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Barry Gray
Professor Cassandra Blandford
9 December 2015

Islam, African-Americans & Incarceration

The plight of the African American Muslim has been a hot topic worldwide for the
past few decades gaining mass notoriety with the rise of the nation of Islam in the work
of Elijah Mohammed and Malcolm X. While during this time X pushed the Muslim
religion and African-Americans relationship with it into the mainstream it, also came
with a cost. The term Black Muslim carries a negative connotation to this day even
though the pioneers of that movement are long gone. While people practicing the Muslim
religion today often get unfair stereotypes cast upon them due to unfortunate events, One
has to notice the relationship broadcast between African Americans and the Muslim
religion in culture today, that being incarceration. African Americans are converting to
Islam behind prison walls at a rate that hasn't been seen before. My inquiry question is
why do African Americans turn to Islam while incarcerated?

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In February 1946 a young Malcolm little was indicted and convicted on charges of
larceny in breaking and entering. This moment unbeknownst to anyone and even himself
put Malcolm Little on the path of becoming a transcendent icon. While incarcerated Little
eventually took up The teachings of the Islamic religion being pushed in the right
direction by siblings and other inmates. Gradually his conversion to Islam and subsequent
success as an activist, and leader made his conversion somewhat of a template for
African-Americans looking to turn to Islam. One man's journey to Islam and people
following it was something that I had a hard time understanding. Someone putting faith
in another man's journey to craft their own is something that isnt unheard of, but its is
hard for me to blindly accept. The mystique of Malcolm X could've contributed to his
mass conversions that he was a part of but it didn't explain individuals backing an
organization that was not established for very long. African Americans relationship to the
Islamic religion was somewhere I looked to next look for why the religion was so
enticing.

Living up north like I did came with a complex diversity of races and religions
that I came in contact with on the daily basis. In my childhood years I had a friendship
with another child from my school and we did everything together. Being a fairly bright
child noticing his last name was Bilal I figured that something about us was vastly
different. I've met his father a few times over but I have not seen him in his own
environment such as at home, I was excited when I was invited to their home and even

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being a child what I witnessed next had an impact on me to this day. Mr. below was a
very soft-spoken man and when I witnessed at home how he acted and carried himself I
realized that it had to be more than just his personality I witnessed his prayer throughout
the day how he calmly spoke to me as if he's known me all of my life and how most of
his family followed suit. While this is a small sample size, this fond memory sticks out in
my mind as a personal account going against the notion that African-American Muslims
have a certain negative disposition and something that proves to me that the religious
practice come with an additive that ones who aren't practicing don't experience.

The United States loves the prison industry. The prison industry is a multi billiondollar business and the United States affinity with it is reflected with our country
incarcerating more people than any other country on this green earth. While that statistic
is disappointing what's even more disappointing is the fact that African-Americans make
up half of that prison population. While there are no reliable statistics prison officials,
chaplains and various scholars state that Islam is the fastest growing religion in prison.
With Islam being the fastest growing religion behind bars, and African Americans being
the highest incarcerated race, the two bound to intertwine eventually. Historically the
Islam religion has been prophesized to be the true religion for the black man and woman
stating that true enlightenment would come from converting. This history of Islam and
the African-American race goes back centuries, but my doubts surface when I only hear
of prison conversion among criminals who have committed dastardly crimes. Do they
convert to save face? Or is it genuine enlightenment they are seeking? Both? Throughout

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my research I found stories and antidotes from those who converted saying that they
found a new purpose in life, stating that through their conversion behind bars they found
a new sense of self and a piece of mine that was never experienced before. Having a new
discipline and structure to one's thoughts and beliefs can be helpful for people undergoing
the daily mental strain of being behind bars; while I have never been incarcerated I can
only imagine the feeling so having a new purpose for your life to continue on can
definitely be helpful.

Going down this road of exploring a religion that I wasn't familiar with at all made
me pose different questions about my own faith, questions that I purposely strayed from
before. While refreshing to have these thoughts, I found myself deep in thought
wondering about the struggles of those incarcerated whether they be guilty or innocent. If
one has to change his or her identity in jail is it for personal reasons? Or purely for
survival? Malcolm X himself once stated "Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he
doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't
know what you know today". One cannot draw conclusions on the someones religion
without partaking in those believes themselves, while I tried to put myself and others
shoes I simply fell slightly short. In conclusion turning to Islam while incarcerated surely
has its benefits for African Americans because of the sense of togetherness and overall
love for one another but truly understanding can only be found by walking a step in
someone else's shoes...