Inside the Nation of Islam: A Historical and Personal Testimony by a Black Muslim [Hardcover]

Vilbert L. White Jr. (Author), Mike Wallace (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2001

This detailed study of the internal workings of the Nation of Islam under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan examines the evolution of the organization since 1977 and its strange ideological menu of Black Nationalism, political-economic development, anti-Semitism, and conservative Republican ideals. Vibert White maintains that Farrakhan's Nation has become a cult that utilizes black nationalistic and religious dogma and its ability to create political and racial controversy to exploit poor and working-class black Americans for the leaders' economic and political gain.

At the heart of Inside the Nation is White's chronicle of his own sojourn during the 1980s and 1990s as a registered Muslim--from his days as a foot soldier in the Fruit of Islam, the Nation's military organization, through his rise to the status of minister and advisor to the leadership. Included are White's dealings with such leaders as Louis Farrakhan, Akbar Muhammad, Khallid Muhammad, and Benjamin Chavis Muhammad and his involvement in such activities as the Million Man March.

As one who traveled for the organization throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, White was able to observe the leadership and the operation of the group at close hand. He reveals for the first time the detailed structure of NOI's business and religious operation. He explores and separates the Nation of Islam, the religious arm that is incorporated only in Chicago, from the Final Call, its business center operated only by the Farrakhan family. As a professional historian, White was able to separate the passion of the group's rhetoric from its real objectives, which centered on building a personal empire for Louis Farrakhan.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While many books have been written about the Nation of Islam, far fewer have offered personal accounts of life within the movement. (Sonsyrea Tate's Little X stands out in this small group.) Vibert White's Inside the Nation of Islam: A Historical and Personal Testimony of a Black Muslim is unusual in that it provides a relatively late account of life in the Nation. He focuses on the 1980s and 1990s, after Louis Farrakhan had split with Wallace D. Muhammad and the Nation's numbers had dwindled to fewer than 10,000 members. White, who is no longer a member, draws upon his experience as an internal analyst for Farrakhan to present the group's history and evolution. It's a fascinating, detailed account.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A onetime Nation of Islam (NOI) member known from the late 1970s to the 1990s as Brother Vibert L.X., White here offers something of a personal journal along with a historical overview and institutional analysis of the NOI. The personal story takes the son of African Methodist Episcopal missionaries from the religion of his youth to the NOI and later to disillusionment. After briefly describing Islam in early America and the 20th-century development of the NOI from Fard Muhammad and Elijah Muhammad, White (African American studies, Univ. of Illinois, Springfield) comments on the NOI's rise and fall, with sharp focus on the controversial Louis Farrakhan (1933-) and his perhaps most triumphant moment, the 1995 Million Man March on Washington, DC. In his view, self-aggrandizement, self-dealing, and financial finagling, along with misogyny and wholesale deception, fill the organization. Noticeable errors, particularly with personal and place names, undercut the work, but the inside perspective complements the growing external analysis of the NOI that began with C. Eric Lincoln's now classic The Black Muslims in America (1961) and has continued in recent years with works by Amy Alexander, Claude Andrew Clegg, and Karl Evanzz. For larger public and academic libraries. Thomas J. Davis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Florida; 1st edition (September 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813020824
• ISBN-13: 978-0813020822
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,061,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Penetrating Look Inside the Nation of Islam, April 4, 2003

By 

M. Swanson (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Inside the Nation of Islam: A Historical and Personal Testimony by a Black Muslim (Hardcover)

In 1995 Loius Farrakan was big news with his Million Man March, which he promised would bring black power to politics. Within a year his organization, The Nation of Islam, became a focus of controversy when one of his ministers said that Jews were responsible for the holocaust. Then Malcom X's daughter blamed Farrakan for his assassination, something he denied, but sort of apologized for on 60 Minutes.

This is the first good book on the "black muslims" since Louis Lomax wrote his aacout of Elijah Muhammad and Malcom X in the 1960's and is the only book written by someone who was a member of the NOI - except Malcom X's book - which is a classic.

White gives a penetrating acount into the NOI. To me his potrayal makes the organization look like a cult around Farrakan. Everything in it is geared to promoting his public image and money is raised to maintain that. Much of what the NOI does is just show. The Million Man March, accomplished nothing, except to raise Farrakan money. Farrakan talks - but really does few concrete initiatives. His trips to the Middle East with "world leaders" is an example of this - all show, but no real substance. Just acting to give the appearance of being more important than he really is and to keep his followers excited about what he might do or say next.

This is why Farrakan has a tendency to say something insulting - or anti-semitic from time to time - it gets him news coverage, attention, and makes him look like an important and contervsial figure. It gets him members, which is the bottom line.

One thing that surpised me in this book is the shabby financial condition that the NOI is in. I would guess that one day it will eventually go bankrupt - probably after Farrakan retires or passes away from the scene. I've never seen a detailed account of the NOI business structure and finances - but here it is in this book.

Although, White gives plenty of ammo for critics of the NOI I saw his book as a sensitive treatment of them. Adding some of his own story to the book is helpeful to show how/why someone would join the organization. Although some of the leaders may be rotten, many of the members are looking to improve their lives and make the world a better place, even if they have been misled.

This is an important book for people who want to understand the legacy of the nationalist strain in black America. From Marcus Garvey to Elijah Muhummad to the Black Panthers to Louis Farrakan there will always be a strain of black leaders of the nationalist bent. This book is one of the best sources for understanding this in contemporary times - and in the past 20 years.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Personal but not Historical, June 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside the Nation of Islam: A Historical and Personal Testimony by a Black Muslim (Hardcover)

Dr. White writes an interesting expose on the current political and financial status of the Nation of Islam. However, he fails to make his argument on why Black Muslims should follow orthodox Islam and not the NOI's teachings. He does a good job of showing Farrakhan's supporters how the Minister may not be staying true to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, but fails to throw any meaningful criticism at the teachings themselves. Yet this doesn't stop Dr. White from waiting until the end of his book to suggest to Muslims that they follow Orthodox Islam. A religion is not a horse race who's credibility is determined by the number of followers who `bet' on it. So his argument that Black Muslims in America should practice and follow Orthodox Islam because this is what millions of other Muslims around the world are doing is not convincing. Orthodox Islam is filled with a lot of Arab culture and is therefore better suited for Arabs (I'm sure many Sunni Muslims disagree). But Black Muslims, and African Americans in general, still need a program that teaches them how to become spiritually, economically, politically, and socially empowered. Elijah Muhammad's program teaches this. Whether or not Farrakhan and today's NOI is teaching it remains to be seen and White's book does a good job showing this.

For the record, saying that `there is no God but Allah and Muhammad (PBUH) is his Messenger' (the Shahada) in one breath, and saying `Allah appeared in the person of Master Fard Muhammad and Elijah is his Messenger' in another breath is NOT a contradiction. White should know this. With true enlightenment, Allah appears in all of us. He (Allah) can have more than one Messenger (not to be confused with `Prophet'). Anyone who speaks the word of God is a Messenger as he is bringing God's message to the people. Hence, there is no contradiction in Farrakhan disseminating Elijah's teachings while taking his Shahada.

His excerpts and interpretation of Farrakhan's statements and speeches could have easily been copied from the New York Times who has always been biased against Min. Farrakhan and the NOI. I strongly suggest that if one wishes to learn more about Farrakhan's thoughts on certain issues, they listen to the speeches themselves and NOT get their interpretation from Dr. White's book.

White's poor editing also served as an intellectual turnoff. Earlier in the book, he talks about Khallid Muhammad's death while later envisioning him as a great leader in the future as if the man is still alive(???). In the same earlier chapter he mentions that Khallid received his doctorate from Xavier University (page 93) then turns around later (page 119) and questions his `Doctor' title by noting how the alleged university that Khalid received his doctorate from, Dillard University, has no record of Khallid ever receiving his Doctorate )???).

Nonetheless, White's book is useful information for the individual who considers joining or supporting the NOI without first questioning the organization's political and financial motives and practices.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend Book for Reading !!!, September 1, 2002

By 

"ramond1" (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside the Nation of Islam: A Historical and Personal Testimony by a Black Muslim (Hardcover)

I've Read this book and to be honest the author did state that in his writing, "these are my own personal views"; in which are alot of assumptions. We must remember that, "even though the teachings are perfect human beings are not, this is why we strive to be perfect". I have to say that this is good reading for those whom are considering joining the Nation of Islam in order that you may know that the Nation of Islam is not a perfect utopia but is striving to be.