Growing up, I found myself wondering how I got here and, along with some cousins, worked on the family history of both sides of my family. It made me more aware of surnames and left me interested in surnames in general and learning where people originate and my youngest son is named after our Syrian friend.
Most Americans today are aware of the famous Arab Americans. Many of our beloved actors and comedians have roots that go back to Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. Since America’s origin, Morocco has remained a friend after it signed a treaty of friendship and Morocco was the first country to recognize America’s independence from England.
Arab Americans quietly supported the development of America’s move westward across North America. These people were entrepreneurs of the time, providing goods and services to those who were on the move to the West, some moving westward themselves, in the mid 1700’s and on and still provide us with goods and services of today.
While a few of the restaurateurs have made a name for themselves, on the local level, communities across America can visit Lebanese, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants and enjoy the food from the region.Many grocers with ancestry from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine have wonderful shops to explore.
Almost every aspect of American life has been enhanced by Arab Americans. Not only are their actors, such as Rami Malek, Vince Vaughn, Tony Shaloub or Kathy Najimy, but we enjoy the humor of people such as Dean Obeidallah, Aron Kader and Ahmed Ahmed.
These three, along with Maz Jobrani of Iranian heritage, made up the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour which helped so many Middle Eastern Americans deal with the after-effects of 9/11 with comedy. There is definitely a list of “who’s who” when thinking of entertainers of Arab American ancestry in America.
One of our Arab American became a Queen in the Middle East. Queen Noor, the former Lisa Halaby, was born in the American. Her father was Najeeb Halaby, who was born in America after his father had moved from Syria, and he served as the administrator of the FAA.
We were very blessed to have the insight of Helen Thomas for decades as a journalist in America. She had the ability to make American president’s squirm from questions.
Today, we have Arwa Damon and Ayman Moheldin keeping the country informed of current events on the international stage. Fawaz Gerges appears on many news programs and has taught in universities.
My focus has been on the medical side of life since I have worked with many patients through nursing.
Danny Thomas himself was an entertainer, but he made a promise to honor St. Jude, if he could find his way in life, he would build a shrine to the saint. And he did just that. Today, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides remarkable care and research into childhood cancer and is funded primarily by donations.
I am sure Danny Thomas had no idea how that promise would affect children around the world. Even if a child is not a patient at St. Jude, there is a good chance when diagnosed with a childhood cancer, the local oncologist has reached out for suggestions from the physician’s at St. Jude.
More locally, Dr. Nazhi Zudhi was born in Lebanon. His father was of Syrian heritage. He was one of the first physicians in the state of Oklahoma to perform valve replacements and the first to perform a human-to-human transplant of a heart. He innovated and improved on various devices which help heart patients awaiting transplantation. The transplant center in Oklahoma City bears his name.
There are many physicians of Arab heritage with whom I have worked. One of the pediatric pulmonologists was born in Syria. A gastroenterologist was born in Syria and there are many internal medicine physicians practicing and caring for patients every day.
The list of amazing people of Arab heritage goes on and on in the military, in politics, in the courtrooms and entrepreneurs.
They are all part of the threads that make up the American fabric and part of the quality of life.
Carol Malik is a registered nurse and works as a clinical auditor. She earned her initial nursing degree at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and her BSN from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. She has been a registered nurse since 1991. She currently resides in Oklahoma.
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