Born to a poor Egyptian family in the Nile Delta, her exact birth date is uncofirmed.
Umm Kulthum tours with her father, singing at weddings and various religious functions. She had to dress as a boy since girls could not recite and sing Quranic verses in public.
Umm Kulthum pursues music lessons with private teachers and begins holding performances.
Umm Kulthum joins the ranks of prestigous singers now that she has a professional ensemble to accompany her powerful voice. She signs a recording contract with Gramaphone Records | PODCAST
She performed in large cities, eg Beirut, Lebanon; Baghdad, Iraq; Damascus, Syria -- a testiment to her widespread appeal. See Lesson 1 | Watch Video
After inaugurating Radio Cairo, Umm Kulthum holds monthly radio concerts. Her renown exploded as households all across the Middle East and North Africa considered these broadcasts as almost sacred. See Lesson 2, 4 and 5
Despite her limited acting experience, UK stars in six films throughout her lifetime.
A shrewd business woman, Umm Kulthum begins to negotiate her own contracts and produce her own concerts. See Lesson 6
King Farouk grants Umm Kulthum with the highest Egyptian order of Knighthood. The Egyptian order of Knighthood (Nishan Al-Kamal) had previously been reserved for royalty and politicians.
A group of high-ranking Egyptian soldiers, calling themselves The free Officers, launch a coup d'etat, overthrowing the ruling King Farouk. Gamal Abdel Nasser becomes president. See Lesson 7
Umm Kulthum commissions poet Ahmed Rami to write a national song, titled “Egypt, Which is in My Mind and My Blood”, showing her support of the new government of Gamal Abdel Nasser See Lesson 7
As a contemporary of Umm Kulthum, Abdel Wahab was a highly regarded singer and songwriter who composed thousands of songs. In a relationship that ranged from rivalry to collaboration with Umm Kulthum, his most famous collaboration with her was his composition Inta Omri | See Lesson 3 and see Yalli Zara'tu-l Burtu'an education tool See Lesson 1Watch Video
Israel captures the Gaza Strip and Sinai peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria See Lesson 8
After the Six-Day war defeat, she travelled throughout Egypt and the Arab world, donating the proceeds of her performances to the government of Egypt. These concerts were much publicized and took on the character of state visits | See Lesson 8
This is Umm Kulthum's first performance outside the Arab world.
Umm Kulthum dies from heart failure at around age 70. Millions of Egyptians and people from around the world crowd the streets of Cairo to pay their final respects at her funeral | Watch Video
