From boxer Muhammad Ali to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, or civil rights activist Malcom X to basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, there is no shortage of impactful Black Muslims in the United States. While they are an integral part of the Muslim community, both in the US and abroad, too often Black Muslims in the United States go overlooked. African American Muslims make up roughly 20% of the total US Muslim population and have been integral in the history of Islam in the United States, layered by a quest for identity, a struggle for social justice, and breaking away from the legacy of slavery that had defined them.
Islam began to spread across the African continent in the 7th century, particularly in the North. Travels of Muslim scholars, refugees, military invasions, and trade with the Arabian Peninsula, spread of Islamic institutions were some of the sources of the spread. During the time Africans were forcible enslaved and brought to the Americas, many of them were practicing Muslims. An estimated 20% of enslaved people from Africa were Muslim, but many were forced to adhere to Christianity. While their religion was suppressed, there are records of African Muslims holding on to aspects of their faith, even sneaking into fields to pray during Ramadan.
While slavery was a large influence on the spread of Islam in the United States, a group called the Nation of Islam played a large role as well. The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a controversial, yet effective Black nationalist movement founded July 4th, 1930, in Detroit, Michigan. The Nation of Islam presented a unique version of Islam that combined elements with traditional Islamic teachings and Black nationalism. Its founder was Wallace D. Fard Muhammad, and he preached that Islam was the original religion of Black people. In 1934, Elijah Muhammad succeeded Fard, and the movement up-ticked in popularity, particularly in the 50’s and 60’s from national attention due to Malcom X. The messages of racial independence and the act of establishing mosques in urban areas converted many incarcerated Black men in the region.
The Nation of Islam played a significant role during the Civil Rights Movement in their advocacy for Black empowerment. However, in 1965 Malcolm X took a turning point away from the NOI movement following his pilgrimage to Mecca and more aligned with Sunni Islam. Following the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, and the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975, members of the NOI embraced a more “traditional” form of Islam as Sunni Muslims. The general population of African Americans increasingly identified with Sunni Islam in the 80’s and 90’s, which leads us to present day.
Today, African American Muslims continue to play an integral role in the broader Muslim community in the United States. They tend to live amongst one another and build mosques in their own communities. While maintaining their rich cultural heritage, they integrate Islamic practices into their daily lives. Although they make a small percentage of overall Muslim populations in the United States, their history is vital in understanding the broader social, political, and religious landscape. The history of African American Muslims is a testament to resilience, faith, and the ongoing quest for identity, justice, and equality in a complex and often challenging society.
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Paige Benner is a Senior at the O’Neill school studying Policy Analysis with a minor in Education Analysis. She is also a research assistant for 2 projects centered on civic activity and faith-based organizations in the non-profit sector. At IU, she also serves as the Secretary-General for IndianaMUNC XI, and enjoys making and selling art.
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