Black Pilgrimage to Islam (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Jolie Stahl (Photographer) "THE first task of this book is to describe what I call the unchurched culture of African Americans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries..." (more)
Key Phrases: kalima shahada, audiotape interview, red fez, New York, African Americans, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The term black Muslim generally conjures up images of the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad. But the appeal of Islam dates back to slavery, when many Africans retained their religion, defying attempts to Christianize them. Dannin traces the evolution of the practice of Islam by blacks in the U.S. from slavery through the more orthodox, globalized Islam. The first half of the book recounts the history of Islam among American blacks, the linkage to secret lodge societies, and the rise of black nationalism. Islamic missionaries brought more formal pedagogy but often stirred conflict with their disregard for the historic context of Islam in an oppressed black America. In his conversion to orthodox Islam, El-Hajj Malik Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X, elevated the status of Islam as a powerful alternative to the spiritual monopoly of Christianity in liberating black Americans from the strictures of racism. The second half of this fascinating book recounts individual experiences of conversion and the difficulties of being a double minority in terms of race and religion. Vanessa Bush
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Review

"an important and ground-breaking book"-- Journal of African American History
"I highly recommend this text for those interested in Islam in America, black religion, and American religious ethnography."-- The Journal of Religion
"[An] effort to promote cross-cultural understanding and to give an image and voice to thousands of African Americans. He succeeds admirably. Among the book's greatest strengths are the Muslims' testimonies of conversion, presented in their own words."--Sonsyrea Tate,The Washington Post Book World
"Fascinating"--Booklist

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (March 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195147340
• ISBN-13: 978-0195147346
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,541,781 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written social history of African-American Islam, November 10, 2003

By	Lina Fairchild (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Fifteen years of research have gone into the most comprehensive, candid and well-written social history of African American Islam to date. The author's experience as a journalist and, more recently, teacher of urban anthropology at New York University show as he brings facts and personalities to life. From the working-class and depressed urban neighborhoods to college campuses, community organizations and prisons, Dan-nin investigates the surprising range of expressions that Islam has taken, all the while inquiring how Islam has aided people seeking to overcome a legacy of slavery and ra-cial oppression. His travels, conversations and readings show that the Nation of Islam, which commands a disproportionate share of national media attention, is but a thread in a much larger design, which is itself a rich element in the social tapestry of the United States. DD

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for understanding, September 27, 2007

By	J. Sherman "Getting Understanding" (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a must read for understanding Islam as it has been practiced and embraced by descendants of African slaves in America. Get out your dictionary, highlighter and laptop as it will inspire you to learn, blog and think.