This month we celebrate Arab Americans, our friends and neighbors whose heritage can be traced to the Arab world. Many people assume the Arab world is synonymous with the Middle East, but there are twenty-two countries, spanning West Asia to North Africa, that make up the Arab world. While sharing a common linguistic heritage, the Arab American community's diversity is reflected in the various religious and cultural practices of its members. 

Michigan is home to the second-largest Arab American population in the United States. While the community is concentrated primarily in metro-Detroit, Arab Americans live in 81 of Michigan's 83 counties. In Michigan, and across the U.S., cities, townships, cultural institutions, and other organizations celebrate April as Arab American Heritage Month and we are happy to count CPL  among them. Check out the resources below to learn more.  

• The Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI is the first and only museum of its kind in the U.S. devoted to recording the Arab American experience. Learn how you can contribute.
• The Dearborn Historical Museum will be exhibiting "The South End: Dearborn's Most Diverse Neighborhood!" at the Museum's Commandant's Quarters at 21950 Michigan Avenue on April 19, 2021 from 4:00-7:00 PM. Anyone who wants to stop by the Museum to check out the exhibit is welcome. This event is FREE and Museum staff will be available to answer questions. Masks and social distancing are required. Call 313-565-3000 or email museum@ci.dearborn.mi.us to learn more. 
• ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) in Dearborn, MI is the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the U.S. 
• AAFS (Arab American Family Services) is a non-profit providing a variety of family support services in the Chicago area.
• ADC (Anti-Discrimination Committee) is  is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage.
• Arab America is a national media organization founded with the purpose of promoting an accurate image of the Arab American community and the Arab world.

• Visit the Core Galleries of The Arab American National Museum online while the museum is closed due to COVID-19. The Core Galleries are designed for guests to explore and learn about Arab immigration to America, Arab American life and the contributions Arab Americans have made over time.

• RSVP to attend English-Arabic Storytime (online) hosted monthly by the Arab American National Museum, or watch one of their recorded English-Arabic Storytime videos. 

• How Did Detroit Become a Center for Arabs in the United States? Listen as WDET investigates our local Arab American history.

• Attend virtual events hosted by the Arab America Foundation, featuring prominent Arab Americans in a variety of fields and celebrating contributions of Arab Americans more broadly. 
• Make Arab food. Use our A to Z World Food database to explore Arab food and culture or cook a recipe from one of the twenty two countries that make up the Arab world.
• Read local or international Arab media like The Arab American News or Al Jazeera.

The books below are written by Arab American authors, include Arab or Arab American characters, or discuss Arab history and culture. Books for children are listed first, then teens, then adults.