5 January 2025
Please note that this lecture is online only.
On January 14, 2025, please join us online for a lecture by Linda K. Jacobs, author of the new book Captivating Strangers: Early Arab Immigrants in the United States. In her latest work, Jacobs explores the untold stories of the first Arab immigrants to the United States. From North African acrobats who performed before the Civil War to western-educated doctors, merchants, and entrepreneurs who spread across the country in the 20th century, the book highlights the incredible variety of careers and contributions these individuals made to American society. Through rich narratives, Captivating Strangers uncovers how these early immigrants navigated challenges, built communities, and left a lasting legacy, shaping the cultural tapestry of the United States.
Date: January 14, 2025
Time: 8:00 p.m. Amman Time (12:00 noon EST)
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82835505604?pwd=YCQH9TL5wMoRb6cFZIQp0hd5YFYi40.1
Webinar ID: 828 3550 5604
Passcode: 389160
YouTube livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@ACORJordan1968/streams
About the Speaker:
Linda K. Jacobs has a PhD in Near Eastern archaeology/anthropology and spent many years working on excavations and economic development projects in the region. She serves on the board of several regional NGOs. A recognized authority on the early Arab diaspora in the United States, she is the author of Captivating Strangers: Early Arab Immigrants in the United States (2024), Strangers in the West: The Syrian Colony of New York City, 1880–1900 (2015; 2nd Edition, 2023), and Strangers No More: Syrians in the United States, 1880–1900 (2019). An archaeological memoir, Digging In: An American Archaeologist Uncovers the Real Iran, appeared in 2012. All four of her grandparents were members of the 19th-century New York Syrian/Lebanese Colony.
Linda K. Jacobs is not only a passionate historian but also a generous supporter of cultural preservation. She has donated a significant collection of photographs of Syria and Jordan to our digital archive.
