Search

A New York attorney originally based in Detroit. Abdeen Jabara is concerned with issues of the civil rights of Arab Americans, the effects of the September 11th terrorist attack - nationally and globally - and the contentious relationship between Arab and Israeli organizations. The Jabara papers pertain to various litigation procedures and case files, including those in Michigan, with the federal government, and those involving various humanitarian projects. In particular, Jabara challenged the practice of law enforcement agencies to collect information and maintain surveillance of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) communities and Arab Americans. He was involved in a number of high-profile cases, for example, the murder trial of Sirhan Sirhan and the extradition case of Ziyād Abū ʻAyn (sometimes spelled Ziad Abu Ein or Ziad Abu Ain). Materials are organized into litigation and case files, as well as topical files pertaining to Arab American activism, organizational involvement, participation in the Middle East delegation of the National Lawyers Guild, and other pertinent global and national events highlighting Arabic issues.

The collection has been divided into four series: Litigation/Court Cases, Political and Cultural Activities, Publications, and Topical Files. The materials primarily document the types of legal and political battles and causes that Jabara has tackled throughout his career. A limited amount of material in the collection is in Arabic and French, mostly correspondence, press clippings, and newsletters, and is noted where possible in the contents list.

Researchers should note that, because of the interconnected nature of Jabara's legal, political, and cultural work, topics and materials might be found in multiple series.

Collection of records, correspondence, memoranda, issued official statements, and architectural drawings of The Muslim Unity Center of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan and other Islamic organizations in Michigan and the U.S.; correspondence and memoranda, statements and articles written by and about interfaith organizations and projects in Michigan; also correspondence, conference presentations, speeches, and newspaper articles written by and about Victor Begg; reports and articles about Muslim communities in Michigan and in the U.S., politics in the Middle East, interfaith dialogue, and terrorism.

The Victor Begg collection, arranged into four series, documents the work of Victor Begg, as well as history, life and concerns of Michigan's Muslim community, and activities of Michigan and regional Islamic, Christian, Jewish, and interfaith organizations to promote religious and ethnic tolerance, and peace in the Middle East and other regions. A large portion of collection documents the history of the Muslim Unity Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Interfaith cooperation and the image of the American Muslim community in light of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and other terrorist acts are central themes of the collection.