Sal walked into the house and hung his straw hat on the nail by the door. It had been a long day working in the California fields, 9,000 miles away from his Yemeni homelands. He could tell by the shifting winds that the new season was fast approaching. Sal knew he would have to go back out to milk the cows, but for now he would rest. He felt he had earned it today. A whiff of coffee brewing in the kitchen brought him to the present. Ahh, the smell of home. He preferred the stronger coffee of his native land, but he had gotten used to the sweeter tastes of California brands.
In 1900, Sal had arrived by boat in New York City, with only six dollars and the address of a relative. Fortunately, his cousin was good to him and had given him $200. “It’s for coffee,” he had said. Sal chuckled at that now. It was the perfect expression to make him feel that he was indeed talking with a relative. He had come from the place where the world’s first coffee beans were grown.
Now, five years later, Sal was at home in his bare but cozy little house that was nothing like the elaborate architecture he was used to in his Yemen village. However, it was comfortable, and it was now his permanent home. Or at least it would be, once he came back from serving in the army. He had enlisted the day before. If Sal got back safely, he would be a naturalized citizen of the United States. The war had been raging for months, and he wanted to fight for his new country. It was the right thing to do. It was how Sal’s adoptive home would become his only home.
Sal’s story is similar to the stories of many other Yemeni Americans who immigrated to the United States as long ago as 1890. Most Yemeni Americans came to the United States seeking economic opportunities—pursuing better lives for their families rather than fleeing wars and political and religious persecution like so many others from the region. Since there were not many Yemeni people in America at that time, they usually settled in communities of other Arabic speakers from Lebanon or Syria. Still, they often felt like outsiders.
Yemen is one of the oldest centers of civilization in the Arabian region. Its natural resources, excellent farmlands, and strategic location made it a target for invaders and fortune seekers from Persia and Rome in the ancient world and the Turkish and British Empires in more modern times. Two of Yemen’s borders are on the Arabian and Red Seas; the other two are the countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman. It is an area brimming with history and a favorite among religious scholars. Admiration for Yemen is documented in ancient references. The Greek geographer Ptolemy referred to Yemen as “Arabia Felix,” meaning “fortunate” and “happy.”
One of the most famous historical figures is the Yemeni Queen of Sheba. The story of the Queen of Sheba, ancient ruler of lands located in what is now Yemen or Ethiopia, appears in religious texts sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. She is referred to as Bilqis in the Qur’an and was known for her great wisdom, wealth, and beauty. Her story has inspired many legends. Historians believe the queen lived about 1,000 years before Jesus Christ was born. Under the Queen of Sheba’s rule, Yemen was at its most prosperous and was at the cutting edge of agricultural technology. Yemeni people had developed an advanced irrigation system that enabled the watering of large expanses of fertile land all at once. Yemen was known for raising wonderful herbs and spices such as myrrh and frankincense. The Yemenis were also great traders and controlled the lucrative spice and aromatics trade of the region, which led to even more riches. The best-known story of the queen is about how she matched wits with King Solomon during her visit to Jerusalem. As was the custom among heads of state in those days, she gave him impressive gifts; wondrous presents arrived from Yemen even before the queen’s visit. Satisfied at the way he conducted affairs of state, she returned to her country and shared what she had learned. Historians believe that the Queen of Sheba may have been from either the Yemeni kingdom of Saba or the Ethiopian kingdom of Axum. They base their research on the fact that she took bales of incense with her as gifts, a type of frankincense that was only grown in those two regions.
Some Yemeni Americans came from the World Heritage City of Sana’a, capital of Yemen and one of the oldest cities in the world. It is thought to have been founded by Noah, of biblical fame. Many of the houses are almost 1,500 years old. They are several stories high and have flat roofs. The elaborate friezes, fancy carved frames, and stained-glass windows make the ancient skyscraper houses look like giant chocolate and vanilla wedding cakes. A frieze is a decorated strip of molding usually sculpted onto a building.
Adult supervision required
Newspapers
Oven
Covered work area
10-ounce package of terra-cotta oven-bake clay, such as Sculpey
Rolling pin
Ruler
3-by-5-inch index card
Plastic clay knife
Damp paper towels for wiping hands
10-ounce package of white oven-bake clay, such as Sculpey
Baking tray or cookie sheet
Some Yemeni immigrants got their American citizenship by fighting for the United States in 20th-century wars, beginning with World War I. To become a citizen at that time, immigrants had to be able to read, at least in their own language. However, even without this skill, one could still become a citizen by serving in the United States military. This enabled many immigrants who could not read or write to become Americans.
Some Yemeni newcomers settled in New York City, working as vendors or in coffee houses or shipyards. Others toiled in the steel mills of Buffalo, New York. Many moved west to the San Joaquin Valley of California, to work in the agriculture industry, where they could use the farming skills they had gained from Yemen’s rich farming tradition. Other farmers became homesteaders. They lived on and cultivated plots of land that were usually far from any towns or villages. Life was often lonely for these men, who usually did not come with their families.
Melon baal canaf (melon with wings) is a popular Yemeni dish that is said to disappear as soon as it is placed on the table, as though it had wings and flew away!
Adult supervision required Oven
Cutting board
Knife
3 small cantaloupes
Large bowl
2-quart baking dish
Stove
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Large skillet
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped parsley
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups cooked rice
Makes six ½-melon servings
One of the most notable stories about how Yemeni people started life in the United States involves their employment at the Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan. Henry Ford had visited Yemen in the early 1900s and was impressed with the way Yemeni people, like other Arab people he had encountered and hired, worked so hard. He encouraged them to come to Michigan, where they were paid five dollars an hour for their work on the auto assembly line. That was a lot of money in those days, and the automobile workers had steady work making cars. For the first time since the car was invented, everyday Americans, not just the wealthy, could afford to buy vehicles. As soon as the cars rolled off the assembly line, they were sold. Today, Yemeni Americans make up almost 10 percent of Dearborn’s Arabic population. Because of the decline of the auto industry, many have chosen other professions. In Dearborn’s South End neighborhood, Yemeni Americans own half of the stores. Many work for Great Lakes shipping companies.
Yemeni Americans are very active in work-related unions such as the United Farm Workers or the Service Employees International Union in California, providing leadership in both the agricultural industry and janitorial services. They join with others to improve working conditions. In recent times, unions have enlisted the help of Yemeni Americans to translate and to inform workers of their rights.
Nagi Daifallah, an artist and farm worker activist, played an important role in the farmworkers’ struggle for equality. He was a great admirer of the United States Constitution and believed that all Americans should have the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Daifallah’s art showed the horrible working conditions of his fellow farmworkers. Because he spoke Spanish, English, and Arabic fluently, he translated for workers and authorities and was elected a strike captain during the United Farm Workers’ grape strike. On August 15, 1973, he joined in a peaceful protest. However, law enforcement officers began to attack protesters, and Daifallah lost his life.
Some Yemini Americans are highly educated and skilled professionals working in hospitals, universities, and government agencies. They serve their communities through organizations such as the American Association of Yemeni Scientists and Professionals, which encourages higher education in Yemeni American communities. Yemeni Americans bring the beauty of the unique designs and architecture famous in their country of origin, as well as a rich array of cultures and traditions.
Although most are Muslim, there are also Christian and Jewish Yemeni Americans. Almost 20,000 Yemeni Americans live in the United States, in cities such as Dearborn, Michigan; Brooklyn and Buffalo, New York; Washington, DC; and Oakland, California. Dearborn kids have fun at the Yemen American Benevolence Association, where they learn to speak Arabic and get involved in helping their neighborhoods.
An expert in the field of toxicology, Dr. Nasser Zawia is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and the Division of Environmental Health at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. His research reflects his concerns about the effects of environmental toxins on brain development. He has been an advisor for both Tennessee and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.
The Yemeni people have a rich poetry heritage. A traditional poetry game for girls, this game can be a challenge to write rap/ poetry quickly and spontaneously. You make up the rhymes as you go along. None of the poems can be written ahead of time.
An even number of friends divided into two teams
Pencils
Scraps of paper
Bag or bucket
Open area
Instrumental music
Born and raised in Ohio, Hagage Abdul-Gowee Masaed is a hip-hop artist known as AJ. He blends modern rap with traditional Arabic instruments like the mizmar, which is similar to a clarinet, and the oud, which resembles a fat banjo. AJ uses music to promote a message of peace in his family’s home country of Yemen, where he is called the Godfather of Rap.
Many Americans learning Arabic learn the Yemen dialect, as it is easily understood throughout the Arab world. Yemeni Arabic retains many of the features of the traditional and universal written Arabic. So even the Yemeni Arabic that is spoken every day is very close to the Arabic used on formal occasions.
The old saying “A friend is found at a time of hardship” originated in Yemen. It may be the root of a similar saying in the United States, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Assadeeq inda addeeq assadeeq: A friend is found at a time of hardship.
a friend: As-SA-deek
is found at: INda
a time of hardship: a-DEEK
Raja Althaibani (1985– ) A photo journalist, community organizer, and freelance journalist for CNN, NPR, BBC, and MSNBC. She also worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer, helping new Arab immigrants.
Ali Baleed Almaklani (contemporary) The cofounder and director of the Yemeni American Benevolent Association (YABA) in Dearborn, Michigan. YABA provides social and educational services and builds intercultural ties with Yemeni Americans and their neighbors.
Dr. Rashid A. Abdu (contemporary) A surgeon, he founded the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center in Ohio to help women stricken with breast cancer. He is also the author of Journey of a Yemen Boy.
First Sergeant Jamal S. Baadani (circa 1973– ) US Marine Corps (Ret.), and president of the Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in Military.
Brian Mihtar (1980– ) Michigan-based boxer nicknamed the Lion and known for his high percentage of knockout victories.