Sharing My Story
02/18/2026
How often do we walk past our own history without realizing it?
A few weeks ago, I was telling my cousin Yusef about CME-US’s Fighting for Freedom program for Muslim American Heritage Month, a PBS screening and panel discussion highlighting the overlooked history of Muslim Americans who fought in the Civil War. As I described the event, he excitedly told me about his grandfather’s story, something I had never known.
His grandfather, Abdallah Igram of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was a World War II veteran who helped advocate for the formal recognition of Islam within the U.S. military. In 1953, he wrote directly to President Eisenhower, urging that Muslim service members be identified by their faith on military dog tags so they could be recognized and buried accordingly (a designation, which at that time, was limited to Catholics, Protestants, and Jews). His efforts contributed to a broader shift toward spelling out full religious affiliations, a change that continues to benefit Muslim service members today.
Working at CME-US, I understand intellectually how historical literacy shapes narratives and legacy, but until that moment, I had never known that this history was also my history. Suddenly, it was personal. An event meant to uncover overlooked stories had led me to discover my own family’s connection to that legacy. I learned that my ancestors were among the earliest Muslim immigrants to settle in Cedar Rapids, the city where I was born.
This discovery reminds me that history is not abstract. It lives in families, in places, in the work we engage ourselves in, and in the determined efforts of individuals whose contributions endure across generations.
This is why CME-US exists. When we bring overlooked stories into view, we do more than document the past. We help individuals recognize themselves within it.
Fatina Hilal, CME-US Program Coordinator
Learn more about Abdallah Igram's story and his contributions