Cobblestone articles from May 2002

Cobblestone archives from May 2002

Editor's note.
May 1, 2002... Arab Americans come from many different nations located in the Middle East and North Africa. The Arabic culture and language, which all Arab Americans have in common, provide strong connections for the nations of this otherwise diverse group....

Who are the Arab Americans?
May 1, 2002... Although there have been Arabs in North America since before the establishment of the United States, it was not until the 1870s that Arabs began migrating to the United States in significant numbers. Scholars estimate that by World War II,...

America's earliest Arabs.(Arabs who traveled to America after 1492)
May 1, 2002... Did Arabs explore America before Christopher Columbus? Some sources suggest this is a possibility. Certain archaeological finds in America's Southwest suggest an Arab influence on American Indian tribes. At the very latest date, Arabs arrived...

Coming to `Amreeka': the first wave of Arab immigrants (1880-1924).
May 1, 2002... When my Muslim grandfather, Hasan Mansour, first arrived in America in 1912, he was a lone Arab traveler in his mid-teens. His voyage by ship from his Palestinian village to the shores of America lasted nearly a month. It took him to Chicago,...

A slippery slope toward discrimination.(against Arab Americans)
May 1, 2002... Arab Americans, like other minority ethnic groups who came to the United States to "secure the blessings of liberty" (as the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution states) and for improved economic opportunity, sometimes face unfair stereotypes. A...

Keeping the faith.(religions of Arab Americans)
May 1, 2002... Arabs of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine have lived for thousands of years in a land considered holy by the three monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They are called monotheistic because of their belief in only...

Did you know?(facts about Arab Americans)
May 1, 2002... In general, the early Arab immigrants hoped to make some money in America and then return to their homelands, Most did not intend to stay in the United States. Arab Americans might come from any of 20 different nations in the Middle East...

Naomi Shihab Nye and the power of stories.(author's upbringing as an Arab-American)
May 1, 2002... Hello, my friend. You look like the person to help me." This is what author and poet Naomi Shihab Nye remembers her Arab American father saying, in a strong, upbeat voice, whenever he approached strangers. It used to embarrass her as a child....

Speaking Arabic.
May 1, 2002... As a third-generation Arab American, my earliest memories of the Arabic language are words of Affection. My Lebanese grandparents would call out phrases such as "Ya habeeby!" or "Sahtayn!" or "Ya ayny!" and "Salim dayethuk!" Whenever I asked...

More and more `mainstream': Arab American food.
May 1, 2002... Thirty years ago, relatively few Americans outside the Arab American community had tasted hummus and tabouleh. Now these Arab American favorites appear not only in ethnic restaurants but also in supermarkets and health food stores nationwide....

Famous Arab Americans.
May 1, 2002... Entertainment. Sports. Politics. Activism. Literature. Business. Arab Americans have left their mark on these and many other fields. Singer Paula Abdul, radio disc jockey Casey Kasem, actors Jamie Farr and Danny Thomas--all have entertained...

Finding words and faith. (Quote of the Month).(Kahlil Gibran)
May 1, 2002... In 1895, at the age of twelve, the author of this month's quote sailed from his home in Lebanon, which was then part of Greater Syria. With him were his mother, half brother, and two sisters. After arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, he became...

Brain ticklers.(questions and answers about Arab Americans)
May 1, 2002... Give your brain a little tickle to see how well you read and understood this issue on Arab Americans. If you believe the answer to be false, give yourself the ultimate test and see whether you can explain why it is false. Answers below. 1....

A final word.(assimilation)
May 1, 2002... Imagine going to live in a new country that has different customs, language, and food from those of your native land. How could you make your adjustment to a new home easier? Would you completely immerse yourself in your new lifestyle? Or would...

Waves. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... Waves Why does nature bother to create something that disappears in a moment and is seen only by a chosen few who watch as one comes after another and another still? Yet after each one, ...

My Poem. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... My Poem As I gaze into my shell, I see a crashing wave. Then, it is a Christmas tree that is bright with lights. Next, it is a French horn blowing a perfect tune. It is an ice cream cone with no ice...

Hamster. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... Hamster Awake at night, asleep at day. Small, fast, running everywhere. Digging here, digging there. Each a neat color. Itchy nose, cocking ears. Cute, solid black eyes. Sharp teeth,...

Cricket Choir. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... Cricket Choir One night, I took a stroll. I don't know why, but I did. On the way, I heard from the bushes a sound so sweet as if to say, "Good night and have beautiful dreams of magical places and ...

Paris in My Mind. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... Paris in My Mind Paris is the "city of love." There are lots of hugs and kisses. The Eiffel Tower stands lean and tall. There are lots of people who see it all. The food is delightful and never ...

Blue. (Letters).(Poem)
May 1, 2002... Blue Blue is the color of the gentle sky above us. You can see thousands of blue jays flying with the wind. Blue is on my shirts and pants. Blue makes me feel good inside. Brendan Wildt Onalaska,...

June. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2002... June The sun is pulsing, and it's hot all day. Hands are sticky and too exhausted to play. I can feel the sting on my lobster-red back. The horrible pain-- it's sunscreen I lack! The swishing...

Dear Cobblestonians.
May 1, 2002... The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad, but it used all the terms associated with railway transportation--train, conductor, stops, stations--to help runaway slaves get from the South to freedom in the North or outside the country...

Books to read. (Digging Deeper).
May 1, 2002... The Arab Americans by Alixa Naff (Broomall, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999), part of The Immigrant Experience series, traces the history of Arab Americans, from their reasons for emigrating to their assimilation in the United...

More media. (Digging Deeper).
May 1, 2002... Arab-American Heritage, part of the American Cultures for Children video series, introduces the viewer to the countries that make up the Arab world and describes the impact Arab Americans and their various cultural traditions have had on the...

On the Web. (Digging Deeper).
May 1, 2002... The Web site of the Middle East Institute, found at www.mideasti.org/, promotes the institute's mission of better understanding of the Middle East. On-line information includes a calendar of events and conferences; schedules for Persian,...

From the archives.
May 1, 2002... The United States has a rich history as a melting pot for many immigrant groups. With that in mind, COBBLESTONE has devoted a number of issues to highlighting these different cultures. For a look at some international groups and ethnicities...