Scholar highlights contributions of early Arab immigrants to US society

AMMAN — Linda Jacobs is a familiar scholar in the Middle East where she spent decades studying archaeological sites and economic development of the region. Later on, she became a historian whose main academic interest was the history of Arab diaspora in the US and how they integrated to the American society. 

On Tuesday, the American Centre of Research in Amman held a presentation titled "Captivating Strangers: Early Arab Immigrants in the United States".

In her first book, "Strangers in the West", Jacobs described the colony of Syrian Arabs in New York City. She highlighted that back then, Syrians were all Arabs from Biladi Sham, including territories of modern-day Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine.

"The first and the largest Arabic speaking community in the US lived in Lower Manhattan, but they never talked about their life in Manhattan," Jacobs said, adding that more historical records emerged from the Arabic community who moved to Brooklyn in the early 20th century.

In her second book, "Strangers no more", Jacobs studied fate of other Arabs who moved from New York City to other parts of the country. Thousands of Arabs joined different fraternal organisations that operated within the American society.

Others took part of the Gold Rush like Peter Zacharias, who went to California, Jacobs said, adding that he planned for gold and eventually became well off, buying a ranch and two houses.

Another Arab, Amin Abu Mohammad became a famous circus acrobat, excelling in flying leaps and human pyramids. And these tricks and acrobatic stunts were associated with Arab migrants.

"He was also a skilful story and myth teller knowing that public was interested in his exotic origins," Jacobs said.

Ben Ali was another circus acrobat and he performed with Ringling brothers in 1893 as well as with the American legend Buffalo Bill.

Arab acrobats from Levant and North Africa participated not only in circuses, on fairs and festivals but became a part of silent films, Jacobs said. Some of circus owners became so successful that they increased their wealth during the Great Depression of 1930’s. 

George Hamid was an entrepreneur who made major contributions and financial gains by organising outdoor amusement and entertainment industry. He established significant productions during the 20th century for fairs, circuses, carnivals and expositions. 

 Hamid's circuses operated in Atlantic City, in New Jersey, and in 1960’s both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones performed at his venue.

Talking about other professions, Jacobs said that Arab immigrants noted in the late 19th century that the American public was interested in Orientalism. 

The world fair of 1893 in Chicago was replete with Arab and Oriental installations and 27 million visitors came to the event.

"The San Francisco mid-winter fair which followed on the heels of Chicago fair and was held from January to May 1894 tried to replicate the success of by building an Oriental village that was a cheap imitation of elaborate installations of Chicago," Jacobs said, adding that San Francisco venue was a failure.

Theatres and merchants went bankrupt before the fair but several Arab performers started there as impresarios. 

George Jabour was one of such performers who was part of the entertainment industry in early 20th century. He owned a carnival with hundreds of human and animal performers that travelled all over the West Coast, Jacobs highlighted, adding that Jabour was called the Father of Oriental Carnival.

Jacobs also highlighted three extraordinary Arab women from Syria who broke every known stereotype and became successful in their chosen careers-Marie Khoury, Sophie Daoud and Selma Ghobreen.

Maria Khoury wrote essays for several newspapers and got the college degree, but when her husband and father died in 1904 and 1905, she took over her father's jewellery business.

"Khoury turned her father's trinket business into a high-class jewellery business in which she sold to society ladies of New York City," Jacobs said.

Daoud, on the other hand, went to the west of the US selling goods. After divorce, she moved to the West Coast selling Turkish goods, Venetian lace, gowns for ladies and rugs. Later, she acquired property in California and moved to Hawaii in 1913 buying 7,500 sq. metres of Waikiki Beach and built vacation cottages.

Ghobreen and her sister Hana became smugglers of Turkish goods to the US, but were eventually caught, fined and bailed, Jacobs said.

"These three women all of whom had kind of non-conforming marriages were people that I wanted you to know more about," underlined Jacobs.