In the Aftermath: African-American Muslims in DC

November 16, 2001

Source: The Washington Post

On November 16, 2001, The Washington Post reported that "in the wake of September's terrorist attacks, the nation's focus has been on Muslims whose origins lie overseas. But a significant number of Muslims in this country are African Americans. They compose about 25 percent of the U.S. Muslim population, whose size is estimated to range anywhere from 3 million to 7 million." Many DC area African-American Muslims belong to Mosques that are affiliated with the Muslim American Society, but "despite the society's success in establishing itself as a mainstream Muslim organization, its leaders say they still struggle with prejudices among both American-born and foreign-born Muslims who tend to see African Americans as less qualified than immigrants to be spokesmen for their faith."