More than 100 parishioners, students, clergy, current and former elected officials and community supporters filled the broad steps of the historic Black Catholic parish Aug. 26 as Rev. Michael Pfleger walked to a clear lectern set outside the church he has served for more than half a century.

Some raised cellphones to record the moment. Others leaned forward around news crews. Smiles moved through the crowd as the longtime pastor, dressed simply in a white polo shirt, stood again before his church family.

Two days earlier, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, had reinstated Father Pfleger effective immediately after the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Independent Review Board concluded there was “no reason to believe” he was guilty of an allegation of sexual abuse dating to the 1990s.

The decision ended a painful removal from ministry that kept Father Pfleger away from St. Sabina for about seven weeks while he was simultaneously undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer.

The gathering was part homecoming, part press conference and part call to action. Father Pfleger thanked those who carried him through what he described as public humiliation and private anguish, then turned his attention to an Archdiocesan process he called broken and unjust. “An accusation should begin an investigation and not end a reputation,” he told the crowd.

The scene was markedly different from the weeks of uncertainty that preceded it. Father Pfleger said he had missed block parties, a church picnic, food and book bag giveaways, Friday night peace walks and six Sundays of worship.

The separation also disrupted a parish whose ministry reaches far beyond Sunday Mass, including a food pantry Father Pfleger said serves about 250 people a day, youth programs and community anti-violence work.

Protection needed on all levels

On the steps, parishioners stood shoulder to shoulder with young men from Leo High School. Local television microphones crowded the lectern. Attorney James Figliulo, Father Pfleger’s high school classmate and legal counsel, addressed the news media first as supporters filled nearly every visible space behind him.

Atty. Figliulo said the church must protect children while also protecting priests from unjust allegations. The problem, he argued, is a system that can act quickly to remove a priest but slowly to resolve a claim.

“We all need a process because we all want to protect children from sex abuse,” he said. “But we also want to protect priests who are unfairly accused.” He said the allegation against Father Pfleger should have been resolved much sooner and pledged that lawyers, community leaders and faith leaders would continue pressing the Archdiocese for reform.

“We can still protect children and provide a fair process for the priests,” Atty. Figliulo said. “There are a hundred ways to do it, and we’re going to work together to get it done. We’re not letting it go.”

Dr. Shaka Rawls, president and principal of Leo High School, brought students to witness what he considered a living lesson in perseverance and justice. “There’s no better  educational opportunity than for our young Black and Brown men on the South Side of Chicago to watch somebody deal with false accusations,”

Dr. Rawls said to The Final Call. “There is no better educational process than seeing this man fight this firsthand and actually being vindicated. This is school today.”

Illinois Sen. Willie Preston, whose district includes St. Sabina, said concern for children and fairness to the accused are not competing values.

“The worst thing we can do for real victims is allow someone falsely accused to be essentially convicted in the court of public opinion,” Sen. Preston told The Final Call. He described Father Pfleger as a friend personally and professionally and said there had been no substantiated evidence that would cause him to abandon that friendship.

When Father Pfleger finally stepped to the microphones, those behind him quieted. He began not with anger, but gratitude. “First, I am thankful to God for His faithfulness and His strength,” he said. “I have had to deal with cancer and public humiliation simultaneously, and the emotional trauma did not help the radiation treatment. I learned quickly that I could not handle either without Him.”

He thanked Atty. Figliulo and his law firm, Smith, Gambrell & Russell; researcher and adviser Andrew Stroth; his canon lawyer, Msgr. Patrick Lagges; judges and attorneys who offered support; ministers across faith traditions; St. Sabina’s staff and leadership; his family; and the close circle of friends who gave him room “to vent, cry and express my heart.”

He also thanked the parishioners who prayed, called, texted and publicly demanded his return. “You are proof that we are building a church of leaders,” Father Pfleger said. “I am honored and humbled to be your pastor.”

For St. Sabina, the removal was not an abstract administrative action. Father Pfleger told The Final Call about an eighth-grade boy in the parish’s altar service ministry who cried, lost sleep and repeatedly asked whether his pastor would ever return. Father Pfleger called the child and assured him that he was all right, that he loved him and that he would be back.

“He just cried on the phone,” Father Pfleger recalled. “This young child has to go through this kind of trauma. It’s cruelty.”

The pain extended across a congregation already confronting violence, hunger, racism and the other pressures bearing down on Black and Latino communities, he said. A faith community should be a place where people are strengthened for those battles, not another institution they must fight.

The allegation came to the Archdiocese through an attorney representing a woman who said Father Pfleger abused her when she attended St. Sabina school between 1993 and 1995. Father Pfleger denied the accusation. In a July 11 announcement, he said he had been ordered to leave the parish and cease ministry while the matter was investigated.

In his Aug. 24 letter to St. Sabina parishioners, Cardinal Cupich said the Independent Review Board, assisted by the Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, had thoroughly reviewed the allegation. He defended the importance of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even when it is public and requires substantial time.

“As to this case, the Review Board has concluded there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation,” Cardinal Cupich wrote. “After careful consideration I have accepted their conclusion and have reinstated Father Pfleger to ministry at St. Sabina, effective immediately.”

The cardinal also acknowledged that Father Pfleger’s absence had caused “real and painful” suffering.

Father Pfleger said the call he had waited weeks to receive came shortly after 7 p.m. Aug. 24. His attorney first told him the Cardinal would be calling. About 30 minutes later, Cardinal Cupich informed him of the review board’s finding and his immediate reinstatement.

“It was like an exhale,” Father Pfleger told The Final Call. “The hurt, the pain, the questions, the doubt—all that you go through—now that chapter closes.”

Word spread quickly. Parishioners came to the church, where they embraced, prayed together in the sanctuary and began celebrating the return of their pastor. Father Pfleger later shared a social media post recalling Michael Jordan’s famous 1995 announcement: “I’m back.” He said his nephew suggested the comparison and that the message represented a comeback rooted in faith, perseverance and strength.

But relief did not erase the ordeal. The night before the press conference, Father Pfleger granted The Final Call an exclusive, hour-long interview, offering an in-depth account of his removal, reinstatement and concerns about the Archdiocese’s review process.

Father Pfleger said the transcript of the accusation referred to buildings and tunnels that did not exist. He said attorneys and investigators examined the locations and timeline and concluded that the alleged encounter could not have occurred as described.

Father Pfleger also said he was ordered to leave his home and removed from ministry before the accuser had been interviewed. He then had to retain and pay for his own attorneys to defend himself against an allegation that had already become public.

Reflecting on a previous accusation that was determined to be unfounded, Father Pfleger said his removal received front-page coverage, while news of his reinstatement appeared on “page 21 or 22” in some publications. “The bad always seems to outshout the good,” Father Pfleger told The Final Call.

Father Pfleger said an accusation, once broadcast nationally, can follow the accused for life even when the claim is later rejected. He criticized a process that identifies the priest publicly while shielding the accuser and acts before preliminary credibility checks have been completed.

“You are guilty until proven innocent, and your name is slandered and trashed across local and national news networks,” he said. “Let me be clear: I believe every accusation should be taken seriously. But this policy allows no room for the accused to be taken seriously or receive justice.”

Father Pfleger said he and a group of lawyers and judges plan to propose changes that would preserve protection for children while adding an initial assessment of credibility, urgency and present risk before a priest is publicly removed. He also questioned why allegations that may involve criminal conduct are not handled first by agencies such as law enforcement or child protection authorities.

The balance is essential, he said, because the Catholic Church’s historic failure to protect children cannot be corrected by abandoning fairness to the accused.

“Caring for both doesn’t mean you’re not caring for one,” he told The Final Call. “You can be just and fair to both.”

Perseverance amid pain

The investigation unfolded as Father Pfleger faced another threat to his life. After nearly three years of monitoring and tests, his prostate-specific antigen level rose to 14.5, he said. Doctors warned that the cancer was near the bone and required prompt treatment. After consultations at Northwestern Medicine and the University of Chicago, he chose radiation rather than surgery.

For four weeks, five days a week, he underwent treatment at the University of Chicago. His PSA level later dropped to 2.16, he said, and doctors told him he was cancer-free. He continues medication and monitoring and is scheduled for another PSA test in September.

The physical side effects were difficult, but the public accusation intensified the mental and emotional strain, he said. Radiation staff repeatedly warned that tension, stress and anxiety could interfere with treatment.

“I’m going through a national accusation. What do you think I’m going to have?” he recalled telling them.

During the press conference, Father Pfleger said the overlapping trials forced him to depend more deeply on God. He revisited speeches and sermons by leaders whose lives taught him how prophetic voices endure persecution, including the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Medgar Evers.

He told The Final Call that the bond between St. Sabina and the Nation of Islam had been a source of strength throughout his ordeal. At the root of the Torah, Holy Qur’an and Bible are shared principles of “love, respect, justice and caring for the poor,” Father Pfleger said. He expressed deep gratitude for the support of the Nation of Islam and his decades-long friendship with Minister Farrakhan.

“I am so grateful to be able to call the Minister my brother and my friend, and the Nation my family,” he said. “That is a gift for which I am very grateful.”

That interfaith solidarity is part of Father Pfleger’s larger history as a White Catholic priest leading a predominantly Black parish and confronting racism, gun violence, liquor and tobacco advertising, poverty and police misconduct. He arrived at St. Sabina in 1975 and became pastor in 1981. Over the decades, the parish developed a national profile for blending worship with social action.

Father Pfleger said his public positions have brought hate mail, lost financial support, threats against his life and repeated demands that he become less controversial. He sees those demands as incompatible with the faith commitment he made May 14, 1975, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

On the church steps, the homecoming reached its defining moment as Father Pfleger shifted from what had happened to what would happen next. He invoked Dr. King’s warning about becoming silent on things that matter and the late Jesuit priest and anti-war activist Rev. Daniel Berrigan’s admonition that anyone following Jesus “better look good on wood.”

Then he named the causes that would continue to command his voice: the suffering in Gaza, the treatment and deportation of immigrants, attacks on voting rights, war abroad, racism, White supremacy and a national “war on the poor.” Supporters nodded and called out their agreement.

“I have not come through arrests, name-calling, accusations, suspensions, lawsuits or threats on my life to remain silent,” Father Pfleger declared.

The crowd erupted as he delivered his answer to those he believes hoped the ordeal would diminish him.

“There have been many people throughout this who have tried to bury me,” he said. “They should know you have simply caused me to grow deeper roots and grow taller to bear new fruit.”

He paused before the final line, with St. Sabina behind him and his church family surrounding him.

“No, I am not going to remain silent, nor be silenced,” Father Pfleger said. “In fact, I intend to turn up the volume.”

The post Father Michael Pfleger reinstated and vows to ‘turn up the volume’ Vindicated! Popular priest cleared of false charges appeared first on Final Call News.

CHICAGO—Four school buses carrying members and supporters of the Faith Community of St. Sabina rolled into downtown Chicago Aug. 19, joining current and former elected officials, religious leaders and activists outside the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Quigley Center to demand the immediate reinstatement of Father Michael Pfleger.

Supporters filled the sidewalk outside 835 N. Rush St., chanting and holding signs as the gathering took on the feel of both a protest and a public prayer meeting.

At the center of the demonstration was a pointed claim from St. Sabina leaders: Archdiocesan investigators had already found the latest allegation against Father Pfleger baseless, yet he remains removed from ministry.

Cory Williams, executive assistant to Father Pfleger, said investigators determined the allegation “didn’t have merit” and was not based in “truth or fact,” and that the probe was closed July 23 with nothing left to investigate. He said the authority to end the standoff rests with Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago.

“Cardinal Cupich, stop playing with people’s lives,” Mr. Williams said. “He has the ultimate authority on this. He could reinstate Father Pfleger tomorrow.”

The Archdiocesan Review Board had not publicly announced a final determination as of the rally.

Mr. Williams laid out the sequence fueling supporters’ frustration: Father Pfleger was notified of the allegation July 9. The Archdiocese conducted site visits, gathered photos and video, and interviewed employees, the accuser and Father Pfleger before concluding the investigation July 23—telling him and his attorneys there was nothing more to investigate.

The Review Board received the material around July 24, met on an ad hoc basis Aug. 10 without resolution, revisited the matter Aug. 15, and held it over again for a meeting scheduled Aug. 24.

“We are kind of dumbfounded that they weren’t able to come to a conclusion,” Mr. Williams said, adding that the delay was especially troubling given investigators’ own finding that the case lacked merit.

Mr. Williams said Father Pfleger’s absence, soon to reach six consecutive Sundays, has also delayed more than $600,000 in youth-program funding he could not sign off on, and kept him from peace walks, a block party, food giveaways and the opening of St. Sabina Academy.

He stressed the demonstration was peaceful: “We are not here to violently protest or accost your employees,” he said, citing a security notice the Archdiocese had circulated to staff beforehand.

The rally came as Father Pfleger also copes with a cancer diagnosis; he finished radiation treatment July 31, writing on social media, “Easier to beat Cancer than get Justice from the Archdiocese.”

Rev. Randall K. Blakey opened the program stressing that support for Father Pfleger did not mean minimizing abuse allegations. “We take allegations of sexual abuse very seriously,” he said, adding that false allegations must be taken seriously, too. He called Father Pfleger a “drum major of justice.”

Rev. Cierra Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois, echoed that balance—“Survivors deserve compassion, protection and justice. But so does the person who is accused.”

Rev. Bates-Chamberlain noted the Review Board cleared Father Pfleger in similar investigations in 2021 and 2022, each time followed by reinstatement from Cardinal Cupich. “If Father Pfleger has been cleared, then why is his reinstatement being delayed?” she asked.

Rev. Jeannette Wilson, an attorney and senior adviser to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, argued the repeated removals defy the presumption of innocence: “This process has been played out against Father Pfleger time after time, and each time he’s found that he was innocent in the first place.”

Rev. Dr. Iva Carruthers, general secretary emerita of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, told the crowd they represented “thousands of faith communities around the world” and called the gathering a “public prayer meeting” set against the Archdiocese’s silence: “Silence makes a mighty noise.”

Several speakers tied the fight to Father Pfleger’s decades of service in Auburn Gresham. Former State Senator Jacqueline Collins, who called him her pastor of more than 40 years, said: “Don’t punish Father Pfleger for the sins of the Catholic Church.” She also read a statement from U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) praising his work on hunger, poverty and gun violence.

Rev. Marshall Hatch of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church drew applause from the crowd, stating, “For five decades, Father Pfleger has stood for us. And today we stand for Father Pfleger,” and argued the Archdiocese owes his restoration the same energy it gave the investigation.

Rev. Otis Moss III, senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, placed Father Pfleger within Chicago’s civil rights history, recalling how witnessing the attack on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Marquette Park in the 1960s shaped him as a young man. “There are some people who are priests, and there are some who are prophets,” Rev. Moss said. “But when you’ve got a priest and a prophet together, you’ve got a major thing right there.”

Rev. Mark Thompson led the crowd in song, describing Father Pfleger’s ministry—including his friendship and brotherhood with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan—as “public theology” that extends beyond St. Sabina’s walls.

Frank J. Williams, a longtime fair housing advocate who has lived in Auburn Gresham since 1965, said he recognized in Father Pfleger’s fight echoes of his own—including a bombing at his home and federal scrutiny of his real estate business decades ago. “They could not find anything to put us out of business and make us move on,” Frank Williams said.

Asked what supporters outside St. Sabina could do, Cory Williams urged them to stay prayerful, contact the Archdiocese by letter or phone, and show up in person when possible.

Ald. David Moore, 17th Ward, invoked his home church’s teaching in appealing to Cardinal Cupich directly: “Trust, but verify. Not trust and vilify,” Ald. Moore said. “We ain’t asking you for mercy—we’re asking for grace.”

Also present at the rally was longtime activist Wallace “Gator” Bradley. The Archdiocese did not respond by Final Call press time.

The post Faith leaders, supporters rally for Father Pfleger’s reinstatement appeared first on Final Call News.

The archdiocese said its Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review received an allegation that Father Pfleger allegedly sexually abused a minor more than 30 years ago. Father Pfleger denied the allegation in a written statement.

“On Thursday, July 9th, I received a call from the Vicar for Priests saying a woman who said she went to school at St. Sabina made an accusation that she was sexually abused by me at some time between 1993-1995. First, this is an absolute lie. For 51 years of my ministry I have been threatened, slandered, and attacked.

I was suspended twice because of my calling out of racism and suspended for unfounded accusations. My background has been investigated from high school, college, graduate school, and all the years of my ministry and all accusations were determined to be unfounded,” continued Father Pfleger’s statement, which was posted on his Facebook page,

“I have been publicly attacked due to my public positions against gun violence, my opposition against the inhumane policies and practices of Donald Trump, and even because of my friendship with Minister Farrakhan,” the statement continued.

Father Pfleger also stated, “Let me be clear, sexual abuse is wrong, and I realize that the Catholic Church has a long history of not dealing with accusations and has spend a number of years putting strong policies in place.

But I have said countless times I believe the current policy is wrong and unfair to the accused priest.” He stated the removal of a priest before an investigation or conversation with the accused does away with the existence of the “presumption of innocence.”

During the July 17 gathering an news conference at the Auburn Gresham church, Felicia Chase, chairperson of the St. Sabina Family Parish Council, read a letter calling for independent experts in the review process, greater transparency and protections for the dignity of both accusers and the accused.

“We have concluded that the policy itself requires serious examination and meaningful reform,” Ms. Chase said as parishioners responded with applause and shouts of “Amen.”

“Justice cannot exist if fairness is extended to only one side of the process,” she added.

The Archdiocese of Chicago said it is “committed to following the same thorough and impartial process with everyone so accused.” In a letter to the parish, Cardinal Blase Cupich said the process is intended to ensure fairness to everyone involved.

Supporters said the policy can damage the reputation of an accused priest before investigators determine whether an allegation is credible.

“It allows for falsehood and lies to be weaponized by Father Pfleger’s haters,” said former Illinois state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, whose remarks drew a standing ovation.

“He’s remaining unbending in his stance that he is innocent,” said Rickey Harris, a longtime St. Sabina parishioner.

Supporters said this is not the first time Father Pfleger has faced such an allegation. They said previous allegations, including those investigated in 2021 and 2022, did not result in findings against him. They also questioned the decision to remove him before an initial review of the latest allegation.

Demetric Brown, another supporter, spoke about Father Pfleger’s relationship with the neighborhood. “He is genuine. He’s real, and he loves us, and he loves the community,” Mr. Brown said.

Father Pfleger did not attend the gathering, but his statement was read.

“I will not stand by and allow my name, my ministry and the church I pastor to be slandered or defamed,” the statement continued. Members of the audience responded with shouts of agreement.

The parish council’s letter was hand delivered to the archdiocese by Cory Williams, Father Pfleger’s assistant for nearly 27 years. Mr. Williams, who has known the priest since childhood, spoke about his personal experience with him. “I’ve never seen anything that would give me pause or wonder about his innocence,” Mr. Williams said in an interview with a local TV station.

Parishioners also said the investigation has diverted attention from poverty, homelessness, violence and other problems affecting the community.

In his closing message to the parish from a letter dated July 13, Father Pfleger said he did not want the investigation to consume the congregation.

“I want you to know that I do not intend to let this drag on and drain this church family. … This battle is the Lord’s!” he wrote.

The post St. Sabina parishioners defend Father Pfleger, demand investigation reforms appeared first on Final Call News.

CHICAGO—For generations, members of the Nation of Islam have carried bean pies across America. That enduring tradition recently received national recognition when journalist Ahmed Ali Akbar earned a James Beard Foundation Media Award June 13 for telling the story behind one of the Nation’s most enduring symbols.

Ahmed Ali Akbar, a former Chicago Tribune reporter, won the James Beard Foundation Media Award in the Foodways category for his Tribune article, “The Hunt for the Bean Pie Street Sellers of Legend, and How This Dessert Is a Symbol of Liberation for Many Black Muslims.”

The award-winning feature explored the history, cultural significance and enduring legacy of the bean pie in Chicago and throughout various Black Muslim communities throughout the country.

For many in the Nation of Islam, the recognition honored far more than a dessert. It affirmed a story rooted in the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the principles of healthy eating, Black self-help, economic independence and the familiar sight of a well-dressed brother offering Muhammad Speaks and then, The Final Call newspaper alongside a fresh bean pie.

“I’m very shocked and surprised,” Mr. Akbar said after receiving the award. Beyond the professional recognition, he said winning the award was spiritually fulfilling because the story represents the transformative experience of the Black Muslim community.

He said he pursued and submitted the story because he wanted readers to understand how deeply meaningful the bean pie is to Black and Muslim communities throughout America.

For Mr. Akbar, the assignment was also deeply personal.

In an exclusive Final Call interview, he reflected on growing up eating bean pie while attending the Islamic Center of Saginaw, Michigan. During his James Beard acceptance remarks, he said he was raised on “a diet of anti-colonialism and Black Muslim theories of civil rights.”

He described it as a profound blessing to be the child of immigrant Muslims who was “physically, intellectually and spiritually nourished by a dish that symbolized Black liberation from the historical effects of slavery.”

Mr. Akbar said one of the greatest joys of reporting the story was traveling to Chicago’s South Side to meet Brother James 40X, a legendary bean pie salesman whose decades of distributing bean pies and The Final Call newspaper have helped preserve one of the Nation’s most recognizable traditions.

Bro. James, who attends Mosque Maryam in Chicago, later joined Mr. Akbar at the James Beard Awards ceremony, bringing the story full circle from the streets of Chicago to one of the country’s highest honors in food journalism.

For generations, that tradition has been carried through a dessert unlike any other.

The bean pie, made with navy beans, cinnamon and other baking spices, has long been compared to sweet potato or pumpkin pie. But among Black Muslims, it represents much more than a dessert. It symbolizes healthy living, Black pride, entrepreneurship and the effort to nourish both the body and the mind.

Mr. Akbar said the assignment began with curiosity about bean pie ice cream at Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream before expanding into a much larger story about Black Muslim history, entrepreneurship and community.

“I realized that Chicago had a very good claim,” he said, explaining that he discovered Chicago’s central role through institutions such as Supreme Bean Pie, Salaam Restaurant, Shabazz restaurants and other historic businesses that promoted the pie nationwide.

Mr. Akbar said he encountered several historical accounts regarding the bean pie’s origins, but said his reporting ultimately focused less on identifying a single creator than on documenting the communities that preserved and promoted it.

“Food becomes meaningful not because of the dish, but because of the people who promoted and shared it,” Mr. Akbar said. “It’s about the people and how they’ve nourished their community through this incredible history of healthy eating.”

Among the people who helped Mr. Akbar tell that story was Bro. Elijah Bey, manager of Supreme Bean Pie. Bro. Elijah said his own connection to the pie began almost from birth.

“I can’t even tell you when my first experience was,” he said. “That’s how young your brother came up on it.”

Raised in a Black Muslim bakery family in Oakland, Calif. Bro. Elijah relocated to Chicago in 2017 to help with the bean pie.

To Bro. Elijah, the bean pie represents one of the Nation of Islam’s most recognizable contributions to Black America. “It’s a staple in our Black community,” he said. “The bean pie is a unique pie.”

He described it as more than a healthy alternative to traditional desserts. It serves as a bridge between the Nation of Islam and the broader community.

That mission comes to life one customer at a time.

Bro. James 40X, whose decades of distributing bean pies alongside The Final Call newspaper have made him a familiar face throughout Chicago, said loyal customers return week after week for the pies, with some purchasing several at a time. He said introducing first-time customers to the bean pie is one of the most rewarding parts of his work, often offering them a sample so they can experience it for themselves.

For Bro. James, however, selling bean pies has always been about more than selling desserts. “It’s basically just like The Final Call, trying to get our people to eat healthy,” he said. “If you’re going to get a good teaching in The Final Call, if you’re going to read good, you may as well eat good too.”

That shared mission continues to guide the work of Supreme Bean Pie today.

Bro. Elijah said the proceeds support Muhammad University of Islam.

“The number one purpose is to fund Muhammad University of Islam,” Bro. Elijah said of the independent educational system and school established by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and continued by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

For Mr. Akbar, the reporting was never simply about tracing the origins of a dessert. It was about documenting a living tradition.

One aspect of his reporting that mattered most, he said, was refusing to treat the bean pie as a curiosity or novelty. “I think it’s important to just learn from different communities and not treat them as if they’re oddities,” he said, “but that they are important to somebody’s history.”

His reporting also explored how the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s emphasis on healthy eating, self-determination and economic development shaped generations of Black Muslims.

The Tribune feature noted that the Nation of Islam’s food programs addressed nutritional disparities decades before concepts such as “food deserts” and “food apartheid” became common in academic and public policy discussions.

Today, institutions including Supreme Bean Pie, Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream, Imani’s Original Bean Pies and Paradise Desserts continue preserving and expanding that legacy, introducing new generations to one of the most distinctive foods in the Nation of Islam culture.

The James Beard Media Award has introduced a wider audience to a tradition that members of the Nation of Islam have carried for generations, affirming that the story of the bean pie is also a story of faith, healthy living, entrepreneurship and Black self-determination.

The post Supreme Bean Pie’s legacy honored appeared first on Final Call News.

CHICAGO—On command, women in pristine white M.G.T. Vanguard uniforms marched in disciplined cadence toward the casket of Mother Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad. Behind them came ranks of the Fruit of Islam, their tan uniforms pressed to perfection, synchronized footsteps moving through the sanctuary of Mosque Maryam.

When the command for the Nation of Islam’s original salute was given, hundreds of right hands of the Nation of Islam Honor Guard, and people packed in the sanctuary.

Snapped sharply to their brows in unison before slowly descending to each person’s side—a final tribute to the woman Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad later described as “a top soldier” and one of the greatest helpers Allah (God) gave to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

The Janazah (funeral) service that was both solemn and triumphant was not simply a farewell to the beloved wife of Minister Farrakhan, but a celebration of the First Lady of the Nation of  Islam, whose quiet strength, unwavering faith and decades of sacrifice helped rebuild the work of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad while shaping generations of believers around the world.

Thousands filled the Nation of Islam’s international headquarters July 3 to bear witness to that legacy. The sanctuary overflowed with family members, believers, mosque officials, community leaders and dignitaries representing government, faith communities, civil rights organizations and the arts.

Mother Khadijah, returned to Allah (God) on June 27 at age 90.

Among those paying their respects were Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson; music legend Stevie Wonder; entertainer Janet Jackson; singers Stephanie Mills and Johnny Gill; actor and director Tasha Smith; hip-hop pioneers Chuck D and Doug E. Fresh;

Exonerated Five member and New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam; the Rev. Otis Moss III.; the Rev. Jeremiah Wright; Father Michael Pfleger; members of the family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. including, his widow Jacqueline Jackson, sons Jesse Jr., Yusef and Rep. Jonathan Jackson and daughter Santita Jackson;

Bishop Banza Mukalay; former U.S. Senator and U.S. Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun; media personality, the Rev. Mark Thompson, Rep. Al Green, Attorney Londell McMillan, and social justice advocate Tamika Mallory and numerous elected officials, clergy, artists and longtime friends of the Farrakhan family.

An outpouring of condolences from around the world were also announced.  Resolutions were received from Mayor Johnson, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Rep. Danny K. Davis, Gary, Indiana, Mayor Eddie Melton and Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad. 

Messages of sympathy arrived from Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Cornel West, Don Lemon, Chaka Khan, Katt Williams, Dave Chappelle, Yolanda Adams, Tavis Smiley, Charlamagne tha God, Russell Simmons, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Busta Rhymes.

T.I., Damon Dash, Ricky Dillard, Harvey Mason Sr., Michael Eric Dyson, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Raheem DeVaughn, CeeLo Green, Baby and Slim of Cash Money, 2 Chainz and scores of other faith leaders, artists and public officials, reflecting the broad reach of Mother Khadijah’s influence.

A life shaped and prepared by Allah (God)

Despite the distinguished guests and worldwide expressions of sympathy, the service remained centered on its true purpose.  In Islam, a Janazah service is not intended to mourn over the dead, but to bear witness to a righteous life lived in submission to Allah and to remind the living of their own accountability before God.

“Mother Khadijah cannot be measured by ordinary comparison because she was not an ordinary woman,” Student Minister Jeffrey Muhammad told the congregation. She belonged, he said, to “the category of women of discipline, dignity, intelligence, sacrifice and extraordinary love.”

The simplicity of the Janazah service reflected Islamic tradition. There were no musical performances or elaborate tributes—only prayer, remembrance and gratitude to Allah for a life devoted to faith, family and service.

Born Betsy Ross on Nov. 26, 1935, in Boston, Mother Khadijah’s life intersected with that of Minister Louis Farrakhan, at the time known as Louis Eugene Walcott in what many throughout the service described as Divine Providence. When Betsy was 8 years old, her older brother Richard brought home an 11-year-old friend after young Louis defended him from a neighborhood bully.

“Allah used young Richard as an agent of His perfect will to bring together two hearts, two souls and two minds,” the commemorative biography stated. The childhood friends became high school sweethearts and married on Sept. 12, 1953.

Two years later, while attending Saviours’ Day with their infant daughter, Mother Khadijah immediately accepted the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Minister Farrakhan would later recall that she accepted before he did. “She got up and went to the back and was joining on,” he remembered. “She joined before I did.”

Minister Farrakhan recounted how his uncle then came and encouraged him to get up and join as well.  That decision marked the beginning of nearly seven decades of service to Allah, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam.

More than Betsy, more than Khadijah

Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, urged mourners to look beyond the chronology of Mother Khadijah’s remarkable accomplishments and instead consider the Divine Hand that shaped her life.

“We read the beautiful obituary, which gave us a snapshot of her 90 years of living,” he said. “But she was so much more.  Her real history has not yet been written.  When it is told, we will see her even better.” 

Even her names, he explained, reflected Allah’s purpose. Her birth name, Betsy—derived from Elizabeth—means “God is my oath,” symbolizing unwavering faithfulness to God. “She fulfilled her oath,”  Student Minister Ishmael said. “She made her word bond.”

Years later, Minister Farrakhan gave his wife the name Khadijah, after the beloved first wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the first believer to accept Islam and the woman whose steadfast support sustained the Prophet during the earliest years of his mission.  Student Minister Ishmael explained the parallel was unmistakable.

Just as Khadijah stood beside Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Mother Khadijah became the first supporter of Minister Farrakhan’s decision to rebuild the Nation of Islam.

“When the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan decided to rebuild the Nation of Islam,”  he reminded the audience, “she was the first to say, ‘Go on with it.  I’m with you.’”

“For nearly 73 years, she did not stand behind her husband,” he said. “She stood strongly with and by his side in the mission of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.”

Then came the line that resonated throughout the sanctuary. “She was the greatest helper Allah gave to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.” Cries of “Allah-u-Akbar (God is great)” echoed throughout Mosque Maryam.

Student Minister Ishmael challenged the audience to think beyond titles such as wife, mother and grandmother. “She was more than what the eye met,” he said. She was fashioned by Allah to uplift a people, preserve a Nation and help fulfill a Divine Mission whose influence continues to reach around the world.

The woman behind the mission

While Minister Farrakhan became the public face of rebuilding the Nation of Islam, Mother Khadijah quietly helped construct the foundation upon which that work would stand.

Serving as the Nation’s first National Secretary and first National Accountant, she maintained financial records, processed correspondence and helped establish the administrative systems that supported the rebuilding of the Nation of Islam.

She also helped produce the earliest editions of  The Final Call newspaper, which began in the basement of the Farrakhan family’s South Side Chicago home.  Student Minister Ishmael noted that Mother Khadijah and her daughters “had her hand” in those first editions, performing the countless unseen tasks that kept the new publication alive.

An accomplished seamstress from childhood, she transformed that gift into a ministry of dignity.

Student Minister Ishmael drew a striking comparison between the historical Betsy Ross and Mother Khadijah. The first became known for sewing the American flag. The second, he said, became the “needle and thread of Allah,”

Helping stitch together the moral fabric of a people through the uniforms she designed for the M.G.T. and G.C.C. (Muslim Girls Training and General Civilization Class, the women of the Nation), the M.G.T. Vanguard (women ages 16-35) and other official garments that became symbols of modesty, discipline and righteousness.

“They represent the righteousness of God and the purity of heart that should be under the garment,” Student Min. Ishmael said, encouraging Muslim women to wear them “with dignity and grace.”

Her vision eventually became Newell  Apparel, clothing thousands of women throughout the Nation of Islam and beyond. More than garments, those uniforms reflected a civilization she helped build—one stitch, one family and one believer at a time.

A mother to a Nation

If Mother Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad helped build the institutions of the Nation of Islam, those who knew her best said her greatest work was building people.

Together, she and her husband raised nine children while opening their home to students, guests, dignitaries and believers seeking guidance. Family life revolved around prayer, discipline and service to Allah.

The values she instilled extended beyond her immediate household to dozens of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and generations of spiritual children who affectionately called her “Mother.”

Her nurturing spirit reached throughout the Nation. For more than two decades, she sponsored the Children’s Village during Saviours’ Day conventions, creating educational and cultural experiences that introduced thousands of young people to science, history, recreation and the principles of Islam.

Adults gathered at Mosque Maryam smiled as they recalled childhood memories shaped by her vision, while others quietly wiped away tears remembering her gentle encouragement and unwavering belief in Black children.

Her ministry also extended around the world. Accompanying Minister Farrakhan on diplomatic missions across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia and the Middle East, Mother Khadijah met presidents, kings, queens and heads of state with the same grace she showed ordinary people.

Their daughter, Sister Khallada Farrakhan, recalled that wherever they traveled, her mother’s attention naturally turned to women and children, especially those whose needs were greatest.

For many gathered inside Mosque Maryam, those countless acts of kindness explained why the sanctuary was filled beyond capacity. They had not come simply to honor the wife of one of the world’s most recognized religious leaders. They had come to pay tribute to the woman who had quietly mothered an entire Nation.

Gratitude over sorrow

That spirit of thanksgiving reached its emotional climax as the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, adored in all white, rose to address the congregation after spending much of the Janazah seated not far from his wife’s casket.

Before speaking of his own loss, Minister Farrakhan thanked Allah, acknowledged the moving remarks delivered by Student Minister Ishmael and expressed his appreciation to those who had traveled to honor Mother Khadijah.

“I want to thank Allah for the wonderful words spoken by His (the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad) son,” he said. “I want to thank all of you who came so that you could pay your respect to this wonderful, wonderful wife of mine—and mother of all.” His voice remained steady, though emotion was unmistakable.

The sanctuary fell silent as all eyes fixed on the Minister. “This is the hardest day of my life,” he said. “Not to say goodbye,” Minister Farrakhan continued, “but to thank Allah openly and confess openly that this woman is the greatest gift that I have received, except the Coming of God, the raising of the Messenger and giving me life.”

For those gathered inside Mosque Maryam, the statement carried extraordinary weight. It came not only from a divine servant who has addressed presidents, scholars and audiences across five continents, but from a husband reflecting on nearly 73 years of marriage, partnership and shared sacrifice.

Then came the words that distilled decades of history into a single sentence. “She was and is the wind beneath my wings,” Minister Farrakhan said. “And I hope, with all my heart, that every man would be gifted with a woman like Khadijah.”

Before him sat rows of brothers of the Fruit of Islam, sisters of the M.G. T. and G.C.C. dressed in brilliant white, children, grandchildren, longtime believers and friends from diverse religious, civic and cultural communities. The Nation he and Mother Khadijah had labored to help build was gathered before him.

“I am so proud,” he said, “that Allah put it in my heart to rebuild the work of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and to lift His name again before the world. I defended him and taught on five continents about this great, great leader, teacher and guide.”

Gesturing toward the congregation, he smiled.

“I’m so proud of my wife … and the sisters and the brothers … and the beauty of all of you standing in unity as a mark of the high civilization that the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad wanted to see among our people.”

The congregation responded with sustained applause. Some embraced. Others nodded through tears. For a brief moment, sorrow yielded to gratitude. Minister Farrakhan closed not with a farewell, but with a charge to continue the work that he and Mother Khadijah had devoted their lives to building. “So, let’s keep it moving,” he said. “Let’s march on—till victory is won!”

A final salute

As the Janazah concluded, members of the F.O.I. gently lifted Mother Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad’s casket and carried it from Mosque Maryam as family members and close friends followed.

Before departing for Oak Woods Cemetery, sisters moved through the sanctuary distributing peppermint candies, a tradition taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. As the candy dissolves, Student Minister Ishmael explained, only its sweetness remains—a reminder that while the bitterness of loss fades with time, the sweetness of a righteous life endures.

Outside, believers quietly lined the walkways. Some stood at attention. Others embraced family members and lifelong friends. The motorcade slowly assembled for its final journey as rain fell from the sky.

For nearly 73 years, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad faithfully stood beside the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan as he labored to rebuild the work of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

She rarely sought recognition, yet her influence touched nearly every chapter of that work—from the Nation’s earliest administrative offices and the first editions of The Final Call, to the Children’s Village, Newell Apparel and the countless lives she nurtured through quiet acts of service.

As the procession departed Mosque Maryam, one truth had become unmistakably clear. Mother Khadijah’s earthly assignment was complete. But the family she helped nurture, the Nation she helped rebuild and the civilization she helped strengthen continue to march forward.

Mother Khadjah Farrakhan is survived by her husband, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, seven children: Sis. Betsy Jean (Maurice), Sis. Maria (Alif), Sis. Donna, Student Supreme Captain Mustapha, Sis. Fatima (Kamal), Sis. Khallada and Bro. Abnar (Toni); over 47 grandchildren, over 67 great-grandchildren, and counting, her sister Sylvia Diamond, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and a grateful Nation of Islam.

Perhaps no words captured that enduring legacy better than those spoken earlier by Student Min. Ishmael Muhammad. “Her real history has not yet been written.” Judging by the thousands who filled Mosque Maryam to honor her life, that history will be told for generations to come.

To view the Janazah service of Mother Khadijah Farrakhan in its entirety, visit media.noi.org.

The post A Nation gives thanks: Thousands honor the life, love and legacy of Mother Khadijah Farrakhan Muhammad appeared first on Final Call News.

A longtime international staff writer for The Final Call, whose work carried him from the streets of America to villages across Africa in service to the Nation of Islam and the cause of Black liberation.

Holding obituaries adorned with photographs chronicling his life and service, attendees filled the church pews while family members sat near the front of the sanctuary. The mood was solemn but uplifting as speakers reflected on a man remembered for his journalism, humility, sacrifice and commitment to helping others.

Brother Brian Muhammad, born Dec. 16, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, made his transition May 31 at age 60. His journey, from a young man searching for purpose in New York City to becoming an international servant and helper of the Nation of Islam and one of The Final Call’s most respected writers, was recounted throughout the afternoon service.

Officiating the service was Student Minister Anthony Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 38 in Columbia, South Carolina, who thanked Rev. Dr. Willie J. Thompson Jr. and Oak Grove Baptist Church for opening its doors to the family and community before offering words of comfort to the family.

“Our prayers are that Allah (God) will lift the burden of sorrow from your hearts,” Student Minister Anthony told mourners. “Funerals are not for the dead. They are for the living,” Student Minister Anthony said. “As we gather here today, we pause for a moment to reflect on the precious and fragile end of life, knowing that we will not be here forever.”

According to the obituary, Brother Brian was introduced to the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad while attending Morgan State University, an HBCU in Baltimore, Maryland.

Drawn by the message of self-improvement, justice and liberation, he eventually joined the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and became a devoted laborer in the work of resurrection and redemption.

His path led him to Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in Harlem, where he served on the secretarial staff and developed a reputation as a dependable laborer. There, he met Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad, the International Representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, a relationship that would shape the remainder of his life.

In a recent appearance on the podcast “I Have A Testimony,” hosted by Student Minister Willie Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 46 in New Orleans, Brother Brian reflected on how his international journey began.

“That trip happened to be a very significant trip,” Brother Brian recalled of his first visit to Africa with Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad. The delegation traveled to Egypt and later to Accra, Ghana. “It had an impact on me,” said Brother Brian.

The experience proved transformative. By 1993, Minister Farrakhan had agreed to hold Saviours’ Day in Accra, Ghana—the first time the Nation of Islam’s annual convention would be held outside the United States.

After Minister Akbar Muhammad helped secure the necessary resources, Brother Brian returned to Ghana in December 1993 and remained there through much of 1994, assisting with preparations for the historic gathering.

“He said, ‘I did not have Africa in my mind. I just wanted to help,’” Student Minister Anthony recalled in his remarks. “That spirit of service would define the rest of his life.”

Student Minister Anthony said Brother Brian devoted most of his adult life to the mission of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught and exemplified by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

“Brother Brian Muhammad has been a great helper to his Nation and to every brother and sister that he came across,” he said. “I think we can all bear witness and say he always kept a smile, being a cheerful worker.”

He described Brother Brian as a “company man,” wholly committed to the work of the Nation of Islam. He was “One who was about the business of the Nation of Islam and striving to make sure things were right,” Student Minister Anthony said.

“One thing that we know about Brother Brian, he was steadfast,” he added. “Even in the midst of health challenges, he never stopped working. He made sure he submitted his articles to The Final Call. He made himself available to the ministry class, and whatever was needed, Brother Brian Muhammad was there,” he continued.

“He did not waver in his work,” Student Minister Anthony added. “He is the embodiment of when we say, ‘My prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah.’ We can say Brother Brian Muhammad gave it his all.”

Along with written tributes, more meaningful remarks also came from Student Minister Abdul Rasul Muhammad, General Manager for The Final Call.

“I met some of your best representation in the name of Brother Brian E. Muhammad,” he said speaking directly to the family. “He represented every member of the family with dignity and grace.”

Brother Abdul Rasul conveyed the love and condolences of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Mother Khadijah Farrakhan and the Farrakhan family, noting that Minister Farrakhan deeply appreciated Brother Brian’s service and enjoyed reading his work.

“He was our international staff writer,” Brother Abdul Rasul said. “He went after the stories that most people couldn’t tackle if their life depended on it.”

For years, Brother Brian’s reporting appeared prominently throughout The Final Call, often leading the newspaper’s coverage of major national and international events. He had the cover story in The Final Call at the time of his janazah.

“He was about the business of telling the truth,” Brother Abdul Rasul continued. “His name and his legacy will live on forever.”

The bond Brother Brian shared with Minister Akbar Muhammad remained strong until the international representative returned to Allah earlier this year. Following Minister Akbar Muhammad’s March 17 transition, Brother Brian posted a heartfelt tribute reflecting on the impact of the man many considered a mentor.

“A glimpse into the impact of Bro. Student Minister Abdul Akbar Muhammad,” he wrote. “May Allah be pleased with his many contributions and works in this cause. I, like so many, will miss my Brother and mentor who poured so much in us.”

“We will not fall into grief, for grief is for the wicked who receives death with the regret of unfinished, unresolved issues wrought from a life of injustice to one another,” he wrote. “Strive to live right and do right by one another so when the evil accident of time touches one of us, we accept the irrevocable Will of God,” Brother Brian posted of his friend and mentor.

Brother Michael Z. Muhammad, a contributing Final Call writer, offered a personal reflection on Brother Brian.

“Brother Brian is one of those extraordinary brothers that you only meet once in a lifetime,” he said. “Brother was dedicated to his craft, dedicated to the Nation of Islam. Brother was also always warm, friendly and had a massive heart.”

Student Minister Anthony reminded attendees that Brother Brian’s legacy would endure through the thousands of words he left behind.

“We don’t have to guess what Brother Brian Muhammad said. We don’t have to guess what Brother Brian Muhammad’s thoughts were,” he said. “You can look in The Final Call, and there he is.”

Journalism was not Brother Brian’s original path. Through years of work alongside Minister Akbar Muhammad, including assignments connected to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s World Friendship Tours, he developed skills that eventually led him to The Final Call.

Brother Brian began submitting articles as a freelance writer. Later, encouraged by then-Final Call Editor-in-Chief Brother Naba’a (Richard) Muhammad, Brother Brian became one of the newspaper’s most prolific writers, producing front-page stories.

International reports and analysis while contributing to projects such as The Sankofa Experience and Global Peeks. From 2009-2015 he was a contributing writer and later in 2015 he became a staff writer.

Final Call Interim Editor, Sister Starla Muhammad, shared her memories and reflections of her brother, colleague and friend. “Brother Brian was always willing to share his insight and information on various topics.

Especially those impacting our people in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America and the U.S. He had a love and respect for Black people throughout the diaspora,” she said. He was a definite newsman, she added.

“I will miss our regular, weekly conversations where I would learn so much from him. He was always excited to share stories from his travels with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Minister Akbar and what he learned from them. You could hear the excitement and passion in his voice as he recounted his experiences,” said Sister Starla.

“The entire Final Call Staff and our writing team will miss our dear brother tremendously and may Allah (God) comfort us all, especially his family.”

As the service neared its conclusion, mourners participated in the traditional janazah custom taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad by receiving a peppermint to symbolize the sweetness of a righteous life. Family members approached first, followed by believers, friends and guests who quietly passed by the casket.

Nation of Islam Student Mid-Atlantic Regional Minister Abdul Khadir Muhammad explained that just as the sweetness of the mint lingers after it dissolves, the memory of a righteous person remains after they depart this life.

Mourners then filed past in silence.

Outside, family members embraced one another while friends shared stories about Brother Brian’s impact and the responsibility of carrying forward the work he loved.

Also among those paying their respects was Brother Don Enoch Muhammad, an aide to Minister Farrakhan. “Brother was a soldier in the cause of Islam, and he was a beautiful brother and a dear friend,” said Brother Don Enoch.

“We thank Allah for the service that he gave to his Nation, to the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and also to Brother Akbar,” he added.

“We thank Allah for him. We love him,” Brother Abdul Rasul said. “He may be gone physically, but he will never be forgotten because we simply will not let that happen.”

Final Call National Correspondent Charlene Muhammad contributed to this report.

The post Honoring and remembering veteran journalist Brian E. Muhammad appeared first on Final Call News.

CHICAGO—A veteran Black educator’s legal fight against Chicago Public Schools is entering a critical phase after a federal judge allowed core discrimination claims to move forward, setting the stage for what could become a broader test of accountability within one of the nation’s largest school systems. The judge made the decision on March 27.

Abdul Muhammad’s federal lawsuit, Muhammad v. Chicago Board of Education, outlines what his attorneys describe as a pattern of obstruction, shifting requirements, and discriminatory treatment that began after he was selected by Lindblom Math and Science Academy’s Local School Council to serve as principal in 2022.

According to the complaint, the school council voted multiple times to select Mr. Muhammad for the permanent principal position, but CPS officials repeatedly delayed or interfered with the process.

The lawsuit alleges that after concerns were raised internally about his faith as a member of the Nation of Islam and his race as a Black man, district officials withheld a four-year contract, placed him on an interim agreement, and later launched investigations that culminated in his removal in March 2023.

The complaint further alleges that false misconduct allegations were compiled into investigative findings used to justify his termination, despite internal evidence later concluding that the most serious allegation—that he failed to report misconduct—was unsubstantiated.

In a significant development, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood ruled that key racial and religious discrimination claims against the Chicago Board of Education could proceed.

In her Memorandum Opinion and Order, Judge Wood wrote that, at the motion-to-dismiss stage, the court must accept the plaintiff’s factual allegations as true and found that Mr. Muhammad had plausibly alleged discrimination under federal law.

While the judge dismissed some claims and certain defendants on procedural grounds, the ruling allows the core discrimination allegations to move into discovery, where attorneys can subpoena records, depose witnesses, and further examine internal CPS communications and decision-making.

With major portions of his case surviving dismissal, Abdul Muhammad is now preparing to advance his claims through discovery and potential trial—seeking to prove that CPS officials engaged in systemic retaliation, racial and religious discrimination, and the concealment of exonerating evidence.

“I was removed based on false allegations,” Mr. Muhammad said, describing what he called a “retaliatory and biased process” that derailed his career and damaged his reputation.

A contested removal and hidden findings

According to court filings and federal complaints, Mr. Muhammad, identified in legal documents as a “Black, male, Muslim member of the Nation of Islam,” was selected by a local school council to serve as principal in 2022 after a competitive process.

But despite that selection, CPS leadership delayed granting him a permanent contract and later removed him from the position in March 2023 following an internal investigation that cited multiple allegations of misconduct.

Central to Mr. Muhammad’s claims is an accusation that CPS knowingly relied on false allegations, particularly that he failed to report alleged misconduct involving a student, while withholding an internal Office of Inspector General report that cleared him.

“That report, a July 25, 2023 Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General report identified in complaints as Case #23-01011, concluded that allegations Mr. Muhammad failed to report misconduct were unsubstantiated.

Effectively exonerating him on the central claim, yet was not disclosed to him or federal investigators for nearly two years, according to his complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General.”

“Despite this knowledge, CPS withheld the OIG report … and continued to repeat false claims,” Mr. Muhammad stated in a separate complaint filed with the EEOC watchdog office.

Federal complaints and legal developments

Mr. Muhammad has filed complaints with multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging civil rights violations, retaliation, and systemic bias.

His federal lawsuit claims racial and religious discrimination under Title VII and other statutes. In a recent Memorandum Opinion and Order, the court ruled that, while some claims and defendants were dismissed, key discrimination claims against the Chicago Board of Education survived, allowing the case to proceed.

The ruling means the case now moves into the next phase, where evidence can be formally obtained, witnesses deposed, and the factual record more fully developed.

Mr. Muhammad underscored its significance. “She moved forward on discrimination—the biggest thing, racial and religious discrimination,” he said to The Final Call.

The case also includes allegations that internal communications referenced his faith in the Nation of Islam in a negative manner, raising concerns about religious bias.

Allegations of coordinated misconduct

Mr. Muhammad’s filings go beyond individual claims, asserting that senior CPS leadership—including the district’s chief executive—played a role in directing the investigation and subsequent actions taken against him.

He also alleges that multiple officials were involved in disseminating false information and suppressing evidence, and notes that some individuals connected to the case were later disciplined or removed following separate complaints of misconduct and bias.

“These actions were not isolated,” his Justice Department complaint states, but part of a broader “pattern of racially and politically motivated investigations.”

CPS has not publicly responded in detail to the allegations outlined in the complaints.

Historical echoes and ongoing struggle

Advocates point out that Mr. Muhammad’s case must also be viewed in a larger historical context—one shaped by decades of systemic inequities in education, employment, and public institutions affecting Black Americans.

From redlining and school segregation to modern disparities in discipline and hiring, the struggle for fairness in education systems remains ongoing.

Conclusion: Court ruling sets stage for next chapter

Legal experts note that such rulings are pivotal: they do not determine guilt or innocence but open the door for deeper scrutiny through discovery and, potentially, trial. For Mr. Muhammad, the next move is clear—press forward, compel disclosure of evidence, and seek accountability in court.

For the broader community, the case represents something larger: a continued demand that institutions entrusted with educating Black children operate with fairness, transparency, and justice—principles many say are long overdue.

The post Chicago educator’s federal case moves forward appeared first on Final Call News.

CHICAGO—On street corners across Black America, young men in suits sold The Final Call newspaper while boom boxes blasted Public Enemy, Ice Cube and Brand Nubian.

Bean pies sat beside cassette tapes in HBCU dormitories throughout the South. Conversations about survival, spiritual structure and Black empowerment flowed from barbershops to bus stops to rap lyrics.

Long before hip-hop became a billion-dollar industry fueled by corporate sponsorships, streaming platforms and luxury brand partnerships, the voice of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the teachings of the Nation of Islam became woven into the soundtrack of a generation searching for identity, purpose and direction.

From Bronx sidewalks to lowriders cruising through South Central Los Angeles, references to Minister Farrakhan echoed through rap lyrics, concert stages and album intros. Sometimes artists quoted him directly.

Other times, they sampled his speeches, invoked his name as a symbol of Black leadership, or mirrored themes of self-determination, accountability, and political awakening central to the Nation’s teachings. Minister Farrakhan has embraced the hip-hop community since its inception.

For many young Black listeners during the crack cocaine era, in the early 80s, the rise of mass incarceration and the post-Civil Rights Movement, Minister Farrakhan represented one of the few national and international Black voices consistently speaking about economic independence, discipline.

Community responsibility and cultural identity. Hip-hop artists absorbed those ideas alongside the realities of street violence, aggressive policing and urban neglect.

In hip-hop’s Golden Era of the late 1980s and early 1990s, politically conscious rap emerged as both cultural expression and protest music. Public Enemy brought unapologetic Black political commentary into mainstream music during a period marked by racial tension and heightened public scrutiny of Black leadership.

On “Bring the Noise,” Chuck D declared, “Farrakhan’s a prophet that I think you ought to listen to …” a lyric that became one of the clearest acknowledgments of the Minister’s influence within mainstream rap culture.

The line later resurfaced in the group’s collaboration with Anthrax on “Bring tha Noise,” helping introduce politically charged hip-hop themes to wider audiences across racial and musical lines.

That sentiment stretched from the East Coast to the West Coast. Following his departure from N.W.A., Ice Cube embraced a more politically charged direction in his music.  He reinforced Minister Farrakhan’s standing among artists seeking ideological grounding during an era marked by gang violence, economic struggle and social unrest.

The influence extended far beyond direct references.

Groups such as X-Clan and Poor Righteous Teachers infused their music with themes of self-knowledge, spiritual awakening, economic independence and Black pride.

Big Daddy Kane also incorporated Nation of Islam imagery and Minister Farrakhan samples into his music. On “Young, Gifted and Black,” Kane opened with a Farrakhan sample, reflecting the growing intersection between hip-hop and Black political consciousness during the era.

While some artists drew from the Five Percent Nation and other traditions, many listeners associated the broader movement of conscious rap with the Nation of Islam’s emphasis on study, discipline and community uplift.

As hip-hop evolved through the 1990s, references to Minister Farrakhan became more layered and symbolic. Artists such as Nas and Tupac frequently explored themes of systemic oppression, Black leadership and resistance, even when not directly naming the Minister in their lyrics.

Tupac’s “I Ain’t Mad at Cha” reflected another side of the spiritual and cultural conversations taking place within hip-hop during the 1990s. In the song’s video, one of Tupac’s friends undergoes a transformation from street life to a more disciplined lifestyle associated with Nation of Islam imagery.

The visual reflected a familiar transformation visible in many Black communities during that era: young men attempting to move from chaos toward discipline, spirituality and self-respect.

Rather than mocking the change, Tupac framed it with understanding and respect, reinforcing hip-hop’s ongoing dialogue about redemption, consciousness and survival.

On his 2008 Untitled project, Nas directly referenced efforts to silence controversial Black leaders, repeating the phrase, “They did not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan” framing the Minister as part of a lineage of influential Black voices frequently targeted or marginalized in mainstream discourse.

Meanwhile, artists continued incorporating Nation-related imagery and language into mainstream rap culture. Album liner notes, interviews and concert speeches often reflected admiration for Minister Farrakhan’s advocacy on issues affecting Black America.

By the 2000s and 2010s, Minister Farrakhan references evolved from direct ideological endorsements into broader symbols of authority, intellect and fearlessness.

On DJ Khaled’s “God Did,” Jay-Z invoked the Minister while reflecting on media criticism and public scrutiny. “Sometimes I feel like Farrakhan talkin’ to Mike Wallace …”

He rapped, referencing the Minister’s televised exchange with veteran journalist Mike Wallace and comparing his own experiences navigating criticism to Minister Farrakhan’s confrontations with mainstream media.

Even artists not traditionally associated with conscious rap occasionally invoked Minister Farrakhan as a symbol of authority, discipline and influence.

Likewise, Freddie Gibbs has referenced Minister Farrakhan across multiple songs and interviews, often using his name as a metaphor for seriousness, leadership and intellectual authority.

The references illustrated how Minister Farrakhan’s symbolic presence continued to extend into newer generations of rap artists beyond the explicitly political era of hip-hop.

Perhaps no contemporary artist has embraced the Nation’s influence more openly than Jay Electronica. Throughout his catalog, Minister Farrakhan’s speeches appear as samples, introductions and thematic anchors.

Songs such as “A Prayer for Michael Vick and T.I.”, “The Overwhelming Event,” “Who Killed Michael Jackson??????” and “The Neverending Story” all feature direct references to Minister Farrakhan, Nation-related themes or Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.) imagery.

His music frequently blends spiritual reflection, political commentary and Nation of Islam teachings, while his public appearances alongside the Minister further cement the connection.

Even among younger generations of artists, Minister Farrakhan’s name continues to carry symbolic weight. On the widely discussed track “Control,” Kendrick Lamar delivered the line, “make Farrakhan think Saddam …” using the Minister’s name as shorthand for influence, command and presence.

The song, led by Big Sean and featuring Jay Electronica, reflected how Minister Farrakhan references remained embedded in modern rap competition and lyrical symbolism.

Other artists across generations continued mentioning Minister Farrakhan in their music. Immortal Technique used Minister Farrakhan speech samples on “No Mercy,” while Joey Fatts directly titled a song “Farrakhan.”

While Minister Farrakhan remained a polarizing figure in some political and media circles, many hip-hop artists viewed him through a different lens: as a voice speaking directly to the conditions affecting Black communities that are often ignored by mainstream America.

Not all references to the Nation of Islam came through direct mentions or formal ideological alignment. In many cases, artists referenced symbols, language and imagery associated with the Nation that had become deeply embedded in Black urban culture.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, references to bean pies, The Final Call newspaper, Fruit of Islam security, bow ties and Muslim greetings frequently appeared in lyrics as markers of Black consciousness, discipline and cultural authenticity.

For many Black listeners, those references immediately evoked memories of Nation of Islam members selling newspapers, promoting economic self-sufficiency and maintaining a visible presence in urban communities nationwide.

On “Steady Mobbin’”, Ice Cube humorously referenced economic struggle and street survival by rapping that someone “might start slanging bean pies …” invoking one of the Nation of Islam’s most recognizable cultural symbols. The reference resonated because audiences already understood the cultural shorthand.

Chicago-born rapper Common often referenced neighborhood scenes and community figures that reflected the Nation’s visible presence in Black communities, particularly on Chicago’s South and West sides. His music regularly emphasized self-reflection, social responsibility and Black consciousness.

Likewise, Queen Latifah emerged during an era when Nation of Islam imagery and rhetoric heavily influenced conscious rap culture. Her music emphasized Black pride, womanhood and self-respect while reflecting many of the same themes circulating through politically conscious hip-hop at the time.

In her song “Just Another Day,” she raps, “Stomach ache, had a steak, and take for a bean pie, Get a Final Call from the brother in the bow tie.”

Neo-soul artist Erykah Badu frequently incorporated themes associated with Black nationalist and Nation of Islam cultural spaces, including spiritual awakening, self-knowledge and references to Minister Farrakhan himself.

On the song “Me,” Ms. Badu declares, “I salute you Farrakhan … ’cause you are me,” reflecting the Minister’s influence within broader currents of conscious Black music and culture.

Busta Rhymes also continued reflecting themes familiar to audiences influenced by the Nation of Islam and broader Black nationalist thought. His 2020 album, “Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God,” blended apocalyptic imagery, spiritual urgency, social critique and messages of accountability.

The project reinforced ideas that had long appeared throughout his music: cultural survival, discipline, awakening and resistance during times of chaos.

For many listeners, those references were not abstract symbols. They reflected everyday life in Black America.

Decades later, the imagery remains recognizable: brothers in suits on street corners, newspapers tucked beneath their arms, bean pies on folding tables and the echoes of Minister Farrakhan’s speeches woven between bass lines and drum breaks.

From the crack cocaine era to the streaming era, Minister Farrakhan’s imprint on hip-hop culture remains embedded not only in lyrics but in the music’s ongoing search for identity, purpose, and liberation.

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The Lying in Repose for Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., held Feb. 26 and 27, was not merely a public viewing. It was Chicago’s civic memory gathering to honor one of its master builders.

Inside, the mood moved between solemn reverence and spontaneous affirmation. The Final Call observed children wiping tears after viewing his body, clutching the hands of parents and grandparents who whispered, “That’s the man who told us we were somebody.” Moments later, the quiet would break. From the line outside came an impromptu chorus: “I am somebody!” The words echoed down the block, rising above grief into declaration.

Mourners filed slowly down the aisles toward the casket placed before the stage, marking the beginning of a week of remembrances stretching from Chicago to South Carolina and Washington, D.C., before returning home again. The Jackson family followed the hearse from Leak & Sons Funeral Homes in solemn procession. Pallbearers carried the casket up the steps of the building Rev. Jackson helped found in 1971, as dignitaries, including  Rev. Al Sharpton, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and former Congressman Bobby L. Rush, gathered inside.

“Though it’s a day of mourning, it’s certainly a day of honor and celebration,” Mayor Johnson said.

Jesse Jackson Jr. thanked the public for the outpouring of support and called the moment an opportunity to set aside political division and reflect on a man who brought people together locally and globally.

Attendees received commemorative bookmarks bearing Rev. Jackson’s image. The small keepsakes felt intentional—silent encouragement to read, to learn, to grow and to become advocates for change, just as he had urged generations to do.

In Chicago, the city that shaped his organizing genius, the tribute carried deeper resonance. Here, Rev. Jackson was not only a statesman. He was neighbor, pastor, strategist in equity and police brutality cases, and architect of modern Black political power who, despite access to the White House under multiple administrations, chose to live among the community he fought to uplift.

Chicago made him and he remade Chicago

Long before presidential debates and international diplomacy, Rev. Jackson was organizing in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Through Rainbow PUSH, he led corporate accountability campaigns and economic boycotts that pressured major companies to hire Black workers and invest in underserved communities. Rooted in Operation Breadbasket and South Side church activism, his work reshaped the city’s economic landscape.

By the 1980s, he had refined what became known as coalition politics—uniting Black voters, labor, faith communities, Latinos and progressive Whites around shared demands for justice. His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns expanded Black voter participation and shifted the national conversation toward economic equity and social inclusion.

“He leveraged power in high places, but he never lost touch with everyday people,” said Omar Shareef, who has known Rev. Jackson since 1983. “We have to continue bringing down the walls for the next generation.”

Equally significant were the institutions he built. Weekly Saturday meetings at Rainbow PUSH became a civic forum where pastors, elected officials, labor leaders and grassroots activists addressed the community directly. Annual conventions brought national and international figures to Chicago to debate policy, human rights and economic justice. Those gatherings transformed the Kenwood neighborhood, bordered by Bronzeville, Hyde Park and Washington Park, into a permanent organizing hub, reinforcing the principle that Black political power requires structure, discipline and continuity.

A spiritual campaign in political terms

Rev. Jackson’s 1984 presidential bid unfolded during a heightened racial climate. His candidacy challenged the American political establishment in ways few campaigns had before. In that atmosphere, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, publicly defended Rev. Jackson’s campaign, rejecting suggestions that his involvement was politically harmful.

Speaking May 3, 1984, at a conference of the Association of Black Journalists in New York, Minister Farrakhan described the effort as “a spiritual campaign couched in political terms,” arguing that stepping back would signal disunity at a moment when Black America was awakening politically.

When Rev. Jackson ran, he came under heavy criticism and threats from members of the Jewish community for his balanced Middle East position and his advocacy for the Palestinian people. Rev. Jackson had met with and advocated for Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Rev. Jackson and his family were threatened. To protect his brother, Minister Farrakhan dispatched the F.O.I. (Fruit of Islam, the men of the Nation of Islam) to protect Rev. Jackson and his family.  

In a message delivered “July 21, 2019, titled, “The Man Jesus and How Not To Fall Into Idolatry,” Minister Farrakhan said that the F.O.I. , “… handled the assignment with great dignity and love.”  

In another message titled, ‘If Satan Cast Out Satan, His House is Divided Against Himself; How Then Will His Kingdom Stand?’ delivered October 30, 2016, Minister Farrakhan shared additional details on this important history. 

“When my brother, Reverend Jesse Jackson, asked me in 1983 at the 20th anniversary of the March on Washington if I would help him, because he was about to announce his running for the nomination of the Democratic Party for the presidency of the United States, I said, ‘Well, Rev. Jackson, I would have to think about it.’  So, I went back to The Final Call building, which was our headquarters at that time, and I asked laborers in The Nation, male and female, who had been around the Honorable Elijah Muhammad for a long time:  ‘Should we do something like that?’  I wouldn’t tell them what my thought was because this is not a ‘cult.’ I really believe in freedom, justice and equality; so I never order people, I just tell you what the truth and what the facts are, and leave it to you.  And if I give an order, I try to give it with a smile—that’s the way my Teacher taught me,” Minister Farrakhan explained. 

“After asking them, they agreed that we should help Rev. Jackson.  And that’s what I wanted to do; because if he wanted to run for the presidency of the United States, that’s big.  And so ‘the bigger picture’ was ‘submit yourself to help your brother,’ and that I did. … Members of the Jewish community: When we were saying ‘Run, Jesse, Run!’ they were saying, ‘Ruin Jesse, Ruin!’ Then some members of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) wanted to attack Rev. Jackson and his family, so the F.O.I. stood up to protect Rev. Jackson before the Secret Service had that responsibility.  But when I spoke up against members of the Jewish community, not knowing that I was turning over a hornet’s nest …  the hornets came out to sting me,” Minister Farrakhan said. 

“So, there came a time when Rev. Jackson had to let me go as his surrogate speaker; and he said some words that I said—which I didn’t say.  But, it’s okay; it was convenient.  The bigger picture was Rev. Jackson,” said Minister Farrakhan. 

Throughout the years, Minister Farrakhan and Rev. Jackson maintained their bond of brotherhood.

More than four decades later, during the annual Nation of Islam Saviours’ Day message on February 22, 2026, delivered by Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan revisited that history and reflected on his relationship with Rev. Jackson in the aftermath of his brother’s passing. “You don’t know our relationship,” he told the thousands of people in the audience. 

Recalling the historic 1995 Million Man March, Minister Farrakhan described Rev. Jackson approaching him privately. “And he said to me, Minister Farrakhan, how much time are you gonna give me to speak?”

Minister Farrakhan said he refused to limit him. “I said, ‘Oh, Reverend Jackson, I can’t give you any time. You get up and say whatever it is you want to say, and when you finish, we’ll move on with others.’ I never told my brother 10 minutes, five minutes. That’s my brother.”

Minister Farrakhan concluded his remarks on his brother with loyalty: “And I will never be found dogging his name when he did so much to help a people rise to win. … That’s my brother.”

Institution builder, not just candidate

Rev. Jackson’s legacy rests not only in votes but in infrastructure. Rainbow PUSH became a pipeline for civic leadership, producing advocates, diplomats and elected officials. His international interventions, from negotiations abroad to anti-apartheid advocacy, demonstrated the global reach of a movement rooted in Chicago.

For many Chicagoans, that empowerment was personal.

“The giant has fallen among us,” Mr. Shareef said. He traveled with Rev. Jackson for years and later helped care for him as his health declined. “He powered through his pain. He always thought he was still on the playing field.” Even in a wheelchair, Rev. Jackson pressed corporations to meet with Black leaders before opening stores and mentored young professionals. “He leveraged power in high places, but he never lost touch with everyday people,” said Mr. Shareef. 

Generational impact: A living testament

The crowd at Rainbow PUSH reflected generations shaped by his influence.

Afrika Porter, who grew up inside the organization, said Rev. Jackson shaped her identity from childhood. “Reverend Jackson told us first that we were somebody. He spoke life into us,” she said. “I am because of Reverend Jackson. We are because of Reverend Jackson.”

Outside, Bro. West Side repeated the words that defined an era. “Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. And always remember, I am somebody.” His voice joined others who turned waiting into witnesses as he highlighted that Rev. Jackson was an example for the youth. 

Carolyn Ruff, an activist and former Rainbow PUSH choir member, described Rev. Jackson as inseparable from Chicago’s identity. “He was Chicago. Keep hope alive. He always encouraged people that they are somebody,” she said.

Brian McCoy, youth sports advocate and longtime Rainbow PUSH member, reflected quietly. “Committed, faithful.” For young people learning Jackson’s story for the first time, he offered guidance: “Read about Jesse Louis Burns. That was his name before it was Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson. Then you’ll know that anything is possible.”

From mourning to mobilization

Rev. Jackson lay in repose at Rainbow PUSH, 930 E. 50th St., on Feb. 26 and 27. Thousands passed the open casket. His remains will travel to Washington, D.C., and South Carolina, including a lying in state at the South Carolina State House in Columbia.

Chicago’s People’s Celebration is scheduled for March 6 at House of Hope, followed by a private homegoing service at Rainbow PUSH.

Organizers frame the observances not as an ending but as a charge—to translate grief into organizing around voter engagement, economic empowerment and coalition building.

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.’s legacy lives in Chicago’s alliances, its political confidence and its insistence that Black voices belong at every table.

The torch has been passed. The question now is whether the city that shaped him will carry forward the courage that helped reshape the nation. Final Call staff contributed to this report.

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Awa ND’iaye, 17, a high school senior at Muhammad University of Islam and employee at the restaurant, helped save a man’s life after he stumbled into the business bleeding from a gunshot wound, just as staff were closing shortly after brunch service.

The incident happened on 621 East 67th Street in Woodlawn, when a young man who had been shot nearby ran to the restaurant screaming for police. Staff soon realized he was losing a dangerous amount of blood from his leg. Restaurant owner Nahla Carmella Muhammad immediately called 911.

But it was the calm focus of Awa, combined with the decisive leadership inside the restaurant, that turned a terrifying moment into a testimony of preparation, faith and community responsibility.

“I heard somebody banging on the door,” Awa recalled. She said she was finishing up a plate for a late customer when she saw someone running outside and then heard the urgent pounding. When the man entered, Awa said it was not immediately clear how badly he was hurt.

“That’s when I noticed where he actually got shot,” she said. “Then we actually saw the blood because at first we didn’t see it.”

A quick-thinking response in a crisis

As the restaurant rushed to help, Awa said Ms. Muhammad asked someone to get towels to stop the bleeding. Awa, remembering her training, grabbed an apron instead.

“I saw that there were aprons there, so I grabbed an apron while my co-worker grabbed a towel,” she said. “I didn’t want her to take it as me trying to talk back … but I told her it’ll be a lot better to tie an apron around his wound to stop the bleeding than a towel that couldn’t really wrap around it.”

The apron was used as a tourniquet and tightened around the man’s leg to slow the bleeding until first responders arrived, according to reporting.

Ms. Muhammad confirmed the apron made the difference. “I went to say give me some towels so that we could stop the bleeding,” she said. “She (Awa) said, ‘no, no, we need an apron … so it can be tied around his leg.’ It worked much better,” said Ms. Muhammad.

Paramedics transported the man to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.

Training that meets the moment

Awa said she recently completed an eight-week emergency medical training program through the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine called MedCEEP, which stands for Medical Careers Exposure and Emergency Preparedness.

The program, founded by Dr. Abdullah Hasan Pratt, teaches youth hands-on emergency skills including CPR, airway simulation, overdose response and bleeding control, while also exposing students to medical careers and mentorship opportunities.

“We learned different things like how to deal with a drug overdose, how to stop the bleeding,” Awa said, adding that the program also included discussions on gun violence because of how common it is in Chicago.

The experience strengthened her long-term goals. “At first I was 99.9% sure I wanted to be in the medical field, but that definitely cleared the point one percent,” she said. “I do still want to be a pediatric surgeon.”

Awa also said the incident revealed a sobering truth: training is only powerful if people carry it with them beyond the classroom. “Now it really taught me a lesson to listen to everything else he said.”

She explained, referencing the emergency supplies and wound-care tools students were given during the program. “Now I’m going to strive to actually take it with me now that I see that this is something that’s very real.”

A mother’s pride and a community’s message

Awa’s mother, Karriemah Muhammad, said her daughter’s actions confirmed what she has long believed about the importance of investing in young people’s gifts early, especially in communities facing constant threats.

“I was very concerned … but once I heard what she did and how she used the training she received … I’m just so proud of her,” she said. “It reaffirmed for her, her desire to move into medicine.”

Ms. Karriemah Muhammad urged parents to seek out programs that develop practical skills while removing financial barriers. She noted that MedCEEP is free and offers training that is both relevant and accessible.

“With the MedCEEP program, he offered this training to young people for free,” she said. “That is phenomenal … I’m hoping and praying that it inspires people not only to send their children, but to also financially support it so that it can continue.”

She also emphasized that parents must share resources and opportunities instead of withholding information. “As parents, we need to share information. We can’t gatekeep,” she said. “Even if your child hasn’t expressed an interest … expose them.”

A bigger mission behind the moment

Dr. Pratt, a South Side emergency medicine physician at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said Awa’s response reflects more than one summer of training. It represents a growing standard of readiness being cultivated among young people and students in the community.

He described the ability to remain calm, communicate respectfully and prioritize safety as the mark of someone prepared not just to survive trauma, but to lead through it.

“She calmed the person down who was shot,” Dr. Pratt said. “Who wouldn’t want an Awa right there in your worst moment?”

In previous reporting, Dr. Pratt explained that his work is rooted in both community health research and spiritual responsibility, grounded in principles of self-sufficiency taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Eternal Leader of the Nation of Islam.

“When we approach violence, I think not only from an evidence-based point of view, from a community-based point of view, but even with the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, being able to be self-sufficient has to be at the core root of those solutions,”

Dr. Pratt said. Dr. Pratt is the founder of two initiatives designed to disrupt cycles of violence by building capacity, confidence and preparedness among youth: TRAP (Trauma Recovery and Prevention of Violence) and MedCEEP.

Through TRAP, as reported in The Final Call July 2025, students learn trauma response skills, de-escalation and emotional resilience in some of Chicago Public Schools’ most impacted neighborhoods.

“We looked to focus on Chicago Public Schools that are closest to the problem first,” Dr. Pratt said. “The schools that send us the most children who are victims of gun violence, that’s where we started our ‘Stop the Bleed’ training and the TRAP program.”

MedCEEP extends that mission by introducing young people to medical careers and hands-on preparation. Since its inception, the program has impacted more than 2,000 youth across Chicago and has reported a 98% graduation rate and 100% college acceptance for students who apply.

“If they can learn how to save a life, they can use that as an empowering way to pursue a career in medicine,” Dr. Pratt said. “Everybody should learn this”

Awa said she hopes the public understands what her experience revealed: first aid training is not optional in communities navigating violence. It is essential.

“I believe it’s very important,” she said. “I really don’t think you even necessarily want to have to go into the medical field. I feel like first aid is just a basic training that everybody should learn no matter what.”

—Toure Muhammad, Contributing Writer

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