National Arab American Heritage Month Resources

National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) is an annual commemoration in April of the culture, traditions and history of Arab American people in the United States.

In 2017, two non-profit organizations initiated the launch of an official national designation of the month. It began with support from a few states, and has gained momentum each year.

According to the Arab American Institute, an estimated 3.7 million Americans trace their roots to an Arab country. The Arab World consists of 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa including Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

In schools and classrooms, Arab American Heritage Month is an excellent time to explore the rich history and culture of people who are Arab American as well as analyzing the bias and discrimination faced by them. As with other similarly themed months, it is important not to isolate exploration of Arab American history and culture into one month during the year. Arab American history is U.S. history and should be integrated into the curriculum throughout the school year.

Below is a list of K-12 curriculum and other resources to bring the themes of Arab American Heritage Month to your classrooms, schools and communities.