Perspectives
‘What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?’
by Frederick Douglass (Below are excerpts from a major speech delivered by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who spoke July 5, 1852 in Rochester, New York to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.) Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national...
Naba’a Muhammad: My brother, my friend
There are many things I can say about my admiration for Brother Naba’a “Richard” Muhammad. He was my brother, my friend, pro-Black and, most definitely, pro-Farrakhan. My friend passed on June 6, and I will miss him dearly. I am happy to say I have no regrets, as we sometimes do when a loved one passes. We wish we had called...
Still a man: The humanity of Brother Larry Hoover
He is a man. Not a myth, not a menace. A man. His name is Brother Larry Hoover. And for over five decades, he has lived in a caged America— unseen, unheard, and too often, unloved. But he is still a man. A husband. A father. A grandfather. A human soul. And he has suffered. Brother Larry is approaching 75 years...
Hajj: A sign of life’s journey and sacrifice for the rise of humanity
“And everyone has a goal to which he turns (himself), so vie with one another in good works. Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together. Surely Allah is Possessor of power over all things. And from whatsoever place thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the Sacred Mosque. And surely it is the truth from thy Lord....
Black women, police, and the brutality within: Even cadets aren’t safe
Consider the deeply disturbing case of Alexus Byrd-Maxey, a young Black woman and police cadet who, rather than being protected and uplifted in her journey to serve the community, was violated, isolated, and ultimately terminated from the Chicago Police Academy after reporting sexual harassment. A recent investigation by ProPublica and the Invisible Institute exposed the ugly underbelly of this situation—Alexus,...
The Case of Larry Hoover
There has been much talk since the news that President Trump commuted the federal sentence of our brother, Larry Hoover, who is not available for release because he must serve time for conviction in the state of Illinois. We should thank Mr. Trump for his action, whatever his motivation, as he did something that neither Democratic presidents Joe Biden nor...
The murder of George Floyd and the search for solutions
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, pleaded for his life as he lay pinned under the knee of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. For 9 minutes and 29 seconds, George’s life was slowly extinguished while witnesses begged for mercy, and a teenage Black girl captured the brutal killing on video. It went viral. “I can’t breathe,”...
An Honorable Man and Divine Servant
When honors are accorded to highly valued individuals, it is often said that by honoring this individual, we honor the best in ourselves. It means there’s something unique about this person, making them valuable beyond riches, fame, notoriety, or power. They reflect intrinsic values and inherent gifts within us, regardless of wealth, celebrity, or influence. They share knowledge to help...
Operational Unity and Grassroots Organizing
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful. Look at your beautiful body. It is the true house of God, if you let Him in. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of heaven is within you.” How? Your nature is from God. It is polluted now, but it just needs reform and cleansing. That is why the Bible says the first...
Tuskegee University: The Seminal Fluid of The Kingdom of God
Why Tuskegee? Booker T. Washington had his young students in architecture lay out the plans for Tuskegee Institute; they took the clay land and made bricks and built the buildings. They were not looking for somebody else to do it for them! They were learning how to make themselves useful to self, as well as others. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad...