New York, NY (January 17, 2017) – This Thursday, January 19 at 6pm marks the opening of Little Syria at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY). The traveling exhibition is sponsored by The Ford Foundation and was curated by the Arab American National Museum in Detroit, Michigan. The Opening Reception will feature an illustrated talk by Linda K. Jacobs, the author and historian who has documented the history of Little Syria in her book “Strangers in the West: The Syrian Colony of New York City, 1880-1900”. Before showing at MCNY, the exhibit was featured on Ellis Island. The exhibit includes a series of wonderful panels with history, photographs and interactive displays. “The Little Syria Arab-American settlement was part of the mosaic of immigrant communities that have made New York City great,” said MCNY President Vinton Thompson, “As an educational institution sited in the heart of that settlement area, we are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase this wonderful heritage and to encourage all New Yorkers to reflect on the profound contributions of immigrants to our society, then and now.” The exhibition will be showcased in MCNY’s first floor Community Commons space January 19 through March 24. Admission is free to the public. Monday – Friday, 9am-10pm & Saturday, 9am-3pm Coming from Greater Syria (modern-day Syria and Lebanon), immigrants forged their new American identity in Lower Manhattan within a block of where MCNY is now located at 60 West Street. Their entrepreneurial spirit transformed the neighborhood, which came to be known as “Little Syria”, into a thriving community lined with shops, restaurants and coffeehouses. This community became the center of Arab culture in the Western Hemisphere — a hotbed of literature, art and commerce. MCNY will also be hosting a number of events in partnership with local organizations throughout the exhibit’s run. A complete schedule is available at www.mcny.edu/littlesyria. Press, please RSVP for access to Opening Reception here. For interview requests, please contact Tina Georgiou, tgeorgiou@mcny.edu, 646-648-0694
