Somayeh Chitchian

MIDDLE EASTERN
immigration landscape in america
Somayeh Chitchian
Doctor of Design Candidate
Harvard Graduate School of Design
St. Paul’s Cathedral Church (1820), weekly Friday
prayers in the basement
Islamic Society of Boston (ISB),
Cambridge division (2009). © Wikipedia
- 1900 -
- 1920 -
- 1930 -
- 1940 -
- 2000 -
Mosque for the Praising of Allah (Masjidun Li
HamdiAllah), Roxbury, MA (1950s).
Eid prayer, Madison Park, Roxbury, MA
(2010). © Jonas Prang
Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center
(ISBCC), Roxbury, MA (2009). ©masboston.org
Masjid Al Quran, Roxbury, MA (1930s)
2010 Middle Eastern Immigrant Landscape
Southeast Asia
South Asia (central)
Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, parts of Philippines and Thailand
South Asia (central): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, and Pakistan
West Asia: Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman,
Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara
Southeast Asia
South Asia (central)
West Asia
North Africa
West Asia
North Africa
The Middle Eastern Landscape of the Greater Boston Area
Foreign Born Population Ancestry, Boston, MA. Census 2000, tract data.
Source: 2010 American Community Survey, 5 year estimate
Boston Islamic Center (Masjid AlTaqwa) Jamaica Plain, MA.
burlington
lynn
malden
Muhammad’s Mosque No. 11, Roxbury, MA
(1980s). © Marcia Butman
everett
revere
chelsea
waltham
cambridge
wayland
allston
brighton
back bay
beacon
hill
south end
roxbury
framingham
jamaica
plain
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
ZONE 3
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
ZONE 3
Masjid Yusuf, Brighton, MA (2009).
© beautifulmosque.com
roslindale
quincy
Islamic Society of Framingham (ISF), MA
(1995). © Harvard Pluralism Project.
canton
sharon
Southeast Asia
Islamic institution
South Asia (central)
West Asia
North Africa
Roxbury and Dorchester: A Landscape of Difference
Religious Institutions
Ethnic Facilities
Foreign Born Population Ancestry, Boston, MA. Census 2000, tract data.
Transitional period
New wave of Muslim immigrants to the U.S.
Tripling of members
Quincy group joined the MSA in its founding year
Land purchase in Sharon for expansion
Islamic Society of Boston (ISB)
Fourth expansion of the center
Talal Eid, Imam from al-Azhar University
Islamic Center of Boston
Islamic Society of Boston
Cultural Center (2004)
Cemetery plots,Knollwood Cemetery, Canton
Bought land for a Muslim cemetery in Candia, New Hampshire
Membership committee was formed
Islamic Sunday school
Second building expansion
ROXBURY
ROXBURY
Purchased land near the building from Ameens for parking lot
The first "official" imam of the Quincy Mosque
Came to Fore River Shipyard
Found a community of
Muslims unable to fulfill their
Islamic obligations.
Siddiqui & Imam Omar as Justices of the Peace (state law)
Work completion in February
Delegates to annual FIA* convention
Start of construction
Local architect, Joseph Donahue, was hired
Temp. meeting
place:
Ma’s
Lunch
House purchase, 470 South St.
Decision to level 470 South St. and build anew
restaurant
Pre-building
Charter submitted to the State (9 Nov.)
phase
Selman Allie arrives
QUINCY
Second generation revival
The Arab American Banner Society
Donated $5000 to the Society
Social club the “Sons of Lebanon” by Christians and Muslims
T
Club died
out
Abduh and Ismael Hassan arrives
King Saud came to Boston
St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Quincy Point
WE S
S
Islamic Center of New England, Sharon, MA (2009)
ommunity
li C AN I
a
SLA
C
om AFRI
M
Touffiq Hesine Derbes arrived
QUINCY
Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Greek Catholic Cathedral
Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church
World War II
90% of the Arab immigrants were Christians from Mount Lebanon
Sweeney's Funeral Home in Quincy
1900s
1910s
1920s
1930s
Masjid Al-Taqwa
About thirteen Muslims are buried a year
Death of a community member
1940s
Muhammad’s Mosque #11 (1975)
Christians formed religious ties in the Quincy Roman
Catholic community
Muslim-American relationship
1890s
Masjid Al-Quran (1958)
A
Building expansion, doubling the size
New immigrants taking up leadership
Mohammed Ameen (Suliman) arrives
Abdullah Abraham in the US
Leadership
X
lm
LAM
co N IS
Dr. Siddiqui to Quincy
ion of Islam
Nat
Muhammed El-Deeb arrives
Mosque for the Praising of Allah (1970)
s
*Federation of Islamic Associations in the U.S. and Canada (FIA), founded in 1952
by Lebanese Americans from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, kept the Muslims abreast of the
growth of Islam in America, sponsored Youth Camps, established full-time
accredited schools, monitored the media, and encompassed nearly 220
Muslim-related groups throughout the country
Mohamed Omar (Awad) in the US
E
AN-AMER Mal
IC
RIC
AF
Ahmadiyya Movement In Islam, Boston
Chapter (2009). © Harvard Pluralism
Muslim students arrival
Newbury Street Cultural Center
Ol
d
NO
ation Immig
ner
ran
Ge
ICAN
R
I
S
LA t
er TH AF
M
R
Harvard Islamic Society by Haj Abu Nuri (African-American convert)
(shops, restaurants, schools, etc.)
Islamic Society of Northeastern
GA MOSQ
ME
U
CAMBRIDGE
IMAN ISLAMIC
CENTER
Small group of Lebanese founders
ISLAMIC CENTER
OF NEW ENGLAND
Islamic Center of New England,
Quincy, MA (1964)
Mosque and Religious Distribution in the Greater Boston Area
Religious Institutions
1950s
1960s
1970s
Islamic Center of New England: Spatial Timeline
1980s
1990
2000
Islamic Institutions
Stores and amenities
Other religious buildings
Religious arteries of Quincy, MA
Muslim communities’ neighborhood division in Roxbury, MA