List of Afghan Americans

This is a list of Afghan Americans, including both original immigrants from Afghanistan who obtained American nationality and their American descendants. To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing that they are Afghan American or must have independent references showing that they are Afghan American and are notable.

Academia and science[]

Ali Ahmad Jalali (born 1940, Kabul), Distinguished Professor at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.; former Afghan ambassador to Germany
Mohammad Qayoumi (born 1952, Kabul), former President of San Jose State University
Nake M. Kamrany (born 1934, Kabul), professor at the University of Southern California (USC) and economist
Adib Farhadi (born 1972, Kabul), assistant professor at University of South Florida and coordinator of USF's Executive Education Program; the former Afghanistan Deputy Minister of Commerce
Nazif Shahrani (born Badakhshan), professor of anthropology at Indiana University
Ishaq Shahryar (born 1936, Kabul), Afghan Ambassador to the United States from 2002 to 2003

Arts and entertainment[]

Leena Alam (born 1978, Kabul), actress in television, film, and theater, human rights activist^[1]
Sonia Nassery Cole (born 1965, Kabul), human rights activist, filmmaker, and author^[2]
Zohra Daoud (born 1954, Kabul), television host and Miss Afghanistan 1974
Josh Gad (born 1981), actor, comedian, and singer whose father is an Afghan Jew
Sameer Asad Gardezi, screenwriter and television writer
Mariam Ghani (born 1978), multi-media visual artist, photographer, filmmaker, human rights activist; of Afghan–Lebanese descent
Azita Ghanizada (born 1979, Kabul), actress and television host
Bahari Ibaadat (born 1993, Kabul), model, Miss Afghanistan 2014
Donnie Keshawarz (born 1969), Canadian-born American stage, film and television actor; of Afghani–Canadian descent
Mahaley Patel (born 1987), actress, singer, songwriter; her father is from Afghanistan
Aman Mojadidi (born 1971), visual artist
Vida Samadzai (born 1978, Kabul), actress, model, Miss Afghanistan 2003, and Beauty for a Cause of Miss Earth 2003
Jawed Wassel (1959–2001, Kabul), filmmaker^[3]
Noor Wodjouatt, classical Indian musician and television producer, founder of Zarin TV

Business[]

Hafizullah Emadi (born Shibar), independent scholar and development consultant for Focus Humanitarian Assistance
Masuda Sultan (born 1978), entrepreneur, international human rights advocate, and memoirist

Literature[]

Tamim Ansary (born 1948, Kabul), author
Khaled Hosseini (born 1965, Kabul), author of three books including the Kite Runner, activist, humanitarian, and UNHCR goodwill ambassador

Media and journalism[]

Zakia Kohzad (born Mazar-e-Sharif), former television news anchor for Kabul TV
Nabil Miskinyar (born 1948, Kabul), television anchor for Ariana Afghanistan
Fariba Nawa (born 1973, Herat), journalist and author

Music[]

Sonita Alizadeh (born 1996, Herat), rapper and activist
Ehsan Aman (born 1959, Lashkargah), musician
Farhad Darya (born 1962, Kabul), musician
Qader Eshpari (born 1967, Kabul), soft rock singer
Qais Essar, a rabab musician, songwriter
Naim Popal (born 1954, Kabul), musician
Haidar Salim, musician
Farid Zoland (born 1951, Kabul), musician

Politics and civil service[]

Ashraf Ghani (born 1949, Logar), 14th President of Afghanistan
Zalmay Khalilzad (born 1951, Mazar-i-Sharif), United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2009
Safiya Wazir (born 1991, Baghlan), New Hampshire State Representative 2018-present
Nadia Hashimi (born 1977), Democratic congressional candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Maryland's 6th congressional district, pediatrician, and novelist
Laili Helms, former Taliban supporter and public speaker
Ahmed Wali Karzai (born 1961, Karz), politician in Afghanistan until his death in 2011
Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani (born 1947, Nuristan), politician, Governor of Herat Province in Afghanistan from 2009–2010
Stephen J. Townsend (born 1959), West German-born American four-star general of Afghan–German descent, commanding general of U.S. forces during the War on ISIS / Operation Inherent Resolve

Other[]

Wallace Fard Muhammad (c.1877–c.1934), founder of the Nation of Islam, mentor of Elijah Muhammad
Niloofar Rahmani (born 1992, Logar), former Afghan female pilot
Shaesta Waiz (born 1987), Afghan-born pilot and the first female certified civilian pilot, and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft
Ahmad Khan Rahami (born 1988, Kandahar), terrorist
Najibullah Zazi (born 1985, Paktia), a convicted Al-Qaeda member

References[]

^ "Afghan Actress Chosen as Judge for Indian Film Festival in Spain". TOLOnews. August 1, 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Barnes, Brooks (2010-09-21). "A Director's Many Battles to Make Her Movie". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
^ Weaver, Carolyn (July 9, 2003). "Friends of Slain Afghan-American Film Director Realize His Vision in FireDancer". VOA News. Archived from the original on 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2009-03-13. Jawed Wassel, the writer and director of FireDancer, fell in love with movies as a boy growing up in Kabul.

[:0-1] "Afghan Actress Chosen as Judge for Indian Film Festival in Spain". TOLOnews. August 1, 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[:02-2] Barnes, Brooks (2010-09-21). "A Director's Many Battles to Make Her Movie". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-12.

[3] Weaver, Carolyn (July 9, 2003). "Friends of Slain Afghan-American Film Director Realize His Vision in FireDancer". VOA News. Archived from the original on 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2009-03-13. Jawed Wassel, the writer and director of FireDancer, fell in love with movies as a boy growing up in Kabul.

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