Naoum Moukarzel

Lebanese journalist and pioneer of the Arabic literary revival movement

Naoum Moukarzel (1864-1928) was a Lebanese intellectual and co-founder of Al-Mufid, a newspaper that revitalized Arabic literature. Born in Beirut during Ottoman rule, he studied at the American University of Beirut before co-founding Al-Hoda (The Guidance) newspaper in New York in 1898. This publication became a key voice for Arab immigrants and a platform for modernizing Arabic language usage.

Alongside brother Salloum, he championed the Nahda (Renaissance) movement advocating for Arabic cultural revival. His 1908 article "The Arabic Language and Its Revival" argued for modernizing Arabic while preserving its heritage. Moukarzel also promoted civil liberties and women's education through his writings.

His legacy includes establishing the first Arabic-language printing press in Argentina and advocating for Lebanese independence. His 1926 work History of the Arabic Press in America remains a primary source for studying Arab diaspora media. Despite his early death in a car accident, his contributions to Arabic literature and journalism continue influencing scholars like Dr. Samir Khalaf at Princeton University.