created as a public service by america's cable television companies. to bringingtinue unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the supreme court and public policy events in washington, d.c. and around the country. c-span is brought to you by your cable or satellite provider. >> we are at the mother mosque of america in cedar rapids, iowa , where c-span is learning about the city's history. it was the first building constructed as a place of worship for muslims in america. we take you to learn about the development of islam as an established religion in the united states. >> the significance of this symbolic oft it is the freedom of religion. it is a first house about the muslims built in north america.

because ofgnificant the contribution of the muslims who were here early. , part ofrt of america this country, and this is proof. was, in 1856, i think, it named as a state, but muslims came 30 years later from syria, which is also lebanon. settled innd they cedar rapids, iowa, fort dodge, iowa and other places because there were christian arabs prior to the muslim and arabs who came. they were neighbors in lebanon and they knew that they were in north america, in iowa. so they started coming and they start gathering together. farm.g each other to

but then come of the children went to school and they were educated. , until theyrming stood up on their feet. it was full cooperation. it was full welcoming, supporting, encouraging and giving them a chance to grow like them. 1900s, they christian community were bigger in number and well-off financially, so they started thinking about building a church like a st. george orthodox church. so, the arab muslims helped the christian arabs to build their church. they raised funds for the church. late 1920's, the muslim

theunity decides to build mosque, which of called it at that time, the word for islamic club or social network. they came and helped them to bake and sell to the neighbors, and that is basically how the mother mosque was built, with love, cooperation between the arab muslim and arab christian, and the community at large. so they go to this mosque in '34, it was open to the public. there was hosting between 60, 70, max 80 people in the mosque. the mosque war ii, becausely tiny immigrants came from germany at

the time, especially bosnians and some asians. in the 1960's, they started, pakistanis and indians to come, so the need for a larger, bigger and newer mosque was felt. this mosque was used for 40 years until they build a newer mosque and they moved out. unfortunately, they sold the mosque here. people bought the building and they did a teenage club. it was a teenage club where kids come and play ping-pong and other things. and it did not last. times sold again and this for some refugees. they use it as a refugee center. then, it was sold again and then ,t became rented by a church

pentecostal church. when i visited it in 1983, this building was a church. then, in 1990, i received a phone call from my neighbor. i was the imam and director of the islamic center of cedar rapids. a lady was completing that we weren't taking care of the mosque because of the weeds, it was falling apart. so i came to assist the situation and indeed, i saw it falling apart. so we looked for the owner and we made a deal to buy the building back. and i started campaigning for renovation of the mosque. 1982 we opened the mosque as a cultural center. talk aboutke harassment and discrimination,

and when we talk about pressuring muslims in america, people say we do not feel that it is happening. we hear about it in other communities, but not the mother mosque. the mother mosque is part of the fabric of iowa, it is part of them, and that is why they "america's first mosque." it is something they cherish. beene mosque never has under attack, never has been harassed or discriminated against. the big thing happened in september 11, that incident that shook the nation, the mother mosque was receiving flowers on the steps of the mosque, was receiving letters of some art, many messages came

from our neighbors. "we know you, we know you're not like them." we know that this is not the way you are, they were there are portraying islam and muslims." that was a relief. of cedar rapids, whether it is the government, the mayor of cedar rapids, the police in the station of cedar rapids, they all protect the mosque as a part of cedar rapids. it is there entity, their heritage and their legacy. some of thee in american population, but thank god that hate not extend to entity,ther, to their to their heritage. because of this mosque is

american from the ground up, as they say. we consider ourselves part of america and part of the fabric. >> our cities tour staff recently traveled to cedar rapids, iowa to learn about its history. rapidsore about cedar and other stops on our tour at c-span.org/cities tour. you're watching american history tv all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. week, american artifacts 62 museums and historic places to learn about american history. director --medical u.s. army medical department museum director takes us behind the scenes to see some of his favorite items. he shows us models of a civil war era ambulance train, a doll made by pow nurses in world war ii, and a dummy used to train army medical professionals.