Poet. Civil Rights Activist. Martyr for Justice.
Alex Odeh
1944 – October 11, 1985
Who Was Alex Odeh?
Alex Odeh was a Palestinian-American civil rights activist, poet, and educator whose life was cut short by an act of political violence that has never been fully reckoned with by American society.
Born in 1944, Odeh served as the West Coast Regional Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), where he tirelessly advocated for the rights and dignity of Arab Americans at a time when such advocacy required extraordinary courage.
He was also a poet — a man of letters who gave voice to the Palestinian experience through verse. His volume of poetry, Whispers in Exile, stands as a testament to his humanity, his longing, and his hope.
The Assassination
On the morning of October 11, 1985 — just one day after appearing on television to speak in favor of peace and dialogue following the Achille Lauro hijacking — Alex Odeh arrived at his ADC office at California State University, Fullerton.
A pipe bomb had been planted at the door. When he opened it, the explosion killed him instantly. He was 41 years old.
The murder was never prosecuted. The suspects — members of the Jewish Defense League — fled to Israel, where they lived out their lives beyond the reach of American justice. No one has ever been held accountable for the assassination of Alex Odeh.
A Legacy Unfinished
Alex Odeh believed in dialogue, in understanding, and in the possibility of peace between peoples. He was not a man of hatred — he was a man of hope. And he was killed for it.
His story is a chapter in American history that has been largely ignored — a political assassination on American soil that was never brought to justice. The article 'Who Killed Alex Odeh?' revisits this assassination and asks the question that still demands an answer.
Dr. Sabri Bebawi honors the memory of Alex Odeh as a fellow voice for justice, human dignity, and the right of all people to be heard without fear.
Whispers in Exile
Alex Odeh published a volume of poetry titled Whispers in Exile — a collection that captured the Palestinian experience of displacement, longing, and the enduring human search for home and belonging. Though the book is difficult to find today, his words remain a living testament to his spirit.
"He was a man who believed that words could build bridges where walls had been erected."
— In memory of Alex Odeh, 1944–1985
Dr. Sabri Bebawi
Educator, Author, and Advocate for Human Rights