04/13/2026
AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS OF SYRIAN-LEBANESE HERITAGE, AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AMERICAN FABRIC.
Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), poet and artist, is the author of The Prophet; Gibran's exhortation "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" in his "Letter to Syrian Youth" was quoted in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address.
- Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Inc., iPhone, Pixar, and NeXT.
- Joseph Abboud is an acclaimed New York fashion designer.
Ralph Nader is one of America's most prominent consumer advocates.
- Paul Orfalea founded Kinko’s (now Kinkos FedEx), the world's largest international chain of copy print stores.
- Najeeb Halaby is the former head of the Federal Aviation Agency and was head of Pan-American Airlines.
- Christa McAuliffe is a teacher and astronaut, and one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
- Thousands of Americans of Syrian-Lebanese heritage served in the US Armed Forces, including Elias Saleem Malouf in his WWI uniform.
- Many more acclaimed and successful entrepreneurs across the US in the 20th and 21st centuries.
