A History of the Syrian Community of Grand Rapids, 1890-1945: From the Beqaa to the Grand (Munaqashat: Gorgias Studies in the Modern Middle East)

Description

This book provides the first history of the old Syrian community of Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1890-1945, focusing on the slow process of ethnic acculturation during which community members developed a hybrid culture. Unlike some Middle Eastern immigrant groups, these Syrians were able to maintain their identity by establishing their own churches, which still exist today. At every opportunity this group is situated within the larger historical context, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the French Mandate in Syria, the Progressive Movement, the Americanization program of the 1920s, the Great Depression and the two world wars. Table of Contents Preface I. The Long Journey II. Doing Business in America III. Upon this Rock IV. The Family First V. A Muslim Minority VI. A Community Transformed VII. Fading Memories Acknowledgements Select Bibliography Index