As many people across the world prepare to observe what is called “Mother’s Day,”—traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday in May—it is important to understand why honoring and respecting our first teacher, nurse and protector is so critical.
In the Nation of Islam we are taught that the Black woman is the mother of civilization.
In his pivotal message, “Heaven Lies at the Feet of Mother,” his Mother’s Day, May 13, 1984, address at the Final Call Administration Building, Minister Farrakhan explained the importance of the woman when it comes to the elevation and advancement of a society and nation.
“We will never have a heavenly life until we have Godly females who love Allah (God) with their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and, who will never come down from the elevated place that Allah (God) desires for the female.
If she is elevated in consciousness, filled with the Word and Spirit of Allah (God), filled with the knowledge of self and Allah (God), then, when she is with child we can expect that she will be like Mary, a good mother.
Heaven lies at her feet, which means that children must be in submission to the Godly woman to let her shape and mold them into good boys and girls. The scripture teaches, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go and, when he is old, he will not depart from it,’” said Minister Farrakhan.
“Then and only then can we produce the heavenly life on earth. Then and only then can we as a nation ascend to that elevated place and witness the Kingdom of Allah (God) on earth. Then and only then, we will be in the Hereafter where there will be no vain discourse and everywhere we look we will see and hear nothing but peace, peace, peace,” he added.
Motherhood is full of triumphs and challenges as women balance and navigate the realities of their lives. The stresses and stressors are real. According to the article on news.ncsu.edu, “How Racism Shapes Black Motherhood in the U.S.,”
Black women in particular experience more stress than other moms. The article references a study from North Carolina State University titled “Can’t Just Send Our Children Out: Intensive Motherwork and Experiences of Black Motherhood,” by Mia Brantley, an assistant professor of sociology. The study was published in 2023.
“There is a broad understanding that motherhood is, while rewarding, also a demanding responsibility,” Prof. Brantley stated in a news release about her study. “This study found that, while Black mothers share many of the same concerns as other mothers, Black motherhood is distinct.
That’s because—in addition to wanting their children to succeed—Black mothers also take steps to both protect their children from racism and help their children learn to navigate a society where they will experience anti-Black racism,” the news release continued.
However, despite these obstacles, the determination and resiliency of Black mothers are evident and are to be honored and celebrated. The joy they feel as they strive to nurture their families is something that is sometimes overlooked.
Sister Maalikah Muhammad serves as Student Southwest Regional M.G.T. and G.C.C. Captain for the Nation of Islam at Mosque No. 45. She and her husband, Brother Jeffrey Muhammad, have a daughter, Kameelah, 22. Sister Maalikah also strives to help nurture and serve women of all ages in her role in the mosque and throughout her community.
Sister Maalikah’s mother, Elizabeth Baron Walls, who birthed 11 children, has been a significant influence in her life, and the joys of Black motherhood invoke memories of their relationship. Sister Maalikah was child number 11.
“Her entire life was being a mother to us, and she enjoyed it. People have careers, people have callings, but my mother was a mother.
And, when I think of the joys of motherhood, I think about her because while we were children, and there are ups and downs, heartbreaks and all of that in rearing children, I know that one of the greatest joys of her life was being our mother,” she stated.
One of Sister Maalikah Muhammad’s challenges is to live up to the example of her mother. She thought it was a foregone conclusion that she was her mother’s favorite, but realized all her siblings felt that way!
“For her to make each of us feel special, … but for each of us to feel like we were special or the most important person to her was a testament to the kind of person that she was. So, for me, the challenge was a little bit different, because I only had the one daughter to rear,” she explains.
“The challenge for me is to always make Kameelah know how special she is and (how) valued she is, despite everything else that’s going on in the world, to make her know that she is valuable to me,” she stated.
That same principle applies in her nearly 35-year role as a student M.G.T. Captain. It is important for her to make everybody feel that they are important, she explained. Regardless of whether a woman physically births a child or not, many serve as a “mother” figure in their community.
There is a struggle for balance and Black women often carry a lot of responsibility and are used to taking care of everyone else. The challenge is finding balance and learning it’s okay to take care of themselves too, she said.
Sister RoLanda Wilkins of Sacramento, California, has been deeply involved in community work for over 35 years. She has worked to serve young pregnant Black girls and women, helping to improve birth outcomes and provide care rooted in love and cultural understanding.
“When I think of Black motherhood, I immediately think of my own mother, Mae Newman Wilkins, and community mothers like Ms. Lillian Mobley, Ms. Hester Snyder, and so many others who helped shape my understanding of love, leadership, and responsibility,”
Said Ms. Wilkins, as she reflected on some of those women who have constantly mothered, nurtured, helped to raise children in their families, neighborhoods, or larger communities.
Ms. Wilkins reflected on how the Black women in her life served as “surrogate” mothers for her. “I think of their cooking, the way they nurtured not only their own children but everyone’s children, and how they instilled a strong sense of pride, purpose, and belonging. These women made motherhood a community act, full of grace, strength, and love.
Watching them, it felt natural for me to step in and become a surrogate mother to so many. Their example showed me that mothering is not just about biology, it’s about presence, care, and commitment to the next generation,” said Ms. Wilkins.
She did not physically give birth to any children, but her journey into motherhood began when she was just 19 and became a foster parent to a 6-month-old baby girl diagnosed with failure to thrive.
“Since then, I’ve mothered thousands of young women—many through the school setting where I continue to teach classes on etiquette, self-love, and how to walk through the world with confidence and grace,” stated Ms. Wilkins.
Over the years, she has also fostered a set of twins and their mother and supported young women aging out of the foster care system—those who had completed high school but had no stable place to go, according to Ms. Wilkins. “I’ve stood in the gap for them, providing guidance, shelter, and love.
Although I haven’t given birth, I have countless godchildren, and in my family, I’m lovingly called ‘Grantee’—a special blend of grandma and auntie. It’s a title I hold with pride, reflecting the nurturing, mentoring, and unconditional love I’ve poured into generations of children and young people,” Ms. Wilkins continued.
She also takes pride in watching young mothers evolve into powerful women, balancing their own dreams while raising children with strength and determination.
“There’s so much joy in witnessing them reconnect with their families, walk across the stage at graduation, or uncover parts of their ancestry they never knew. I find deep fulfillment in seeing them discover their inner power, often rising above circumstances that were meant to break them,” said Ms. Wilkins.
There is a tremendous gratitude that many Black women find in motherhood.
“Every single morning when I wake up, before my feet even touch the ground, I make the conscious choice to embrace the joy that is my experience of Black motherhood,” Candace Bond-Theriault writes in a 2022 article on self.com titled, “22 Ways I Experience Joy as a Black Momma.” She lists several things that, as a Black mother, bring happiness to her daily life.
“Centering Black mothering joy is the best way for me to stay sane in these times and to take my power back. It helps shift my focus from the grim reality of the Black maternal mortality crisis in the U.S.,
The killing of our Black children at the hands of police, and the anti-critical race theory campaigns attempting to erase accurate accounts of Black history in our country’s schools. That’s why, as an act of resistance, I want to present an alternative image of Black motherhood—one that thrives in unabashed joy,” writes Ms. Bond-Theriault.
Thirty-five years ago, as a teen mother, Sister JayVon Muhammad, who attends Mosque No. 74 in Indianapolis, overcame many obstacles. She is a women’s healthcare advocate and professional.
“Our young mamas are under heavy psychological warfare by people encouraging them to practice unhealthy mothering, be it food, entertainment, and/or relationships. Depression and anxiety are at all-time highs, and just breathing is expensive. It is challenging, but despite the challenges, these mothers are mothering well,” she told The Final Call.
For Sister JayVon Muhammad, it is seeing a new generation of mothers take the mantle, which brings her joy. She is a mother of three with seven grandchildren, six of whom she delivered herself.
“Watching my children ‘mother’ makes me so happy. They are full of joy and hope, and I get to live some of the experience through their eyes. My daughters are much better mothers than me. They have more resources, patience, and they have husbands to care for them,” she said, smiling.
Though they are adults, she still continues to nurture her children by supporting their dreams, offering them assistance whenever possible, feeding them positive words, encouragement, and availing herself for guidance. She loves being a grandmother and assists with her grandchildren whenever she is able.
“What stands out for me when I think about Black mothering is the pride that mothers take to instill love and ‘the culture’ into our babies. … I think about the fear we have for our children’s safety in a world that hates them, but the joy we have as we watch them navigate through the world.”
