To honor the 31st Anniversary of the Million Man March and Holy Day of Atonement, the Muslims of Muhammad Mosque No. 1, in Detroit, held held local outreach efforts on October 16.
The Million Man March was called by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and on October 16, 1995, nearly two million Black men responded to his call in Washington, D.C.
Student Minister Troy Muhammad of Mosque No. 1 and the believers participated in a food distribution giveaway and visited a local middle school to speak to 7th and 8th graders about the Million Man March.
“We were able to put our faith into action and go out (into the community) and provide over 200 food bags to the community,” said Student M.G.T. and G.C.C. Captain Dr. Missey Muhammad.
She said, although many people they engaged did not know that it was the 31st Anniversary of the March, the brothers and sisters utilized The Final Call newspaper to show information about that historic day and “to visualize aspects of the historic Million Man March and show our people how we were in real time interacting with what the history-making occasion actually looked like.”
She explained that some people they interacted with were not aware of the Million Man March because they were not born yet, so “the visual aspect” in The Final Call, including the photographs and other information, helped them appreciate its significance.
Others were visibly touched by the act of kindness of receiving a wholesome meal prepared by the M.G.T. “While we were handing out food bags… one sister literally started crying, for the visual aspect of showing them what a gift of love, to them, looked like,” she said.
Student M.G.T. Captain Missey also said it was a blessing to be among our people and to give back to the community. Just like we were given “salvation in the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, under the direction of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Allah (God) blessed us with our chance to return what we were given.”
Student Minister Victor Saadiq Muhammad, husband of Student M.G.T. Captain Missey, who, along with other F.O.I. (Fruit of Islam), provided security for the sisters and also distributed food, said he utilized the time to help the people they interacted with visualize the Million Man March and what “two million Black men congregating together without one argument” looked like.
“At the Million Man March, we (accidentally) bumped into each other, we stepped on each other’s feet, but our response at the March was, ‘Well excuse me, brother,’ ‘Pardon me, brother.’ That’s why we said it was a glimpse of heaven. And on the National Mall, we cleaned up afterward. Yes, we cleaned it up afterward and after we departed the Mall was as clean as when we arrived,” said Student Minister Victor. The same day the brothers and sisters interacted with students at the David Ellis Academy Middle School’s 7th and 8th graders. Brother Carlin Muhammad told The Final Call that he and Sister Fatimah Muhammad had the opportunity to speak with the students about the significance of the historic Million Man March. “Out of the 40 students only two knew about the Million Man March,” Brother Carlin said.
“Since I attended the Million Man March, I was able to give an overview of the March,” he continued. “I gave them a kind of play-byplay of how the day of the March unfolded.” He said they began by showing the students a special on the Million Man March.
Next, they had a lively exchange with the students, “answering questions, also giving scenarios of how the principles of atonement taught at the Million Man March could be utilized in their everyday school setting,” Bro. Carlin explained.
He shared a scenario students might encounter. “If someone bumps you in the hallway, what do you do?” he asked them. “So we went through those types of exercises with the students, dealing with atonement, responsibility, reconciliation, in a school setting,” he explained.
At the end of the session, Brother Carlin said they shared the Million Man March Pledge, read at the March by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
After the program, Brother Carlin and Sister Fatimah treated the students to lunch.
