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Ziyad N. Samara - Immigrant Stories
Ziyad Samara, a Palestinian from the West Bank, grew up in Palestine and Kuwait in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, and met his future wife, Souad, while living in Kuwait. His older brother emigrated to the U.S in 1969 and in 1971 Ziyad’s father borrowed money to take the rest of the family to the U.S., initially settling in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Ziyad attended Prairie State College while working as a busboy and dishwasher. Continuing to work in the restaurant business, he became a restaurant manager in Springfield, Illinois, working at Lum’s Restaurant from 1978 to about 1996. In 1999 he became the owner of Sgt. Pepper’s Café.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
'Ziyad's Thanksgiving promise'
Abstract
Inteterview Session 01
Life in the West Bank and Kuwait, and immigration to U.S.
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Adjusting to life in America, and managing a restaurant business
Photos
Caption
Taken about 1939, this is a picture of Nimer Samara, Ziyad’s father, on the far right, grandfather, Araf Samara in the middle, and Adeb Samara, an uncle, on the left.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1939
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad Samara attended a daycare center in Tulkarem, Palestine in the mid 1950’s. This class picture shows the children’s drawings displayed in the front row. Ziyad is the second child from the left in the last row.
Where:
Tulkarem, Palestine
When:
Mid 1950’s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad Samara, 11 years old, is sitting on the second floor porch of the family apartment in Tulkarem, Palestine. He is shown with the family radio, unusual to own at that time in Palestine.
Where:
Tulkarem, Palestine
When:
May, 1962
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad is pictured using the family’s rotary phone in 1962, in Tulkarem, Palestine where the family lived. He remembers his phone number as simply being, “61.”
Where:
Tulkarem, Palestine
When:
1962
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
A formal portrait of Ziyad’s future mother-in-law, Raja Al Hussein, taken in 1964. At the time of the interview Raja was 78 and lived in Ahmad, Jordan.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1964
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Ziyad dances with a friend at a high school dance in Kuwait, about 1968. He attended Abudla Al Salem High School.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad is on vacation in Syria, circa 1969 with the whole family. Pictured counter-clockwise around the table are Ziyad’s father Nimer, mother Afaf, brother Eyad, brother Majdi, sister JuoJuo, and Ziyad.
Where:
Syria
When:
Circa 1969
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
This picture shows the family on vacation sometime in the 1970’s. From the left are Nimer, Joujou, Imad , Afaf, Majdi, Eyad, and Ziyad.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1970's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Souad Samara’s family is pictured in Kuwait in the 1970’s. From the left are Shokri, Ramsey, Raja, Hussein, and Hanan.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1970’s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad Samara’s future wife, Souad Al Hussein, was a junior in high school in Kuwait when this photo was taken in 1976.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1976
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Souad and Ziyad Samara are shown in a wedding day photo on January 31, 1979. The wedding was held at a hotel on Misela Beach, Kuwait.
Where:
Misela Beach, Kuwait
When:
January 31, 1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The wedding party for Ziyad and Souad Samara. Also pictured are Mazoz and his wife who stood up with them for the wedding.
Where:
Misela Beach, Kuwait
When:
January 31, 1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad Samara is photographed with his family and brother outside Lums Restaurant in Springfield in 1982. Pictured are Eyad, son, Tarek, Souad, and Ziyad.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1982
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ziyad Samara working in the kitchen of Lums Restaurant in Springfield, Illinois with his brother, Eyad, in 1984.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1984
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Afaf Samara, Ziyad’s mother, immigrated with her family to the United States in 1968. This formal photo was taken in Springfield, Illinois, 1999.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1999
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Ziyad Samara in 2013. He is the owner of Sgt. Peppers Café, in Springfield, Illinois, ‘home of the Horseshoe.’
Where:
Unknown
When:
2013
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Unknown