CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill.—Hundreds of friends, supporters and believers gathered at an awards banquet to celebrate 45 years of Muhammad Mosque No. 28B and its enduring impact on the Metro East and the greater St. Louis community. The evening brought together generations of believers for a night of dinner, an awards ceremony and a powerful message that reminded the assembled guests why they came together in the first place and what they are still called to do. The event was held May 16.
Student Minister Donald Muhammad of Mosque No. 28 in St. Louis, Missouri, delivered the keynote address, opening with the first five verses of Surah (Chapter 90), titled, “The City” from the Holy Qur’an. “What will make you know what the uphill road is?” Student Min. Donald asked, setting the tone for a message rooted in accountability, sacrifice and the obligation to serve those less fortunate.
For Brother Earl, Student Secretary of Mosque 28B, in East St. Louis, Ill., the significance of 45 years runs deep. “This 45th anniversary is very significant because it is my birthplace in the Nation and the first mosque dedicated under the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s leadership after 1975,” he said. “This year will launch the restoration and re-dedication of the building as one of our Nation’s historical sites.”
The history of Mosque No. 28B is a testament to what a small group of determined believers can accomplish when driven by faith and vision. After the departure of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad in 1975, Minister Farrakhan stood up to rebuild and reestablish the Nation of Islam in the fall of 1977. By 1978, he had shared his vision with a small group of believers in the St. Louis community alongside his close friend, Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad.
Under Brother Akbar’s direction, Brother Arvin X and Brother Jerry Oliver, along with his wife Beverly, held study groups in private homes that grew into Sunday meetings at Southern Illinois University East St. Louis Campus and eventually relocated to the Mary E. Brown Center at 15th and Piggot Avenue in East St. Louis.
In 1979, Brother Eddie Aziz identified the vacant Will McGaughy Administration Building at 2216 State Street in East Saint Louis, Illinois, which was up for public auction. A small group of approximately 15 believers pooled their resources to purchase the building. Working with a deadline given by Minister Farrakhan to Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, the believers labored tirelessly to prepare the building for occupancy. On May 3, 1981, Minister Farrakhan officially dedicated the building as Muhammad Mosque No. 28B.
Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, then known as Brother Larry X, served as the first minister of the mosque for one year before being called to Chicago to assist Minister Farrakhan directly.
Over the decades, the ministers of Mosque 28B have included Brother Robert Muhammad, Brother Gregory Muhammad and Brother Donald Muhammad. Today Student Minister Ralph Muhammad serves as the student minister. Each brother helped carry the mission of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan forward through changing times and enduring challenges.
“In 45 years we have learned a lot and have lost a lot,” said Student Minister Ralph Muhammad. “But when we think about the challenges we endured and the sacrifices we all made to build the brotherhood and sisterhood, you can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come and yet how far we have to go. Brother Akbar laid the foundation for us, and we are forever grateful to him. He gave us so many principles to live by, but sometimes we slow down and the fire begins to fade. It takes a strong willpower to stay the course, and we are happy to still be here after 45 years,” he added.
The evening also honored those who have given their time and dedication to the community. Awards were presented to mentors Vickey Kimmel and Darron Suggs for their service in helping youth become better citizens. Additional honorees included Edna Farmer, educator; Dr. Lillian Parks, posthumously, in education administration; East St. Louis City Manager Robert Betts; and Nation of Islam pioneer Sister Sarah Muhammad, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Forty-five years after 15 believers pooled their dollars to purchase a building on State Street, Muhammad Mosque No. 28B stands as a living monument to what faith, sacrifice and the guidance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan can produce in a community that refused to quit.