Chaldean Media Pioneers In Michigan and the United States

By Adhid Miri, PhD

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of publishing the Chaldean News, we take this opportunity to look back and honor the first Chaldean newspapers published in the US. We remember a host of Chaldean Iraqi immigrants who were journalists, writers, poets, and media entrepreneurs, and we celebrate their accomplishments here in America.

Between 1910 and 1947, few Chaldeans (mainly from Iraq) immigrated to the United States. They were part of the era of mass migration which brought millions from across the world to an America desperately in need of workers for its growing economy. Detroit was a popular destination for immigrants from Iraq because of the growing automobile industry and an established Middle Eastern community consisting primarily of Christian immigrants from Lebanon and Syria.

In 1943, community sources listed 908 Chaldeans in the Detroit area. Three years later, 80 Chaldean families were recorded as living within the city limits of Detroit; by 1963, this number had tripled, to about 3,000 individuals.

Many Iraqi citizens immigrated to the United States during the mid-1960s due to changes in US immigration laws, and the growth of Detroit’s Chaldean American community became even more dramatic. By 1967, the number of Chaldeans in metro Detroit had risen to about 3,400; by 1986, the number had climbed to 45,000. In 1992, the number reported was 75,000. Surveys sponsored by the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce placed the number at 160,000 in 2016 and more than 187,000 in 2023.

​One of the cultural necessities the early generation immigrants yearned for was communication in the form of journalism—newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, and later, social media. With the increase in the number of Iraqi immigrants, the need for the diaspora’s intellectuals to share their knowledge and opinions emerged.

The early community press in the US was part of the Arab press; its birth came with the issuance of Al- Mashriq/The Orient in 1949 by Hanna Yatooma in Michigan. Some historians cite the famous Al-Islah/the Reform, published in 1954 in New York by Father Jameel Alfons Shourez. These early publications were followed in 1962 by Al A’lam Al Jadid/New World, published by a lawyer named Yousif Antoun.

Voice of the Immigrant/Sout Al-Muhajir, published by Faisal Arabo.

In 1968, Faisal Arabo published his first paper, Voice of the Immigrant/Sout Al-Muhajir. The freely distributed newspaper was self-described as “The newspaper of record for the American Arab community.” It was a short-lived endeavor, publishing only 4 issues (June, July, August, and October 1968).

Al Hadaf by Fouad Manna was published in 1970, followed by the issuance of several newspapers in other US cities. This was in addition to magazines issued by churches, organizations, and institutions.

Al Hadaf. published by Fouad Manna

The Iraqi-immigrant press went through stages, initially addressing the first generation who spoke and thought only in Arabic, to a second generation who spoke additional languages, leading up to a generation born in the US that mastered only the English language. We must understand that the content of Iraqi press in the diaspora was a living part of the homeland’s press, even if it was written in languages other than Arabic.

Occasions of note that took place during this period include the reign of Saddam Hussein, the Gulf Wars, and the US invasion of Iraq. Metropolitan Detroit witnessed the birth of several new publications, magazines, newspapers, radio, and TV programs between the years 1980 and 2003; many were funded by Saddam Hussein and became mouthpieces for the Ba’ath regime.

The content was always affected by what was happening inside Iraq, but the media outlets also shared community news for those living in the US. Topics of importance included immigrant issues, news of the homeland, and various cultural events.

Chaldean News Detroit Times (CDT), published by Amir Denha

After the first Gulf War outbreak, a division emerged between the pro-government and the opposition press. The most prominent of the latter was the Chaldean News Detroit Times (CDT). Editor Amir Denha published the first issue on April 1, 1990.  For over 25 years, the CDT was the Chaldean and Arab-American community’s leading publication; it ceased publishing in 2015.

Other popular publications were Al-Muntada, Al-Mahjar, Al-Qithara, Hammurabi Magazine, and Al-Sunbula Magazine.

Chaldean journalists dedicated time and energy to the principles of faith, family, and history of their life in Iraq. The years that followed 2003 and the US invasion produced a different form of journalistic work and led to the decline of a unique group of journalists who did not keep pace with the new changes. Dr. Faiq Butti chronicled the diaspora press in his book, The Iraqi Press in Exile, published in 2006.

Factored in the decline were the structural restraints, cost of printing, distribution costs, low number of paying subscriptions, and writers’ salaries—which meant most media organizations ran at a loss and were forced to depend on parties or prominent figures for financial support. The spread of the internet, digitization, social media, and financing were the most significant reasons for the decline, which led to limiting the publications to just a few.

On the bright side, the emergence of young journalists within the community and the diversity of journalistic work through satellite channels, podcasts, electronic newspapers, radio, and websites accommodated many opportunity seekers who did not find their place in the previous eras, perhaps stealing the spotlight from traditional names who could not keep up with the changes.

The creative people behind the Chaldean News are an example of a new and inspiring trend. They have learned a great deal from the passion and purpose of the pioneers and understand the mechanisms of serious journalistic work in the field of news editing, analysis, and writing. They are ambassadors of a culture that represents freedom in journalistic work, freedom from regression, fear, and retreat.

We are actively seeking new voices. Our upcoming journalists deserve recognition, appreciation, and support, especially since the community is in a state of constant evolution, forging forward in the fields of academic achievements, education, creativity, and independent thinking—far from partisanship and polarization—which will ultimately promote our identity and preserve our culture.

Sources: Dr. Faiq Butti “The Iraqi Press in Exile,” published in 2006; Fouad Manna; Kamal Yaldo; Omar Abdul; and Ghafoor Al-Qattan.