Cultrual Identity Of Mordern African American Muslim Community

This study concisely reviews the history of modern African American Muslimcommunities from the perspective of cultural identity. Since the early twentieth century, thenumber of American Muslims, especially African American Muslims, has experienced arelatively rapid growth, which could make Islam the second largest religion in the UnitedStates. African American Muslims once made unique contribution to the survival anddevelopment of American black community through the brave articulation of their culturalidentity. However, the late second half of20thcentury saw more and more AfricanAmerican Muslims identify themselves with their international counterparts and begin toadopt the beliefs and practices of what is generally considered as mainstream or orthodoxIslam. A more inclusive overview that considers social, religious, racial and politicalfactors is yet to be completed on the practice of cultural identity of African AmericanMuslims. More effort should be made to investigate the African American Islamiccommunity, in order to contribute to African-American studies as well as Muslim studies.With cultural identity in perspective, the thesis analyzes the evolution of the AfricanAmerican Muslim community and the movements led by some prominent leaders. Theauthor argues that on the one hand, the search for cultural identity functioned as anongoing force beneath the rise, expansion, introspection and transformation of AfricanAmerican Muslim community and on the other hand, African American Muslims’ culturalidentity is also influenced by the change of social condition and their status in Americansociety.