February: Black History Month
Imam Zaid Shakir’s article at New Islamic Directions blog which discusses the relevance of Black History Month to Muslims in America:
“It is estimated that upwards to 20% of the Africans enslaved in the Americas were Muslim….. As Muslims, our story in this country did not begin with the coming of Syrians, Lebanese, Albanians, or Yemenis at the turn of the 20th Century and later. It began with the lives of those courageous African Muslim slaves whose blood, sweat, and tears were instrumental in building this country. Their struggle is our struggle, and our struggle should be viewed as a continuation of theirs.”
Islamcrunch.com has some suggestions on how we can broaden our awareness about the history of African American Muslims:
“The obvious: The month of February is honored to be known a Black History Month in North America (October in the UK)….
The hidden: Where is the daily celebration of the role African-Americans played in the development of the US? Why is Black History Month regulated to one month?
The very hidden: The importance of African Muslims in the early history of the USA.
What you can do:…”
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