News

Sep 19, 2012

New! North Carolina Lebanese Naturalizations: 1909-1945

This post was contributed by Marjorie Merod, Researcher and Digital Media extraordinaire! We just uncovered over 60 naturalization records for Lebanese immigrants in North Carolina from 1909-1945. Available on our website, these rich documents can provide wonderful genealogical information not only about the naturalized person, but also about their families. However, the large amount of… 

Sep 12, 2012

Listening to the music of Lebanon

After the documentary premiered at the North Carolina Museum of History in March and April, many of you asked about the musical selection we chose for the film. With great thanks to University of California, Santa Barbara as well as our very own Naji Hilal, the music is now available. The music, like the narrative… 

Sep 1, 2012

Home movies of Joseph El-Khouri

Joseph Maroun El-Khouri was an immigrant to the United States in 1949. He was born in Kour, Batroun, Lebanon in 1924 to Rev. Maroun El-Khouri and Mariam Yazbek El-Khouri, one of seven children. Joseph was asked to come to the United States to help settle the estate of an uncle in Minneapolis, MN.  He had… 

Aug 29, 2012

A filmmaker’s perspective on North Carolina

The Lebanese in North Carolina Project is dedicated to collecting, curating and disseminating materials of the Lebanese-American experience in the state. Like most materials, the generous donations from families captures life in North Carolina from the Lebanese perspective. But, what about the context within which many Lebanese-Americans lived? When we hear stories of peddlers and… 

Aug 26, 2012

Reuniting the Alkazins

Welcome to our guest blogger, Marjorie Merod who contributed this post! Many families were divided in the course of immigration. David Alkazin left the United States in 1900 with his eldest daughter Rosa, and son Elias. It was a full six years before their mother and his wife, Mariam followed with the younger children. Mariam… 

Aug 13, 2012

Peddler’s license

An 1897 article in a Wilmington newspaper titled “The Peddlers License: A Word or Two About How To Many Peddlers Fake It” details the perception of Assyrian peddlers. Today, many families have ties to first-wave immigrants arriving in North Carolina from the 1880s to 1940s.  Many of these immigrants made money as peddlers. This article… 

Aug 8, 2012

Lebanese-Americans abroad

Many Lebanese-Americans–first or second wave immigrants, second or third generation–consider North Carolina their home, but don’t lose sight of the important work to be done internationally. Wael Abou-Chakra spends much of his time to volunteer work in Romania and other countries. And the late Shafick George Hatem (affectionally referred to as “Uncle Shag”) dedicated his… 

Aug 3, 2012

Patrick and his grandmother

Dorothy Findelin’s eldest son, Patrick who now lives in Virginia with his family, recalls a few great memories of his 95-year-old grandmother, Alma Parker, who currently lives in the Triangle. Born in 1917 in Edgecomb County and married to Shikralla Doumit Farris in 1941, she remains a strong member of the community.   When we… 

Aug 2, 2012

The Mack family bible

Like cherished photographs, artifacts, family trees, home movies and heirlooms, family bibles are generational treasures that offer a glimpse into the lives of everyone who touched it. The Mack family bible is no exception. Threadbare and yellowing, the bible is a constant tangible reminder of their family connection. Take a look at the photos below.… 

Jul 31, 2012

120 years in North Carolina

For a quick primer on the history of the Lebanese community in North Carolina, check out this video below. It’s also available on our YouTube Channel. Thank you to Danica Cullinan for the video contribution.