The “Black Muslim” movement in America, which started in the early 1900’s, stems from a backlash against centuries of oppression by white Americans. By the 1920’s, at the movement’s beginning, slavery had been over for sixty years. Still, the status of African-Americans was still below the level of equality that they demanded, and also deserved. Beginning with Timothy Drew, (who later changed his name to Noble Drew Ali) in the 1920’s, and Wallace D. …showed first 75 words of 1167 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1167 total…prison, and up to a third of those men continue to follow the religion upon leaving jail, becoming safe, even beneficial members of society. The Nation of Islam may have some ideas that are scary to the majority of Whites, but for the most part, it is a harmless group, mostly concerned with the improvement of the lives of African-Americans. Works Cited Esposito, John L. Islam – The Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1998