First Ramadan Iftar Dinner at the White House 200 Years ago under President Thomas Jefferson

The first Muslim ambassador to the United States, from Tunisia, was hosted by President Thomas Jefferson, who arranged a sunset dinner for his guest because it was Ramadan - making it the first known Iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago. The Thomas Jefferson building at the U.S. Capitol has a mural titled "Human Understanding," where Islam is honored as one of the twelve greatest influences on American civilization, especially in the area of physics.