Libyan Americans (Arabic: الليبيون الأمريكيون, romanized: al-Lībīyūn al-Amirīkīyūn) are United States citizens of Libyan descent or Libyan citizens who also have United States (US) citizenship.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2,979 (2000 US Census)[1] 9,000 (Libyan-born; 2008–2012)[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| California | |
| Languages | |
| Arabic (Libyan Arabic), American English, Amazigh languages, Hebrew (Jewish population) | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam, Judaism |
Most Libyan Americans speak Arabic and English. According to the 2000 Census there were 2,979 Americans who claimed Libyan ancestry.[1]
Some Libyan American associations are the Libyan American Organization,[3] Libyan American Friendship Association (LAFA),[4] Libyan American Association in Southern California[5] and Libyan American Association of Georgia.[6]
The Libyan American Organization have as goal the Libya defense, promote political awareness among its members and integrate to all community in the association. In addition, the organization wants to improve education, health care and infrastructure of Libya. The association hopes to have the community support in order to "rebuilding our beloved country".[3]
Libyan American Friendship Association (LAFA) have as goal promote friendship between the Libyan and U.S., making dialogue the two peoples by holding international meetings and symposia, for the creation of programs and projects that help both peoples to establish ties. The organization celebrates coordinate visits between institutions of "economic, social, scientific and national / civil joint".[4]
Notable people
edit- Saddeka Arebi (d. 2007), social anthropologist, author
- Don Coscarelli (b. 1954), film director, producer, screenwriter
- Sadeg Faris, engineer, entrepreneur
- Fadwa El Gallal, journalist
- Mohamed Hrezi (b. 1991), marathon runner
- Khaled Mattawa (b. 1964), poet
- Esam Omeish (b. 1967), surgeon
- Noor Tagouri (b. 1993), journalist, activist, motivational speaker
- Khalifa Haftar (b. 1943), general, commander of the Libyan National Army
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Table 1. First, Second, and Total Responses to the Ancestry Question by Detailed Ancestry Code: 2000". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Christine P. Gambino, Edward N. Trevelyan, and John Thomas Fitzwater. The Foreign-Born Population From Africa: 2008–2012 Archived 2016-01-13 at the Wayback Machine. American Community Survey Briefs.
- ^ a b "Libyan American Organization – wplao". Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Society and Culture – Organizations – Libyan American Friendship Association (LAFA). – Libya Yellowpages – Part of LibyaOnLine Network". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "Libyan expats in California celebrate liberation". 24 October 2011.
- ^ "Find of Company: Libyan American Association of Georgia". Retrieved 13 August 2015.
Further reading
edit- Stabin, Tova. "Libyan Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 3, Gale, 2014), pp. 101-109. online