Speaking Event: Confronting Fear and Hate in NYC Forum, March 21, 2017

Spotlight on the Humanities: Hussein Rashid on “American Muslims: 500 Years of History” – Princeton Public Library. In 2016, America mourned the passing of one of its heroes, boxing champion Muhammad Ali. His funeral service gave public light to the long history of Muslims in America, and the deep impact Muslims have on popular culture. This talk takes on an exploration of that history, focusing on literature, and the contemporary political environment. Community Room

A few new books added to our sidebar items. One is on mystical poetry and symbolism in Islamic literatures, by Annemarie Schimmel. Another is a theoretical framework for understanding some of the issues plaguing Muslim majority societies. It covers a wide-range of disciplines including religion, economics and history. The newest one is a discussion of the stories of Joseph/Yusuf found in the Hebrew Bible and in the Qur’an.

The White House announced We the People, a new online engagement feature.  On this innovative WhiteHouse.govplatform, individuals will be able to create and sign petitions seeking action from the federal government on a range of issues. If a petition gathers enough signatures, White House staff will review it, ensure it is sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.   Visitors to WhiteHouse.gov can begin submitting petitions later this month.  To sign up for an alert when it launches and preview the feature, visit http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/WeThePeople.