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Black Muslims in Baltimore: Community Clean Up!

Black Muslims in Baltimore: Community Clean Up!

Last updated on: April 25, 2017 at 12:24 pm by Hakeem Muhammad

Black Muslims in Baltimore: Community Clean Up! 2017-04-25T12:24:43-05:00 Hakeem Muhammad

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“If you want to live in a better community, make your community a better place to live.” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

Due to the crumbling infrastructures, West Baltimore’s black communities have often been described as, “abandoned and left for dead.” Despite this widespread neglect of black Baltimore , one entity that has not abandoned them are their black brothers and sisters in the Nation of Islam.

Over dinner, Black Muslim brothers in Baltimore began discussing what could be done to improve the state of their community. Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the black community, the brothers brainstormed the phenomenal idea of a community clean up in the most disenfranchised black communities of Baltimore.

Describing the mission, Brother Marquese X, a participant in the clean-up states:

We went into one of the worst neighborhoods in Baltimore: the area where our brother Freddie Gray was slain and fed over 320 people in the community. Then we went door to door with the Final Call Newspaper giving it away. Lastly, we saw a group of brothers down the street playing basketball so we walked down and embraced them and played a few games with them just building friendships with the brothers and letting them know that we live and support them.

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Gilmore Housing Projects in West Baltimore has only a median income of 12K and has been plagued with a litany of social problems from drugs to decrepit housing conditions. The Gilmore Housing Projects were also the home of Freddie Gray whose death within police custody ignited widespread uprisings.

Imam Amin Nathari, National Representative of Islam in America Movement (IAM), stated that:

“The community cleanup at Gilmore Homes in Baltimore is just one example of the consistent presence of the Nation of Islam, from the very beginning, within the communities it exists. This has always been a cornerstone of the work of the Nation, and Baltimore, under Student Minister Carlos Muhammad, is an excellent example of this tradition of accepting responsibility for our community. And this is why the Nation of Islam has the social capital and respect that it does, particularly within the Black American inner city communities, above and beyond any other identifiable group of Muslims.

This is a reflection of true da’wah, or propagation rooted in the Prophetic tradition. I have long maintained that community involvement and civic engagement is the da’wah of 21st century America; not solely mosque/masjid based activities or migrating from the suburbs every other weekend to distribute sandwiches to the homeless, albeit a noble gesture indeed. Being among the people, exhibiting sincere care and concern, leadership through service; this is what Islam in 21st Century America should look like.”

Black Muslims and Community Engagement

Active community engagement with the agenda of improving the state of the black community has been an integral platform of the NOI. This remarkable work of the NOI in working to transform black communities has earned the NOI social and political capital in inner-city black communities unrivaled by any other Muslims.

As black communities were suffering from gang violence and being plagued with drugs, political commentator Boyce Watkins wrote that,” the men of The Nation of Islam were the cleanest, sharpest, most articulate and polite men in the entire neighborhood.”

Similarly, Hip-Hop Icon, Russel Simmons expressed that as many black children were suffering in inner city neighborhoods due to a lack of opportunity, “Our parents would tell us that when we grow up we should make a choice to either join the army or “be a Muslim or something.” The Nation of Islam secured our housing projects, promoted dignity and transformed men with criminal pasts. Those men would then, in turn, raise refined, educated black children.”

In addition to this, the NOI throughout the 90’s organized “Stop the Killing Tours” brokering treaties between various street gangs such as the bloods and the crips. The NOI even played an instrumental role in ending the east-coast/west coast rap beef which created the atmosphere which lead to the untimely deaths of Tupac and Biggie Smalls.

The NOI show an unwavering commitment to inner-city black communities and take an active role in seeking to solve social problems facing black America. This is what makes the NOI the most relevant and consistent Muslim presence in Black America.

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