Self-Orientalism

A visual gallery of Arab American self-representations. Images are presented without judgment; just fascination.

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Camels for days at Dubai airport

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hat tip- Mason at Dearborn Historical Society

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Ali Baba in Highland Park, MI (ca. 1960s) 

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Ali Baba in Hamtramck, MI 

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Advertisement from Arab American Orthodox Christian convention program book, 1969. 

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Exterior of a recently-closed restaurant on Warren Avenue in Dearborn, MI (photo from 2014). 

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Advertisement in Arab American publication, 1981. 

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Note posted on door of Yemeni-owned restaurant in Hamtramck, MI, in 2014.

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Advertisement for long-running Arab American magazine.

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Advertisement for two restaurants, The Fez and Antoine’s Sheik, as well as a radio show named The Caravan, 1976. 

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Advertisement for Omar’s Oasis in Arab American publication, 1976, 

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Advertisement for convention of Federation of Syrian-Lebanese American Clubs, 1953. 

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One of the earliest ads for a Chicago Arab American establishment. Also one of my favorites. This is from the 1900 Chicago Business Directory. 

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Annual Middle Eastern-themed food festival at an Orthodox church in western Pennsylvania. These logos have been used for multiple years.