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bors and friends, while also setting fine examples of 
model citizens and public servants; 
Whereas Arab Americans have brought with them to America 
their resilient family values, strong work ethic, dedication 
to education, and diversity in faith and creed that have 
added strength to our democracy; 
Whereas writer Ameen Rihani’s 1911 masterpiece, ‘‘The 
Book of Khalid’’, the first Arab-American novel, is an im-
portant record of Arab immigration to the ‘‘Little Syria’’ 
community of Lower Manhattan and today is a powerful 
example of the potential of the United States to strength-
en ties with the Arab world; 
Whereas Arab-American poet Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, 
‘‘The Prophet’’, was a transformative piece of literature, 
with over 100 translations, making it one of the most 
translated books in history and discusses topics of the 
human condition in the most eloquent of ways by high-
lighting inclusion and understanding of all peoples; 
Whereas the first Arabic speaker to come to North America, 
Zammouri, arrived as a slave from Morocco in 1528 and 
was an important explorer of the present day American 
Southwest; 
Whereas world fairs were one of many ways that some Ameri-
cans of Arab descent came to visit the United States 
from the Arab world and helped grow this country by cre-
ating businesses in the United States; 
Whereas entertainer Danny Thomas founded the St. Jude 
Children’s Research Hospital in the 1950s in Memphis, 
Tennessee, and today it is the leading institution in treat-
ing children with cancer as well as in researching new 
treatments; 
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Whereas since opening, St. Jude has been providing free 
treatment to all children regardless of their religious af-
filiation, race, or ethnicity—a shining example of philan-
thropy and inclusivity; 
Whereas the Arab American Institute estimates that there 
are roughly 3,700,000 Arab Americans living in the 
United States; 
Whereas, according to Census Bureau data, Arabic is one of 
the fastest growing languages in the United States; 
Whereas there is a need for public education, awareness, and 
policies that are culturally competent when describing, 
discussing, or addressing the impacts of being Arab 
American in all aspects of American society, including 
discourse and policy; and 
Whereas the incredible contributions and heritage of Arab 
Americans have helped us build a better Nation: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of Arab American 
Heritage Month; 
(2) esteems the integral role of Arab Americans 
in the economy, culture, and identity of the United 
States; and 
(3) urges the people of the United States to ob-
serve Arab American Heritage Month with appro-
priate programs and activities that celebrate the 
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contributions of Arab Americans to the United 
States. 
Æ 
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