Governor Proclaims Muslim American Heritage Month 2024

WHEREAS, Islam is the second largest religion in the world, with 1.9 billion devotees worldwide and about 3.5 million in the United States, and Muslims are the fastest-growing demographic in the United States; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina is the 11th most populated state for Muslims in the United States, with over 130,000 devotees across the state; and

WHEREAS, Muslim Americans are one of the most racially diverse groups in the United States, comprising African Americans, Asians, Arabs, and Caucasians; and

WHEREAS, Muslims have inhabited the land of the United States since before the country’s founding; Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States of America with the Treaty of Friendship in 1786, which remains America’s longest-standing unbroken treaty; and

WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have excelled in many fields, including business, medicine, law, literature, arts, entertainment, sports; and

WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have played significant roles in the founding, development, and prosperity of the United States of America, with industry-leading entrepreneurs and executives across America’s economy; and

WHEREAS, Muslims in North Carolina are doctors, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, and public servants, and they’ve played pivotal roles in enhancing the state’s healthcare, education, technology, and arts and culture sectors;

WHEREAS, the Ar-Razzaq Islamic Center, the oldest mosque in the state, was opened in North Carolina by African American Muslims in the 1970s; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina has become a focal point for important discussions about Islam in America due to the tragic 2015 shooting of three young Muslims in Chapel Hill that sparked nationwide conversations about hate crimes and Islamophobia, leading to increased efforts to promote understanding and acceptance of the state’s Muslim population;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim January, 2024, as “MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.