SOMALIS IN MINNESOTA ORAL HISTORY PROJECT:

Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. According to the 2013 American Community Survey, over 40,000 Somalis reside in the state. This oral history project began as a partnership between the Minnesota Historical Society and Macalester College. Throughout the project, Professor Ahmed Samatar of Macalester provided guidance, as did the staff of the Somali Museum of Minnesota and project interviewers, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf, Ibrahim Hirsi, and Safy-Hallan Farah. The project unfolded in several stages from 2013 to 2016.

Return to top

Access Restrictions

Access to restricted interviews with Khadija Ali, Anab Gulaid, Ibrahim Dahir Hirsi, and Saad Samatar requires written permission. Please consult the reference staff for more information.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Somalis in Minnesota Oral History Project, Oral History Interviews of the Somalis in Minnesota Oral History Project. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: AV2017.159

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990088899560104294

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdiaziz Abdi was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s and spent his childhood in Mogadishu. He migrated to Egypt in the 1990s and studied English literature at Al-Azhar University. In 2006, Abdiaziz immigrated to the United States, arriving in Rochester, Minnesota. After earning his undergraduate degree at Winona State University, Abdiaziz went on to pursue a master’s degree in clinical counseling psychology. He is a mental health advocate.

Location

OH 176.1

Oral history interview with Abdiaziz Abdi, August 31, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 15 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (19 pages).

Subjects discussed: Education in Somalia, Somali civil war, fleeing the war, war casualties, impact of violence on children, leaving Somalia for Egypt, education in Egypt, immigration to the United States, education in the United States, motivations for studying psychology, psychological disorders in the Somali community, cultural change in Somalia, Somalis in Rochester and Greater Minnesota, challenges facing Somalis in Rochester, immigrant identity, similarities between Somali and Jewish diasporas, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Rochester.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Jamal Abdulahi was born in the 1970s and grew up in Mogadishu, Somalia. He fled the Somali civil war to Kenya as a teenager in the 1990s. Jamal immigrated to the United States, arriving first in San Diego, California then moving to Marshall, Minnesota in 1994. He also lived in Rosemount, Minnesota. Jamal holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in business administration from Argosy University. He has worked at Lockheed Martin and United TechnologyCorporation. In 2014, Jamal ran for Rosemount City Council. He is a community organizer, blogger, and essayist.

Location

OH 176.2

Oral history interview with Jamal Abdulahi, December 26, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (55 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (12 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali civil war, fleeing the war, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, high school in San Diego, work in a meat processing plant, move to Minnesota, postsecondary education, changes in the Minnesota Somali community, local political involvement, running for Rosemount City Council, Somalis in Rosemount and Apple Valley suburbs, Somali diaspora’s connections to Somalia, comparison of Somalis to previous immigrant groups, and the economic challenges and successes of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Habon Abdulle was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1960s. She is the daughter of military leader General Duad Abdulle Hirsi. She left Somalia in 1984 to study political science at the University of Padua, Italy. She lived in Italy for fifteen years. In 2000, Habon moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a master’s degree in health and human services administration from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and is pursuing her PhD in gender studies at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. She was also a2013 Bush Fellow, working to empower Somali American women as leaders in politics.

Location

OH 176.3

Oral history interview with Habon Abdulle, March 23, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 5 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (24 pages).

Subjects discussed: Italian colonialism in Somalia; life as an immigrant in Italy; racism and discrimination in Italy; language in the Somali diaspora; her father, General Duad Abdulle Hirsi; life in the Somali diaspora; immigration to the United States; challenges of adapting to life in the United States; pursuing her graduate education in the United States and United Kingdom; empowering Somali women in politics; origins of her interest in gender studies and advocacy; changing perceptions of Somali women in Minnesota; and the present and future of the Somali community in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Richfield.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdirahman Abo was born in Baraawe, Somalia in the late 1980s. He fled the Somali civil war with his family as a small child. He lived for over a decade in Kenya, where he spent time in refugee camps, Mombasa, and the Eastleigh neighborhood of Nairobi. In 2006, he immigrated to Minnesota. Abdirahman is a first-generation college graduate. He graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College and was working on pursuing his four-year degree at the time of the interview.

Location

OH 176.4

Oral history interview with Abdirahman Abo, July 27, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 13 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (23 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background; public transportation in Africa; education in Somalia and Kenya; causes and impact of the civil war; refugee life in Kenya, including education, refugee camps, basic necessities, recreation, Eastleigh, and police harassment; immigration to the United States; perceptions of the United States; adapting to life in Minnesota; education in Minnesota; return migration to Somalia; current political situation in Somalia; and settling in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Jamal Adam was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. As a teenager, he fled the Somali civil war with his family. He spent six years in Kenyan refugee camps before immigrating to the United States in 1997. After completing his associate’s degree at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), Jamal earned a bachelor’s degree in social science and psychology from Metropolitan State University and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He worked as an advisor,counselor, and instructor at MCTC. At the time of the interview, Jamal was pursuing a doctorate in educational administration and policy at the University of Minnesota.

Location

OH 176.5

Oral history interview with Jamal Adam, April 8, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 36 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (29 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Mogadishu, Somali civil war, fleeing the war, Somali diaspora, refugee life in Kenya, including conditions in refugee camps, immigration to the United States, push and pull factors, Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis, assembly-line work and temporary jobs, studies and extracurricular involvement at MCTC, lack of college advising for Somali students, advising and counseling Somali students, applying to PhD programs, importance of networking and relationships, and personal concern for future generations of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Amal Abdi Adan was born in Las Anod, Somalia in the late 1960s and grew up in northern Somalia. She left Somalia in the wake of the Somali civil war. Amal spent about nine years living in Kenya and Uganda as a refugee. She immigrated to the United States in 1998 with her five children and younger sister. They came first to Greensboro, North Carolina and soon after moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Amal works as a personal care assistant and home health care aide.

Location

OH 176.6

Oral history interview with Amal Abdi Adan, September 16, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (50 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (18 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Somalia, lack of access to education, arranged marriage, refugee life in Kenya and Uganda, near death of her son, immigration to the United States, challenges as a single mother and new immigrant, sub-standard housing, her family and children, Somali community in Minnesota, identity, generational differences, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota., reflections on culture and gender norms, and the importance of education.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdirahman Ahmed was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1960s. He grew up in Mogadishu and moved to Hyderabad, India, for his university studies in the late 1980s. There he earned his undergraduate degree in science and business administration as well as a master’s degree in commerce. After graduating, Abdirahman worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in India. He immigrated to the United States in 1998, coming to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He earned a master’s of business administration in2006 from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and worked as an analyst for the State of Minnesota. In 2010, Abdirahman started Safari Restaurant and Event Center in South Minneapolis. He recently wrote and published a children’s book, Roble and the Robot, with the goal of encouraging children to take an interest in technology.

Location

OH 176.7

Oral history interview with Abdirahman Ahmed, June 21, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 12 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (19 pages).

Subjects discussed: Pre-civil war Mogadishu including education system, neighborhoods, social life, arts, and music; family background; contrast between pre- and post-civil war Mogadishu; postsecondary studies in India; impact of the Somali civil war on the diaspora; seeking refugee status in India; immigration to the United States; immigrant employment in the United States; Somali community in Minnesota; starting Safari Restaurant; involvement in Somali community politics and activism; investment in the community as a businessman; diversity in Minnesota; Somali entrepreneurs and businesspeople; writing and publishing a children’s book; the future of Somalis in Minnesota; and a call for increased community investment.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Deq Ahmed was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. He fled the Somali civil war to Kenya and lived in Mombasa and the Utange refugee camp. In 1994, he immigrated with his family to Portland, Oregon. He moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota a year later. After completing high school in Minneapolis, Deq attended North Dakota State University, graduating in 2010. At the time of the interview he was an educator at Rochester Math and Science Academy in Rochester, Minnesota.

Location

OH 176.8

Oral history interview with Deq Ahmed, August 31, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (35 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (10 pages).

Subjects discussed: Somali civil war; Kenyan refugee camps; immigration to the United States; learning English; move to Minnesota; Rochester Math and Science Academy; life in Rochester; identity among Somali students and parents; Somalis in Minnesota including Minneapolis, Rochester, and Greater Minnesota; discrimination; future of Somalis in Rochester; and views on charter schools.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Rochester.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Osman Ahmed was born in Somalia in the 1980s. He left Somalia as a child following the Somali civil war and lived in Nairobi, Kenya for several years. In 2004, he immigrated to the United States at the age of seventeen. After graduating from Eden Prairie High School, Osman earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies at the University of Minnesota. Osman was active in Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party politics. He worked as a political organizer for United States CongressmanKeith Ellison during his 2012 campaign and as a regional field director for Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges during her 2013-2014 campaign. At the time of the interview, Osman was a field representative for United States Senator Al Franken.

Location

OH 176.9

Oral history interview with Osman Ahmed, June 18, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 20 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (23 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background; childhood in Somalia; impact of the civil war; refugee life in Kenya; police harassment in Kenya; immigration to the United States; initial experiences in the United States; challenges and success in high school; programs for first-generation college students; postsecondary education in Minnesota; origins of his interest in politics; involvement in national and local elections; study abroad in Oman; working for the political campaigns of Keith Ellison, Betsy Hodges, and Al Franken; advising politicians on the Somali community; reflections on his political work; and Somali political engagement in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Zuhur Ahmed was born in Burao, Somalia in the 1980s. She and her family left Somalia for Syria as refugees when she was about six years old. In 1998, her family immigrated to Houston, Texas, and then made their way to Minnesota through family connections. Zuhur became involved in Somali language groups after moving to Minnesota. She has worked with Somali poet and playwright Said Salah, started the Somali Literary Study Circle, and hosted a weekly radio program, “Somali Community Link,” on KFAI. Zuhur graduated fromthe University of Minnesota in 2008 and is pursuing a career in medicine.

Location

OH 176.10

Oral history interview with Zuhur Ahmed, November 18, 2013. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 8 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (18 pages).

Subjects discussed: Civil war in Somalia; refugee life in Syria; love of Arabic language and literature; Somali identity in the diaspora; immigration to the United States; feelings about immigrating as a teenager; move to Minnesota; Somali community support for new immigrants; clan affiliations; first days at Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis; meeting Said Salah; English Language Learner classes; early Somali language exposure; involvement with the Somali language in Minnesota; connecting with Somali language, songs, and food through her mother; and Minnesota as homeland.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abukar Ali was born in the 1940s in Aware, which is now part of the Somali region of Ethiopia. He grew up in northern Somalia but left in 1961 and spent the next several decades living in other East African countries. Abukar immigrated to the United States in 2001. He co-founded the Somali Political Action Committee in 2004 and served on the board of the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties from 2004 to 2010. He is a respected community elder.

Location

OH 176.11

Oral history interview with Abukar Ali, June 28, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (59 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (27 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali nationalism and politics in the 1950s, growing up as a member of a minority clan, education in Somalia, decision to leave Somalia, work in East Africa, self-education, his children, his health, Somali political involvement in Minnesota, educating young Somalis about Somalia, future of Somalia, Somali diaspora’s impact on Somalia, Somali successes in Minnesota, differences between African Americans and Somali Americans, divisions in the Somali community, faith, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Return to top

Biographical Information: Osman Ali was born in Somalia in the 1950s. He spent much of his childhood in Yemen, though he moved back to Somalia in his teenage years. After completing high school in Somalia, Osman returned to the Arab Peninsula, living in the United Arab Emirates and working in the hydrogeology and geophysics sectors. In 1994, he was selected for a United States diversity visa, and he and his family immigrated to New York City, and then moved to Houston, Texas. In 1996, they moved to Minnesota. In Minnesota, Osman started adriving school, a catering business, and a restaurant. In 2009, he began collecting Somali cultural artifacts. His collection became the foundation for the Somali Museum of Minnesota, which he started in 2013 as a gallery on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Osman continues as the executive director of the museum, which has grown to house over 700 cultural artifacts, from milk vessels to woven rugs to a nomadic hut, and offers educational programming related to Somali culture and heritage. Osman and the Somali Museum of Minnesota were partners for the Somali exhibit that cameto the Minnesota History Center in 2018.

Location

OH 176.13

Oral history interview with Osman Ali, July 31, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 36 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (23 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali diaspora, childhood activities in Yemen, language and education in Somalia, Somalia in the 1970s, immigrant life in the United Arab Emirates, United States diversity visa program, immigration to the United States, entrepreneurship, film about the immigrant experience, the importance of preserving Somali culture, founding the Somali Museum of Minnesota, cultural loss in the Somali diaspora and in Somalia, the museum’s nomadic hut, Somali cultural artifacts in the museum collection, and museum programming.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Kahiye Amin was born in Kismayo, Somalia in the 1980s. He left Somalia soon after the outbreak of the civil war in 1991 and lived in refugee camps in Kenya. After several years, Kahiye immigrated to the United States. He arrived in California and moved to the Fargo-Moorhead area soon after. At the time of the interview, Kahiye was pursuing a degree as a medical lab technician. He is also a community advocate.

Location

OH 176.14

Oral history interview with Kahiye Amin, October 12, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (22 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (7 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Somalia, Somali civil war, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, move to Minnesota, attending community college, Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead and Greater Minnesota, employment and housing support for new immigrants, generational challenges facing Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead, and Somali involvement in politics.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Fargo, North Dakota.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Amina Arte was born in the Somali region of Ethiopia in the 1970s and her family moved to Somalia soon after. She immigrated to the United States in the late 1980s as a child and grew up in Missouri and Illinois. She moved to Rochester, Minnesota, while in high school. Amina obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Winona State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato. In Rochester, she worked for organizations including the Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association, United StatesCongressman Tim Walz’s Rochester office, and the Service Employee International Union.

Location

OH 176.15

Oral history interview with Amina Arte, October 1, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (49 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (12 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background; childhood perceptions of the United States; reflections on the Somali civil war; being raised by extended family; education in the United States; immigration sponsor; move to Minnesota; marriage and children; postsecondary education; career and community involvement; sources of inspiration; Somalis in Rochester and Greater Minnesota; challenges facing Somali women, youth, and elderly; Somalis and the United States healthcare system; nonprofit service providers; and home healthcare workers union advocacy.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ahmed Bani was born in the 1950s and was raised in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was an educator in Somalia. Following the Somali civil war, Ahmed left Somalia for Djibouti and the Arabian Peninsula. He immigrated to the United States in 1996, coming initially to Missouri, shortly thereafter moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and then to Mankato. Ahmed is a community leader and housing advocate, and at the time of the interview he was pursuing a second bachelor’s degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Location

OH 176.16

Oral history interview with Ahmed Bani, August 12, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 3 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (20 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali minority ethnic groups, identity, education and work in Somalia, Somali civil war, leaving Somalia, refugee life in the Arabian Peninsula, immigration to the United States, losses from the civil war, move to Minneapolis, community work in Minneapolis, returning to university as an adult, teaching students about Somali culture, Somalis in Mankato and Greater Minnesota, interactions between Somalis and non-Somalis in Mankato, educating non-Muslims about Islam, future of Somalis in Mankato, race and ethnicity in the United States, and challenges facing Somali college students.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ubah Dhiblawe was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s and grew up on Afgooye, Somalia. She fled the Somali civil war with her family and lived in Kenya until 1999 when she immigrated to the United States. She lived in California, Tennessee, and Ohio before moving to Minnesota. Ubah has lived in Mankato and the Twin Cities area, including Minneapolis and Hopkins. She is a registered nurse.

Location

OH 176.17

Oral history interview with Ubah Dhiblawe, January 20, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 19 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (35 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Afgooye, Somali civil war, perceptions of the war as a child, fleeing Somalia by boat, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, initial perceptions of the United States, first jobs in the United States, marriage and divorce, move to Minnesota, learning English, working multiple jobs while taking classes, decision to become a registered nurse, plans to get a degree in public health, views on Minnesota and the Somali community, views on public assistance, and the second generation immigrants in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdi Farah was born in Somalia shortly before the civil war began in 1991. He moved to Kenya with his family while still a child then immigrated to Fargo-Moorhead area in 2005.

Location

OH 176.18

Oral history interview with Abdi Farah, October 11, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (18 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (8 pages).

Subjects discussed: Education and childhood in Somalia; refugee life in Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya; initial experiences in the Fargo-Moorhead area including weather, school, and food; and Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead and Greater Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Moorhead.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdifatah Farah, also known by his stage name, “Abdi Phenomenal,” was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the late 1980s. He fled the Somali civil war at the age of three with his family. He lived in the Dadaab refugee camp for five years and immigrated to the United States in 1996. After about two years in New York City, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Abdi is an award-winning spoken word artist, poet, actor, playwright, and community activist. His is also a teaching artist with Ka Joog, an organization that works withSomali youth.

Location

OH 176.19

Oral history interview with Abdifatah Farah, May 16, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 3 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (17 pages).

Subjects discussed: Origins of his stage name, start of the civil war, life in Dadaab refugee camp, immigration, adjusting to life in the United States as a child, first day at school in the United States, struggles with identity as a teenager, origins of his interest in poetry and writing, creating forums for young Somali poets and writers, his recent play The Chronicles of the Diaspora, addressing cultural taboos through art, audience reactions, recitation of his poem “Say it”, the future of Somalis in Minnesota, Ka Joog’s work with Somali youth, and Somali Independence Day.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Leila Farah was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. She moved with her family to Nairobi, Kenya in 1990 when she was a child. She immigrated to the United States in 1998 and lived in Arizona and Washington, DC. In the early 2000s, Leila moved to Minnesota, where she attended high school and Normandale Community College. She worked as a medical interpreter and was studying nursing at the time of the interview.

Location

OH 176.20

Oral history interview with Leila Farah, September 15, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (49 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (16 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background and childhood, immigration to the United States, Minnesota weather, initial experiences in Minnesota, Somali community in Minnesota, postsecondary education, Somali immigrant identity, cultural gender norms, language, Islam, immigrant generational differences, work as a medical interpreter, plans for the future, and assembly line work in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Mohamed Farah was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. His family fled the Somali civil war to Kenya. He lived in the Dadaab refugee camp for about four years before immigrating to the United States. He lived first in New York City and then moved to Minnesota. Mohamed has lived in Eden Prairie and Minnetonka and worked in Minneapolis. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. In 2007, Mohamed founded Ka Joog, a nonprofit that focuses on Somali youth. At the time of the interview he was theexecutive director of Ka Joog.

Location

OH 176.21

Oral history interview with Mohamed Farah, January 12, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (35 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (9 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Kenyan refugee camps, immigration process, adjusting to life in the United States, decision to move to Minnesota, Somalis in Eden Prairie and Minnesota suburbs, postsecondary education, founding Ka Joog, combating Islamic radicalization, promoting dialog between Somali Americans and African Americans, present and future of Ka Joog, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Nimo Farah was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. She fled the Somali civil war with her family to Kenya as a child and lived in refugee camps. When she was nine years old, she immigrated first to Virginia and then moved to Minnesota. She spent her middle school and high school years in South Minneapolis and went to college at the University of Minnesota. Nimo is a community organizer, having worked in economic development at the African Development Center. She is also a poet and artist and has received manygrants and fellowships for her work.

Location

OH 176.22

Oral history interview with Nimo Farah, August 20, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (47 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (11 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Somalia, fleeing the civil war, refugee life in Kenya, education in Kenya, immigration process, move from Virginia to Minnesota, initial experiences in Minnesota, education in Minnesota, origins of her community and economic development work, origins of her interest in poetry, evolution of the Somali community in Minnesota, immigrant identity, feminism and cultural gender expectations, importance of intergenerational dialog, her current work as an artist and poet, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Sahro Farah was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1990s, shortly after the Somali civil war began. She left Somalia with her family as a child and lived for about four years in Nairobi, Kenya. Her family immigrated to the Fargo-Moorhead area in 2005. At the time of the interview, Sahro was pursuing a college degree in medical laboratory sciences.

Location

OH 176.23

Oral history interview with Sahro Farah, October 11, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (23 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (10 pages).

Subjects discussed: Life in Mogadishu following the civil war, life in Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya, immigration to Fargo-Moorhead area, initial experiences in Minnesota, Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead and Greater Minnesota, challenges facing new immigrants, future of Somali community in Fargo-Moorhead, and the Somali community’s interactions with non-Somalis.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Moorhead.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdirahman Furre was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the early 1980s. His family fled the Somali civil war at the beginning of the conflict and lived in refugee camps in Kenya for about a year before they returned to Mogadishu. Abdirahman taught English in Mogadishu for nine years until he left again in 2002 to study and teach mass communications in Kenya. He immigrated to the United States five months before the interview and had settled in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Location

OH 176.24

Oral history interview with Abdirahman Furre, August 14, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 13 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (21 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, education in Somalia, Somali civil war, clan divisions and violence, Kenyan refugee camps, Mogadishu in the 1990s, wartime violence, learning and teaching English in Somalia, reasons for leaving Somalia, life in Kenya, Somali language and poetry, teaching mass communications, experiences with United States Border Control, decision to move to St. Cloud, Somalis in St. Cloud and Greater Minnesota, rebuilding Somalia, language skills and new immigrants, perceptions and realities of life in the United States, and tensions within the Somali community.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in St. Cloud.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ali Khalif Galaydh was born in Las Anod, Somalia in the 1940s. He initially came to the United States in 1962 to pursue his bachelor’s degree. Ali holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master’s degree from Syracuse University, and a doctorate from Syracuse University. He is a recognized academic and public official, having held positions both in Somalia and the United States. In Somalia, Ali served as director general for the Somali Institute of Public Administration or SIPA (1970-1976), director generalof Jowhar Sugar Enterprise (1974-1976), executive chairman of the Juba Sugar Project (1976-1980), and Minister of Industry (1980-1982). In 1982, he accepted a fellowship at the Center for International Affairs and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University (1982-1986). He was also a professor at Syracuse University (1989-1996) and the founder of the SOMTEL telecom company. From 2000 to 2001, Ali served as prime minister of Somalia following the Somalia National Peace Conference in Djibouti. Soon after, he joined his wife and children in Minnesota, wherehe taught at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.

Location

OH 176.25

Oral history interview with Ali Khalif Galaydh, February 10, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 7 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (17 pages).

Subjects discussed: Education in Somalia, Boston University, the civil rights movement and United States race relations, English language and literature, graduate studies at Syracuse University, return to Somalia after Said Barre’s 1969 coup, holding various Somali government positions, Somali politics and government in the 1970s and 1980s, decision to leave Somalia, Harvard fellowship and work on regional conflicts, Somalia National Peace Conference in Djibouti, move to Minnesota, reflections on American opportunity, challenges of raising children in the United States, and Minnesota winters.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Shoreview.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Return to top

Biographical Information: Saed Haji (Haji Yusuf) is an ethnic Somali who was born and raised in Garissa, Kenya. He immigrated to the United States to pursue his college education and moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota in 2005. Saed holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from St. Cloud State University and a master’s in leadership from Augsburg College. He lives in St. Cloud where he is the founder of St. Cloud Somali Radio and a community activist.

Location

OH 176.27

Oral history interview with Saed Haji, January 13, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 40 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (10 pages).

Subjects discussed: Background on Somali Kenyans, education and childhood in Kenya, comparison of Somalis living in Somalia and Kenya, impact of Somali civil war on Somali Kenyans, coming to the United States for college, advantages of living in Minnesota, Somalis in St. Cloud and Greater Minnesota, discrimination in St. Cloud, reasons Somalis move to St. Cloud, Somali civic involvement in St. Cloud, motivations for pursuing a career in the media, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in St. Cloud.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Jamal Hashi was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. He was nine years old when the Somali civil war broke out and he was separated from his parents. They were eventually reunited in Kenya. He immigrated to the United States with his family in the early 1990s and attended middle and high school in Virginia. He moved to Minnesota in 1995. Jamal joined his brother, Sade Hashi, in starting up two Somali restaurants in Minneapolis: Safari Restaurant and Safari Express. Jamal is a chef, entrepreneur, and the creator ofthe camel burger and camel on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair.

Location

OH 176.28

Oral history interview with Jamal Hashi, May 26, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 42 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (41 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Mogadishu, Somali civil war, separation from his parents and fleeing to Kenya, orphaned children in Kenyan refugee camps; reunion with his family, immigration to the United States, challenges and successes at school, first job, decision to move to Minnesota, early Somali community in Minneapolis, origins of his interest in cooking, work with a Somali music group, Safari Restaurant and Safari Express, other restaurant ventures, developing the camel burger, Safari Express at the Minnesota State Fair, plans to start a restaurant in Somalia, urban gardening and nutrition, and the present and future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: An ethnic Somali, Ahmed Hassan was born in Djibouti in the 1970s. He immigrated to the United States in 1996. He lived in Virginia, Louisiana, and Georgia before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1998. He also lived in Marshall, Minnesota. He earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and became a licensed professional clinical counselor. At the time of the interview, Ahmed worked at Summit Guidance Center in St. Paul, a mental health center serving Somalis and EastAfricans as well as the general population.

Location

OH 176.29

Oral history interview with Ahmed Hassan, March 10, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (17 pages).

Subjects discussed: Ethnic Somalis in Djibouti, immigration to the United States, first jobs in the United States, move to Minnesota, Somalis in Marshall and Greater Minnesota, motivations for studying counseling psychology, Summit Guidance Center, practicing psychology in the Somali community, mental health training for imams, Western psychological concepts in Somali proverbs and poetry, interactions with Somali students interested in psychology, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Saida Hassan was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the late 1980s. She fled the Somali civil war with her family at the age of three. She lived in various refugee camps and in Nairobi, Kenya, for several years. In 2000, she immigrated to the United States, arriving first in San Diego, California, and moving to St. Paul, Minnesota, soon after. Saida earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at the University of Minnesota. She spent time teaching English in Saudi Arabia and conducting research in Somalia forthe Heritage Institute for Policy Studies. Saida works as a site coordinator for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, known as GEAR UP, a college readiness program in Minneapolis Public Schools.

Location

OH 176.30

Oral history interview with Saida Hassan, June 5, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (21 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, fleeing the civil war, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, family reunification, education in Minnesota, Somali community in St. Paul, including housing, religious education, businesses, Muslim student organizations, origins of her interest in education, community involvement and humanitarian work, education gap and students of color, living in Saudi Arabia, researching postsecondary education in Somalia, resiliency of the Somali people, gender norms, Somali women in Minnesota, assimilation and acculturation, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Return to top

Biographical Information: Mohamed Jama was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the late 1960s. He grew up in Mogadishu and the Lower Shabelle region. Following the civil war, he lived in northern Somalia and worked as a radio operator. In 1998, he left Somalia for Malaysia and then immigrated to the United States. Mohamed lives in Owatonna, Minnesota with his family.

Location

OH 176.32

Oral history interview with Mohamed Jama, November 27, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 1 minutes, 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (23 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Somalia, farming in Somalia, difference between his childhood and his children’s lives, teenagers in Somalia, education in Somalia, Somali national service, Somali civil war, working as a radio operator and entrepreneur in northern Somalia, seeking asylum in the United States, family reunification in the United States, Somalis in Owatonna and Greater Minnesota, various jobs in Minnesota, starting a daycare business, and visiting Somalia.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ubah Jama was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the early 1970s. Her family fled the civil war in 1991 to Kenya and then to India. From India she later immigrated to the United States. Ubah worked as a teacher’s assistant for St. Paul Public Schools, served on the site council at Seward Montessori School, and was a board member of the African Development Center. She is the widow of Hussein Samatar, the first Somali in Minnesota to hold public office.

Location

OH 176.33

Oral history interview with Ubah Jama, May 6, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 18 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (30 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background and diaspora, childhood in Mogadishu, education in Somalia, women in her family, Somali civil war, family reactions to the war, clan consciousness and conflict, fleeing Mogadishu, internally displaced persons, family casualties, traveling from Somalia to Kenya by boat, life in Kenyan refugee camps, migration to India, Somali diaspora in India, and family migrations from India to Europe and the United States.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Yassin Jama was born in Burao, Somalia in the 1970s and immigrated to Saudi Arabia as a child. In the 1980s, he immigrated to Canada and then to the United States. Yassin attended Howard University in Washington, DC, and eventually settled in Minnesota. He is a filmmaker who has made documentaries for the Minnesota Department of Health as well as UK Channel 4 News. Yassan is also a mental health advocate and runs Yassin’s Home, a group home for Somalis with mental illness.

Location

OH 176.34

Oral history interview with Yassin Jama, November 20, 2013. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 3 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (14 pages).

Subjects discussed: Immigration to the United States, first impressions of the United States, identity, racism and discrimination, undergraduate studies at Howard University, moving to Minnesota, filmmaking in Minnesota, running a group home for Somalis with mental illness, economic opportunities for immigrants in Minnesota, making a documentary on mental health in Somalia, filmmakers as advocates, and marriage.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Hibo Khalaf was born in Somalia in the 1980s. She left Somalia with her family when she was about nine years old and lived in the Dadaab refugee camp and Mombasa, Kenya. Hibo immigrated to the United States in 2004 and settled in Minnesota. She works as a receptionist at the International Institute of Minnesota, an organization that provides services to new immigrants. At the time of the interview, she was pursuing a degree in biology and organizational communications at Metropolitan State University.

Location

OH 176.35

Oral history interview with Hibo Khalaf, August 14, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (48 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (11 pages).

Subjects discussed: Life in Kenyan refugee camps and Mombasa, immigration to the United States, childhood impressions of the Somali civil war, educational opportunities in Minnesota, challenge of finding employment, Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, work at the International Institute of Minnesota, interactions with new immigrants as a receptionist, balancing work and education, cultural gender norms, stereotypes of Somalis, identity, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ali Kofiro was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. He fled the Somali civil war and spent several years living in East Africa as a refugee. He immigrated to the United States in 1996 and lived in Texas before moving to Minnesota in the early 2000s. Ali received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. He has lived in Eden Prairie and Shakopee and works as a school counselor for Minneapolis Public Schools.

Location

OH 176.36

Oral history interview with Ali Kofiro, December 14, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (47 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (9 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Mogadishu; difference between his childhood and his children’s lives; Somali civil war; feelings about the war; refugee life in East Africa; immigration to the United States; expectations and reality of life in the United States; first jobs in the United States; moving to Minnesota; decision to become a school counselor; perseverance through challenges; his children; Somalis in Shakopee, Eden Prairie, and suburban Minnesota; and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Shakopee.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ifrah Mansour was born in Saudi Arabia to Somali parents in the 1980s. Her family moved to back to Somalia when she was a child and then to Kenya after the Somali civil war began. She immigrated to the United States in 1998 and lived in Houston, Texas and Seattle, Washington before moving to Minnesota. Ifrah works with Somali elders at the Brian Coyle Center and is a multi-disciplinary artist and performer. Her work includes the one-act play, How to Have Fun in a Civil War.

Location

OH 176.37

Oral history interview with Ifrah Mansour, August 6, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 5 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (17 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, childhood, immigration to the United States, education in Kenya and the United States, languages, initial experiences in the United States, first impressions of Minnesota, Somali and other African immigrant communities in Minnesota, acculturation, first jobs, decision to pursue a career in the arts, work with Somali elders at the Brian Coyle Center, evolution of the Minnesota Somali community, goals for her future, negotiating cultural gender norms, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Hindi Mohamed was born in Hargeisa, Somalia in the 1960s. She grew up in Mogadishu and completed her university studies at Lafoole University. In 1991, she left Mogadishu in the wake of the Somali civil war and lived in northern Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya. Hindi immigrated to the United States in 1994, coming first to San Jose, California and then to Minnesota. She attained her Child Development Associate credential and worked in at a daycare/preschool at the time of the interview.

Location

OH 176.38

Oral history interview with Hindi Mohamed, September 15, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (33 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (11 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, education in Somalia, life as an internally displaced person and refugee, immigration to the United States, first experiences in Minnesota, various jobs in Minnesota, cultural gender norms, differences between Mogadishu and northern Somalia, reasons for moving to Minnesota, her daughter, and her love for Somalia and Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Maryan Jama Mohamed was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. She left Somalia with her family in the wake of the Somali civil war and they lived in refugee camps in Kenya. She immigrated to the United States at the age of eighteen, living in Massachusetts and Georgia before moving to Minnesota.

Location

OH 176.39

Oral history interview with Maryan Jama Mohamed, August 26, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (40 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (14 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, life in Kenyan refugee camps, immigration to the United States, her children, challenges as a new immigrant, various jobs in Minnesota, identity, cultural and religious gender norms, balancing work, education, and family, challenges of raising children in the United States, hopes and concerns for her children and future generations, Minnesota weather, and her reasons for living in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Mohamoud Ismail Mohamed was born in the 1960s in Kismayo, Somalia. After completing his college education, he worked for the Juba Sugar Project and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Somalia. He fled the Somali civil war to Kenya, where he lived in refugee camps and Nairobi until immigrating to the United States in 1999. After living for a time in San Diego, California, he moved to Minnesota in 2000, coming first to Marshall and then to St. Cloud. Mohamoud cofounded the St. Cloud AreaSomali Salvation Organization (SASSO), which is dedicating to serving and advocating for refugees in the St. Cloud area.

Location

OH 176.40

Oral history interview with Mohamoud Ismail Mohamed, January 7, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 25 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (14 pages).

Subjects discussed: Kismayo in the 1960s and 1970s, education in Somalia, Somali politics and economic development, work for the Juba Sugar Project and USAID, Somali civil war, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, move to Minnesota, initial experiences in the United States, working with immigrants in Marshall and St. Cloud, Somalis in St. Cloud and Greater Minnesota, addressing anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant prejudice post-September 11, founding SASSO, educational and economic successes of Somalis in St. Cloud, and postsecondary studies.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Musse Abdisalam Mohamed was born in Kismayo, Somalia in the 1980s. At the beginning of the Somali civil war, he fled from to Kenya. He immigrated to the United States in 1996, arriving first in Madison, Wisconsin then moved to Rochester, Minnesota soon after. Musse earned a bachelor’s degree in public health from Minnesota State University, Mankato and holds a master’s in health and human services from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Location

OH 176.41

Oral history interview with Musse Abdisalam Mohamed, August 31, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (36 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (8 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali civil war, fleeing to Kenya, immigration to the United States, challenges as a new immigrant, education in the United States, Somalis in Rochester and Greater Minnesota, post-September 11 Islamophobia, challenges facing Somalis in Rochester, and the future of Somalis in Rochester.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Rochester.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Nuur Mohamud was born in Afgooye, Somalia in the 1980s. He left Somalia with his family when he was three years old at the beginning of the Somali civil war. They lived in Kenyan refugee camps and Nairobi for over a decade. He immigrated to Minnesota in 2005. In 2009, Nuur joined the United States Navy. After serving tours in Japan and Bahrain, he was stationed back in the United States where he was still in active service at the time of the interview.

Location

OH 176.42

Oral history interview with Nuur Mohamud, January 18, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (45 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (14 pages).

Subjects discussed: Refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, initial experiences in Minnesota, high school and postsecondary education, decision to join the United States Navy, military training and boot camp, navy tours in Japan and Bahrain, diversity in the military, recreation in the navy, family reactions to his military service, Muslims in the military, advantages of serving in the military, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota, and his message to Somali youth.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ahmed M. Mohmoud was born in Hargeisa, Somalia in the 1960s and grew up in both northern and southern Somalia. At the beginning of the Somali civil war, he fled Mogadishu and eventually arrived in Kenyan refugee camps. He provided emergency medical care and public health expertise among the refugees. After living for a time in Kenya, Ahmed moved to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He left Tanzania with the intention of migrating to South Africa. However, after reaching Botswana, he sought asylum and immigrated to the UnitedStates. He initially immigrated to Fargo, North Dakota, and then moved to the Twin Cities. Ahmed is a noted Somali poet.

Location

OH 176.43

Oral history interview with Ahmed Mohamed Mohmoud, July 13, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (2 hour, 16 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, 1 original Somali transcript (120 pages), and 1 English translation transcript (69 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background; childhood in Somalia; education and military service in Somalia; Somali civil war; fleeing the war; serving as a refugee emergency responder; route from Kismayo to Kenya; clan divisions and clan identity; public health work in Kenyan refugee camps; refugee life in Tanzania; religion; journey from Tanzania towards South Africa via Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana; various border-crossings; immigration detention and hunger strike in Botswana; immigration to the United States; origins of his interest in poetry; nomadic influence on Somali language; social consciousness and social justice themes in his poetry; Somalis in Minnesota; and assimilation and integration.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Digital version - English translation

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ahmed Abdirahman Muhumud was born near Galkayo, Somalia in the 1970s. He moved to Mogadishu, Somalia in high school and attended agricultural school in Afgooye, Somalia. His family fled the Somali civil war to Kenya. Ahmed immigrated to the United States in 1996 and came to Minnesota shortly thereafter. He has worked for Hennepin County, Dakota County, and the City of Minneapolis in addition to starting a Somali grocery store, a home health care business, and an eye clinic.

Location

OH 176.44

Oral history interview with Ahmed Abdirahman Muhumud, July 15, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 46 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (34 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, education and childhood in Somalia, civil conflict in the 1980s, Somali civil war, initial perceptions of the war, internally displaced persons, experiencing wartime violence, fall of Siad Barre, clan conflict and political divisions in Somalia, fleeing to Kenya, immigration to the United States, move to Minnesota, first jobs in Minnesota, postsecondary education, marriage and children, visiting family in Somalia, business ventures, Somali successes and struggles in Minnesota, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdirahman Mukhtar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. He fled the Somali civil war and lived in refugee camps and Nairobi, Kenya. He immigrated to the United States in 1998, arriving in California. That same year he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he attended Roosevelt High School and the University of Minnesota. Abdirahman was a leader in Somali student organizations and managed youth programs at the Confederation of Somali Community, the Brian Coyle Center, and Hennepin County Libraries.

Location

OH 176.45

Oral history interview with Abdirahman Mukhtar, May 24, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 12 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (23 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Mogadishu, fleeing to Kenya, clan conflict, life in Kenyan refugee camps, immigration to the United States, education in Kenya and the United States, decision to move to Minnesota, relations between Somali and non-Somali students at Roosevelt High School, Somali student organizations and cross-cultural work, September 11, 2001, working with Somali youth in Minneapolis, and the present and future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Mohamud Noor was born in Somalia in the 1970s and spent much of his youth in Kenya. He immigrated to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1999. He worked for Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Human Services in addition to serving as executive director of the Confederation of Somali Community. Mohamud made his first electoral bid for the Minneapolis School Board in 2010, which he followed by running for Minnesota State Senate in 2011. Neither campaign was successful. In November 2013, Mohamud was appointed to a seaton the Minneapolis School Board, making him the second Somali-born Minnesotan to hold public office. At the time of this interview, Mohamud was campaigning for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, challenging fellow Democrat and long-term representative Phyllis Kahn.

Location

OH 176.46

Oral history interview with Mohamud Noor, April 29, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (59 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (19 pages).

Subjects discussed: Culture shock and arrival in the Minneapolis, interest in computers, early political involvement, jobs at Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Human Services, college education, first campaign for Minneapolis School Board, reflections on campaign strategy, campaign for Minnesota State Senate, political motivations, Minneapolis redistricting, Abdi Warsame, running for Minnesota House of Representatives, campaign issues and politics, views on political divisions in the Somali community, and the present and future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Suud Olat (Hussein Mohamud) was born in southern Somalia two years before the start of the Somali civil war. He fled with his family to Kenya and lived in the Dadaab refugee camp for twenty-two years. Suud immigrated to the United States in 2012, coming first to Nashville, Tennessee then moving to St. Cloud, Minnesota two years later. At the time of the interview, he was starting college with the goal of becoming a journalist. Suud is a community advocate who is involved in community organizations and politics bothlocally and internationally.

Location

OH 176.47

Oral history interview with Suud Olat, May 7, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 7 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (18 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background; daily life and basic necessities in Dadaab refugee camp including education, food, UNHCR services; resiliency of refugees; challenges facing refugees; involvement with FilmAid in Dadaab; The Refugee newspaper in Dadaab; immigration to the United States; initial experiences in the United States; moving to Minnesota; education in the United States; hopes for Somalia and the Somali diaspora; successes and challenges facing the Somali community in St. Cloud; Somali youth soccer; dispelling stereotypes of Somalis; Somali political involvement; and immigrant identity.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdiaziz Osman was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was a child during the Somali independence struggle and his father was a founder of the Somali Youth League. Abdiaziz studied architecture and fine arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. He lived in Italy for about twenty years then returned to Somalia in 1988 and was in Mogadishu at the beginning of the Somali civil war. He fled from Mogadishu to Kenya. Abdiaziz immigrated to the United States in 1991, arriving originally in Boston, Massachusetts. Hemoved to Minnesota soon thereafter and lived in Rochester and Minneapolis. Abdiaziz is a well-known visual artist and his work has been exhibited throughout the Twin Cities.

Location

OH 176.48

Oral history interview with Abdiaziz Osman, June 21, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 28 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, 1 original Somali transcript (62 pages), and 1 English translation transcript (57 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, Somali independence struggle, Somali Youth League, education in Somalia, university studies in Italy, origins of his interest in art, early artworks, life in Italy, return to Somalia, beginning of the Somali civil war, experiences of wartime violence, clan conflict, fleeing the war, seeking refuge in Kenya, immigration to the United States, Minneapolis Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in the early 1990s, artistic career in Minnesota, artistic influences and inspiration, mural painting, and the present and future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Digital version - English translation

Return to top

Biographical Information: Born to a nomadic family in the 1950s, Abdi Sabrie grew up in Mogadishu, Somalia. He worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Somalia in the 1970s. He immigrated to the United States in 1982 and lived in Massachusetts and Washington, DC. In 1992, Abdi returned to Somalia as a consultant and linguist with the United States Department of Defense as part of Operation Restore Hope. He married in Kenya and returned to the United States. He lived in Georgia until 2009 when he moved to Mankato,Minnesota, with his family. Abdi is the co-founder and director of the African Family Education Center in Mankato and has served on the boards of a number of local organizations. In November 2015, Abdi became the first Somali elected to the Mankato School Board.

Location

OH 176.49

Oral history interview with Abdi Sabrie, August 14, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (19 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, childhood and education in Somalia, working for the UNHCR, immigration to the United States, initial experiences in the United States, organizing protests against the Siad Barre regime, involvement in Operation Restore Hope, marriage in Kenya, his children, decision to move to Mankato, African immigrant populations in Mankato, Somali nomadic lifestyle and oral tradition, postsecondary studies, campaigns for school board in Mankato, Somalis in Mankato and Greater Minnesota, and the future of Somalis in Mankato.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Mankato.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Return to top

Biographical Information: Hashi Shafi was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and management from Somali National University in 1990. At the outbreak of the Somali civil war, Hashi left Somalia and lived as a refugee in Kenya. In 1993, he immigrated to the United States. He lived in Phoenix, Arizona and Marshall, Minnesota before settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hashi is a community organizer and executive director of Somali Action Alliance, a community organization that promotes civicengagement and democratic participation.

Location

OH 176.51

Oral history interview with Hashi Shafi, January 16, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 5 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, 1 original Somali transcript (65 pages), and 1 English translation transcript (33 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood and education in Somalia, Somali civil war, reflections on the collapse of the Somali state, refugee life in Kenya, immigration to the United States, adjustment to life in the United States, reasons for moving to Minnesota, immigrant housing in Marshall, beginnings as a community organizer and political activist, impact of September 11, 2001, promoting Somali political participation, support and resistance from religious leaders, community forum with Paul Wellstone and Norm Coleman, learning from previous immigrant groups, founding Somali Action Alliance, bilingual education funding cuts, community organizing to save Sanford Middle School, and Somali successes and challenges in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Digital version - English translation

Return to top

Biographical Information: Saciido Shaie was born in Somalia in the early 1980s and grew up in Mogadishu. She and her family fled the Somali civil war in 1991 to Kenya. They lived in the Utange refugee camp, Mombasa, and Nairobi for about a year before immigrating to the United States. Saciido spent the rest of her childhood in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Minnesota after completing high school in 1999. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, an associate’s degree in urban education and leadership, and an associate’s degree in Islamicstudies. At the time of the interview she was pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Minnesota. Saciido is a community leader and activist. She is co-founder and director of the Ummah Project (formerly Somali Youth Leadership of Minnesota), an organization that focuses on empowering Somali youth and their families.

Location

OH 176.52

Oral history interview with Saciido Shaie, May 7, 2016. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 16 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (26 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, growing up in Mogadishu, start of the Somali civil war, fleeing the war, war and trauma, family losses from the war, life in Kenyan refugee camps, immigration to the United States, initial experiences in the United States, education in the United States, wearing the hijab, Islamophobia, moving to Minnesota, Islamic studies and teaching, views on assimilation and integration, university studies, importance of education, Ummah Project and supporting Somali youth, challenges facing Somalis in Minnesota, contributions of Somalis in Minnesota, the future of Somalis in Minnesota, and Minnesota as home.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Najma Shide was born in Somalia in the 1990s. Her family fled the Somali civil war while she was still a small child. She immigrated to the United States with her mother and siblings living in Atlanta, Georgia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before coming to Minnesota. Najma moved to Minnesota as a high school student and lived in Prior Lake, Eagan, and Minneapolis. At the time of the interview, she was continuing her education and starting a home healthcare business.

Location

OH 176.53

Oral history interview with Najma Shide, September 10, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 2 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (25 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, impact of the Somali civil war on her family, immigration process, extended family relationships, being raised by a single mother, her mother’s views on education and marriage, experiencing childhood homelessness, taking care of her younger brothers as a child, struggles in school as a child, experiencing bullying and discrimination, move to Minnesota, life in Minnesota suburbs, relations between African Americans and African immigrants, harassment from other Somali immigrants, identity, reflections on the challenges of her childhood, pursuing her education, and hopes for the future.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Ahmed Suleiman was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. His family fled the Somali civil war, and he spent much of his youth in Kenyan refugee camps. Ahmed immigrated to the United States in 2006. He came originally to Atlanta, Georgia then moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota soon after. At the time of the interview, Ahmed was studying engineering at North Dakota State University.

Location

OH 176.54

Oral history interview with Ahmed Suleiman, October 12, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 32 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (10 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family involvement in the Somali independence struggle, life in the Eastleigh neighborhood of Nairobi and Kenyan refugee camps, immigration to the United States, move to Minnesota, Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead and Greater Minnesota, Somali students at North Dakota State University, challenges facing Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead, non-Somali perceptions of Somalis, empathy, poverty, future of Somalis in Fargo-Moorhead, and comparison of different Somali communities in the diaspora.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Fargo, North Dakota.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdi-Rizak Warfa as born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. He left Somalia with his family in the wake of the Somali civil war. He lived in refugee camps in Kenya for four years. In 1994, his family immigrated to Denver, Colorado then moved to San Diego, California. Abdi-Rizak attended the University of California, San Diego, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biochemistry in 2000. Abdi-Rizak earned his master’s in chemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and his PhD atthe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Abdi-Rizak worked as an assistant professor of natural sciences at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota and as an assistant professor of biology teaching and learning at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Location

OH 176.55

Oral history interview with Abdi-Rizak Warfa, February 17, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (58 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (19 pages).

Subjects discussed: Birthdates, family’s decision to leave Somalia, importance of education, life in Kenyan refugee camps, immigration to the United States, move to California, education, learning English, postsecondary studies, including community college and university, starting a tutoring center in Minneapolis, motivations for pursuing a PhD and teaching career, PhD studies, research, and dissertation, Somalis and higher education, K-12 minority educational achievement gap, interactions with Somali students as a professor,and family’s educational accomplishments.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Hamse Warfa was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s. His family fled the Somali civil war and lived in Kenyan refugee camps. He immigrated to Denver, Colorado in 1994 and moved to San Diego, California a year later. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in organizational management and leadership from Springfield College. He moved to Minnesota in 2012. Hamse lived in Savage, Minnesota and worked for Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies in Eden Prairie.At the time of the interview, he had recently published his autobiography, America, Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope.

Location

OH 176.56

Oral history interview with Hamse Warfa, November 22, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (56 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (14 pages).

Subjects discussed: Childhood in Mogadishu, Somali civil war, fleeing to Kenya, refugee life in Kenya, importance of education, immigration to the United States, adjustment to life in the United States, challenges in school, decision to move to California, first jobs in the United States, postsecondary education, challenges facing Somali immigrants, Somalis in San Diego, reasons for moving to Minnesota, Somalis in Twin Cities suburbs, and writing his autobiography.

Interviewed by: Ibrahim Hirsi in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Abdi Warsame was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1970s and moved to the United Kingdom as a child. He grew up in London and earned his bachelor’s degree from Middlesex University and his master’s degree from the University of Greenwich. In 2006, Abdi immigrated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he worked at Wells Fargo and became the executive director of the Riverside Plaza Tenants’ Association. In 2013, Abdi was elected to the Minneapolis City Council as the representative from Ward 6, making him the first Somali toserve on the city council and the highest elected Somali public official in Minnesota at the time.

Location

OH 176.57

Oral history interview with Abdi Warsame, June 12, 2014. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (1 hour, 33 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (31 pages).

Subjects discussed: Immigrating to the United States, early political awareness and activities, Riverside Plaza Tenants’ Association, impact of Mohamud Noor’s Minnesota Senate campaign, Citizen’s Committee for Fair Redistricting and Minneapolis, redistricting process, interest in history, campaign for Minneapolis City Council, Somali clans and Minnesota politics, political organizing and campaign strategy, Somali involvement in his campaign, managing his media image, personal convictions and political positions, attacks from political opponents, winning the DFL endorsement for city council, election day in November 2013, first days and weeks after his electoral victory, challenges of leadership, family background, early memories of Mogadishu, Somali clans and nationalism, differences between Somalis in the United Kingdom and the United States, and the future of Somalis in Minnesota.

Interviewed by: Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in Minneapolis.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

Biographical Information: Yasmin Yusuf was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in the 1980s. She left Somalia for Nairobi, Kenya with her family in 1993 as a result of the Somali civil war. She immigrated to Minnesota in 2000. At the time of the interview, Yasmin had recently completed a degree in business administration.

Location

OH 176.58

Oral history interview with Yasmin Yusuf, August 26, 2015. 1 master audio file: digital, WAV (32 minutes), 1 user audio file: digital, MP3, and 1 transcript (13 pages).

Subjects discussed: Family background, refugee life in Kenya, childhood impressions of civil war, immigration process, initial experiences in Minnesota, education in the United States, identity, hopes for her children, cultural gender norms, raising children in a foreign culture, language and culture among second generation Somalis, and gradual process of adaptation to a new country.

Interviewed by: Safy-Hallan Farah in St. Paul.

The transcript has been reviewed and edited by the interviewee.

Digital version

Digital version

Return to top

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Education -- Somalia.

Immigrants -- Minnesota.

Refugees -- Europe.

Refugees -- Kenya.

Refugees -- Minnesota.

Social integration -- Minnesota.

Somali Americans -- Minnesota.

Somali diaspora.

Somalis -- Social life and customs.

Somalis -- Minnesota.

Somalis -- Education -- Minnesota.

Persons:

Abdi, Abdiaziz interviewee.

Abdulahi, Jamal, interviewee.

Abdulle, Habon, interviewee.

Abo, Abdirahman, interviewee.

Adam, Jamal, interviewee.

Adan, Amal Abdi, interviewee.

Ahmed, Abdirahman, interviewee.

Ahmed, Deq, interviewee.

Ahmed, Osman, interviewee.

Ahmed, Zuhur, interviewee.

Ali, Abukar, interviewee.

Ali, Khadija, interviewee.

Ali, Osman, interviewee.

Amin, Kahiye, interviewee.

Arte, Amina, interviewee.

Bani, Ahmed, interviewee.

Dhiblawe, Ubah, interviewee.

Farah, Abdi, interviewee.

Farah, Abdifatah, interviewee.

Farah, Leila, interviewee.

Farah, Mohamed, interviewee.

Farah, Nimo, interviewee.

Farah, Safy-Hallan, interviewer.

Farah, Sahro, interviewee.

Furre, Abdirahman, interviewee.

Galaydh, Ali Khalif, interviewee.

Gulaid, Anab, interviewee.

Haji, Saed, interviewee.

Hashi, Jamal, interviewee.

Hassan, Ahmed, interviewee.

Hassan, Saida, interviewee.

Hirsi, Ibrahim Dahir, interviewee and interviewer.

Jama, Mohamed, interviewee.

Jama, Ubah, interviewee.

Jama, Yassin, interviewee.

Khalaf, Hibo, interviewee.

Kofiro, Ali, interviewee.

Mansour, Ifrah, interviewee.

Mohamed, Hindi, interviewee.

Mohamed, Maryan Jama, interviewee.

Mohamed, Mohamoud Ismail, interviewee.

Mohamud, Nuur, interviewee.

Mohmoud, Ahmed Mohamed, interviewee.

Muhumud, Ahmed Abdirahman, interviewee.

Mukhtar, Abdirahman, interviewee.

Noor, Mohamud, interviewee.

Olat, Suud, interviewee.

Osman, Abdiaziz, interviewee.

Sabrie, Abdi, interviewee.

Samatar, Saad, interviewee.

Shafi, Hashi, interviewee.

Shaie, Saciido, interviewee.

Shide, Najma, interviewee.

Suleiman, Ahmed, interviewee.

Warfa, Abdi-Rizak, interviewee.

Warfa, Hamse, interviewee.

Warsame, Abdi, interviewee.

Yusuf, Ahmed Ismail, interviewer.

Yusuf, Yasmin, interviewee.

Organizations:

Somali Museum of Minnesota

Places:

Minnesota -- Politics and government.

Somalia -- Politics and government.

Somalia -- History -- 1991-

Document Types:

Interviews.

Oral histories (document genres).

Sound recordings.

Return to top