Advertisement
New York Islamicate: Muslim Histories Built into the Architecture of a CityJoin us for an engaging public lecture at The University of Texas at Dallas, hosted by the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology in collaboration with the MENARAH Initiative.
This talk explores the deep and often overlooked histories of Muslim life in New York City — histories embedded not only in communities, but in the very architecture, institutions, and political life of the city.
Following the historic election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, this lecture situates the present moment within a much longer global and local story of Muslim presence in the city. From early diplomatic encounters and transnational exchange to migration, theology, and civic engagement, the talk traces how Muslims have shaped New York’s cultural and political identity over time.
Through figures ranging from Sudanese missionaries and Bengali merchants to Latino imams, attendees will gain insight into the diverse networks that positioned New York as a critical node in global Islamic history.
🎙 Speaker:
Katie Merriman, PhD
Dr. Merriman is a scholar of contemporary Islam whose work examines race, class, and moral life in North American Muslim communities. Using historical and ethnographic methods, she studies ritual practice, institution building, and collective memory. She is also the founder of Muslim History NYC, a public education and preservation initiative documenting Muslim narratives in the city since 2014.
📅 Date: February 19, 2026
🕡 Time: 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Jonsson Performance Hall, UT Dallas
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Jonsson Performance Hall @UTD, Richardson, Texas, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
