The Arab American Civic Council proudly announced today it will honor a dedicated longtime community leader and historian Mr. Joseph Haiek during its first ever  Arab American Heritage Gala on Sunday, April 24at the Pacific Hills Banquet Hall in Laguna Hills.

Joseph R. Haiek was born in 1932, Jerusalem, Palestine, immigrated to the United States with his family in 1967. He is the publisher and founder of The News Circle Publishing House in Los Angeles 1972, covering news, views and culture on Arab Americans as well the Arab World. Published the Arab American Affairs Magazine (The News Circle), 84 pages magazine in English, from 1972 to 2008, the Arab American Almanac series, six editions. The first edition Arab American Almanac was published in 1974. The Arab American Almanac is the most comprehensive reference book on Arab Americans in the United States. The current 6th edition Almanac contains 608 pages. Joseph also founded the Arab American Press Guild in 1985 and the Arab American Historical Foundation in 2005. He preserves an important collection of Arab American historical books, publications, letters, photographs and video clips. Produced a video in 2003 about Arab Americans in Los Angeles that includes Arabic music.

On May 2011, Joseph was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, in New York on Ellis Island, for preserving and disseminating Arab American culture, history, heritage and publishing and being a historian for over 40 years. Work is now in progress to scan and digitize all editions of the Arab American Affairs magazine, all Arab American Almanac editions, letters and other Arab American historical documents in order to document and preserve all his printed publications.

The gala is a first of its kind, which is geared to be an annual event in honor of the Arab American Heritage Month. Tickets to attend the gala are sold at this link.