African American Muslims 11.29.16

Islam in America Post-9/11 Islam Disconnected from American history and culture? Immigrants Muslim communities? First Muslims in America were slaves Islam as integral part of American history that is deliberately silenced

Elijah Muhammad Founder of Islam in 1930’s Great Migration moved north to Detroit learns Islam from silk peddler different form of Islam disconnected from Middle East Islam as source of political, social and religious liberation What happens when your oppressor is your religious leader? Presented an alternative ideology from same book that empowers people Taught themes of Qur’an, but mainly re-teaching Christian Bible Qur’an has symbolic significance

Nation of Islam: ELements and Ideologies Islam in America popularized through Nation of Islam — tactics of national community, discipline, dignity, dress “Do for self” — self reliance and economic independence, cultivation of own culture and civilization Improve spiritual, mental, social and economic welfare of African Americans in US Recruitment during postwar decades (WWII and Vietnam) Conversation of inmates Redefine “black male stereotype” of drug and gang violence Appealed to young, economically disadvantaged, African-American males from Christian background

Nation of Islam & The Civil Rights Movement Different stories and approaches from MLK and Civil Rights Movement Separatist Movement Called for separate nation for black Americans, as chosen people Fruit of Islam - “Civil Rights Movement had its own army” Uses titles/structure of military (captain, lieutenants) Retaliation when physically threatened Cleared entire neighborhoods of drug dealers, etc

After Malcolm Project at GSU

Warith Deen Muhammad One of eight children of Elijah Mohammad Excommunicated twice from NOI by father Sent to Middle East to learn Sunni Islam Becomes national leader of NOI after father’s death in 1975 Disbands NOI in 1976; Conversion of 2 million followers to American Society of Muslims 10-15% Continue as Nation of Islam under Louis Farrakhan Forged closer ties with mainstream “orthodox” (Sunni) Muslim communities Still tensions between immigrant and NOI communities; classism