Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Review: Muslims in America: Seven Centuries of History (1312-1998) by Amir Nashid Ali Muhammad

Amir Nashid Ali Muhammad. Muslims In America: Seven Centuries Of History, 1312 1998: Collections And Stories Of American Muslims Beltsville, Maryland: Amana Publications; 1998. 64 pp. Paperback.

The latest version of this book is 84 pages and published in 2001, but I have not read it.

Century by century, the author mentions names of Muslims in that part of the Americas which became the United States. It's a great antidote to the "Columbus" phenomenon of some immigrant Muslims who believe that they brought Islam to the United States when they landed at JFK. It's also a great antidote to the Islamophobes who think that Muslims should be expelled from the United States as if they were last week's cold virus.

The book's bibliography allows the reader to follow up on the tips the author brings to the reader. I hope to learn more about Amir:
In April 1789, an advertisement seeking the capture of a man named Armer (Amir) appeared in the Savannah Georgia Gazette. Armer was about twenty years old when he ran away from the plantation of Thomas Grave in Richmond County, Georgia.  (p. 14)
Richmond County is about 4 miles from my house.

I believe the author is involved with the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson, Mississippi.