From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of Arab Americans . It includes prominent and notable
Arab American individuals from various fields, such as business, science, entertainment, sports and fine arts.
Academia
Science
Elias J. Corey ,
Lebanese , organic chemistry professor at
Harvard University , winner of the 1990
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
[1]
Ahmed Zewail ,
Damanhour -born Egyptian, scientist, known as the "father of
femtochemistry ", winner of the 1999
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Frank Harary , Syrian, Mathematician who is widely recognized as one of the "fathers" of modern graph theory
Michael E. DeBakey , Lebanese, cardiovascular surgeon and researcher,
[2] 1963
Lasker Award laureate
Hunein Maassab ,
Damascus -born Syrian, professor of
epidemiology and the inventor of the
live attenuated influenza vaccine
Omar M. Yaghi ,
Amman -born Jordanian,
reticular chemistry pioneer; winner of the 2018
Wolf Prize in Chemistry
Mostafa El-Sayed , Egyptian, US
National Medal of Science laureate; nanoscience researcher; known for the
spectroscopy rule named after him, the
El-Sayed rule
Riad Barmada , Aleppo-born Syrian, served as the president of the Illinois Orthopedic Society
Eman Ghoneim , Minea-born Egyptian, space scientist in desert regions
Farouk El-Baz ,
Zagazig -born Egyptian, space scientist who worked with
NASA to assist in the planning of scientific exploration of the Moon
Huda Zoghbi ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, physician and medical researcher who discovered the genetic cause of the
Rett syndrome
Huda Akil ,
Damascus -born Syrian, neuroscientist and medical researcher
Yasmine Belkaid ,
Algiers -born Algerian, immunologist, professor and a senior investigator at the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Mounir Laroussi ,
Sfax -born Tunisian, plasma physicist, pioneer of
plasma medicine
Joanne Chory , Lebanese, plant biologist and geneticist
Anthony Atala ,
Peruvian -born Lebanese, Director of the
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Noureddine Melikechi ,
Thénia -born, Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physicist, member of the
Mars Science Laboratory
Michel T. Halbouty , Lebanese, geologist and geophysicist; pioneer in oil field research
Adah al-Mutairi , Saudi, inventor and scholar in nanotechnology and nanomedicine
M. Amin Arnaout ,
Sidon -born Lebanese, nephrologist and biologist
Essam Heggy ,
Libyan -born Egyptian,
Planetary scientist
Shadia Habbal ,
Homs -born Syrian, astronomer and physicist specialized in
Space physics
Miriam Merad ,
French -born Algerian, immunologist
Engineering/computer science
Charles Elachi ,
Rayak -born Lebanese, professor of electrical engineering and planetary science at
Caltech and the former director of the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Fawwaz T. Ulaby
Damascus -born Syrian, professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, former Vice President of Research for the
University of Michigan ; first Arab-American winner of the
IEEE Edison Medal
Taher ElGamal ,
Cairo -born Egyptian, cryptographer, inventor of the
ElGamal discrete log cryptosystem and the
ElGamal signature scheme
Ali H. Nayfeh ,
Tulkarm -born Palestinian, mechanical engineer, the 2014 recipient of
Benjamin Franklin Medal in mechanical engineering
Dina Katabi ,
Damascus -born Syrian, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at
MIT and the director of the MIT Wireless Center.
Abbas El Gamal ,
Cairo -born Egyptian, electrical engineer, educator and entrepreneur, the recipient of the 2012
Claude E. Shannon Award
Ali Al-Sharah , American born Iraqi, computer scientist studying computer science in Washington State.
John Makhoul ,
Deirmimas -born Lebanese, computer scientist who works in the field of speech and language processing.
Jerrier A. Haddad , Syrian, computer engineer who worked with
IBM .
Oussama Khatib ,
Aleppo -born Syrian, roboticist and a professor of computer science
Elias Zerhouni ,
Nedroma -born Algerian, former director of the
National Institutes of Health
Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah ,
Nabatieh -born Lebanese, technology innovator.
[3]
[4] He received 43 patents.
Mohammad S. Obaidat ,
Irbid -born Jordanian, computer science/engineering academic and scholar
Charbel Farhat , Lebanese-American, Vivian Church Hoff Professor of Aircraft Structures in the School of Engineering and inaugural James and Anna Marie Spilker Chair of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, at
Stanford University ; Member of the
National Academy of Engineering (US); Member of the
Royal Academy of Engineering (UK); and Member of the
Lebanese Academy of Sciences
Hany Farid , Egyptian, Professor of computer science at
Dartmouth College , pioneer in
Digital forensics
Ahmed Tewfik ,
Cairo -born Egyptian, electrical engineer, Professor and college administrator
Munther A. Dahleh ,
Tulkarm -born Palestinian, Professor and Director at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Humanities
Ismail al-Faruqi ,
Jaffa -born Palestinian, philosopher, professor
Fouad Ajami ,
Arnoun -born Lebanese, Professor of International Relations
Saddeka Arebi ,
Tripoli -born Libyan, professor of anthropology at
UC Berkeley
Mohammed Adam El-Sheikh , Sudanese, executive director of the
Fiqh Council of North America
[5]
Samih Farsoun ,
Haifa -born Palestinian, sociology professor at the American University
[6]
Philip Khuri Hitti ,
Shimlan -born Lebanese, historian of Arab culture and history
Philip S. Khoury , Lebanese, Ford International Professor of History and Associate Provost at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Laura Nader , cultural anthropologist
Edward Said ,
Jerusalem -born Palestinian, literary theorist and former professor at Columbia University
Nada Shabout ,
UK -born Palestinian-Iraqi, Professor of Art History at
University of North Texas
Naseer Aruri ,
Jerusalem -born Palestinian ,Chancellor Professor of Political Science at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
Nadia Abu El Haj , Palestinian, Author & Professor of Anthropology at
Barnard College and subject of a major tenure controversy case at
Columbia University
Ibrahim Abu-Lughod ,
Jaffa -born Palestinian, former Director of Graduate Studies at
Northwestern University , father of
Lila Abu-Lughod
Lila Abu-Lughod , Palestinian, professor of Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies at
Columbia University
Leila Farsakh ,
Jordan -born Palestinian, Professor of Political Science at the
University of Massachusetts, Boston
Samih Farsoun , Professor of sociology at
American University and editor of
Arab Studies Quarterly
Nadia Hijab ,
Syria -born Palestinian, Journalist with Middle East Magazine and Senior Fellow at the
Institute for Palestine Studies
Rashid Khalidi , Palestinian, Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University
Joseph Massad ,
Jordan -born Palestinian, Professor at Columbia University known for his work on
nationalism and sexuality in the
Arab world
Hisham Sharabi ,
Jaffa -born Palestinian, Professor Emeritus of History
Umar al-Mukhtar ,
Tobruk -born Libyan, Chair of Arab Culture at
Georgetown University
Rosemarie Said Zahlan ,
Egypt -born Palestinian, historian, journalist & author, sister of
Edward Said
Steven Salaita , Jordanian-Palestinian, former Professor of English at
Virginia Tech , winner of Myers Outstanding Book Award for the Study of Human Rights 2007
Majid Khadduri ,
Mosul -born Iraqi, academic and founder of the
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Middle East Studies program
Noura Erakat , Palestinian, human rights attorney and Assistant Professor at
Rutgers University
Thomas L. Saaty , Assyrian-Iraqi, University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh
Nada Shabout , UK-born Palestinian-Iraqi, art historian and Assistant Professor at the
University of North Texas
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
Ella Shohat , professor, author and activist
Saadi Simawe ,
Diwaniyah -born Iraqi, translator, novelist and teacher
Donny George Youkhanna ,
Habbaniyah -born Iraqi, archaeologist, anthropologist, author, curator, and scholar, and a visiting professor at Stony Brook University in New York
Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad , teaches
religion ,
science , and
freedom at the
University of Maryland, College Park ; directs the
Minaret of Freedom Institute
[14]
[15]
Muhsin Mahdi ,
Karbala -born Iraqi,
Islamologist and
Arabist .
Talal Asad ,
Medina -born Saudi, anthropologist at the
CUNY Graduate Center .
University presidents
Mitch Daniels , Syrian, President of
Purdue University
Donna Shalala , Lebanese, President of the
University of Miami
Joseph E. Aoun ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, president of
Northeastern University
Robert Khayat , Lebanese, chancellor of the
University of Mississippi
Nido Qubein , Lebanese, president of
High Point University
David Adamany , Lebanese, former president of the
Temple University
Business
Steve Jobs , half Syrian,
[16]
[17] head and co-founder of
Apple
Tony Fadell , Polish-Lebanese, product development manager at
Apple Inc. , co-inventor of
iPod and
iPhone
Joseph Nakash , billionaire real estate developer, founder of
Jordache (of Syrian-Iraqi descent)
Mohamed A. El-Erian , Egyptian, CEO and co-CIO of
PIMCO
Alec Gores ,
Israel -born Lebanese-Palestinian, founder of Gores Group; on the
Forbes list of billionaires
Jeff Sutton , billionaire real estate developer (of Syrian descent)
Tom Gores , Israel-born Greek-Lebanese, founder and CEO of
Platinum Equity ; on the Forbes list of billionaires (Palestinian-born of Lebanese descent)
Stanely Chera , billionaire New York real estate developer (of Syrian descent)
Sam Gores , Israel-born Lebanese-Palestinian, founder of talent agency Paradigm Agency; on the Forbes list of billionaires
[18]
Najeeb Halaby , Syrian,
[19] former head of
Federal Aviation Administration and CEO of
Pan-American Airlines , and father of
Queen Noor of Jordan
Joseph Sitt , real estate developer, founder of
Thor Equities and
Ashley Stewart (of Syrian descent)
Ray R. Irani , Lebanon-born Palestinian, Chairman and CEO of
Occidental Petroleum
Sonny Gindi , billionaire businessman, he founded along with his family
Century 21 stores (of Syrian descent)
Joseph Jacobs ,
Australia -born Lebanese, founder of
Jacobs Engineering , one of the engineering firms in the
US
Joseph Cayre , billionaire real estate developer (of Syrian descent)
Charif Souki ,
Cairo -born Egyptian, co-founder and former CEO of
Cheniere Energy .
Amin Khoury , businessman and founder of
B/E Aerospace
Omar Hamoui, Syrian, founder and CEO of
Google
AdMob (Syrian)
Lucie Salhany , Jordanian-Lebanese, former Chairwoman of
Fox Broadcasting Company .
Naseeb Saliba , Lebanese, global philanthropist, construction and real estate mogul, founder of
Tutor-Saliba Corporation .
Marcus Lemonis ,
Beirut -born Lebanese-Syrian, chairman and CEO of
Camping World ,
Good Sam Enterprises and
Gander Outdoors .
George Joseph , Lebanese, founder of
Mercury Insurance Group .
Jack Hidary , Syrian, founder of AI and quantum technology company SandboxAQ.
Joe Jamail , businessman who was the wealthiest practicing attorney in America.
Allen Adham, Lebanese, co-founder of
Blizzard Entertainment .
Mario Kassar , Beirut-born Lebanese-Italian, formerly headed
Carolco Pictures
[20]
John J. Mack , Lebanese,
[21] CEO of investment bank
Morgan Stanley
Maloof family , Lebanese family who owns numerous business properties in the
Western United States , majority owners of the
Sacramento Kings and the Palms Casino Hotel in
Paradise, Nevada
Sam Moore , Beirut-born Lebanese, founder and president of
Thomas Nelson Publishers , the largest worldwide distributor of the
Bible
Manuel Moroun , Lebanese, owner of CenTra, Inc., the holding company which controls the
Ambassador Bridge and
Michigan Central Depot
Jacques Nasser ,
Amyoun -born Lebanese, former president and CEO of
Ford Motor Company (Lebanese)
Efrem Harkham , Israel-born Iraqi-American, founder and CEO of LuxeHotels, owner of
Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel
Farouk Shami , Ramallah-born Palestinian, founder of Farouk systems, a
Houston -based company that manufactures hair care and spa products like CHI hair Irons
John Zogby , Lebanese, founder and current President/CEO of
Zogby International
Sam Yagan , Syrian, Entrepreneur and business executive, co-founder of
SparkNotes ,
eDonkey ,
OkCupid , and Techstars Chicago, also CEO of
Match Group , including
Tinder
Rana el Kaliouby , Egyptian, computer scientist, CEO of
Affectiva , Researcher at
MIT Media Lab , contributor to facial expression recognition research and technology development
Haim Saban ,
Egypt -born Israeli-American, television and
media proprietor
Douglas Jemal , real estate developer, co-founder of
The Wiz (of Syrian descent)
Huda Kattan , Iraqi, CEO of
Huda Beauty
Magid Abraham ,
Mashghara -born Lebanese, market research expert and businessman
Nahim Abraham ,
Kafarakab -born Lebanese, businessman, philanthropist
Charlie Shrem , entrepreneu and bitcoin advocate (of Syrian descent)
Paul Orfalea , Lebanese, founder of
Kinko's
[22]
Richard E. Rainwater , Lebanese, investor and fund manager
Robert Khuzami , Lebanese, former director of the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Thomas J. Barrack Jr. , Lebanese, businessman and founder of
Colony Capital
Arts and entertainment
Sam Esmail , Egyptian, screenwriter, director and producer; creator of the television series
Mr. Robot
Kevin Hanna , Syrian, writer, director and producer; creator of the film
The Clockwork Girl
Callie Khouri , Lebanese, Academy Award-winning screenwriter
William Peter Blatty , Lebanese, Academy Award-winning screenwriter and writer
Nessa Diab , Egyptian, Radio and TV personality and television host
Sanaa Hamri ,
Tangier -born Moroccan, music video and movie director; her films include the
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Moustapha Akkad , Syrian-American film producer and director
Casey Kasem , Lebanese
Druze , radio personality and voice actor, co-founder of
American Top 40 franchise,
[23]
George Noory , Lebanese,
[24] radio broadcaster of late-night
paranormal -themed radio talk show
Coast to Coast AM
Mario Kassar ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, film producer, founder of
Carolco Pictures
Jordan Nassar , half-Palestinian, visual artist working with Palestinian embroidery
Tom Shadyac , Lebanese, director, screenwriter and producer
Tony Thomas , Lebanese, producer
Jehane Noujaim , Lebanese-Egyptian,
[25] documentary film director
Kerri Kasem , Lebanese, radio personality
Dan Jbara , Lebanese, television and film producer
Diane Rehm ,Syrian-Lebanese, host and executive producer of
The Diane Rehm Show on
National Public Radio
Elie Samaha ,
Zahlé -born Lebanese, film producer
Sonya Tayeh , award-winning dancer and choreographer.
Emile Kuri ,
Mexico -born Lebanese, Academy Award-winning art director
Zaida Ben-Yusuf ,
UK -born Algerian,portrait photographer
Sam Maloof , Lebanese furniture designer and woodworker
Rima Fakih ,
Srifa -born Lebanese,
Miss USA 2010
Remi Kanazi , Palestinian,
[26] performance poet
Yousef Abu-Taleb , Jordanian, actor,
lonelygirl15 ; film producer
Adam Saleh , Yemeni, YouTuber and singer
Cherien Dabis , Palestinian, film director
Yousef Erakat , Palestinian, YouTuber and actor
Gabbie Hanna , Lebanese, comedian, actress, YouTube personality, singer
Issa Twaimz , Palestinian, Youtuber
Emilio Nicolás Sr. , Palestinian-American television executive
Actors
Tony Shalhoub , Lebanese,
[27] three-time
Emmy Award -winning television actor on
Monk
Danny Thomas , Lebanese,
[28] Emmy Award-winning actor, founder of
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ; father of Marlo Thomas
Marlo Thomas , Lebanese, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actress
Rami Malek , Egyptian, Emmy Award and Academy Award - winning actor for
Bohemian Rhapsody
Demián Bichir ,
Mexico -born Lebanese, Academy Award-nominated actor
Vic Tayback , Syrian, two-time
Golden Globe -winning actor
Kristy McNichol , Lebanese, two-time Emmy Award-winning actress
[29]
F. Murray Abraham , Syrian-American, Academy Award-winning actor (Amadeus)
Tige Andrews , Syrian, Emmy-nominated actor
Michael Ansara ,
Lebanon -born, actor
Sofia Boutella , Algerian, actress, model, and Hip-hop dancer
George Nader , Lebanese, American film and television actor.
Jenna Dewan , Lebanese,
[30] film/TV actress (
Step Up )
Shannon Elizabeth , Syrian-Lebanese,
[31] film actress (
American Pie ,
Scary Movie )
Khrystyne Haje , Lebanese, actress on
Head of the Class
Teri Hatcher , Syrian, actress
Salma Hayek , Mexico-born Lebanese, Mexican actress
Rowan Blanchard , Syrian, actress
Anissa Jones , Lebanese, actress,
Family Affair
Jamie Farr , Lebanese,
[32] character actor
Catherine Keener , Lebanese, actress
Wendie Malick , Egyptian, actress
Alanna Masterson , half Lebanese, actress,
Wentworth Miller ,
UK -born Lebanese-Syrian,
[33] actor on
Prison Break
Najee Mondalek ,
Lebanon -born, actor/playwright
Kathy Najimy , Lebanese,
[34] actress
Gregory Jbara , Lebanese, television and film actor
Alia Shawkat , half-Iraqi, actress on
Arrested Development
James Stacy , part-Lebanese, actor
Paola Turbay , part-Lebanese, actress
Vince Vaughn , part-Lebanese, actor
Amy Yasbeck , part-Lebanese, actress
Sammy Sheik ,
Alexandria -born Egyptian, actor
Omar Metwally , half-Egyptian, actor
Waleed Zuaiter , Palestinian, actor
Mo Gallini , half-Lebanese, actor
Michael Nouri , half-Iraqi, actor
Haaz Sleiman ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, television and film actor
Emeraude Toubia ,
Canada -born part-Lebanese, actress
Edy Ganem , half-Lebanese, actress
Nadia Dajani , half-Palestinian, actress
Rose Abdoo , half-Lebanese, comedian, actress
John Kassir , American actor, voice actor and comedian
Ramy Youssef , Egyptian, writer and star of
Ramy
Zeeko Zaki , Egyptian, actor
Comedians
Brian Awadis , Iraqi, YouTuber and actor
Jerry Seinfeld , half-Syrian Jewish, stand-up comedian, actor and writer
Dean Obeidallah , half-Palestinian, stand-up comedian, writer
Ahmed Ahmed ,
Helwan -born Egyptian, actor and comedian
Mohammed Amer ,
Kuwait -born Palestinian, comedian, writer, actor;
Rolling Stone , Al Barnameg ,
Allah Made Me Funny
Remy Munasifi , Iraqi-Lebanese, comedian also known as GoRemy
Anwar Jibawi , Palestinian, YouTuber and comedian (Palestinian)
Ronnie Khalil , Egyptian, stand-up comedian
Aron Kader , half-Palestinian, stand-up comedian
Maysoon Zayid , Palestinian, actress and comedian
Ray Hanania , Palestinian, journalist and stand-up comedian
Kassem G ,
Amman -born Jordanian-Egyptian, comedian, actor, and YouTuber
Bassem Yousef , Egyptian, comedian, Doctor, and stand-up comedian
Reality show
Farrah Abraham , part-Syrian, reality television personality, participated in
16 and Pregnant and
Teen Mom
Tareq Salahi , half-Palestinian, television personality, appeared on
The Real Housewives of D.C.
Adrienne Maloof , half-Lebanese, businesswoman, television personality, cast member of
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Aja (entertainer) , Egyptian-Moroccan, known for competing on
RuPaul's Drag Race
Laith Al-Saadi, half-Iraqi, finalist on the 10th season of
The Voice
Tarek El Moussa , part-Lebanese, businessman, television personality, cast member of
Flip or Flop
Fashion designers
Models
Gigi Hadid , half-Palestinian, supermodel and TV personality
Bella Hadid , half-Palestinian, supermodel and TV personality
Wafah Dufour , half-Saudi, fashion model and singer
Jaclyn Stapp , Jordanian, beauty queen and fashion model
Amy Fadhli , half-Iraqi, fitness model, actress and winner of the Fitness America National Champion 1996
Musicians
Paula Abdul , half-Syrian Jewish (considers herself Jewish and not ethnically Arab), singer, musician, writer, actress, and television personality
Paul Anka , Lebanese, singer/songwriter
Frank Zappa , part-Lebanese,
[36] musician
DJ Khaled , Palestinian, hip-hop DJ, rapper, music producer
RedOne ,
Tetouan -born Moroccan, producer, songwriter, music executive
Tiffany , born Tiffany Renee Darwish, half-Lebanese, singer
Tiny Tim (born Herbert Khaury), half-Lebanese,
[37] musician
French Montana ,
Casablanca -born Moroccan, rapper
Paul Jabara , Lebanese, actor, singer, songwriter
Dick Dale , half-Lebanese,
[38] surf rock guitarist
Andrew Bazzi , half-Lebanese, singer-songwriter
Soraya , part-Lebanese, singer/songwriter
G.E. Smith , half-Lebanese, lead guitarist in the band
Hall & Oates ; musical director of
Saturday Night Live
David Yazbek , half-Lebanese, songwriter and musician
Raef Haggag Egyptian, singer
Stephan Said , half-Iraqi, singer, musician, writer and activist
Kareem Salama ,
Maghrebi , country singer-songwriter and musician
Alissa Musto , singer/pianist
Kurtis Mantronik ,
Jamaica -born half-Syrian, born
Kurtis el Khaleel ,
remixer and
producer , founding member of 1980s
old school hip hop group
Mantronix
Malek Jandali ,
Germany -born Syrian, composer and pianist (Syrian-American)
Ferras , half-Jordanian, singer-songwriter
Fredwreck , Palestinian, hip hop producer
Mohammed Fairouz , musician, composer
Emilio Estefan ,
Cuba -born half-Lebanese, manager and producer of wife
Gloria Estefan
Ayad Al Adhamy , Bahraini-born, synthesizer player and multi-instrumentalist musician
Jeff Becerra,
death metal musician
Ron Affif , half-Lebanese, jazz guitarist and musician
Jack Barakat, Lebanese,
All Time Low guitarist/songwriter
Queen Naija , half-Yemeni, singer and songwriter
Dave Hall, Quarter-Lebanese, singer/songwriter and composer
Literature
Khalil Gibran ,
Bsharri -born Lebanese, writer, poet, and member of the
New York Pen League ; the third-best-selling poet of all time.
William Peter Blatty , Lebanese, writer best known for his 1971 horror novel
The Exorcist
Laila Lalami ,
Rabat -born Moroccan,
Pulitzer Prize -nominated novelist, journalist, essayist, and professor
Mikhail Naimy ,
Baskinta -born Lebanese, member of the
New York Pen League ; well-known works include
The Book of Mirdad and a biography of
Khalil Gibran
Ameen Rihani ,
Syria -born Lebanese, "father of
Arab American literature ," member of the
New York Pen League and author of
The Book of Khalid , the first Arab American novel in English;
Edward Said ,
Jerusalem -born Palestinian, literary theorist, thinker, and the founder of the academic field of
postcolonial studies .
Stephen Adly Guirgis , half-Egyptian, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Hisham Matar , Libyan, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer
Steven Naifeh ,
Iran -born half-Lebanese, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Raymond Khoury ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, screenwriter and novelist, best known as the author of the 2006 New York Times bestseller
The Last Templar
Saladin Ahmed , Lebanese-Egyptian,
Eisner Award -winning comic book and fantasy writer
Ted Naifeh , comic book writer and artist.
Stephen Karam , Lebanese,
Tony Award -winning playwright and screenwriter
Mona Simpson , half-Syrian, novelist; author of
Anywhere but Here
Elmaz Abinader , Lebanese, poet, playwright, memoirist, writer
Diana Abu-Jaber , half-Jordanian, novelist and professor, author of
Arabian Jazz and
Crescent
Nasib Arida ,
Homs -born Syrian, poet and writer of the
Mahjar movement.
Abd al-Masih Haddad ,
Homs -born Syrian, writer of the
Mahjar movement and journalist
Elia Abu Madi ,
Bikfaya -born Lebanese, poet, publisher and member of the
New York Pen League
Etel Adnan ,
Lebanon -born half-Syrian, poet, essayist, and visual artist
Suheir Hammad ,
Jordan -born Palestinian, poet, playwright, artist, Tony Award winner
Samuel John Hazo , half-Lebanese,
State Poet of
Pennsylvania
Lawrence Joseph , Syrian-Lebanese, poet
Lisa Suhair Majaj , Palestinian, poet and literary scholar
Khaled Mattawa ,
Benghazi -born Libyan, poet, recipient of an
Academy of American Poets award
Claire Messud , half-Algerian, author
Naomi Shihab Nye , half-Palestinian, poet
Abraham Rihbany ,
Shweir -born Lebanese, writer on politics and religion
Steven Salaita , Jordanian-Palestinian, expert on comparative literature and post-colonialism, writer, activist
Ibtisam Barakat ,
Jerusalem -born Palestinian, award-winning writer and poet
Reem Kassis , Jerusalem-born Palestinian, writer on food, culture and politics
Media and journalism
Helen Thomas , Lebanese, reporter, columnist, and
White House correspondent
Hala Gorani , Syrian, journalist and anchor of
CNN 's International Desk;
Levantine Cultural Center
Anthony Shadid , Lebanese,
Pulitzer Prize -winning journalist, foreign correspondent
Hoda Kotb , Egyptian, broadcast journalist and TV host on
Dateline NBC and the
Today Show
Jim Avila , half-Lebanese, correspondent for
ABC News "20/20",
Jamal Dajani ,
Jerusalem -born Palestinian television producer and Middle East analyst
Paula Faris , half Lebanese
[39] television correspondent and personality
Ray Hanania , Palestinian, award-winning journalist; Managing Editor of The Arab Daily News ; President and CEO of Urban Strategies Group media and political consultants
Diane Rehm , American public radio talk show host
Dena Takruri , Palestinian, journalist, on-air presenter, and producer
Fawaz Gerges , Beirut-born Lebanese, ABC analyst and regular guest on "
Oprah's Anti-war series "
Yasmeen Sami Alamiri , Iraqi, journalist, first member of the
White House foreign press pool
Susan Chira , Syrian, journalist, former
New York Times editor, foreign correspondent
Lorraine Ali , Iraqi, reporter, editor, culture writer and music critic for
Newsweek
Susie Gharib , co-anchor of the
Nightly Business Report
Walid Phares ,
Batroun -born Lebanese,
Fox News correspondent, Middle Eastern policy advisor to the
2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign and the
2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign
Paul Ajlouny ,
Ramallah -born Palestinian, founder of the Palestinian newspaper Al-Fajr
Daoud Kuttab ,
Bethlehem -born Palestinian, award-winning journalist; Ferris Professor of Journalism at
Princeton University
Nasser Weddady Mauritanian, activist, Director of Civil Rights Outreach at
American Islamic Congress
Mona Eltahawy ,
Port Said -born Egyptian, freelance journalist
Serena Shim , Lebanese, journalist for
Press TV
Ayman Mohyeldin ,
Cairo -born Palestinian-Egyptian, journalist for
NBC News
Military
John Abizaid , Lebanese
[40]
Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie , Iraqi-born,
specialist in the
United States Army who was kidnapped by insurgents in
Baghdad, Iraq , on October 23, 2006
Florent Groberg ,
France -born part-Algerian
James Jabara , Lebanese
George Joulwan , Lebanese
Peter Mansoor
Michael A. Monsoor , part-Lebanese, first Arab American
Medal of Honor awardee
Ray Hanania , Palestinian,
Vietnam Era Military Service,
U.S. Air Force
Politics
James Abdnor , Lebanese, U.S. Senator (
R -
South Dakota ) (1981–1987)
John Abizaid , Lebanese, retired general
James Abourezk , Lebanese,
[41] U.S. Senator (D-South Dakota) (1973–1979)
Spencer Abraham , Lebanese,
U.S. Secretary of Energy (2001–2005) and U.S. Senator (R-Michigan) Secretary of Energy under Bush (1995–2001)
Justin Amash , Syrian-Palestinian, U.S. Representative (R-
Michigan ) (2011–2021)
Victor G. Atiyeh , Syrian-Lebanese, former Governor of
Oregon (R) (1979–1987)
John Baldacci , half-Lebanese, Governor of
Maine (D) (2003–2011)
Rosemary Barkett ,
Mexico -born Syrian,
U.S. Circuit Judge and the first woman
Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice for the state of
Florida
Charles Boustany ,
[42] Lebanese, U.S. Representative from
Louisiana ; cousin of
Victoria Reggie Kennedy
[43]
Charlie Crist , part-Lebanese, former
Governor of Florida (R) (2007–2011), U.S. Congressman (D-Florida) (2017–present)
Pat Danner , Lebanese, U.S. Congresswoman from Missouri (1993–2001)
Brigitte Gabriel ,
Marjayoun -born Lebanese,
pro-Israel activist and founder of the American Congress For Truth
Philip Charles Habib , Lebanese,
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Special Envoy to
Ronald Reagan
Lisa Halaby , Syrian, (a.k.a. Queen Noor),
Queen-consort of
Jordan and wife of
King Hussein of Jordan
Darrell Issa , half-Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (R-
California ) (2001–)
Joe Jamail , Lebanese, Renown American trial lawyer and billionaire, also known as the "King of Torts"
James Jabara , Lebanese, colonel and
Korean War flying ace
Chris John , part-Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (D-
Louisiana ) (1997–2005)
George Joulwan , part-Syrian, retired general, former
NATO commander-in-chief
George Kasem , Lebanese,
[44] U.S. Congressman (D-California) (1959-1961)
Abraham Kazen , Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (D-Texas) (1967–1985)
Jill Kelley ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, global advocate and American socialite
[45]
Victoria Reggie Kennedy , Lebanese, attorney and widow of late Senator
Ted Kennedy
Johnny Khamis , Palestinian, Council member from
San Jose
Ray LaHood , half-Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (R-
Illinois ) (1995–2009),
U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2009–2013)
Darin LaHood , part-Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (R-Illinois) (2015–), son of Ray Lahood
George J. Mitchell , half-Lebanese, U.S. Senator (D-
Maine ) (1980–1995) US special envoy to the
Middle East under the
Obama administration , U.S. senator from Maine, Senate Majority Leader
Ralph Nader , Lebanese, politician and consumer advocate, author, lecturer, and attorney, candidate for US Presidency
Jimmy Naifeh , Lebanese,
Speaker of the
Tennessee House of Representatives (D)
Mary Rose Oakar , Lebanese-Syrian, U.S. Congresswoman (D-
Ohio ) (1977–1993)
Jeanine Pirro , Lebanese, former
Westchester County District Attorney and
New York Republican attorney general candidate
Dina Powell ,
Cairo -born Egyptian, current U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy
Edward Rafeedie , Palestinian, U.S. District Judge for the
Central District of California
Nick Rahall , Lebanese, U.S. Congressman (D-
West Virginia ) (1977–2015)
Selwa Roosevelt , Lebanese, former
Chief of Protocol of the United States and wife of the late
Archibald Bulloch Roosevelt Jr. , grandson of President
Theodore Roosevelt
Zainab Salbi ,
Baghdad -born Iraqi, co-founder and president of
Women for Women International
Donna Shalala , Lebanese,
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (1993–2001)
Chris Sununu , Lebanese-Palestinian, Governor of
New Hampshire (R) (2017–), son of Governor
John H. Sununu
John E. Sununu , Lebanese-Palestinian, U.S. Senator (R-New Hampshire) (2003–2009)
John H. Sununu ,
Cuba -born Lebanese-Palestinian, Governor of
New Hampshire (R) (1983–1989) and
Chief of Staff to
George H. W. Bush
Rashida Tlaib , Palestinian, U.S. Congresswoman from Michigan (2016–present)
James Zogby , half-Lebanese, founder and president of the
Arab American Institute
Hady Amr ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, diplomat, founding director of
Brookings Doha Center (Lebanese father)
Sports
Jamal Murray , half-Syrian,
NBA Basketball Player for the
Denver Nuggets
Toni Breidinger , half-Lebanese,
NASCAR driver, First Female Arab in the sport
Alaa Abdelnaby ,
Alexandria -born Egyptian, played for Duke and five years in the NBA
Rony Seikaly ,
Beirut -born Lebanese, former NBA player, now DJ
Abdel Nader ,
Alexandria -born Egyptian, player for the
Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association
Salah Mejri ,
Oued Melliz -born Tunisian professional basketball for the
Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association.
Justin Abdelkader , part-Jordanian, ice hockey forward playing in the
NHL
Brandon Saad , half-Syrian, NHL player
Patrick Maroon , Lebanese, ice hockey player for the
Edmonton Oilers in the NHL
Johnny Manziel , part-Lebanese,
NFL player
Oday Aboushi , Palestinian, NFL player
Doug Flutie , half-Lebanese, NFL player
Drew Haddad , Jordanian, NFL player
Gibran Hamdan , half-Palestinian, NFL QB
Bill George , NFL player and Hall of Fame.
Jeff George , Lebanese, NFL quarterback
Rich Kotite , retired NFL tight end; NFL Head coach for the
Philadelphia Eagles and
New York Jets
Abe Mickal ,
Talia -born Lebanese, football player for
LSU
Matt Kalil , half-Lebanese, NFL player
Ryan Kalil , NFL player (Lebanese father)
Frank Kalil , former American football offensive lineman.
Adam Shaheen , tight end from Ashland
Joe Robbie , former owner and founder of the NFL's
Miami Dolphins
Rocco Baldelli , professional baseball player (Syrian)
John Jaha , MLB baseball player (Lebanese)
Sam Khalifa , MLB baseball player (Egyptian)
Joe Lahoud , MLB player for Boston and California (Lebanese descent)
Mikie Mahtook , Major League Baseball outfielder (Lebanese descent)
Damien Sandow , WWE wrestler (Lebanese)
Sabu , ECW wrestler (Lebanese mother)
Skandor Akbar , former professional wrestler (Lebanese)
Ed Farhat , Lebanese-American professional wrestler best known by his ring name The Sheik
Adnan Al-Kaissie , former professional wrestler and manager (Iraqi)
Armando Estrada , professional wrestler and manager ( Palestinian)
Mojo Rawley , professional wrestler currently signed to
WWE (Palestinian and Syrian)
Dina Al-Sabah , professional figure competitor (Kuwaiti descent)
Sarah Attar , track and field athlete (Saudi Arabian father)
Isra Girgrah , boxer
Naseem Hamed , commonly known as Prince Naseem or Naz, former boxer, former featherweight world champion. (Yemeni parents)
Jim Harrick , UCLA coach
Omar Hassan , pro skateboarder
[46]
Ahmed Kaddour , professional boxer, from NBC show
The Contender (Lebanese)
Hocine Khalfi , professional boxer, Algerian-American
Khalid Khannouchi , athlete marathon runner (Moroccan)
Amir Khillah , mixed martial artist and The Ultimate Fighter contestant (Egyptian)
Gavin Maloof , businessman and owner of the Sacramento Kings
George Maloof Sr. , businessman and former owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets
Justin Meram , MLS player for
Columbus Crew (Chaldo-Assaryian)
Faryd Mondragón , MLS player for
Philadelphia Union (Lebanese parents)
Ramsey Nijem , (Palestinian), mixed martial artist and UFC fighter
Bobby Rahal , (Lebanese ancestry)
Soony Saad , MLS player (Lebanese descent)
Robert Saleh , head coach for New York Jets NFL (Lebanese mother).
Tarick Salmaci , professional boxer (Lebanese)
Omar Sheika , (Palestinian), professional boxer, four-time world title challenger
Kelly Slater , professional surfer (Lebanese descent)
Muhammad Halim , (Palestinian father)
Sami Guediri , footballer (Algerian parents)
Others
Naser Jason Abdo , former soldier convicted of planning an attack near
Fort Hood
Sami Al-Arian , professor guilty of conspiracy to contribute services to or for the benefit of a Specially Designated Terrorist organization (Palestinian)
Anwar al-Awlaki , believed by US officials to be a recruiter involved in planning terrorist operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda (Yemeni)
Nihad Awad , founding Executive Director of largest Muslim civil rights organization in the U.S., the
Council on American–Islamic Relations (Palestinian)
Rosemary Barkett , federal judge and first woman Justice and Chief Justice on the Florida Supreme Court (Syrian)
Charles Bishop , suicide by plane crash in Tampa, Florida; grandson of Syrian immigrant
[47]
Nidal Hasan , former soldier convicted of the
2009 Fort Hood shooting (Palestinian descent)
Hussein Ibish , writer, journalist, advocate for Arab causes in the United States (Lebanese)
Candice Lightner, founder of
MADD (Lebanese mother)
[48]
Edward L. Masry , lawyer (Lebanese descent)
Rasmea Odeh , convicted of
immigration fraud for concealing her arrest, conviction, and imprisonment for fatal terrorist bombing (Palestinian)
[49]
[50]
Walid Rabah , publisher
Saint Raphael of Brooklyn , first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America; born Raphael Hawaweeny in Beirut of Damascene Syrian parents
Karim Rashid (Lebanese descent)
Zainab Salbi , co-founder and president of
Women for Women International (Iraqi)
Sirhan Sirhan , convicted murderer of
Robert F. Kennedy (Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship)
Nadya Suleman , "Octomom", father is Iraqi
James Zogby , Arab-American civil rights activist (
Arab-American Institute ); brother of John (Lebanese descent)
John Zogby , pollster for
Zogby International (Lebanese descent)
Zain Masri , technology executive
See also
References
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^
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^
Casey Kasem Biography – Yahoo! Movies
^ Noory –
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^
"BBC – BBC Storyville – Control Room: Jehane Noujaim Interview" . Archived from
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^
The Institute for Middle East Understanding (18 October 2010).
"Palestinian Americans – Remi Kanazi: Poet and teacher" . imeu.net. Archived from
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^ Shalhoub –
"Ray Hanania Online -- Emmys Show Has Entertaining Moments and Little Known Facts" . Archived from
the original on 2006-11-18. Retrieved 2006-08-05 . "Tony Shalhoub, who is Lebanese..."
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Danny Thomas Biography – Yahoo! Movies
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GopherCentral Archives
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^ Dewan –
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^
[2]
Archived 2020-04-17 at the
Wayback Machine "The half-Syrian, half-Lebanese actress..."
^
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^
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Kathy Najimy – Biography – Official Site – kathynajimy.com
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^ Abboud –
[4]
Archived 2012-10-20 at the
Wayback Machine "Lebanese Abboud was the first designer to win the CFDA award as Best Menswear Designer two years in a row"
^ Zappa –
[5] "My ancestry is Sicilian, Greek, Arab and French. My mother's mother was French and Sicilian, and her Dad was Italian (from Naples). She was first generation. The Greek-Arab side is from my Dad..."
^
Tiny Tim Biography
Archived May 9, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine
^
Dick Dale Biography on Yahoo! Music
Archived 2005-05-05 at the
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^ @paulafaris (June 7, 2012).
"I'm half Lebanese---my father is from..." (
Tweet ) – via
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^
"John Abizaid, 2003 News" .
^
American Chronicle | An Interview with James Abourezk, the First Arab American to Serve in the U.S. Senate
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^
"George A. Kasem, 82; First Arab American in House" . Los Angeles Times . February 14, 2002. Retrieved July 17, 2015 .
^ Steinhauer, Jennifer (6 January 2014).
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^ Hammeke, Joe (2004).
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^
Kasem, Casey .
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^ Daniels, Serena Maria (10 November 2014).
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External links