- Saviours’ Day 2007 (Official Site)
- Detroit Mayor welcomes Nation for Saviours’ Day (SD2007.com)
DETROIT, MI (FinalCall.com) – Whether you’re on 10 East coming from Los Angeles or Houston, 75 North from Florida, 70 West from DC or 80 West from New York, all roads, for many in the Black community will lead to Detroit for the crowning event of Black History Month, Saviours’ Day, February 23-25.
It is the Nation of Islam’s annual convention and conference of workshops, special events, children’s activities and the expected highlight of the return of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to deliver what could be his last major public address. It is also the crowning event of Black history month.
Anticipation around the country is growing for this event, which is expected to draw tens of thousands. They are coming by planes, trains and automobiles. Caravans of buses are also planned from various cities around the country such as Houston, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
›“Brothers and Sisters are eager to get to Detroit to make Saviours’ Day happen,” explained Minister Jamil Muhammad, a national spokesman for the Nation of Islam to The Final Call.
“They are excited about the spirit of reunion and the joy of being in Detroit. There is a great sense of eagerness of being with Min. Farrakhan in the work that he called us to by Allah’s permission and the eagerness to be with each other.”
While the country is abuzz about going to Detroit, the city is getting excited too. The Nation of Islam has reserved Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions in the heart of downtown as the site for Minister Farrakhan’s address. Ford Field has a capacity of more than 65,000. Ford Field also has spiritual significance in that it was built on the site formerly known as “Black Bottom Detroit” where Master Fard Muhammad first made himself known in 1930.
“Soon the people of Detroit will see a much more visible presence of the Fruit of Islam in the streets promoting Saviour’s Day,” Minister Jamil said.
The weekend begins with Jumu’ah prayer on Friday, February 23 at Ford Field. That event has the potential of being the largest Muslim prayer service in America. The Detroit area has the largest concentration of Muslims in the United States. Workshops are being planned for Saturday, February 24 at the Detroit Cobol Hall, Convention/Exhibit Center. The Exhibit Center is planned as the site for a vendors marketplace. Other planned events include a children’s fair, women and men’s only meetings, cultural events and a youth town hall meeting. Sunday, February 25 is the expected return of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to deliver the Saviours’ Day Address entitled “One Nation Under God:”
Another highlight of the Saviours’ Day weekend will be a museum exhibit on the history of the Nation of Islam presented at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Minister Akbar Muhammad, International Representative of Nation of Islam, led a delegation that visited the museum January 11 in Detroit, where the exhibit will be housed from Wednesday, February 21-Sunday, February 25.
The delegation, which included Min. Dawud Muhammad, of Muhammad’s Mosque No. 1 in Detroit, Mi. and Min. Carlos Muhammad, Muhammad’s Mosque No. 6 in Baltimore, MD, were given a preview of what promises to be one of the biggest attractions of the convention.
The delegation was shown where the Nation of Islam’s history exhibit will be displayed. The exhibit will be housed in a space never-before-used and was specially designed to showcase the Nation’s 77-year legacy. This marks the first time that a major museum has hosted a full depiction of the Nation’s history and legacy.
The exhibit will feature such treasures as a timeline highlighting key events, starting with the appearance of Master Fard Muhammad in 1930. On display, will be personal clothing of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and rare audio recordings of him speaking on various subject matters.
In addition, it will also include newspaper articles, magazines and publications about the Nation; original documents and letters written by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad; photos and artifacts on the accomplishments of the Muslims and personal items from pioneers over the decades.
Storytelling of the Nation’s history will be done by such notables as Mother Tynnetta Muhammad, Min. Akbar and others.
During his visit, Min. Akbar was given a tour of the acclaimed exhibit, “And Still We Rise!” The 22,000 square foot exhibit consists of over 20 galleries giving a powerful truelife account of the Black man and woman’s journey in America.
In the exhibit, museum guests travel from the great civilizations on the African continent through a real life slavery ship holding tightly packed human cargo, to a 400-year sojourn in present day America.
When asked his thoughts about the exhibit, Min. Akbar responded, “After touring the museum, I was touched by what I found. Every Muslim, and our guests, should make it their business to visit that museum. It touches every aspect of our people’s history from Africa to slavery, through slavery and our struggle for justice in America.”
He went on to say, “One of the most touching aspects is the recreation of the slave ship, with the sounds to give afeel of what it must have been like.”
The Nation of Islam’s exhibit is considered a perfect compliment to “And Still We Rise!” as it picks up where the latter leaves off. “The museum has opened its door for the Nation of Islam to walk through its history from 1930 to the present” said Min. Akbar, and that “The family of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad in Detroit and Chicago have all pitched in to make this exhibit overwhelming for our friends, well-wishers and supporters.”
He also took the time to commend the hard work of the members of the Nation of Islam in Detroit, who have been working very hard to see the success of the exhibit.
In 2005, the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan was given a private tour of “And Still We Rise!” Deeply moved at what he saw, he told officials that he wanted the Nation’s students to visit the exhibit. Together, the two are a must see for not only the students of the Nation of Islam, but for convention goers as well.
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