Edward E. Curtis IV-scholar of Black, Muslim, and Arab American history and life-uncovers the surprising history of Muslim life in the American Midwest through multiple generations of Syrian and Lebanese American families. From the plains of the Dakotas to the factories of Motor City, Curtis’ richly detailed history reveals Syrian and Lebanese Americans at the heart of key American institutions like the assembly line, the family farm, the dance hall, and the public school. This fresh portrayal of a familiar region reveals how, for over a century, Midwestern Syrians have created a life that was Arab, Muslim, and American-all at the same time.
Biography:
Edward E. Curtis IV is the William M. and Gail M. Plater Chair of the Liberal Arts and professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University, Indianapolis. He is the author/editor of 14 books, including Muslims of the Heartland: How Syrian Immigrants Made a Home in the American Midwest, which was awarded a 2023 National Arab American Book Prize. Curtis is also an engaged public scholar and winner of two Emmys for his work as executive producer and writer of Arab Indianapolis: A Hidden History on PBS. Curtis has contributed interviews and articles to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and the Associated Press, among other media outlets.
25 янв 2024
