The Metro: Untold tales of Arab American life in metro Detroit

Some of the first Arabs came to Detroit by way of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

The fair recreated far flung parts of the world with exhibitions such as “Cairo Street,” which featured a mosque and mausoleum and ancient Egyptian architecture. Performers from the Middle East traveled to the fair to be part of Cairo Street, along with recreations of city streets from Marrakech to Istanbul.

These exhibits captured for a Western audience some of the unknown sounds and sights of the Middle East. Meanwhile, many of the Middle Eastern performers stayed in the U.S. and made their way to metro Detroit amid the promise of thriving industry and a growing community of immigrants.

Later on in the Great Lakes, Yemeni sailors were commanding the waves and using their seafaring acumen to make a living in Michigan. 

For Arab American Heritage Month, we’re exploring some of this untold history with Sally Howell, professor of History and Arab American Studies at University of Michigan-Dearborn.

She joined The Metro to tell us more about what she has learned chronicling Arab history in metro Detroit.

Also, Metro co-host Tia Graham spoke with Arab American National Museum Curator Dean Nasreddine about the museum’s latest exhibit, “Seeing the Southend,” which is on view through July 31.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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