A living hub for the people of Palestine — those who shaped it, and those who stood with it.

Suggest a profile
Portrait of May Ziadah

May Ziadah

Multilingual literary translator and author.

Born
1886
Born in
Nazareth, Palestine
Read May’s storyWatchAsk about May

Why May is here

A leading figure in the Nahda, the Arab renaissance, Ziadeh was a polyglot who translated novels into Arabic and authored numerous non-fiction works, greatly impacting the Arab literary scene and advocating for Palestinian voices.

Their story

May Ziadeh was a Palestinian-Lebanese intellectual and writer involved in the Nahda movement. Fluent in multiple languages, she translated literature into Arabic and wrote engaging biographies, playing a pivotal role in Arab literary culture.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped May’s path.

  1. Birth in 1886 in Nazareth, then part of Ottoman Palestine.

  2. Became a central figure in the Nahda movement in the early 20th century.

  3. Her literary work included translations from various languages to Arabic.

  4. Remained a prominent advocate for Palestinian narratives through her work.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Pioneered literary translations into Arabic, enhancing cultural exchange.

  2. Authored influential biographies that highlighted significant figures.

  3. Contributed to the Nahda, influencing Arab intellectual discourse.

    Watch

  4. Advocated for Palestinian issues through her literary work.

  5. Left a lasting impact on Palestinian and Arab literature despite the absence of English translations of her work.

Ask about May

Curious about something? An AI guide answers from May’s profile.

May’s guide AI

Answers come from May’s profile on this page. It isn’t May, and it can make mistakes.

What would you like to know about May?

Ask in your own words about May’s early life, work, the moments that shaped them, or their legacy. The guide answers only from this profile, so if something isn’t covered, it will tell you.

AI-generated from this profile. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an addition.

Watch

May in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01Watch on YouTube↗

Spot a mistake?

We check every correction against sources before we change a profile. Tell us what’s wrong with May’s story and, if you can, where you read it. How we check

Keep exploring

More faces from Literature

All 54 in Literature