The Black Muslims in America

324 Pages·1994·18.796 MB·English

by  C. Eric Lincoln

ed as a sociological study of the.sources
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The Bik Muslims
in America
Third Edition
C. Eric Lincoln
Njee en AR RES lg
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Africa World Press, Inc.
Trenton, New Jersey
Copyright © 1961, 1973, 1994 by C. Eric Lincoln
This edition published jointly 1994 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
and by Africa World Press, Inc.
15 Industry Court, Trenton, N.J. 08638
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Reprinted, May 1994
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lincoln, C. Eric (Charles Eric), 1924-
The Black Muslims in America / by C. Eric Lincoln. — 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Originally presented as the author’s thesis (Ph.D., Boston University).
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8028-0703-8 (pbk.)
1. Black Muslims — History. I. Title.
BP221.L56 1993
297’.87 — dc20 93-38 169
CIE
Africa World Press ISBN 0-86543-400-X
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRFAaRY
This book originated as a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Boston University.
The author and publisher wish to acknowledge with thanks use of material from the
following sources: Erdmann D. Beynon, ““The Voodoo Cult among Negro Militants in
Detroit,” American Journal of Sociology 43 (July 1937—May 1938): 894-907; Arthur H.
Fauset, “Moorish Temple Science of America,” in J. Milton Yinger’s Religion, Society,
and the Individual (New York: Macmillan, 1968); Eric Hoffer, The True Believer (New
York: New American Library, 1959); Mike Wallace and Louis: Lomax, ‘“The Hate That
Hate Produced” broadcast of Newsbeat on New York’s WNTA-TV, 10-17 July 1959;
and the November 1959 issue of Sepia.
3 1223 04444 3266
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ecil, Joyce, Hilaryy,, aannd d LLeessss C.C harles

Contents
Foreword, by Gordon W. Allport Xi
Foreword to the Third Edition, by Aminah B. McCloud X1V
Preface Xvi
Preface to the Third Edition XX
,
. The Verdict Is “Guilty” — The Sentence
Is “Death”
The End of the Second-Class Ride
The Stranger in Detroit
Economic and Political Power 18
The Believers... 20
... and Why They Become Believers 26
. The Dynamics of Black Nationalism 32
Bitter Soil and Bitter Fruits © 33
Group Consciousness 33
Avoidance 34
Acceptance 36
Aggression af
Black Nationalism, U.S.A. 39
Stereotype and Identity 39
— vii—
CONTENTS
Black Nationalism 41
Black Nationalism and Social Class
3. Black Nationalism: The Minor Leagues 47
Religious Nationalism: The Moorish Science Temples 48
Political Nationalism: The Garvey Movement 52
Preparing the Way for Allah 61
4. The Faith and the Future 63
Doctrines and Mythology 64
The Plight of the So-Called Negroes 64
The Coming of Allah 68
The Original Man 71
The White Race and Christianity 72
Muslim Morality 76
The Goals of the Movement 79
The United Front of Black Men 79
Racial Separation 83
Economic Separation 85
Some Good Earth 90
5. Reaching for the Masses 94
The Nature of a Mass Movement 95
The Importance of Mass Membership 95
The True Believer 96
Leadership in the Mass Movement 97
The Instruments of Unification 99
The Black Muslims as a Mass Movement 102
Reaching for the Masses 102
Lures for the True Believer 104
Recruitment 106
Visit to a Mosque 110
Schools and the Center 119
Intibah, Hah! 122
Mr. Muhammad Speaks 124
—vili —