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Interview no. 001
Restrictions
Project
The Lebanese in North Carolina Project
Date
Interviewee
Powell, Bearta
Occupation
DOB
1/26/1966
Ethnicity
Lebanese
Interviewer
Khater, Akram.
Abstract
Transcript
Yes
Transcript
Access
Online.
Number of
Pages
Subject
Topical
North Carolina—Lebanese
Subject Name
Listening Copy
Audio Access
Listening Copy File
Type
Medium of Originial
Duration
Approx. 50 min. for Whole Tape/ Plus 10 min. for Partial Tape
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Notes
Family history
Yes
Field Notes
Tape Log
Supplementary
Material
Citation
Interview with Bearta Powell by Akram Khater [Interview
date][Interview number], the Lebanese in North Carolina Project
(insert project #), insert collection information
Collection in
Repository
Repository
Host
AK: Go ahead
BP: My name is Bearta Al-Shakar Powell, 1/26/66 is the year I was born. And I was born in
Ma’asser el Chouf.
AK: In Lebanon?
BP. In Lebanon.
AK: Ok, so let’s just start out with just what you remember from your early childhood. Your
parents, their names, what they did, just your early memories of growing up in Lebanon.
When your parents were still around.
BP: Ok, the earliest memory I have is when I was five years old. When my mom died…
because she was tending to her grandmother, who was sick, and was kind of exhausted all the
time and all of a sudden we heard she had gone to the hospital for uh…you know in Lebanon
they don’t report everything perfectly, what the reason of her death, but I think what it was is
that they gave her an injection for jaundice or something like that and things went bad and
she died like 30 days after her mother died, and then my dad came and took us—five of us—
he took us, his name is Ramiz Al-Shakar and her name was Isabelle Maalouf. And uh so my
dad came and took my three sisters and one brother. I’m the number 4 in the family and my
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youngest sister at the time was maybe 2 years old, something like that, so he took us back to
Ma’asser el Chouf, we were in Zahlé at the time. And so then um, he went back to work and
he left us by ourselves and, it’s true…
and um…
AK: How old was the oldest?
BP: the oldest was ten years old, so she actually took care of us. There was a teacher he liked
in a church type setting, and my sister would ask her for her help or whatever, but we lived
down the stairs so the lady would come and check on us once in a while and some of the
relatives helped and things like that.
AK: Where was he working that he had to leave?
BP: It was in the equivalent of the air force, but we don’t know. I know he had a uniform we
would see him going and coming back months later, so we barely saw him. And so
eventually…I think a couple of months into it he put us in boarding schools, so the youngest,
the baby, went to live with one of our relatives—my uncle—in Ma’asser el Chouf and then I
and my oldest sister and I went to a boarding school…the other two…everybody went
different places basically and it was the Catholic boarding school and one time he came to
see us and saw all of us. He went to see the baby then he went to see Nour, which is number
two…the second child and then he went to see me and my sister who were together, and then
we said bye and everything. He looked kind of pale and kind of sad and really really skinny.
And I wrote all those details in the book, but then he went to see my brother last, he saw my
brother, and he died in front of my brother. So…
AK: What year would this have been? What year did he pass away?
BP: That was 6 months after my mother died. So he died 6 months later.
AK: So this is all in 1971?
BP: Yes. So ‘72, ‘71
AK: And you never knew what caused his death?
BP: Well he died of a heart attack. My mother we never knew because we think it was some
sort of injection to the liver, whatever you know…they don’t really write really good…
AK: Right. So you didn’t have a death certificate that specified?
BP: No
AK: So what happened after he died?
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BP: So then my uncle was in charge. You know how it is, the brother takes over in Lebanon.
And he um, he took us…he gathered us all up and we went to…he started taking us for a
ride…so he took us to Bikfaya. You know it was really pretty it was mountainous and uh he
showed us a village, he told us he’d be right back, so he stopped and there was some kids and
we were playing around and he went to talk to somebody and then came back and, you know,
left us there, basically it was the orphanage, the SOS children’s orphanage that he left us in.
And then you know, we said bye and that was that…and it was actually a good orphanage,
there have, there is one or two here in the us, its called Children’s Village SOS and uh, they
um, basically put 8 or 9 kids together in a house, and there is a mother who stayed, and aunt
or a mother, and she takes care of the kids basically and they pay her to be there 24
hours...they give her vacation. I mean it was nice and we adjusted fine. It was hard…and then
the war came in what, ‘73?
AK: ’75...yea. Did you ever see your uncle or relatives?
BP: no they barely ever visited. You know how they are, they are Lebanese people. They
were kind of…one of them was kind of ashamed of us being in an orphanage and the other
aunt was too busy you know, to come see us, or too sick, there was always something…there
was a couple…like my uncle would make an effort to come see us but we kind of gave up on
him because in that orphanage you can go and get your kids at Christmas time or at Easter or
something like that, and we weren’t the only ones, there was a hundred other orphans that
never saw their family…so then, you know, we got used to them not coming and then uh…
AK; So you were five at the time, or approximately five?
BP: Well at that time maybe six by then, six or seven because I think my mom died when I
was five and then by that time, 6, and you know, it was a good orphanage and they were
really nice to us…as best they could really and having 8 kids, 9 kids to manage and stuff
but…
AK: Did the kids, did all five of you…?
BP: Yea we stayed together and that’s what they do in that orphanage, that was really nice,
and each house would have a bathroom just like a real house…it was nice. It was tough
during the war you know when it started they cleared out a little small room for us to put our
mattresses in case there is shelling or bombs and um they did another one, a big one, for
everybody and it was really dingy and dark and scary…then we would go either place in case
we heard the bombs and stuff like that.
AK: So these were shelters from the bombardment?
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BP: Yea, yea. And in the orphanage there were kids who were Muslim, kids who were
Christian and it was really nice to have…we both respected each other learned about each
others cultures and religion and got along really well.
AK: Did you…growing up in the orphanage…were you able to leave very much, or was
most of your life…?
BP: Yea, well we had…a bus took us from there to the [unintelligible] every morning at like
730, we would all hop on the bus and it would take us to the catholic school.
AK: In Bikfaya?
BP: In Bikfaya. And then, you know, that was really as far as we would go outside the
orphanage. Eventually when we were like 12, 13, 14, we would take walks on the street like
they did in Lebanon…go get ice cream or something like that. (Unintelligible)
[Interruption]
OTHER: Can we pause here for just a second? I need a visual read on my sound levels. Just
to make sure
AK: OK.
AK: So…did they give you pocket money?
BP: They gave us a dollar a month I think, or the equivalent.
[Exchange in Arabic]
[End of Interruption]
AK: So there was corporal punishment?
BP: Yea, it wasn’t too bad, but here you can’t get away with it.
AK: No no, thank heavens. Uhh…we’re ok? So talk a little more, maybe, about your
experience growing up in the environment. The things that you remember…whether its in
terms of going to school, or in terms of just life in general. You know, relationships with
your siblings uh… and the kinds of things that you took away from that experience.
BP: Actually its one of the best memories of our childhood there, because we had friends, we
had fun, we laughed all the time with our sisters and brother we had chores just like you
would with your own family and after going to school we made friends there and did
homework and they sometimes would bring a tutor to help us out if we needed help with
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homework and so they were really nice place for the circumstances it was really you
know...they had Christmas, we celebrated Christmas, we celebrated Ramadan, you know
everything so they included us with everybody. Not just Christmas.
AK: And…when the war started in ‘75 you would have been nine years old, ten years old
and so what was…did you have a sense of what was going on? Or were you too young to sort
of appreciate it?
BP: No no, I remember…it was…they showed us drills…they started telling us what to do if
we hear this or if we hear that…the bomb sounds like this…and you need to crawl in a little
ditch and cover your ears so they showed us how to do all that stuff. They showed us where
the shelter was, to run to the shelter if we hear anything loud and so one of the sweetest
things, I think, was they used to tell us not to be too…to comfort us…they would tell us
listen: “They know, everybody, the Christians and the Muslims know in this orphanage there
is Muslim kids and Christian kids so they’re not going to bomb here. They know where we
are, so…” And I don’t know if that was true or not but it made us feel, you know, a little bit
better. So really in the whole orphanage we would hear the bombs everywhere. One bomb hit
the orphanage, and one kid died and his brother’s leg was amputated, so it was kind of hard
but most of the time it was around us, not in the orphanage.
AK: And, in terms of the sort of things as you were growing up in this orphanage, I mean, as
you talk to your sisters and your brother, were you beginning to formulate a notion of what
was going to happen to you in the future?
BP: No, no. We were thinking like next minute, you know, lets play here, close to the house
in case the bomb, you know hits…that’s all, really. We were thinking, remember, there was
no electricity, it was really pitch dark at night. We played cards all the time in a room that
didn’t have any windows. It was really hard…that’s my worst, I think, I still don’t like the
dark, now. And um, because I kept on imagining bugs crawling…it was kind of creepy but
other than that we were together and it was nice. We didn’t have enough food sometimes we
didn’t have enough water sometimes but it wasn’t really bad. I’m sure some people really
experienced a lot worse.
AK: Did you see any sort of, aside from the bomb that you said exploded, did you see any
immediate violence around you, around the village, the SOS village, or you yourself saw the
direct results of the civil war or were you more sheltered from that sort of stuff?
BP: Well we saw it on TV. Remember they used to show the bodies, they used to show
everything, you know, they didn’t really screen any blood or anything. They showed these
moms crying over their dead babies and stuff…so that was more direct in terms of like death.
But aside from the one kid we would just see, you know how Bikfaya is kind of like a
mountain and you would see the bombs going back and forth, back and forth, and it was kind
of fine for us to be outside watching at night. You see who is fighting who. So it was kind of,
you know…that was the closest…
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AK: Fireworks?
BP: Fireworks, yeah.
AK: And so, you were there from 1971 till what year, 1985?
BP: Yes. In the same…
AK: 14 years?
BP: Yeah.
AK: So, how is it that as you sort of went through this. At what point did you decide that it is
time for you and whoever went with you, to come to the United States? How did that come
about?
BP: Well you know, in this orphanage, at 18 years old you have to kind of…in a nice way
they kind of tell you to find your own thing so…sometimes they helped us out, you know,
sometimes they didn’t the other kids and uh they helped you get set up either in university or
work or an apartment or whatever it is and umm, for us I was 18 at the time and I knew, I
always knew that I wanted to come to the US because we always idealized the
US…[Arabic]…it’s always, you know, he’s going to the US! You know, and we saw
Dynasty and all those things, so you know, we were in love with it. And I knew because of
the mentality in Lebanon, I couldn’t really see myself, you know, staying there for a long
time. But even I knew at the time, everybody, if you remember the time you and I were there
it was more like…everybody just wanted to get out…doesn’t matter where, just get out. And
so it was really hard, but I knew something would work out so my youngest sister was 16 and
we um...
AK: What’s her name?
BP: Nina…yea… We decided to just apply for a student visa. But my brother at the time met
an American missionary there in Lebanon. And he got married to her and they came already,
they live in Mebane now. And we knew we wanted to be close to him and so I applied for a
student visa and uh, first we went to Cyprus because the fighting was so bad. We went to
Cyprus and applied for a student visa and they wouldn’t give it to us so we stayed there for
like a month…and keep going back and applying every time and so that didn’t work. So then
we went to France and in Paris…we went three times…and the third time…you know how
they ask you the object of going as a student is that you’re going getting your education and
leaving well we didn’t know that and they would say “why are you coming to the US?” and
we would say “We just want to get out of here.” We said the opposite of what we were
supposed to answer! And so the last time, this lady said, gosh I wish I could remember her
name, she was really sweet, she said “When I ask you why you are coming, don’t say
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anything about that, just say you want an education.” So she kind of gave us the answer, she
felt sorry for us that day and so she gave us the visa at the end, so that was nice. And so I
came to Henderson first because I knew somebody there…my brother knew somebody there.
And I got my two-year associate degree, and I transferred some courses to NC State. Well
before that, of course I didn’t have any money, we were dirt poor…and we couldn’t work so
what I did was I waited on…I stayed with a lady who had Parkinson’s disease at night and
would take care of her at night and during the day go to school and I think she gave me like
40 dollars a week. And so I saved that money and I went to college and then eventually I
graduated and so I met this old couple who had two boys, they were really really sweet and
they asked me…I kind of knew them, I talked to them…saying bye to them because I knew
that at some point my visa was going to expire and I had to leave and uh they said “why
don’t you come live with us? We’ll send you to NC State. Both of our boys went there and
they really liked it.” And I was like “OK.”I didn’t really have a choice and Lebanon was
terrible, so I applied and I got in…I wanted to do computers first, I wanted to do computers
and then I switched to business because I thought it was more general.”
AK: Well, let’s just go through a little bit…get a little more details about this. So while
you’re in Lebanon and you’re trying to figure out “I need to get out of here” and you take
your sister, Nina. Was your brother helping you at all, trying to figure out how to make a
living? Were you working?
BP: No, no I was still a student. And in the last year of school there, we couldn’t even finish
the year because the war was so bad they stopped sending us to school so then his wife…my
brother and his wife, they said “We’re going to go ahead and go to the US,” because they
were evacuating all the Americans, remember they bombed the embassy at the time and so
they were having everybody leave, and so they wanted her to leave too and they went ahead
and left and they kind of helped us in the background…where to go and things like that. But
my sister and I, she was sixteen and she barely spoke English and I spoke a little bit and
um…
AK: But you were fluent in French?
BP: In French? Yea.
AK: How did you manage to get to France, then? Did you have relatives in France?
BP: No, my brother knew somebody there. We do have relatives in France but we didn’t
know exactly where they were, so we stayed with these missionaries, they were like, I think
would sing songs and spread the…you know that’s what they do is just meet the people in
the community and help others, so that’s what they did…
AK: Do you remember what church these missionaries came from?
BP: No. I remember their names, but…
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AK: So you stayed with them for that month…
BP: Yea yea, we kept on going back. Maybe like two months even because they would make
an appointment. Of course, they were helping us here. I don’t know who all besides my
brother helped us but um…you know…there was a lot of praying and stuff like that.
AK: And so what your first impression when you landed in the states? You flew to JFK I
assume, and then you took a plane or bus…
BP: Yea we took another plane…it was just really surreal because when we’d never been on
an airplane…you know that far away from Lebanon before, but looking back at it now is
worse than it was at the time. Everything was, you know like how we were hungry
sometimes, we didn’t have food or water. So now it’s worse, because you know what you are
missing, but before you go “oh whatever” and so it wasn’t really bad. Once we got here we
felt that we were going to see our brother… it was nice and you know we felt safe and a lot
of people pitched in and helped and you know people that my sister-in-law knew.
AK: And you and Nina stayed together with your brother, or did you get your own
apartment?
BP: Well first, before we could figure out how things were going to work out we…Nina
found somebody who wanted her to stay with them…through my bother. They wanted
somebody, like an exchange student to help out with the little kids…so that worked out well.
But then they changed their mind, later on, so that was tough on her. So she went and lived
with my brother. And um, she was having a hard time I think, you know, college is different
than high school…it was tough because she didn’t speak any English and so I felt sorry for
her and um for me I, I liked the school, I did really well.
AK: Which college did you go to? You said you went to a community college…
BP: VGCC. Vance Granville Community College. And the people there were extremely nice.
In fact, one of the English teachers there is the one that told me: “You should write a book.”
She’s the one who encouraged me to write the book.
AK: The book that you wrote, The Orphans at War. And so, you spent two years there and
you couldn’t work during that time.
BP: No, but I stayed with that old lady.
AK: So during those two years you were staying and that’s how you were able to support
yourself. But in retrospect, I guess, they were hard times in terms of making ends meet?
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BP: Yea, I cleaned houses sometimes. I cleaned a huge house for 25 dollars. Or, you know,
that kind of stuff, one lady asked me to cater, help her cater. She does parties and stuff like
that, you know…so…whatever jobs people know about would help me out.
AK: And how did you, as your English, I suppose improved, aside from the language barrier,
culturally, did you feel like this is a place you could easily fit in to?
BP: No, it was hard. I think that was the hardest part. Even to this day, and you probably
understand that more than other people, you almost feel like you don’t belong there in
Lebanon, you don’t belong here, you never…you’re in a netherworld or whatever. It seems
like you don’t…even at the time I felt maybe I could get used to life here, which I did, but
even to this day you feel like you’re not 100% American, you’re not 100% Lebanese. If we
go there because we like it there, but then you find things that are so irritating and you
know…chaos and driving and all these little things…or law…nobody follows the law you
kind of don’t fit there and we’re here now, so…
AK: So you finished college and I’m trying to figure out the timeline. You came here in ‘85,
the college, you finished in 1987 or ‘88?
BP: ‘88.
AK: So in 1988 you had your associates degree, was that in any particular field or?
BP: In computers, computer programming. At the time it was like the cobalt, you remember
the cobalt. It was so old fashioned. You had to start the computer with a disk…you know a
big disk and uh then I went to NC State after that…
AK: And that’s when you were sort of adopted by this family that has two kids going to NC
State.
BP: Yes.
AK: Do you stay in touch with them?
BP: Yea…my kids call them Jiddy and Granddaddy…that’s good enough, we don’t have any
grandparents from my side.
AK: so, did you live with them at the same time you were going to school at NC State or…?
BP: No, they paid for my stay at Alexander.
AK: Alexander Hall?
BP: Alexander Hall, yea.
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AK: And how was that experience, I mean, that must have been the first time you had lived
on your own to an extent, with people your age?
BP: Yea, it was nice, I mean I studied all the time because, you know, English didn’t come
easy it was hard. All the people would go party and do their own little thing and I’m sitting
there studying the whole time because you know I felt bad that their paying for this, so I
didn’t want to fail or whatever.
AK: And you…when you were at NC State you changed your major from computer science
to business…
BP: Business management…I think that’s what they called it at the time.
AK: And this was 1990 that you finished your degree, your bachelors, or 1991?
BP: 1990
[ Interruption: Other: Could we pause for a second to see what is happening outside?]
AK: Where you able to work at all while you were going to school at NC State?
BP: No, I mean every…I was one of those people who follow the laws, I didn’t want to break
any laws but now I know that you can actually work in your field, but didn’t know that at the
time and I didn’t want to risk being deported or loosing my visa.
AK: Did you stay in touch at all with family in Lebanon while you were at NC State?
BP: No. Well with my sisters I did, you know we’d call them whenever I had money or
whatever, I would call them but it was so expensive to call, and there were no connections,
the lines were always bad. But I didn’t call my aunts or uncle or anything like that. But
before in 1993, the uncle that we did like…the uncle that took us over there…remember
there was the massacre of Ma’asser el Chouf? He died in that so he and his howl family was
killed there, except one.
AK: Did you go back for the funeral or you couldn’t?
BP: No, no I couldn’t. We heard it on the radio when I was there in Lebanon before we left. I
was just listening…oh that was my uncle, they were naming all who died and he was one of
them and it was just sad. We could never…go back.
AK: So when you came here, did you maintain any connections to Lebanon at all or…
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BP: Just our friends from the village who I always loved…either wrote or called…we keep in
touch now more than we do family, really.
AK: So the orphanage really becomes your family, then
BP: Yea yea, we have tons of friends when we go overseas we always see them, some of
them ended up in France some of them ended up in Australia or…
AK: So quite a few left, actually?
BP: Yea yea, most of them left.
AK: Most of them left Lebanon…and so did you keep in touch with the language at all, the
Arabic language, when you came here…newspapers, radio…?
BP: No, in the ten years...after ten years being here then we were able to go back, and I
couldn’t speak Arabic before that because everybody I knew was American and I never used
Arabic on the phone or anything like that, so I would write in French to my friends so when I
went back it came back right away. I was just like I’d never left. But it was weird all
these…you know the idioms or whatever…(Arabic)…I thought I’d forgotten all these
things…
AK: So how was it going back, so you would have gone back in uh…1995, no, or later?
BP: Yea, ‘95 I think. So it was nice, I went with my sister, my younger sister and we went
and saw my other sister but it was really hard because you feel like half your family is there,
we’re very close, so two of my oldest sister…the number 5 and number 4 were still there,
they got married and had family so we really miss them because they kind of took care of us
ever since my parents died and they would tend to us, bathe us, and um…really care of us all
the time, protect us, yell at us, help us study, so we really miss them because we couldn’t call
them, it was nice to go back and see them, I really liked that.
AK: So, you graduate in 1990, so what’d you do after that?
BP: Well, I met my husband the very first week at NC State. He was coming to do his PhD at
NC State, so we met there and he was drinking coffee and I was drinking coffee we kind of
introduced each other and that was it.
AK: And so you were married right after?
BP: No no, I stayed and finished school…I didn’t want to get married before school was
finished and then you know my…I graduated in 1990, was when I graduated. So I told him,
“Listen if you don’t marry me I’m out of here, I’m leaving.” That’s really how it was…you
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know, I didn’t want pressure but I was like “listen I have about two weeks and then I’m
leaving, so…”
AK: Where is he from, originally, your husband?
BP: Florida.
AK: So were you married here in North Carolina?
BP: Yea yea, in North Carolina. Actually it was in Sanford because his sister lived in Sanford
and the priest kept on messing up my name…it was the worst wedding I think.
AK: So you had intended to stay here, you really wanted to stay here.
BP: Yea I didn’t want him to feel like he was …I knew I wouldn’t go back to France or I’ll
find a way, I would have found a way to not go back to…it was really bad still…it was bad
‘till 1996.
AK: And, did you start working after you graduated?
BP: Yea, I actually supported him. I found a job in Sanford, so he kept going to school and I
supported him while working.
AK: What kind of work did you do?
BP: I was doing human resources for a mid-sized company. First at human resources then I
helped out in the controller doing more accounting stuff so it was kind of interesting, it was
challenging. Then in 1996 he graduated, so we moved back up to Cary, which is where he
was going to find work and I kept on commuting to Sanford and then I got my firstborn in
1996 so I kind of didn’t want to drive back and forth so then I stayed home with the kids.
AK: In this period of time as you sort of moved here, and then you went to school and you
worked, did you develop a sense of community within the Lebanese community here? Were
you aware that there was a Lebanese community or you really were not necessarily that
integrated into it?
BP: Well in school we did a lot of stuff I met [Unintelligible] a lot of Lebanese students it
was fun to hang out with them but, you know, eventually you get busy in life and you don’t
attend all the TLAs and all the Maronite Church stuff, so…
AK: Did you attend church here?
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BP: Yea yea, when the Maronite church started here we…you know I helped out, I used to
go sing, I can’t really sing but I helped them sing and go to the meetings and take notes and
do all that stuff. But I got too busy….
AK: This was in the early ‘90s?
BP: I want to say…I don’t remember, its got to be ’98, I bet it’s been that long, cause it was
the very beginning of…the priest would come from Fayetteville to do the church here, so we
would gather everybody, but it just gets to be with three kids, it got to be too much, with
three boys that don’t sit still in church or anywhere, so…
AK: And the, outside the church, the Maronite church, where there any other civil or you
know religious organizations or religious organizations that you became involved with that
was part of the Lebanese community?
BP: I, you know, I did the TLA. That’s it really. The TLA and I met many Lebanese but like
1 on 1 basically. I knew people you click with, and I would kind of hang out with them, but
not much really.
AK: So how would you characterize…if you were to think about the community here and the
culture of the community here…because obviously there are various people coming from
Lebanon at various times but ultimately they end up here in North Carolina. How do you
characterize how this sort of community…the sort of culture it develops?
BP: Well its nice to have that, its nice, but even most everybody knows that they cannot
bring in the baggage of their religion and conflict from there because they always know
“they’re doing this…there’s Druze here and Christian” they kind of clique together and
they’re kind of bringing the baggage from Lebanon, that’s why I kind of don’t mingle that
much with them, because it was painful there, I don’t want to have to deal with it here but its
nice that they have that, I just wish they would keep the religion out of the TLA or the
organizations that are meant to bring people together and celebrate the Lebanese culture.
AK: So you do feel like that there are these divisions or fissures within the community…
BP: I think so.
AK: …that makes matter of what was in Lebanon?
BP: For me, for example, because of the massacre, maybe I’m guilty of that because the
massacre of my uncle, I can’t really, I find it hard to be around Druze or you know, so, I’m
just as guilty, probably. So I don’t really, I don’t say anything about it because I don’t like to
talk about religion, but its hard to be around it, because your family was hurt by it, you’re
still paying the price of things that happened years ago.
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AK: So do you feel like people, when there are gatherings, people are really careful not to
touch the issue of politics because it still remains raw?
BP: I am, I don’t know I think they’re still talk about…I think they’re more careful here in
the US but they still kind of you…you’re this or you’re that. I wish they would represent, you
know, Lebanon more positive and…they’re all very friendly but just kind of leave religion
out all together, I think that’s probably the best solution.
AK: How about since September 11, obviously, there has been a tectonic shift in the way
Americans see the Middle East, and Lebanon is obviously part of the Middle East. How…has
that impacted you at all personally, in terms of the was people see you…have you
encountered anything pertaining to that or have you had to adjust how you identify yourself
so that you are distant yourself from those who perpetrated 9/11?
BP: I work at um…the YMCA for fun…it’s really not work, its just working out with other
people. I teach exercise there. and the people there, of course, are so nice, an they never
really showed any kind of…I’m the only Lebanese person there and they never showed any
kind of umm prejudice or bias or anything like that. For me, I feel bad for the Lebanese cause
I can see it, for example, in the visas and how tough it is for my sisters to come visit…that
kind of stuff. Or my nephew…they make it so much stricter for them to come here. That’s
more of the effect of what umm…that’s the worst part of it cause for us personally anybody
really…they know us, they know we have nothing to do with it. Most people, you know,
don’t bother you. Of course you know back when September 11 happened this guy…the
security guard at Target would always stop me…right after September 11, it’s the same
security guard every time. It’s like, finally I got really angry , I called the manager and said
“If I get randomly selected one more time…!” I don’t know what he was thinking…that’d
he’d catch me buying…I don’t know what it was. Anyway, that’s the worst part but in terms
of everyday. Did you…?
AK: Yea, I had some issues but uh…
BP: Yea, on a plane, I am sure we were randomly selected all the time…
AK: I had my cushion checked several times, but I look a little bit more threatening than you
Bearta.
[Laughter]
AK: But uh…I am just curious because… this is another touchy subject that I suppose a lot
of Lebanese community may or may not like to deal with very much…but the whole notion
over whether we are Arab or not, and there is this whole argument that goes on about it. And
I’m just curious as to how you sort of situate yourself when you identify yourself. Do you see
yourself as part of the larger Arab world or do you see your experience as Lebanese as quite
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different than anything around? Or is it something that you don’t even think about that
much?
BP: Well I think yea, because really if you are not from there, you don’t not understand the
difference. But if you are, if you compare us, for example, the Lebanese who are more
towards the, you know…all the education was French. Most of the math was in French, most
of the…all of the math was in French. Science was in French. Everything was French,
French, French. We were always exposed to…you know even as sheltered as a life that we
had we were exposed to international things and taught to be educated, independent,
um…you know…find something and go after it. Not just get married and have seven
children or get married and have…stay home and….so that part we’re really different, I
think. But I’m sure different cultures…we’re making a huge generalization but, for example,
if you compare us to Saudi Arabia, we are so different and if they’re really Arabs, I mean
really they are…like Egypt and all those places, they’re really traditional…I think the Arabs
are more traditional and uh…you know, Lebanon is more…educate yourself, go be
independent, don’t just get married you know “Go see the world” kind of attitude.
AK: So you felt that that was part of the ethos of growing up, part of the culture of growing
up, this idea of being entrepreneurial…just go out and…
BP: Yea yea, we were always like that. My sister always, she said don’t ever marry
somebody before you have a degree because what if…even if he’s rich, the what are you
going do if he looses his money? You need to be able to be independent. She’s the one now,
you know, who manages a firm of the export-import company that I was telling you about.
So it was a good influence I think to have all the…always remember seeing all these French
people come through the orphanage and they would…Germans…from every country there
would come visitors so we would see, even though we didn’t get out very much, we would
see international people coming through all the time, so we kind of had an idea, almost like a
window to the world…and really that there were better days or better opportunities out there.
AK: and um, so did you feel like then that the languages that you acquired like French and
then of course the type of exposure to film and people coming that maybe always oriented
you towards the outside…
BP: Yea, yea
AK: so you were not necessarily that afraid of the outside world, you saw it as an
opportunity.
BP: Yea, exactly.
AK: Let’s talk a little bit about your book. Because I know you just wrote this book that has
been getting quite a bit of coverage. It’s called Orphans at War, right? Can you tell me a
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little bit about how you came to decide that you wanted to write this book, when you decided
that and what you thought you would accomplish by writing this book?
BP: Well, like I said, the teacher in Henderson, or the college told me, she said…the English
teacher said…that this story would make a great story if you went on to write it. Well my
least favorite subject was writing English and reading English, so I knew that was not
possible. It was hard, I hated reading…the English part. I loved reading, for example, French
books, I just didn’t like reading the English part… old English like thou and art and all
Macbeth stuff. So, um, I went ahead and filed that in the back of my mind somewhere. And
when my firstborn, when I stayed home with Timmy, I decided you know, we were left with
zero pictures, I think we have one picture of our family, we don’t know what happened, we
don’t know, you know, what was our story. So I just started kind of writing and outline of
what I remember, because I didn’t want to loose those memories. And so I kept on improving
it and improving it every time and one day I ran into a real author and he said “Why don’t
you write this book?” So I showed him what I had and he helped me kind of fine tune it and
write it and really the idea behind it is hopefully to get people to not look at themselves as
victims, whatever the circumstance is, and just kind of…even though you seem that there
was no way out…you can always find a way out, and not give up and um, you know, just
don’t look at yourself and feel sorry for yourself, people are people…everybody has a story
everybody has bad things that happen to them. Just instead try to inspire other people,
whether it’s just smile or whether its your attitude or representing your own country…and
that’s probably the biggest thing is like when we first came the very first week somebody
called us terrorists…like they were bombing…when they bombed the embassy. So I’m
thinking to myself, I’m eighteen years old, I’ve never done anything bad and he’s calling me
a terrorist…I felt pretty bad about that so I kept on thinking…whatever I’m going to do, I am
going to represent my country well because if you always…you meet somebody and they
go….if you meet an American for example, they say “I know a Lebanese lady she was so
mean!” I always hated to hear that, that the Lebanese were bad. I felt like a small step we
could help with the reputation. You know, follow the rules, respect the country and represent
our country.
AK: And when you…when did you publish the book? What year?
BP: A year and a half ago I think…two years ago.
AK: So what…you’ve been doing some readings I think at Quail Ridge and a couple
somewhere else…
BP: Barnes and Noble and I did several other paces in the area and uh…
AK: And what was the reaction to the book?
BP: They were all so sweet. I mean everybody is so nice and supportive and I would say our
story is almost like the Lebanese [unintelligible] stories. I don’t know if you’ve read them,
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the three orphans. You guys read those? Cause its one bad thing after another…from
relatives to. …but theirs is fiction, ours is real. And um, you know, you cannot…you know,
stronger in the circumstance, hopefully you inspire others to do good and all the money that
goes from the money hopefully goes to the SOS or UNICEF. And I feel really strongly
because when we were in orphanage and didn’t have water or whatever, UNICEF was there.
So it was nice to give back to them.
AK: Did you have any reaction from the Lebanese community in North Carolina? Has
anybody sort of been responding to the book in one way or another?
BP: No. They Neomonde uh…Mounir… was really sweet. He said “You know we read your
article in the newspaper…” you probably saw it when I got the Presidential award this year
for UNICEF stuff, I think I sent you a copy. He said you know, “you made us proud” and
stuff like that, so that was nice. But I really don’t see many…of course my friends who are
Lebanese were like “ahh thank you for doing that” and stuff like that.
AK: So there was more or less…
BP: My friends, yes, but not the TLA.
AK: So you got involved with UNICEF before or after the book?
BP: Before. I was always a huge supporter of ….I just love their cause. Because they don’t
discriminate in terms of religion. They help everybody…not just because you’re a Christian
or because you’re a Muslim, they help everybody. And um…so we would organize these
parties, we’d do it in the Triangle, we’d organize dance parties. International dance parties,
and all the money that comes from them … the dance parties goes to UNICEF. And that’s
how…we’ve been doing it for about two years…and that’s how we um, sorry, so that’s how
they nominated me and UNICEF nominated me and my aunt got it as well, it was a nice
surprise.
AK: That’s wonderful. Uh…do you have future plans with UNICEF, are you looking to
expand?
BP: O I’d love to…yeah, I’d love to do more…yea.
AK: So the book then, whatever proceeds you get from the book is going directly back to the
SOS village?
BP: SOS or UNICEF. Depending on who is easier online, sometimes when you pay with the
VISA for the SOS sometimes it messes up or something whatever and I just send it to
UNICEF.
AK: Do you stay in touch with the administration of SOS village or…?
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BP: Yea, well on Facebook, of course Facebook is connecting people from Australia, from
Egypt from all these places, it was nice.
AK: Can we take a few minutes break?
BP: Sure.
FINISHED FIRST TAPE [Whole Tape—50 mins.]
BEGINNING SECOND TAPE [Partial Tape—10 mins.]
AK: In terms of, you know, raising your own children, in terms of, you know here in the
United States, uhh. Do you hope that they make some connection to Lebanon or do you help
them with that or…what kind of things do you do to help them maintain it if that’s the case?
BP: I’d love for them to keep…because every country has good things and bad things, just
like this country and every other country it’s nice to bring the good stuff from Lebanon.
There’s so many…the relationship with the family is so important, always respect the older
people in the room, umm, you know, not waste, ummm…you know, be respectful of the
food, being respectful of what you have basically, so that’s nice. I’d like for them to learn
that, umm. What I do is probably send to my sister’s to learn all that, cause she’s like “O no!”
she’s very traditional and I mean I do that sometime too, but its good to have the family, you
know, reinforce it, and um, my brother, you know, helped teach them to, uhh, umm…nothing
wrong with kissing on the cheek as opposed to just giving a hug, or. Those are little things,
but I hope they keep some of the good stuff that comes form Lebanon.
AK: Do you get together with your family? Is there like a family reunion regularly, or…?
BP: Not very regularly, you know, we just go for lunch…not on a regular basis or anything
like that.
AK: But you stay in touch with the family?
BP: Yea, yea I talk to my sister just about everyday…both sisters and one in Lebanon I call
once every week or email everyday…and my brother just about once a week, so we stay in
touch.
AK: Uh. Do you think you would every move to Lebanon. Back to Lebanon?
BP: My husband wouldn’t find work there. I don’t think they need psychologists in Lebanon!
[Laughs]
AK: I think they need a lot of psychologists in Lebanon [Laughing]
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BP: He does industrial…organizational psychology so, let’s say for example, if he’s taking a
survey of whether employees are happy or not, let’s say, for example, and in Lebanon they
don’t care whether or not you’re happy or not…you’re happy to have a job and that’s it!
[Laughing]
AK: [Laughing]
BP: So, they don’t care about, you know, employee performance or any of that stuff…so, I
think so anyway…
AK: Uh. So, do you feel like in terms of North Carolina, coming to North Carolina, because
you came here and you’ve lived here…
BP: O I stayed here, yea…
AK:… you’ve been here for quite a long time. If somebody was to say, well sort of, what did
you add to this state, what did you contribute to North Carolina, in your mind? And it doesn’t
have to be anything big, I mean I’m not asking like “I invented something…” or
BP: Yea
AK:…but in your mind, when you feel like you’re coming here, how do you feel that you
have enriched this place, as a person coming from Lebanon?
BP: I think the one…the biggest thing is really representing your country well. Because
Lebanon has a reputation, you know, every time you turn around someone is sneaking drugs
across the border or…not the border…through the immigration or some sort of terrorist
or…so for me I know I’ve done my share in terms of representing the country well…our
country, Lebanon, but also I on a different scale, for example, when I teach…when I teach
uhh, fitness, you know its kind of nice to uhh say “Oh this is the Lebanese girl who
everybody likes and, you know, she smiles all the time and she’s happy all the time” so I feel
like I effect them in a good positive way, as well, not just to loose weight, but just being a
better person all together. So that’s the nice part of it and I work with hundreds and hundreds
of members at the Y, the Cary Y, so hopefully, I’m hoping I made some impact that way.
AK: Uhh…
BP: Plus I pay my taxes, so that’s good!
AK: Sorry?
BP: I pay my taxes, so that’s good!
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AK: [Laughs] Taxes are always good! Do you think that you will write a full-out book to The
Orphans at War?
BP: Like, uh…
AK: You know…
BP: I don’t think so, cause it was really painful to write it um, and um, maybe looking back
now I wish I’d done something different but you live and learn and umm, its not a made up
story, so I can’t make up another one, you know…this is truly what happened and, you
know…if I was going to write anything, I think I’d write a comedy, like looking at funny
things that happen everyday there are so many friends that are funny or the people that I deal
with or international people that I know who kind of felt the same way as I do, you almost
don’t fit here very well…and I almost contemplate maybe doing some sort of a funny book
on that…cause their views are so different and funny, and you know their mannerisms, their
ideas, their adjustments…things like that.
AK: I want to take you back a little but in time because I sort of want to explore something
else that we passed over, that I want to explore in greater depth because its something at least
for me, it kind of touched me, some of the things. Because on one hand, here you are you are
coming with your sister to a place sight unseen. You had an image of it through television,
Dallas and Dynasty, and then you arrive here and its quite different from Dallas or Dynasty,
so I would like to explore, if you could push it a little further, I know its probably hard,
this…these early years, you know, because these were obviously very important years in
your lives when you first…
BP: Yea. I think I told you that like the first two years were really tough, and if you asked
any, in my experience, if you ask anybody who comes here first year of getting to the US is
probably the toughest and everybody goes “ahhh I’m coming back…I’m leaving that’s it”
you know, and they find it hard because in your mind you’re coming to a country you’re
coming to a country who’s more cosmopolitan more you know, you can walk everywhere or
there’s transportation but really, here in North Carolina, if you don’t have a car and if you
don’t know where to go for things, you know, or shop, or…you really can get lost. The roads
are massive, the distances…so far from everywhere. So that was hard I think. But not only
that, then you don’t find that you are able to pick up the phone and call your best friend if
you’re bothered about something, you can’t joke about it with anybody because your
language is different, you know, and you know in the south, where I was, you know
everybody was Christian and couldn’t say bad words, and so I had to…really I just…not that
I cursed too much, but I was very careful in what to say, not to offend people. Um, so that
part was hard. So you have the school. That was tough; you’re on your own. Your youngest
sister who is 16…I felt bad for her, and you know I’m having a hard time, my brother is
having a hard time, cause you know he had just gotten here, so…, you know, and my two
other sisters are at…in the middle of the war, we don’t whether they’re alive or
dead…they’re in, you know, it was really…the lines we so bad at the time, so you have it bad
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from every angle. At least when you’re in Lebanon you’re in your own country, you know
how to go, you know how the system works, you know where to go for a car…for
transportation or for me, I finally ended up getting to go to school and ended up getting a
bike...what did I do? O I tutored math…I tutored a kid in math and his mom paid me by bike,
you know, with a bike…and so I was happy to be able to go to a store…on bike…and then I
paid this lady that went with me to college I would pay her for gas too, so, but if you don’t
have that, you really don’t have a bus to go…or a train …so that was hard, that was tough.
AK: And yet you’ve succeeded, I mean clearly you’re kind of a success story in many
ways…
BP: I hope so
AK. Well, I mean, you come from incredibly difficult situation: orphan and in the midst of a
civil war, and yet you have made a great life for yourself in North Carolina, thanks in part to,
obviously, this place has given you opportunities, but so if one is to look at your life as this
story, this amazing story, what would you sort of….how….what would you say is the thing
that ultimately kept you going and gave you your drive which obviously you have?
BP: God. That’s a good question. I think when you’re in a desperate situation, you can either
give up or try whatever works. And I think for me, it just worked…you know, it was hard
and you just kind of go “What is the alternative, really?” Going back to Lebanon? Or, you
know, feeling sorry for yourself? Or, you know, going out, let’s say for example, you know, I
see people going out and saying “Oh let’s go have fun and forget about…” I never did that
because I didn’t get the chance to do that, I just said…I kept focusing on finishing what I
wanted...came here to do, which was to get a degree and study and then, if that was working
out, I was ok with everything else. It was…it wasn’t pretty, but you know, hopefully we will
provide for our kids a little bit better, you know; to give moral support, love, you know, all
that stuff.
AK: So, as an immigrant, as an immigrant to this country then, you came with this sort of
purpose that you had to make it work…
BP: Yea.
AK: And you only have so much
BP: You really can’t. What’s your alternative, going back to Lebanon? You know…
AK: Right.
BP: So you kind of…whatever it takes. As long as it’s legal and moral! [Laughs]
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AK: Ok, well, I think we’ll stop it at that. We’ll probably have to, I mean later on, I might
come up…
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
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English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Powell Interview Transcript
Description
An account of the resource
Transcription of interview of Bearta Powell by Akram Khater. 50/10 minutes (see PDF).
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Bearta Powell
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2013
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Dr. Akram Khater
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
English
Arabic
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_006
1970s
1990s
2000s
9/11
Immigration
Interviews
Lebanese Civil War
Lebanon
North Carolina
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/22373ba006b7e5625b773d5c242680a2.pdf
bcdc425bf519ef8c6b6ef9832c760027
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Girls Receiving First Communion
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph from Bearta Al-Chacar Powell's childhood of young girls in Lebanon receiving their first communion.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1976 May
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_011
1970s
Christianity
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/ccfbf32112be5de46471912f770fa5d9.pdf
984d53cd2bb625e1703a200065e1b71f
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Children on a Picnic
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph of the children from Children's Village S.O.S. on a picnic. Though unidentified, Bearta Al-Chacar Powell and her siblings are likely among them.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1975
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_010
1970s
Families
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/c4fe0ba404103fb6725379f13c7999d0.pdf
cd50179a118f5bcd63cc9b7fec464faf
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Children Sitting on the Floor
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph from Bearta Al-Chacar Powell's childhood of unidentified children
the image was likely taken in the Children's Village S.O.S. orphanage.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_009
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/818a5a79189e3361ea90c184745951eb.pdf
9eee6691047aa144abea7990cbe8f649
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Children Sitting on the Floor
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph from Bearta Al-Chacar Powell's childhood of unidentified children
the image was likely taken in the Children's Village S.O.S. orphanage.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_008
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/b80252cbf44fdf5c21ef6825c738e357.pdf
2c604b58a6fb810bc74d394d5d96f098
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Group of Children Outdoors
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph from Bearta Al-Chacar Powell's childhood of unidentified children; the image was likely taken near the Children's Village S.O.S. orphanage.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1975
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_007
1970s
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/10eb9ce178f6a66ecc5163f9fa44bfdd.pdf
91f1e5965eabdf70fb41f8d510c500ee
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar's Parents on their Wedding Day
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph of Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the parents of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell, on their wedding day.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_005
1950s
Weddings
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/2280283f21d7f1110cfb457abd892e58.pdf
78c4159b048b15f2a299167ca02d8391
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dancing the Dabkeh
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
Bearta and other girls dancing the dabkeh in Children's Village S.O.S. orphanage.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_004
Dance
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/e691fe7b919046678484d6a6e186e5f1.pdf
dffd937580ec81749b0c61218f1b4607
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Easter in the Orphanage
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph taken in the Children's Village S.O.S. orphanage of unidentified children--likely Bearta Al-Chacar or siblings--with adults on Easter.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_003
Easter
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/dfbb1f1e7747af7a7bda711af1a37287.pdf
39f7dd8349526585dbb0eb1d2f39ffc3
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar's First Day in the Orphanage
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell and siblings on their first day in the Children's Village S.O.S orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_002
1970s
Families
Lebanon
-
https://lebanesestudies.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/files/original/69970aa4d53085030af6ea304787b55e.pdf
302917e498994d755b5e03004f03f292
PDF Text
Text
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
<h4>Biographical/Historical Note</h4>
<p>Bearta Al-Chacar Powell was born in Ma’asser El Chouf, Lebanon to Ramiz Al-Shakar and Isabelle Maalouf, the fourth of their five children. When Bearta was five years old, both of her parents passed away and an uncle brought the children to the Children’s Village S.O.S. orphanage in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The siblings lived at the orphanage from 1971 until 1985. During this period, many members of Bearta's extended family died in the Lebanese Civil War. When Bearta turned 18, one of her older brothers, who had married a missionary and immigrated to the United States, helped her and their youngest sister, Nina, immigrate to Henderson, North Carolina.</p>
<p>Bearta attended Vance Granville Community College and then North Carolina State University, where she studied Business Management. Bearta married in 1990 and supported her husband while he completed his doctorate. In 1996, the couple began a family, and Bearta left work to raise her children. She has since become an author, and has produced two books: a memoir about her childhood, <em>The Orphans of War</em>, and <em>Authentic Lebanese Cuisine: From Our Homes to Yours</em>.</p>
<h4>Scope/Content Note</h4>
<p>This collection contains the transcript of an oral history of Bearta Al-Chacar Powell conducted by Dr. Akram Khater as well as photographs from Bearta's childhood in Lebanon.</p>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Photographs
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-2003, undated
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Processed by Khayrallah Center staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
KC 0038
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
This digital material is provided here for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bearta Al-Chacar Receiving a Scholarship
Description
An account of the resource
A newspaper clipping of Bearta Al-Chacar receiving scholarship award at Vance-Granville Community College.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bearta Al-Chacar Powell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1987
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
kc0038_001
Education
Newspapers
North Carolina