Customer Reviews

Black Muslims in America, The (Third Edition)

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Though not up to date, this book is an important study of the Nation of Islam movement. Let me warn though that it should be supplemented by the excellent book on Elijah Muhammad called, "An Original Man", as well as primary sources to get a clearer picture of this movement.
My one complaint is that the introduction, written by another scholar, paints a completely negative picture of the NOI movement, ignoring the positive contributions and context of its growth and development. Luckily, the author has a healthier approach. There is much to be learned here, but a more recent study of this nature should be written about the further evolution of this important modern Muslim and African American movement.

C. Eric Lincoln (1924-2000) was a professor of religion and sociology at Union Theological Seminary, as well as Fisk University and Duke University; he was also an ordained United Methodist minister. He wrote other books such as The Black Church in the African American Experience, This Road Since Freedom: Collected Poems (The C. Eric Lincoln Series in Black Religion), Coming through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America.

He writes in the Preface to this 1961 book, "This study is in no sense complete. At best it presents a partial perspective of the dark and serious problems of racial tension---problems which confront responsible men in this country and throughout the world. We need more studies about the voiceless people who want to be heard in the councils of the world."

Here are some quotations from the book: (NOTE: page numbers do NOT refer to the 3rd edition, but to the 1st edition)

"Muslims have only contempt for the Negro sit-in movement, in which Black Men are 'going out of their way to force the white man to let them spend more money with him,' rather than contribute to the establishment of businesses run by and for Black Men." (Pg. 20)
"But the Muslim leadership has not especially welcomed the West Indians in this country, possibly because the West Indian habit of making distinctions among Negroes in terms of color could jeopardize the Muslim appeal for a 'United Black Front.'" (Pg. 25-26)
"The Muslims are not recognized by orthodox Moslems in this country, but they consider themselves Moslems and are apparently so considered by the many Moslem countries in Africa and the Middle East who have welcomed and honored their leaders." (Pg. 28)
"The 'originality' of the Black Nation and the creation of the white race by Yakub, 'a black scientist in rebellion against Allah'---this is the central myth of the Black Muslim Movement." (Pg. 76)
"There are indications that (Elijah) Muhammad does not really consider the physical separation of the races in this country a viable issue. He has offered no concrete proposal for effecting such a separation or for a partition of the country." (Pg. 97)
"(I)t is well to remember that only Billy Graham has attracted and converted more people in recent years than has Elijah Muhammad, Messenger of Allah." (Pg. 108)
"Negro intellectuals have systematically ignored Muhammad... Even in cities where Muslim activities regularly outdraw Christian and fraternal affairs and receive national coverage, the intellectuals seem unaware of the Muslims' existence." (Pg. 139)
"But even among those who have joined or who favor the Movement, sympathy is generally focused not on the doctrine of racial hostility but on the issues of economic policy, race pride and moral uplift." (Pg. 162)
"On certain fundamental points of doctrine, however, the Black Muslims have departed widely from orthodox Moslem tradition. Partly for this reason, and partly from an instinctive militancy toward newcomers, the official representatives of orthodox Islam in the United States have refused any recognition of the Black Muslims." (Pg. 219)

C. Eric Lincoln (1924-2000) was a professor of religion and sociology at Union Theological Seminary, as well as Fisk University and Duke University; he was also an ordained United Methodist minister. He wrote other books such as The Black Church in the African American Experience, This Road Since Freedom: Collected Poems (The C. Eric Lincoln Series in Black Religion), Coming through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America.

He writes in the Preface to this 1961 book, "This study is in no sense complete. At best it presents a partial perspective of the dark and serious problems of racial tension---problems which confront responsible men in this country and throughout the world. We need more studies about the voiceless people who want to be heard in the councils of the world."

Here are some quotations from the book:

"Muslims have only contempt for the Negro sit-in movement, in which Black Men are 'going out of their way to force the white man to let them spend more money with him,' rather than contribute to the establishment of businesses run by and for Black Men." (Pg. 20)
"But the Muslim leadership has not especially welcomed the West Indians in this country, possibly because the West Indian habit of making distinctions among Negroes in terms of color could jeopardize the Muslim appeal for a 'United Black Front.'" (Pg. 25-26)
"The Muslims are not recognized by orthodox Moslems in this country, but they consider themselves Moslems and are apparently so considered by the many Moslem countries in Africa and the Middle East who have welcomed and honored their leaders." (Pg. 28)
"The 'originality' of the Black Nation and the creation of the white race by Yakub, 'a black scientist in rebellion against Allah'---this is the central myth of the Black Muslim Movement." (Pg. 76)
"There are indications that (Elijah) Muhammad does not really consider the physical separation of the races in this country a viable issue. He has offered no concrete proposal for effecting such a separation or for a partition of the country." (Pg. 97)
"(I)t is well to remember that only Billy Graham has attracted and converted more people in recent years than has Elijah Muhammad, Messenger of Allah." (Pg. 108)
"Negro intellectuals have systematically ignored Muhammad... Even in cities where Muslim activities regularly outdraw Christian and fraternal affairs and receive national coverage, the intellectuals seem unaware of the Muslims' existence." (Pg. 139)
"But even among those who have joined or who favor the Movement, sympathy is generally focused not on the doctrine of racial hostility but on the issues of economic policy, race pride and moral uplift." (Pg. 162)
"On certain fundamental points of doctrine, however, the Black Muslims have departed widely from orthodox Moslem tradition. Partly for this reason, and partly from an instinctive militancy toward newcomers, the official representatives of orthodox Islam in the United States have refused any recognition of the Black Muslims." (Pg. 219)