Islam and Black Empowerment
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In the 1950s and 1960s, Islam gained prominence among Black Americans as a response to systemic racism and the failure of Christianity to address racial inequality. The Nation of Islam offered an empowering message of self-reliance, racial pride, and resistance to oppression. Elijah Muhammad’s teachings reframed Black identity as central to a divine purpose, providing hope and dignity for those marginalized by white supremacist systems. The racialized mythology of the NOI, such as the story of “Yacub’s History,” portrayed white people as inherently evil and Black people as God’s chosen people. This worldview divereged significantly from mainstream Islam but resonated with Black Americans seeking to confront the historical and ongoing injustices of racism, as it offered a counter-narrative that affirmed their worth and collective destiny.