands.[25][26][27] Other smaller communities include Assyrians (a.k.a. Chaldo-Assyrians), Berbers, Turkmen, Mandeans, Circassians, Shabaki, Turks, Mhallami, Georgians, Yazidis, Balochs, Iranians, Azerbaijans and Kawliya/Roma. Most of these ethnic groups speak their own native languages (usually another Semitic language related to Arabic) and have their own customs, along with the Arabic
Arabic dialect from the Arab
Arab country they originate from. Interestingly, Aviva Uri, in her study of Mizrahi Jews in America, writes that "activists and writers in the United States, both gentile Arab
Arab and Jewish, are legitimizing through their various activities and publications the identity of Mizrahim as Arab Jews."[28] Arab
Arab American Heritage Month[edit] In 2014, Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland designated April as Arab
Arab American Heritage Month in recognition of the contributions that Arab
Arab Americans have made to the nation.[29] Festivals[edit] While the spectrum of Arab
Arab heritage includes 22 countries, their combined heritage is often celebrated in cultural festivals around the United States.

New York City

The Annual Arab-American & North African Street Festival was founded in 2002 by the Network of Arab-American Professionals of NY (NAAP-NY).[30] Located in downtown Manhattan, on Great Jones Street between Lafayette & Broadway, the Festival attracts an estimated 15,000 people, in addition to over 30 Arab
Arab and North African vendors along with an all-day live cultural performance program representing performers from across the Arab
Arab world. The New York Arab-American Comedy Festival was founded in 2003 by comedian Dean Obeidallah
Dean Obeidallah and comedian Maysoon Zayid. Held annually each fall, the festival showcases the talents of Arab-American actors, comics, playwrights and filmmakers, and challenges as well as inspires fellow Arab- Americans
Americans to create outstanding works of comedy. Participants include actors, directors, writers and comedians.[31]

Seattle

Of particular note is ArabFest in Seattle, begun in 1999. The festival includes all 22 of the Arab
Arab countries, with a souk marketplace, traditional and modern music, an authentic Arab
Arab coffeehouse, an Arabic spelling bee and fashion show. Lectures and workshops explore the rich culture and history of the Arab
Arab peoples, one of the world's oldest civilizations. Also of new interest is the Arabic
Arabic rap concert, including the NW group Sons of Hagar, showcasing the political and creative struggle of Arabic
Arabic youth.[32]

Arab
Arab American Festival – Arizona

Phoenix

In 2008, the first annual Arab
Arab American Festival in Arizona was held on November 1 and 2 in Glendale, Arizona. There were more than 40,000 attendees over the two-day event; more than 35 international singers, dancers and musicians from all over the Arab
Arab World performed 20 hours of live entertainment on stage. Activities included folklore shows, an international food court, hookah lounge, kids rides and booth vendors, open to the public, and admission was free.[33]

California

The Annual Arab
Arab American Day Festival is a three-day cultural and entertainment event held in Orange County. Activities include book and folk arts exhibitions, speeches from community leaders in the county, as well as music and poetry, dancing singing, traditional food, hookah and much more.[34]

Wisconsin

Since 1996, Milwaukee's Arab
Arab World Fest has been part of the summer festival season. It is held during the second weekend of August. This three day event hosts music, culture and food celebrating the 22 Arab countries. The festival features live entertainment, belly dancing, hookah rental, camel rides, cooking demonstrations, a children's area and great Arab
Arab cuisine. It is a family friendly festival on Milwaukee's lakefront.[35] Notable people[edit] For a more comprehensive list, see List of Arab
Arab Americans. Here are a few examples of famous Arab
Arab Americans
Americans and Americans
Americans with partial Arab
Arab ancestry in a variety of fields. Pageants[edit]

Jawahir Ahmed (Somali), Miss Somalia
Somalia 2013, Miss Africa Utah 2013 Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih (Lebanese), Miss USA
Miss USA 2010, Miss Michigan
Michigan USA 2010 Jaclyn Stapp
Jaclyn Stapp (Jordanian), Miss New York 2004, Mrs. Florida
Florida America 2008

Entertainment[edit]

Yousef Abu-Taleb
Yousef Abu-Taleb (Jordanian), actor, lonelygirl15; film producer Moustapha Akkad (Syrian), film producer and director Lorraine Ali (Iraqi), reporter, editor, culture writer, and music critic for Newsweek Mohammed Amer
Mohammed Amer (Palestinian parents, born in Kuwait), comedian, writer, actor; Rolling Stone, Al Barnameg, Allah Made Me Funny Paul Anka
Paul Anka (Lebanese), singer/songwriter Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara (Syrian), actor Zaida Ben-Yusuf
Zaida Ben-Yusuf (Algerian mother), portrait photographer Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Bleeth (Algerian mother), actress Dick Dale
Dick Dale (part Lebanese), musician, known as the "King of the Surf Guitar" Wafah Dufour (Saudi Arabian father), supermodel and singer Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth (Syrian father), actress Yousef Erakat
Yousef Erakat (Palestinian), YouTuber, more commonly known as FouseyTube Mohammed Fairouz
Mohammed Fairouz (Arab), musician, composer Jamie Farr
Jamie Farr (Lebanese), actor and comedian, known for his role as Maxwell Klinger in M*A*S*H Ferras
Ferras (Jordanian), Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Fredwreck
Fredwreck (Palestinian), hip hop producer Fawaz Gerges
Fawaz Gerges (Lebanese), ABC analyst and regular guest on "Oprah's Anti-war series" Hala Gorani
Hala Gorani (Syrian), CNN international news correspondent Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid (Palestinian), television personality and model Dave Hall (partly Lebanese) songwriter, composer Sanaa Hamri (Moroccan), music video and movie director; her films include the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania (Palestinians), winning journalist and stand-up comedian[36] Malek Jandali
Malek Jandali (Syrian), recording artist, composer and pianist Anissa Jones
Anissa Jones (maternal grandparents were Lebanese), former child actress, Family Affair Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem (Lebanese), radio personality and voice actor Kassem G
Kassem G (Egyptian/Jordanian), born Kassem Gharaibeh, comedian, actor, and the 18th most subscribed channel of all time on YouTube[citation needed] DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled (Palestinian), rapper, music producer Ronnie Khalil (Egyptian), stand-up comedian Qusai Kheder
Qusai Kheder (Saudi), rapper, singer/songwriter, record producer, television personality, and DJ Hoda Kotb
Hoda Kotb (Egyptian), broadcast journalist and TV host on Dateline NBC and the Today Show John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo (Lebanese Grandmother), Colombian-American actor and comedian. Rami Malek
Rami Malek (Egyptian parents), actor Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller (part Syrian/Lebanese), actor Najee Mondalek (Lebanese), actor, producer, playwright French Montana
French Montana (Moroccan), New York rapper Remy Munasifi (Iraqi father/Lebanese mother), comedian also known as GoRemy Kathy Najimy
Kathy Najimy (Lebanese), actress in many American films, including Sister Act George Noory
George Noory (Lebanese), radio host, host of Coast To Coast AM Walid Phares (Lebanese), Fox News correspondent, Middle Eastern policy advisor to the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign and the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign Raef Haggag (Egyptian), singer RedOne
RedOne (Moroccan), producer, songwriter, music executive Stephan Said
Stephan Said (Iraqi descent), musician, writer, global justice activist Adam Saleh
Adam Saleh (Yemeni), YouTuber Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (Syrian mother), stand-up comedian, co-creator and actor of Seinfeld Tony Shalhoub
Tony Shalhoub (Lebanese), executive producer and actor of Monk Dena Takruri (Palestinian), journalist, on-air presenter, and producer Vic Tayback
Vic Tayback (Syrian), actor Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas (Lebanese), actor, comedian; founder of St. Jude's Medical Center for children; father of Marlo Thomas Marlo Thomas
Marlo Thomas (partially Lebanese), actress Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn (partially Lebanese), actor Sean Yazbeck
Sean Yazbeck (Lebanese), winner of Donald Trump's The Apprentice, NBC (2006) Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa (half Arab
Arab father), musician

Sports[edit]

Justin Abdelkader
Justin Abdelkader (Jordanian), ice hockey forward playing for the NHL's Detroit
Detroit Red Wings Oday Aboushi
Oday Aboushi (Palestinian), NFL
NFL player of the New York Jets Sarah Attar
Sarah Attar (Saudi Arabian father), track and field athlete Rocco Baldelli
Rocco Baldelli (Syrian), professional baseball player with the Red Sox Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie (Lebanese father), NFL
NFL player of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers Bill George, NFL
NFL player and Hall of Famer Jeff George, quarterback for several NFL
NFL teams Isra Girgrah, boxer Drew Haddad (Jordanian), of the Indianapolis Colts Jim Harrick, UCLA’s coach John Jaha, baseball player, of the MLB
MLB Milwaukee Brewers Ahmed Kaddour (Lebanese), professional boxer, from NBC show The Contender Sam Khalifa, baseball player of the MLB
MLB Pittsburgh Pirates Khalid Khannouchi
Khalid Khannouchi (Moroccan), marathon world record holder Amir Khillah
Amir Khillah (Egyptian), mixed martial artist and The Ultimate Fighter contestant Rich Kotite, NFL
NFL coach Gavin Maloof, businessman and owner of the Sacramento Kings George Maloof, Sr. businessman and former owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets Ramsey Nijem
Ramsey Nijem (Palestinian), mixed martial artist and UFC fighter Joe Robbie, former owner and founder of the NFL's Miami Dolphins Brandon Saad
Brandon Saad (Syrian), ice hockey winger playing for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets Soony Saad (Lebanese), soccer forward playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer Sabu (Lebanese mother), ECW wrestler Damien Sandow
Damien Sandow (Lebanese), WWE wrestler Rony Seikaly (Lebanese), former NBA player, now DJ Omar Sheika (Palestinian), professional boxer, four-time world title challenger

Writers and thinkers[edit]

Abdisalam Aato (Somali), film director, producer, entrepreneur, and media consultant Diana Abu-Jaber (Jordanian), novelist and professor Yasmeen Sami Alamiri (Iraqi), journalist, first member of the White House foreign press pool Hady Amr (Lebanese father), diplomat, founding director of Brookings Doha Center Susan Chira (Syrian), journalist, former New York Times
New York Times editor, foreign correspondent Ismail al-Faruqi (Palestinian), philosopher and authority on Islam
Islam and comparative religion Susie Gharib, co-anchor of the Nightly Business Report, listed among 100 most influential business journalists[who?] Brigitte Gabriel (Lebanese), journalist, author, and anti-Islam activist Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran (Lebanese), writer, philosopher, and painter Hala Gorani
Hala Gorani (Syrian), journalist and anchor of CNN's International Desk; Levantine Cultural Center Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania (Palestinian), award winning journalist, columnist. Former Chicago City Hall reporter Laila Lalami
Laila Lalami (Moroccan), novelist, journalist, essayist, and professor Ameen al-Rihani
Ameen al-Rihani (Lebanese), writer Edward Said
Edward Said (Palestinian), literary theorist, thinker, and outspoken Palestinian activist Steven Salaita (Palestinian/Jordanian), expert on comparative literature and post-colonialism, writer, activist Anthony Shadid
Anthony Shadid (Lebanese), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, foreign correspondent Mona Simpson (Syrian father, Abdulfattah Jandali), novelist Helen Thomas
Helen Thomas (Lebanese), reporter, columnist, and White House correspondent Nasser Weddady (Mauritanian), activist, Director of Civil Rights Outreach at American Islamic Congress

Public figures and politicians[edit]

John Abizaid
John Abizaid (Lebanese), retired general James Abourezk
James Abourezk (Lebanese), former U.S Senator from South Dakota (1973-1979) Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham (Lebanese), senator from Michigan
Michigan and Secretary of Energy under Bush Justin Amash
Justin Amash (Palestinian/Syrian), United States Congressman from Michigan Victor G. Atiyeh
Victor G. Atiyeh (Syrian), former Governor of Oregon Rosemary Barkett
Rosemary Barkett (Syrian), U.S. federal judge and the first woman Supreme Court Justice
Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice for the state of Florida Charles Boustany
Charles Boustany (Lebanese),[37] US Representative from Louisiana; cousin of Victoria Reggie Kennedy[38] Sam Hindi (Palestinian), Mayor, City of Foster City Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa (Lebanese), U.S. Congressman from California Joe Jamail (Lebanese), Renown American trial lawyer and billionaire, also known as the "King of Torts." James Jabara
James Jabara (Lebanese), colonel and Korean War flying ace George Joulwan
George Joulwan (Lebanese), retired general, former NATO commander-in-chief Jill Kelley
Jill Kelley (Lebanese), global advocate and American socialite[39] Victoria Reggie Kennedy
Victoria Reggie Kennedy (Lebanese), attorney and widow of late Senator Ted Kennedy Muna Khalif
Muna Khalif (Somali), fashion designer and MP in the Federal Parliament of Somalia Johnny Khamis (Lebanese), Councilmember from San Jose George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell (Lebanese), United States of America special envoy to the Middle East
Middle East under the Obama administration, U.S. senator from Maine, Senate Majority Leader Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (Lebanese), political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney Ilhan Omar
Ilhan Omar (Somali/Yemeni), politician, DFL Party member of the Minnesota
Minnesota House of Representatives Dina Powell
Dina Powell (Egyptian), Current U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy. Nick Rahall
Nick Rahall (Lebanese), congressman from West Virginia Selwa Roosevelt
Selwa Roosevelt (Lebanese), former Chief of Protocol of the United States and wife of the late Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt, Jr., grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt Zainab Salbi
Zainab Salbi (Iraqi), co-founder and president of Women for Women International Donna Shalala
Donna Shalala (Lebanese), Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Health and Human Services under Bill Clinton John E. Sununu
John E. Sununu (Palestinian), senator from New Hampshire John H. Sununu
John H. Sununu (Palestinian), Governor of New Hampshire
Governor of New Hampshire and White House Chief of Staff under George H. W. Bush James Zogby
James Zogby (Lebanese), founder and president of the Arab
Arab American Institute

Business[edit]

Akram Atallah (Lebanese), CEO/President of ICANN[citation needed] Mohamed A. El-Erian
Mohamed A. El-Erian (Egyptian), CEO and co-CIO of PIMCO Najeeb Halaby
Najeeb Halaby (Syrian), father of Queen Noor of Jordan
Jordan Lisa Elhalabi; Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration; CEO and chairman of Pan Am Ray R. Irani (Palestinian), Chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs (Syrian biological father, Abdulfattah Jandali), co-founder of Apple Inc.[40] John J. Mack (Lebanese), Chairman of the Board and CEO of Morgan Stanley Manuel Moroun, owner of CenTra, Inc., the holding company which controls the Ambassador Bridge
Ambassador Bridge and Michigan
Michigan Central Depot Jacques Nasser (Lebanese), former president and CEO of Ford Motor Company Ayad B. Saad (Egyptian), first Vice President of Morgan Stanley[citation needed] Moose Scheib
Moose Scheib (Lebanese), founder and CEO of LoanMod.com John Zogby
John Zogby (Lebanese), founder and current President/CEO of Zogby International

Scientists[edit]

Farouk El-Baz
Farouk El-Baz (Egyptian), scientist who worked with NASA to assist in the planning of scientific exploration of the Moon Elias James Corey
Elias James Corey (Lebanese), winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Charles Elachi
Charles Elachi (Lebanese), director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Ali Said Faqi (Somali), leading scientist and researcher in toxicology Mona Hanna-Attisha
Mona Hanna-Attisha (Iraqi), pediatrician, public health advocate and Flint Water Crisis
Flint Water Crisis whistleblower Adah al-Mutairi (Saudi Arabian), inventor and scholar in nanotechnology and nanomedicine Ali H. Nayfeh (Palestinian), scholar in mechanics Nawal M. Nour (Sudanese), obstetrician and gynecologist Mohammad S. Obaidat
Mohammad S. Obaidat (Jordanian), computer science/engineering academic and scholar Fawwaz T. Ulaby (Syrian), professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, former Vice President of Research for the University of Michigan Elias Zerhouni
Elias Zerhouni (Algerian), former director of the National Institutes of Health Ahmed Zewail
Ahmed Zewail (Egyptian), winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry