Aliya Hassen — Michigan History Moment

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Aliya Ogdie-Hassen, born on April 30, 1910, in South Dakota, is known as the "mother" of the Arab community in Dearborn-Detroit. Her parents were immigrants from Lebanon who settled in the US as homesteaders. At the age of 14, Aliya got married to a man through a prearranged marriage which ended in divorce after sixteen years. In 1925, she moved from South Dakota to Detroit to live with her cousins. If you're interested in learning more about Aliya Hassen's story, you can listen to it on Michigan History Moment.

Produced by Michigan History Magazine