A Smithsonian affiliate in Dearborn, Michigan, examines the discrimination faced by Arab Americans in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, while drawing criticism for its focus on government actions over the tragedy itself.
DEARBORN, MI – Nearly 25 years after the September 11 attacks, the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn, Michigan, continues to spotlight the discrimination and government actions that followed the tragic events, often overshadowing the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day. The museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, features exhibits that argue Arab Americans “suffered two-fold as a result of the tragic events of September 11th,” facing both the immediate impacts of the attacks and what it describes as unfair treatment by the U.S. government thereafter.
Fox News Digital visited the museum earlier this month, reviewing its exhibits, gift shop offerings, and years of anniversary programming alongside federal funding records. The AANM has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and has been under scrutiny from conservative lawmakers for allegedly allowing political bias to influence its historical presentations.
One placard within the museum criticizes the government’s post-9/11 detention of immigrants suspected of having terrorist links, noting that “virtually none were charged” with terrorism-related offenses. It states, “The Arab American community suffered two-fold as a result of the tragic events of September 11th. As with all Americans, they suffered the horror and grief. However, Arab Americans were unfairly held responsible, yet not a single Arab American was found guilty of any connection to September 11th.”
On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger planes, crashing two into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. Passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers, causing the plane to crash in Pennsylvania. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,977 people and initiated the largest investigation in FBI history.
The museum’s placards also assert that Arabs faced intensified immigration enforcement post-9/11, with some individuals being “deported for minor visa violations or petty offenses which previously would have been overlooked.” In the 11 months following the attacks, immigration authorities detained 762 noncitizens on immigration charges related to the FBI’s terrorism investigation, including overstaying visas or entering the country illegally. A Justice Department inspector general report indicated that some detainees without terrorism ties were subjected to harsh treatment and unnecessarily restrictive conditions.
Public sentiment following the attacks presented a more nuanced picture. President George W. Bush urged Americans not to blame Muslims for the attacks, and polling data suggested that attitudes toward Muslim Americans improved in the immediate aftermath. According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who viewed Muslim Americans favorably rose from 45% in March 2001 to 59% by November of that year.
Beyond its permanent exhibits, the AANM has consistently used programming surrounding the 9/11 anniversary to address discrimination and law enforcement policies affecting Arab and Muslim communities. Each year, the museum hosts a “solidarity” town hall, focusing on critiques of the American response to 9/11. The online description of the event emphasizes providing a “safe space for communities to reflect and engage in dialogue about the harmful prejudices that Arab and Muslim (and anyone perceived to be Arab or Muslim) individuals face on both an individual and systemic level.” One such town hall in 2018 examined how communities of color have been targeted under the guise of national security.
In 2019, the AANM’s annual town hall, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, criticized how “institutions and communities of color have been infiltrated” by law enforcement and how leaders of those groups have been “targeted” following 9/11.
Founded in 2005, the AANM emerged partly in response to the increased scrutiny faced by the Arab American community after the September 11 attacks. Over its lifetime, the museum has received substantial funding from the NEH to support its exhibits and educational programming, including a $385,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2013 to expand its physical space. Further HUD funding exceeding half a million dollars was allocated between 2017 and 2019, along with at least $50,000 from the State Department between 2016 and 2017, as detailed in the museum’s annual reports.
Dearborn, where approximately 54.5% of residents identify as Middle Eastern or North African, serves as a significant political hub in Michigan, especially ahead of one of the country’s most competitive Senate races this year. Socialist-aligned Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate for the Senate, garnered strong support from the city earlier this month.
The museum’s focus extends beyond its criticism of the U.S. response to 9/11. On September 10, the eve of the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the AANM is scheduled to host a screening of “Seeds for Liberation,” a film that frames Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack as part of a broader Palestinian “struggle” and situates it within a history of “anti-imperialist and decolonial movements.” During Fox News Digital’s visit, a section of the museum showcased art that criticized Israel’s alleged “occupation” of Palestinian land. One piece, featuring the word “wall” in a stylized print, accuses the Israeli government of perpetuating a system of “apartheid.”
The art installation broadly asserts that Israel targets civilians in military operations, denies basic necessities to Palestinians, and unjustly occupies land. One placard accompanying a sculpture claims that Israel has killed more than 2,000 Palestinian children since September 29, 2000, citing the organization If Americans Knew (IAK). However, the sourcing of this claim is controversial, as some pro-Palestinian organizations have distanced themselves from IAK due to allegations of antisemitism and ties to white supremacist groups, which IAK disputes.
Another placard linked to a sculpture quotes Defense of Children International Palestine, which the Israeli government designated as a terrorist organization in 2021. This designation has been disputed by human rights groups.
The museum’s gift shop offers Palestinian-themed merchandise, including map-shaped magnets, keychains, and coloring books aimed at helping children “explore Palestinian heritage.” The AANM, Smithsonian, NEA, and NEH did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
As an independently operated museum with a formal partnership with the Smithsonian, the AANM benefits from access to artifact loans, educational resources, and consultations from institutional experts. In recent months, the Smithsonian has faced mounting pressure from Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration over allegations that its museums promote left-of-center ideological causes through their exhibits. Officials have threatened funding cuts if the institution does not address what they characterize as anti-American bias.
According to Fox News Digital, the ongoing debate surrounding the AANM’s focus and the Smithsonian’s broader mission raises questions about the role of museums in shaping historical narratives and the impact of political influences on cultural institutions.