Muslims have been on American soil from the beginning of European settlement, as untold numbers of Muslims arrived as slaves, and there were free Muslims as well. Indeed, envisioning Muslims as citizens of the U.S. was part of the nation's Founding.
Esteban - In 1528, he became the first African (and Muslim) Slave to set foot in what is now the United States.
Estevanico - Wikipedia profile of Esteban.
African Muslims In Early America - The National Museum of African-American History and Culture explores the story of Islam as a piece of the American religious fabric since the first settlers arrived in North America
Historical Records of Enslaved and Freed African Muslims in Early America - Muslims from various parts of the world have long played an influential and productive role in American history and culture.
Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an - Interview with Dr. Denise Spellberg, historian, about the fact that many Americans at the time of the founding of the U.S., despite the legacy of misinformation about Muslims, refused to yield to contemporary fears promoting the persecution of Muslims.
“Oh ye Americans” - The Autobiography of Omar ibn Said
“I am Omar ibn Said” - An up-close portrait of this Muslim in early America, and his use of the written word to assert who he was, no matter where he was. He believed in the power of the written word to rescue us and set us free.
The Omar Ibn Said Collection at the Library of Congress - 42 digitized documents in both English and Arabic documenting aspects of his life.
Comments