James Zogby
Encyclopedia
James J. Zogby is the author of Arab Voices and the founder and president of the Arab American Institute
(AAI), a Washington, D.C.–based organization which serves as a political and policy research arm of the Arab American community. He is a senior analyst with his brother's polling firm, Zogby International
, and is a lecturer and scholar on Middle East
issues. He is also member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee
.
. His father entered the United States illegally in 1922, but eventually obtained citizenship through a government policy of amnesty. Zogby was born in Utica, New York
.
He attended Le Moyne College
in Syracuse New York where he graduated in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in economics. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in comparative religions
from Temple University
in 1975. He studied at Princeton University
in 1976 as a National Endowment for the Humanities
post-doctoral fellow.
with former U.S. Senator James Abourezk
and served as executive director until 1984. In 1982, while at ADC, Zogby helped create Save Lebanon, Inc., a private non-profit, non-sectarian humanitarian relief organization to fund social welfare projects in Lebanon and health care for Palestinian and Lebanese victims of war. In March 1985, Zogby founded the Arab American Institute, of which he is still president.
In 1993, Vice President Al Gore
tapped Zogby to help lead Builders for Peace following the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accord in Washington. As co-president of Builders, Zogby promoted business investment by Arab-Americans in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
. In 1994, Zogby led a U.S. delegation to the signing of the agreement in Cairo
, Egypt
, along with the Builders co-president, former U.S. Congressman Mel Levine
. Zogby also chaired a forum on the Palestinian economy at the Casablanca Economic Summit. After 1994, through Builders, Zogby worked with a number of U.S. Agencies to promote and support Palestinian economic development including AID, OPIC, USTDA, and the Departments of State and Commerce.
Since 1992, Zogby has written Washington Watch, a weekly column on American politics for major Arab newspapers, which is published in 14 Arab and South Asian countries. He has authored several books, including What Ethnic Americans Really Think (The Zogby Culture Polls) and What Arabs Think: Values, Beliefs and Concerns. He also blogs at The Huffington Post
and is a member of Politico
s Arena. Zogby hosts a weekly interview and call-in discussion program, Viewpoint with James Zogby, about Middle East and world issues on Abu Dhabi Television which is broadcast in America on Link TV
, DirecTV and Dish Network. The show has won an award at the Cairo Radio/Television Festival.
In 1984 and 1988, Zogby served as Deputy Campaign manager and Senior Advisor to the Jesse Jackson Presidential campaign. In 1995 he was appointed as co-convener of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee (NDECC), an umbrella organization within the Democratic Party of leaders of European and Mediterranean descent, to which he was reelected in 1999 and 2001. Also in 2001, he was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee
(DNC), and in 2006 was also named Co-Chair of the DNC's Resolutions Committee. He served as Al Gore's Senior Advisor on Ethnic Outreach, a post he also held in the 2008 Obama Campaign. He was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Zogby also serves on the Human Rights Watch
Middle East Advisory Committee and on the national advisory boards of the American Civil Liberties Union
and Democrats for Life of America
, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
. He has testified before a number of Congressional Committees and Executive branch forums, including on the subject of Arab attitudes toward the United States. He has been a guest speaker in the Secretary's Open Forum at the U.S. Department of State. Zogby has also addressed the United Nations and other international forums.
Zogby has been the target of repeated anti-Arab threats, for which three men have been prosecuted. In July 2006, Zogby and other senior Arab American Institute employees were threatened by Patrick Syring
during the 2006 Lebanon War. Syring was sentenced July 11, 2008, to one year in prison for civil rights violations and released in January 2009. In 1980, Zogby's office in Washington, D.C. was fire-bombed.
.
Arab American Institute
Founded in 1985, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization based in Washington D.C. that focuses on the issues and interests of Arab-Americans nationwide. James Zogby, brother of pollster John Zogby, is founder and president of the AAI....
(AAI), a Washington, D.C.–based organization which serves as a political and policy research arm of the Arab American community. He is a senior analyst with his brother's polling firm, Zogby International
Zogby International
IBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries...
, and is a lecturer and scholar on Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
issues. He is also member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
.
Early years and education
Zogby's ancestors immigrated from LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. His father entered the United States illegally in 1922, but eventually obtained citizenship through a government policy of amnesty. Zogby was born in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
.
He attended Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
in Syracuse New York where he graduated in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in economics. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in comparative religions
Comparative religion
Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...
from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in 1975. He studied at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1976 as a National Endowment for the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
post-doctoral fellow.
Career
During the late 1970s, Zogby was a founding member and leader of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign. In 1980, he co-founded the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination CommitteeAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee states that it is the largest Arab American grassroots civil rights organization in the United States. According to its web page it is open to people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities and has over 40 chapters in 24 states and members in all...
with former U.S. Senator James Abourezk
James Abourezk
James George Abourezk is a former Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator, and was the first Arab-American to serve in the United States Senate. He represented South Dakota in the U.S...
and served as executive director until 1984. In 1982, while at ADC, Zogby helped create Save Lebanon, Inc., a private non-profit, non-sectarian humanitarian relief organization to fund social welfare projects in Lebanon and health care for Palestinian and Lebanese victims of war. In March 1985, Zogby founded the Arab American Institute, of which he is still president.
In 1993, Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
tapped Zogby to help lead Builders for Peace following the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accord in Washington. As co-president of Builders, Zogby promoted business investment by Arab-Americans in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. In 1994, Zogby led a U.S. delegation to the signing of the agreement in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, along with the Builders co-president, former U.S. Congressman Mel Levine
Mel Levine
Meldon Edises Levine is an attorney and former Democratic Congressman from California. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1993. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1960 and was student body president and valedictorian at the University of California,...
. Zogby also chaired a forum on the Palestinian economy at the Casablanca Economic Summit. After 1994, through Builders, Zogby worked with a number of U.S. Agencies to promote and support Palestinian economic development including AID, OPIC, USTDA, and the Departments of State and Commerce.
Since 1992, Zogby has written Washington Watch, a weekly column on American politics for major Arab newspapers, which is published in 14 Arab and South Asian countries. He has authored several books, including What Ethnic Americans Really Think (The Zogby Culture Polls) and What Arabs Think: Values, Beliefs and Concerns. He also blogs at The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
and is a member of Politico
Politico (newspaper)
The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage of Washington, D.C., includes the U.S. Congress, lobbying, media and the Presidency...
s Arena. Zogby hosts a weekly interview and call-in discussion program, Viewpoint with James Zogby, about Middle East and world issues on Abu Dhabi Television which is broadcast in America on Link TV
Link TV
Link TV is a non-commercial American satellite television network providing "diverse perspectives on world and national issues." It is carried nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network. Link TV was launched as a daily, 24-hour non-commercial network in 1999...
, DirecTV and Dish Network. The show has won an award at the Cairo Radio/Television Festival.
In 1984 and 1988, Zogby served as Deputy Campaign manager and Senior Advisor to the Jesse Jackson Presidential campaign. In 1995 he was appointed as co-convener of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee (NDECC), an umbrella organization within the Democratic Party of leaders of European and Mediterranean descent, to which he was reelected in 1999 and 2001. Also in 2001, he was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
(DNC), and in 2006 was also named Co-Chair of the DNC's Resolutions Committee. He served as Al Gore's Senior Advisor on Ethnic Outreach, a post he also held in the 2008 Obama Campaign. He was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Zogby also serves on the Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
Middle East Advisory Committee and on the national advisory boards of the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
and Democrats for Life of America
Democrats for Life of America
Democrats for Life of America is an advocacy group in the United States attempting to reshape the political left, primarily the Democratic Party, into taking a pro-life position. Usually this involves political opposition to abortion, but the DFLA also opposes capital punishment and euthanasia...
, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
. He has testified before a number of Congressional Committees and Executive branch forums, including on the subject of Arab attitudes toward the United States. He has been a guest speaker in the Secretary's Open Forum at the U.S. Department of State. Zogby has also addressed the United Nations and other international forums.
Zogby has been the target of repeated anti-Arab threats, for which three men have been prosecuted. In July 2006, Zogby and other senior Arab American Institute employees were threatened by Patrick Syring
Patrick Syring
William Patrick Syring, who uses his middle name, Patrick, , is a retired American career diplomat who was convicted of threatening and violating the civil rights of James Zogby, the president and founder, and other senior employees of the Arab American Institute during the 2006 Lebanon War...
during the 2006 Lebanon War. Syring was sentenced July 11, 2008, to one year in prison for civil rights violations and released in January 2009. In 1980, Zogby's office in Washington, D.C. was fire-bombed.
Awards and honors
Zogby received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the U.S. Department of State "in recognition of outstanding contributions to national and international affairs" from the Secretary's Open Forum. In 1995, Le Moyne College awarded Zogby an honorary doctor of laws degree and in 1997, named him the college's outstanding alumnus. In 2007, Temple University College of Liberal Arts also singled out Zogby as an outstanding alumnus. In 2008 American University of Cairo awarded him an honorary doctorate. Zogby was also named an Honorary Patron of the University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
External links
- Zogby.com. Zogby International
- Washington Watch. Arab American InstituteArab American InstituteFounded in 1985, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization based in Washington D.C. that focuses on the issues and interests of Arab-Americans nationwide. James Zogby, brother of pollster John Zogby, is founder and president of the AAI....
weekly policy column - Viewpoint. Arab American InstituteArab American InstituteFounded in 1985, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization based in Washington D.C. that focuses on the issues and interests of Arab-Americans nationwide. James Zogby, brother of pollster John Zogby, is founder and president of the AAI....
weekly television interview program - "A Preview: Challenges in the Middle East" (Video), speech before the Foreign Press Center, U.S. Department of State, (February 4, 2009)
- "Obama and the Middle East" (Audio), Chatham HouseChatham HouseChatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's leading...
event (February 9, 2011) - "Understanding America's Right Wing, Part Two". MediaMonitors.net. James Zogby (June 4, 2002)
- "It's Still the US Mideast Policy, Stupid". Jerusalemites.org. James Zogby (August 16, 2004)