Dr. Sajaudeen Nijamodeen Chapparban, Assistant Professor of Diaspora Studies at Central University of Gujarat, India, was awarded the 2024 Women in Public Life Fellowship to research “The Leadership in Hijab: A Study of Muslim Women Leaders, Writers, and Celebrities in the USA after 9/11.” Here, he shares his experience at the American Heritage Center.

An Unexpected Welcome

My journey began on May 19, 2025, when I left my native Latur, Maharashtra, India, arriving in Laramie three days later after an exhausting trip through Denver. Though the travel was challenging, the warmth I received at the American Heritage Center made it all worthwhile.

It was only my second day, and I had a splitting headache. Someone suggested the third-floor coffee station, but I stood there hesitantly, unsure how to use it. Just then, a tall, energetic man in a light-colored blazer—somewhere between yellow and beige—walked by. Sensing my confusion, he approached without hesitation and offered help.

“Yes, I need a coffee, but I don’t know how to get it,” I admitted. He guided me patiently, handed me a mug, and helped me get my much-needed cup of coffee.

What stunned me was discovering that this humble, gracious person was Professor Paul Flesher, Director of the American Heritage Center. In that simple gesture, I recalled our friendly email exchanges regarding the Center’s fellowships, and I introduced myself.

Discovering the “Cowboy State”

Before coming to Wyoming, I knew little about the American Heritage Center in the heart of the “Cowboy State.” I saw iron statues of cows and cowboys on the way to the Laramie Walmart, various signboards with quotes about cowboys and cowgirls. This fellowship provided me the opportunity to explore one of the most significant archival repositories of the American West.

At the entrance to the AHC’s reading room, I encountered an image of Owen Wister and his novel The Virginian. Having previously read Wister’s work about tensions between Eastern refinement and Western ruggedness, I was now encountering the real voices and records of early migrants through their detailed diaries and letters. These primary sources allowed me to see beyond the literary myth into the lived reality of these east-to-west transitions.

Rich Research Discoveries

My research was divided into two parts. At the AHC, I explored numerous collections about early immigrants, their struggles, Great Plains crossings, and settlement in the USA. The W.W. Morrison collection contained diaries, biographies, autobiographies, letters, and photos of early immigrants—mostly Euro-American migrants, but I also found traces of non-Euro-American migrants including Africans, Arabs, Asians, Chinese, and South Asians.

One particularly powerful account was Cecelia Emily McMillen Adams’ diary, which recounted the brutal realities of overland migration from New York to Oregon, including deaths from cholera and poisoned water. Grace Raymond Hebard’s papers featured milestones in the women’s suffrage movement, as Hebard collaborated with Carrie Chapman Catt in securing the 19th Amendment, emphasizing women’s rights across race and social class. The Tom Anderson papers provided details about racial immigrant policies, white supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, and early Muslims in the USA including Black Muslims.

At the University of Wyoming’s Coe Library, I focused on contemporary history—Muslims in the US, 9/11, and hijab-wearing women’s experiences in post-9/11 American society. I collected over 100 articles and 30 books on these topics.

A Documentary Discovery

Thanks to The Great Muslim American Road Trip by hijabi rapper Mona Haydar, particularly Episode 2 “A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Tulsa to Albuquerque, New Mexico,” I traced the early presence and evolving identity of Muslims in the United States. This episode follows an American Muslim couple’s journey along Route 66, uncovering vital yet often overlooked narratives of Islam in America, including how African American Muslims played a foundational role in shaping America’s religious and cultural history—long before 9/11.

Future Impact

The archival materials I gathered will contribute to future research papers, including studies on migration and settlement patterns of early immigrants and the fashioning of hijab identity in America.

As a professor of Migration and Diaspora Studies, I observed that while European immigrants saw themselves as “pioneers” or “permanent settlers,” others from different racial and cultural backgrounds are projected with hyphenated identities (African-American, Arab-American, Asian-American), shaping the discourse of color, migration, and belonging.

I have already informed students to apply for this fellowship. I will definitely highlight the scholarly potential of AHC to my students and network. The ocean of material available about early immigrants and their crossing of the great plains is immense—these collections not only provided scholarly data but inspired me to explore themes I hadn’t previously considered.

The People Who Made It Special

Special thanks to Leslie Waggener and the wonderful energetic AHC team including Vicki Glantz, Ginny Kilander, Rob Kelly, Jamie Greene, and others. Leslie was instrumental behind this visit and has been a guiding, encouraging source throughout this successful academic stay.

I’m also grateful to the welcoming community at the Islamic Center of Laramie, which became a spiritual and social home during my stay. Thanks to brother Md Faqrul Islam and his wife, who graciously provided homemade meals for my first three days when dining facilities were closed. Meeting fellow immigrants and scholars—including those with Green Cards—added new insights to my understanding of migration and diaspora in the USA.

The Women in Public Life Fellowship supports a 20-day research stay at the AHC for scholars from graduate students to tenured faculty. Applications for the 2026 fellowship are due March 31, 2026. Learn more at uwyo.edu/ahc. Other fellowship and grant opportunities are also available at the AHC.