These African American men embraced Islam to fight racial injustices in America during the civil rights movement

“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity.” — Qur’an 3:104

For decades blacks in America fought and are still fighting for equality. The civil rights fight spanned many cities – from Atlanta, Georgia, Kansas, Memphis, Tennessee, Birmingham, all the way to Washington D.C.

The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle for social justice and equality. It began mainly during the 1950s and 1960s and aimed at pushing for blacks to be treated equally under laws of the United States.

Slavery was abolished with the end of the American civil war, but not discrimination against blacks. They continue to suffer the effects of racism, especially in the South.

Unable to endure any longer to the systematic prejudice and violence against them, African Americans broke out of their shelves. They mobilized and began the unprecedented struggle for equality by the mid-20^th century, spanning two decades.

Taking a cue from the opening paragraph, which is a verse from the Quran, Face2Face Africa sets out to look at some African Americans who embraced Islam as a means to push for change.

In no particular order of significance, the first on our list will be Elija Muhammed.