Table of Contents:

The content of the first edition of the Arab-American Historian 
newsletter included the following condensed articles:

Arab American Immigration History 
The late Dr. Philip Hitti, Professor of History at Princeton University and author of many books on Arabs and the Arab-American community, wrote the following article during World War II, in which he briefly describes the history of the Arab-American immigration to the United States: 
Our people are among the more recent immigrants into the United States. It was not until the 1880’s that the Arabs reached America. The pioneers were Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinians. Few were members of the educated class for Egypt had formed the chief center of attraction for such men. Friendless, penniless, and helpless, they landed at Kees al-Khardal (Castle Garden) in lower Manhattan. Ignorant of the language of the land and the customs of its people, and with no consuls or counselors to guide or advise them, they had to struggle and struggle hard to keep body and soul together. They were mostly men, hardly any women; young men who had heard that the streets of "Na-Yurk"( New York) overflowed with gold. They were intent on getting their share and returning to their native villages in Syria or Lebanon to build a house with a red brick roof and enjoy life forever after.
Their first experience must have been very disheartening, but they proved worthy descendants of their adventurous ancestors, the Phoenicians and Arabs. As peddlers, trying to sell crosses, rosaries, and icons from the Holy Land, and later laces and notions, they wandered with their Kashshis from street to street and from town to town until they covered almost every city in the United States. Snow and rain did not stop them, nor did they lose heart. Signs at the doors reading: "No beggars, no peddlers" meant nothing to them, as they could read no English. It was these peddlers who laid the basis of our economic prosperity in this country. All honor to their memory!
At the turn of the century, the Syrian peddler transformed into a petty storekeeper. His store lay on the east or the lower side of the big industrial city or "across the tracks." By this time, women from Syria had become more numerous. Humble flats and tenement houses were occupied by Syrian and Lebanese families close to the slums of New York, Boston, Chicago, and other crowded cities. "Little Syrias" arose near "Little Italys" and other foreign colonies. The Americans did not understand these newcomers any more than the newcomers understood the Americans. They called them "Turks," "Assyrians," and all kinds of other names.
By the beginning of the First World War, a new step had been taken. The peddler had become a storekeeper, and the storekeeper had become a manufacturer of kimonos, negligees, laces, dresses, and other apparel. 

In 1944, The U.S.Navy Named
U.S.S. Naifeh, DE 352, in Honor of Lt. Alfred Naifeh 
Alfred Naifeh was born in Covington, Tenn. to a Lebanese family, January 5, 1915. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a law degree, and was also a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. When World War II began, he was commissioned on July 5, 1942 and reported on board the U.S.S. Meredith as Destroyer Division Disbursing Officer, February 27, 1942. He was promoted to Lieutenant October 1, 1942. After the Meredith sank in the Battle of the Solomons, Lt. Naifeh worked for two days and nights keeping wounded and exhausted survivors on life rafts. As a result of his continuing valiant efforts to save his shipmates, he was completely overcome by exhaustion after fighting off shark attacks, which ultimately resulted in his death October 16, 1942. For his devotion to duty and courage, Lt. Naifeh was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal as well as a Purple Heart. Two years later, the U.S. Navy named a ship after him.
The U.S.S. Naifeh was commissioned on July 4, 1944, and christened by Rathia Naifeh, mother of Lt. Naifeh. After commissioning, Naifeh trained and conducted a shakedown cruise off Bermuda, then had training duty out of Norfolk. Initially an Atlantic Fleet ship, its first convoy duty was from Brooklyn, NY to France and then on to Algeria. The ship departed Brooklyn October 6, 1944 on the first of two voyages escorting convoys to Europe and North Africa. Naifeh departed New York January 13, 1945 to join the Pacific Fleet in a final drive against the Japanese. The ship was decommissioned on June 27, 1946.
At the award ceremony for Lt. Naifeh’s Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the following citation was read: "For heroic conduct and outstanding devotion to duty in caring for survivors clinging to life rafts after the sinking of the U.S.S. Meredith. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Lt. Naifeh persisted in constantly swimming around the rafts, rendering invaluable aid to the men who were wounded or exhausted. 
Source: The Arab-American Almanac, 5th edition. 

Department of Justice Affirms in 1909 Whether Syrians, Turks, and Arabs are of White or Yellow Race
1909 ; The Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., took a hand in the controversy whether Middle Easterners belong to the white race and are therefore entitled to naturalization as American citizens, or the yellow race, and are to be excluded from the privileges of citizenship, as contended by Chief Richard K. Campbell of the Bureau of Naturalization of the Department of Commerce and Labor. William H. Harr, the attorney general’s assistant for naturalization matters, announced that instructions would be sent to attorneys throughout the country to hold in abeyance all proceedings until the matter could be further investigated.
George Shishim won his case with the Federal Government. It started when Shishim, acting in his capacity as a policeman in Venice, California, Los Angeles County, arrested the son of a prominent lawyer for disturbing the peace. This incident started the legal fight for Shishim’s eligibility to citizenship. The arrested man claimed Shishim had no right to arrest him because Shishim was not and could not become an American citizen, because he was not of the "white" race. Having been born in Lebanon, part of Asia, Shishim was considered of Chinese-Mongolian ancestry. 
As the legal fight heated up, Syrian-Lebanese community leaders in Los Angeles, including Phares A. Behannesey, Mike George, and Elias Shedoudy, Nick Baida, Saleem Sawaya, and John Safady, met at the office of Mike George. They pooled their resources and secured a leading attorney, Byron C. Hanna.
Behanessey wrote to many universities asking them for the ethnological background of Lebanese-Syrian and Arab ancestry. The answer was: "from the white race." This document and others were presented in court, and Judge Hutton of the Superior Court of Los Angeles ruled that Shishim was eligible for citizenship and that the Lebanese and Syrians belong to the "white race." 
During the court hearings, Shishim stated:
"If I am a Mongolian, then so was Jesus, because we came from the same land.". Thus, California set a precedent upon which other states based their decision on this matter, granting U.S. citizenship to Lebanese, Syrians, and all Arabs. 
The following article was published in the Los Angeles Herald, November 5, 1909:
"Assured, temporarily at least, that the mantle of citizenship placed on their shoulders by Uncle Sam’s naturalization officers will not be removed, 17,000 Syrians scattered throughout the length and breadth of the land will breathe easier when they hear of the decision rendered yesterday by Judge Hutton of the superior court, to whom the first challenge to reach the test stage was submitted a month ago. Judge Hutton holds that Syrians are eligible to citizenship, and if a different construction is to be placed on the meaning of the law it is for Congress to so declare. The test case was made on the application of George Shishim of Venice, Los Angeles County, California, for citizenship papers by Fred Jones, naturalization examiner, who, acting in accordance with instructions from Washington, opposed the application on the ground that Syrians belonged to the Mongolian race and should therefore be excluded. Judge Hutton’s decision, which has been eagerly watched for in all parts of the country, was as follows:
‘This is an application by one George Shishim, a Syrian, to be admitted to citizenship. The federal government, acting through the department of justice, objects to his admission, basing its objection on the sole ground that he is not a member of the white race in contemplation of section 2169 of the revised statutes of the United States.
‘The court has listened to arguments of counsel representing the Department of Justice and counsel representing applicant and various friends of the cause who have appeared in the case, and has read their briefs with much care and great interest. If this were a new question, I might agree with the government, but as it is by no means new. I am convinced that this court would not be justified in resolving a question of such doubtful construction contradictory to the rulings of other courts throughout the United States that have for many years admitted to full citizenship thousands of Syrians in the same position as applicant at bar. The courts of this nation, both state and federal, have, whenever called upon for more than a century, construed the term "white persons," or members of the white race, to include Syrians. If at this late date a different construction is to be placed upon the meaning of this very doubtful statute Congress should so declare. The objection of the government is therefore overruled.’
"Shishim, with his attorney, Byron Hanna, and a number of Syrian friends were in the courtroom when the decision was read. He had already shown himself qualified for citizenship in other respects and the oath of allegiance was administered.


U.S. Postage Stamp For Kahlil Gibran
Americans for Kahlil Gibran U.S. Postage Stamp Committee
is at work soliciting support for the issuance of a commemorative U.S. postage stamp honoring the American literary legend Kahlil Gibran, (1883-1931) who migrated to America from Lebanon in 1895. He was a prolific poet, author, philosopher, and artist. His message of tolerance and compassion remains a symbol of unity, democracy, and peace for people of all nations. "This national drive is aimed at honoring the American literary legend and we urge the American public and officials to assist in the realization of a postage stamp for Gibran," said Robert S. Andrews, Sr., chairman. In 1991, President George Bush dedicated the Gibran Memorial Garden in Washington, D.C. 
You may download the petition by visiting: www.arab-american-affairs.net and click on Gibran stamp.
Mail your supportive petitions and letters to:
Americans for Kahlil Gibran
U.S. Postage Stamp Committee
P. O. Box 291159
Los Angeles, CA 90027
 

Morocco first nation to recognize U.S. Independence in 1787

The following is the Treaty of Marrakesh
1787- In the name of God, the merciful. There exists strength and power only by God. From the Servant of God, 
Mohammed Ibn ’Abd Allah - may God help him - to the President of the United States of America. Salvation be upon him who follows the Righteous Path. We received your letter in which you propose a peace treaty. (We are informing you that) our intention is also to maintain peaceful relations with you. We have also contacted Tunis and Tripoli regarding what you solicited from Our Majesty and all your requests will materialize, God willing. Written on the 15th Dhu al-Qa’da 1202 (July 18,1787) 

The United States and Morocco share an uninterrupted period of friendship starting with Morocco being the first nation to recognize the independence of the United States and to have signed in 1787 a treaty of friendship and cooperation, the first of its kind concluded by the young republic. The American treaty of friendship with Morocco known as the "Treaty of Marrakesh", was signed in 1786, and had been drafted by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
This was while Great Britain was turning its back on the young republic, ending its protection of all American trade ships sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, Americans were suffering heavy losses from the vicious pirate attacks in the area. Great Britain had even encouraged acts of piracy of vessels flying the American flag. With no friends in the region and no navy to protect its ships, the United States was left defenseless and, according to Thomas Jefferson, incapable of exporting almost one third if its wheat and one fourth of other items produced by the seven states of the union. Attempts made by the United States to solicit protection and support from France, however, failed since Britain had a stronger position than France in the area. Another attempt was made, and again failed, by turning to the Netherlands in 1782. On February 20, 1778, Sultan Sidi Muhammad bin Abdullah issued a declaration notifying all consuls and European merchants in Tangir, Sale, and Mogador that, "henceforth all vessels flying the American flag might freely enter the Moroccan ports and enjoy in them the same privileges and immunities with those of the other nations with whom the Morocco maintains peace."
In response to the Moroccan Sultan’s initiative, the United States Congress established a committee to write the draft of the agreement that took a few years to enact. When Benjamin Franklin left Paris in 1785, Thomas Jefferson became the U.S. minister to France. Thereafter, negotiations began between John Adams in London and Jefferson in Paris to form the final form of the "Treaty of Marrakesh" that ultimately was ratified on July 18, 1787. 
Later, in 1820, the sultan gave further evidence of his friendship with America by presenting the United States with a palace in Tangier. The building is still used by the American consul in that city, and America is the only country to ever receive such an honor from the government of Morocco. 
Source: The Arab-American Almanac, 5th edition
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Arab-American Historian Newsletter

VOL.1 No.2 SPRING 2005

Published by

The Arab-American Historical Foundation

Who Discovered America
Before Columbus?


By Baher Shaarawy

On July 12, 1970, a ship called “RA II” made of papyrus reeds landed at Bridgetown, Barbados, after sailing for 57 days from North Africa across the Atlantic. The ship was led by the famous Swedish scientist, Dr. Thor Heyerdahl. The only objective behind his voyage to the Americas was to prove his theory and strong belief that the civilization of the Americas might have been established through the transfer of ancient cultures by vessels sailing across North Africa through the Atlantic.
It is interesting to recall that the timing of the voyage of “RA II” coincided with the first wave of Egyptian immigrants to the United States. My family and I were among those immigrants. As we learned about the successful crossing of the papyrus boat, it was a quite surprising news to us.
Are we following the footsteps of our forefathers? I asked my friends who gave me no answer. We smiled as we watched the evening TV news... Heyerdahl is leaving his papyrus ship very exhausted along with his companions... The ship has survived the trip intact! Such an astonishing trip indeed. But truthfully, I had my doubts about Dr. Heyerdahl’s claim that North Africans had any connection with any ancient cultures over here... To me, the matter wasn’t more than an interesting media event until I read a stunning research recently published in a book called America B.C. Most of that book was devoted to provide, not to suggest, concrete evidence that ancient Egyptians and Libyans arrived on the American shores almost 900 years before the time of Christ, i.e., about 1,400 years before Christopher Columbus rediscovered in 1492 of what was called then... “The new world.”
The striking research disclosed that the Micmac language, used by American-Indian tribes, was actually a derivative of ancient Egyptian. The signs known to those Indians were in most cases similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics in form and meaning. In addition, the presence of early Christians and Muslims in America prior to the time of Columbus became an established fact for the first time.
This discovery is due to the genius of Dr. Barry Fell, professor of Harvard University, who awakened many scholars and urged them to re-write the true history of pre-Columbian America. These findings arose from new studies of old discoveries that had been neglected in the past as they lay forgotten on the shelves of the museums and libraries. He presented to us unprecedented and still undisputed facts that replaced a long standing legend erroneously kept in our minds for many years.
Previously, it was believed that the early civilization in the Americas was self-made since the continent was totally
isolated from any other culture. Now, this particular theory, according to Dr. Fell, has no basis.
Let’s list some, but not all, of the conclusions mentioned in Dr. Fell’s book, America B.C., and in another book written later by him called Saga America.
In 1874, an engraved tablet was found near an Indian burial site in Davenport, Iowa. Scholars at Harvard and the Smithsonian Institution were unable to explain the extensive strange signs engraved on it. Recently, that particular discovery became one of the most important archaeological finds ever in North America. The tablet included an illustration of the scene of the “Djad Festival of Osiris,” as celebrated in Iowa around 700 B.C. Hieroglyphic signs were incorporated into the scene. In fact, the inscription on that tablet was a typical copy of an original that was a obtained from an 18th Dynasty tomb in Thebes, Egypt. It is known that the “Djad Festival” was an ancient Egyptian ceremony to celebrate the New Year. What was more amazing about the tablet is that many hieroglyphic words were engraved around the scene to explain the sequence of the ceremony exactly the same way it was performed in ancient Egypt.
The word “RA”, which is an obvious Egyptian word referring to the ancient sun god, was engraved inside the sun’s disc. The tablet was named by scholars: “The Davenport Calendar Stele” and is now at the Putnam Museum in Davenport, Iowa.
Moreover, recent studies clearly show that the Micmac Indians’ written language has roots in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics as explained in the enclosed exhibit:
“The Micmac Indians are a tribe of Indians living in Eastern Canada and related to tribes living in the state of Maine called Wabanaki.”
It is interesting to refer to Abbe Millard, the French missionary, who claimed in 1738 that he invented the Micmac hieroglyphics in order to teach the Wabanaki Indians. Later, his claim proved false since Champollion published in 1823 his first interpretation of the Egyptian hieroglyphics after the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. That was 61 years after the death of Millard in 1762. The truth of the matter is that Millard himself had learned the Micmac signs from the Wabanaki Indians, then made use of those signs to teach them in their own tongue. The oldest Wabanaki dictionary, as prepared by missionary Sebastien Rasles around 1690 and now preserved in the Harvard College Library, can be seen to check the closeness of Micmac signs to Egyptian words in style and meaning.
About 1888, a bilingual Egypto-Libyan inscribed tablet was discovered in Long Island, New York. Until very recently, it had been long assumed to be an Indian illustration of a hunting trip. Later, in 1973, a study disclosed that the inscription was actually written in ancient Libyan alphabetics. Furthermore, it was a copy of an original Egyptian text that reads: “A ship crew from upper Egypt made this stele with respect to their expedition.” The Libyan text on the Long Island tablet reads: “This ship is a vessel from the Egyptian dominions.”
The study of the tablet suggested that early visitors from Egypt during the Libyan XXII Dynasty (800-700 B.C.) may have traded with the Algonquin Indians and taught them how to use Egyptian hieroglyphic signs in writing. The tablet is now in the collection of the Museum of American Indians in New York.
It should be noted that the Libyans, as referred to in history, are the inhabitants of North Africa west of Egypt. They include what are now the people of Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, and Algeria. Their ancient language was a mixture of Egyptian and Phoenician (Lebanese and Syrian).

Source: The News Circle/ Arab-American Affairs magazine, 1987
 

__________________________
Col. James Jabara World War II Flying Ace

1939-1945 • Because ethnic records were not kept, it is difficult to ascertain exact numbers who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. But it is a reasonable estimate that at least 30,000 GIs of Arab lineage fought for this country against Hitler, Mussolini, and General Tojo of Japan. Judging by isolated records, it is likely that a great percentage also enlisted in World War I. In fact, America’s first World War II flying ace was Col. James Jabara. A native of Wichita, Kansas, and of Lebanese descent, Jabara would later shoot down 15 Russian MIGS in the Korean War to extend his top “ace” status into the 1950s (a fighter “ace” is designated when a pilot downs more than five of the enemy’s aircraft). Jabara was virtually unknown by the Syrian community in the United States until his name was flashed across banner headlines in the New York Times. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and in 1950 he was named by the Air Force Association as its most distinguished aviator. He died in a car accident in 1966.

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Arab-American Historian Newsletter

VOL.1 No.3 SUMMER 2005

Published by

The Arab-American Historical Foundation

Grand Opening of the
Arab American National Museum
Over 2,500 people from all over the country came to Dearborn to participate in the historic day of the grand opening of the Arab American National Museum on May 5, 2005. It was attended by dignitaries from all over the world, including the Secretary General of the League of Arab States Amre Moussa. Politicians from Michigan were also in attendance, including U.S. Senator Carl Levin.
The museum, the first dedicated solely to the preservation of Arab-American history, is home to the nation’s largest concentration of Arab Americans. The museum showcases the rich and diverse heritage of the Arab-American community, highlighting the contributions Arab-Americans have made and continue to make in the United States.
The Arab American National Museum is a project of the Arab Community for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS). The idea had been in the works for several years, until finally, in building, and in September of 2003 held the groundbreaking ceremony.
The museum is a project of ACCESS. The new museum building houses ACCESS’ Cultural Arts staff. The Cultural Arts department now has a venue to host traveling Arab-American exhibits, plays, readings, music performances and lectures, whereas before the department would have to rent a facility.
Within the museum is an education outreach department, which offers seminars on Arab and Muslim culture for local schools. Additionally, the museum plans to hold cultural outreach programs, beginning with a summer program.
“Considering the cultural heritage, and a nationwide population of about four million we saw the absence of an Arab American National Museum was glaring, the fact that there are 15,000 museums in our nation and not one is dedicated to Arab Americans,” said, Ismael Ahmed, executive director ACCESS. “This is not only a home run for Arab Americans and our community, but also for all Americans who share a passion for learning.”
A 38,500 square foot building on Michigan Avenue leads visitors to a tiled fountain with artifacts from all over the U.S. and the Arab world. The museum consists of two main galleries.
The first gallery, Contributions of the Arab World, features innovations from the Arab World in the fields of architecture, science, medicine and law.
The second gallery is about Arab Americans and consists of three exhibits: Coming to America will recount the history of immigration from the Arab World. It begins with a North African slave who came to the United States in 1528 and moves to the present day.
Living in America reflects the lives of Arab Americans at different time periods, and will feature such topics as family life, religion, activism and political involvement, institution building, work and leisure.
Making an Impact demonstrates the contributions Arab Americans have made and continue to make to this country in fields such science and medicine, academics, entertainment, creative arts, and politics -- to name a few.

Dr. George S. Hatem Spent Life in China
Battling Leprosy and Venereal Disease

Dr. George Shafeek Hatem, the Arab-American who led the fight against leprosy, died in China in 1988. His Chinese name was: “Dr. Ma Hai De,” meaning “virtue from overseas.” Dr. Hatem, U.S.-born physician and son of Lebanese immigrants, spent most of his life in China battling leprosy and venereal disease.
Hatem grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. In 1933, he obtained a medical degree at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. With Communist victory in the Civil War came incredible poverty and devastation and nowhere was the challenge greater than in the field of medicine.
During the revolution, Hatem and other physicians had organized a makeshift corps of medical teams, later called the Barefoot Doctors. He was named head of the newly organized China Leprosy Association in 1985 and he organized the first international Leprosy Symposium held late that same year in Guangdon Province. He blamed that tumultuous period in China’s history for setting back the battle against leprosy ten years. There had been rumors over the years of the presence of an American medical adviser marching with the reds. Hatem kept a low profile in his adopted country largely because he had relatives living in New York. He was the first non-Chinese to gain citizenship in the People's Republic of China.
 

The Titanic Arab Tale (1912)
By Ray Hanania

Aboard the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic were passengers of Arab heritage. All told, there were only 706 survivors of the 2,223 passengers and crew who sailed on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. There were 79 passengers whose surnames are of obvious Arab heritage. Also lost in what is one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century was a priceless copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The book had 1,051 semi-precious stones set in 18-carat gold, 5,000 separate pieces of colored leathers and 100 square feet of 22-carat gold leaf in the tooling.
Although one Arab survivor and several other sources contend there were more than 165 Arabs on board, I searched and reviewed every name on the passenger, crew and business concessionaire list and only could identify 79 names.
Judith Geller, in her account of the Titanic tragedy, Titanic: Women and Children First, writes there “officially were 154 Syrians on board the Titanic, and 29 were saved: four men, five children and 20 women. All the Arab passengers were ticketed Third Class, except four who traveled Second Class.” We can only guess in some instances, and my instinct tells me the number, 79, is slightly low.
Not told at these hearings were the remorseful tales of tragedy that accompanied the Arab passengers, some of whom departed on the voyage with visions of new futures in new worlds. We know of their stories thanks in large part to people like Philip Hind and Michael A. Findlay, who authored an informative memorial to the Titanic that is on the World Wide Web.

(Ray Hanania is an author and journalist. A source for some of the above data is posted on Philip Hind's Web Site at: www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/phind/).
 

Arab-American Historian Newsletter

VOL.1 No.4 FALL 2005

Published by

The Arab-American Historical Foundation

The Statue of Liberty Story; from Egypt to New York

In 1986 “Arab-Americans for Liberty,” under the chairmanship of Casey Kasem, Los Angeles, held fund-raising events in Washington, D.C. and other cities and solicited donations toward the group’s $100,000 pledge for the restoration work on the Statue of Liberty. Arab-Americans contributed to the restoration of the statue and the Liberty Week Centennial celebrations. Los Angeles musician Dr. A. Jihad Racy played traditional Arab music at an ethnic folk festival in Lower Manhattan as part of the Liberty Week festivities. Other Arab-American musicians from New York included Dr. Simon Saheen, playing oud and violin, and Hanna Mirhije, playing percussion.
The Arabic roots of the Statue of Liberty go back to Egypt, when its sculptor Fredric Auguste Bartholdi, influenced by Egypt’s great monuments and pyramids, was commissioned to create a statue to be called the “Statue of Progress” for the entrance of the Suez Canal, according to the following excerpt taken from the book The Statue of Liberty by Marvin Trachtenberg, Viking Press, 1976: “Frederic Auguste Bartholdi in 1856 accompanied Leon Gerome, Bally, and Berchere – a group of orientalist painters – on a long trip to Egypt, a fashionable undertaking at the time. Bartholdi, very serious about the trip, not only made a number of remarkably good photographs (then becoming the rage), but took careful note of the great monuments that had drawn him on so long a journey. And it was this voyage up the Nile that seems to really have brought out his latent attraction to the colossal classical sculpture.
“The Egypt of Thebes and Abu Simbel remained for all to behold, and admire it Bartholdi most passionately did. Thirty years later (after an intermediate visit) he wrote:
“‘We are filled with profound emotion in the presence of these colossal witnesses, centuries old, of a past that to us is almost infinite, at whose feet so many generations, so many million existences, so many human glories, have rolled in the dust. These granite beings, in their imperturbable majesty, seem to be still listening to the most remote antiquity. Their kindly and impassible glance seems to ignore the present and to be fixed upon an unlimited future. These impressions are not the result simply of a beautiful spectacle, nor of the poetry of historic remembrances. They result from the character of the form and the expression of the work in which the design itself expresses after a fashion infinity.’
“Though his academic scruples prevented him from ever imitating Egyptian art directly – except for certain architectural references – its grandiose success in the colossal mode haunted him, and the dream of equalling it became a mainspring of his life.
“To a large extent this ambition can be said to have been fulfilled, for by far his most successful works – and they did bring him great fame – were the Liberty and the Lion of Belfort, a patriotic memorial to the town’s heroic defenders of 1871 built into the cliffs below the fortress in the form of a 22 by 11 meter feline – a cross between Khafre’s Sphinx at Gizeh and Thorvaldsen’s Lion of Lucerne.
“The impetus for Bartholdi’s two colossi came out of the war of 1870-71 and its aftermath. But already in the late years of the Second Empire, Bartholdi, encouraged, it seems, by the Empress Eugenie herself, had approached Khedewi Ismail Pasha, ruler of Egypt, with a project during his visit to Paris in connection with the Universal Exposition of 1867.
“Bartholdi saw the possibility of achieving a colossal project in the land of his dreams. Its location was to be at the entrance to the Suez Canal nearing completion in 1867 when Bartholdi first proposed it. In form a colossal fallah (fallah, in Arabic, means farmer) many times life-size and holding aloft a torch, the theme being ‘Progress’ or ‘Egypt carrying the Light to Asia’, it was to be the embodiment of Ismail’s efforts at Europeanization and referred particularly to the great new canal itself. It was to serve as a lighthouse, thus recalling the Pharaohs of Alexandria.
“Bartholdi worked on the Suez project intermittently over the two succeeding years experimenting with the movement of the figure in a number of clay maquettes and drawings. In 1869 he attended the festive opening ceremonies of the canal (for which Verdi’s Aida was commissioned, although not completed in time), taking the opportunity to solicit Ismail again. His response was encouraging; he even involved himself in the scheme sufficiently to suggest that the light be carried not in the hand but native style – atop the head. However, Ismail’s interest was transient; more pressing problems were soon to confront him. Bartholdi traveled to America the next summer, and the Suez colossal sculpture project was dropped.

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