الكاتب: Dr. George H. Juone, Jr.

When many historians analyze African and African American religions. they usually concentrate on indigenous African religions and the conversion of Africans in America to Christianity. Included in the discussion is the estabishment and development of the Black church in Amierca. Themes usually not mentioned are (I) a few Africans were already Christians before their capture, (2) some Africans retained their indigenous religious beliefs in whole or in part, and (3) a significant number of Africans were Muslims. Even scholarly works such as The Muslims of America, edited by Yvonne Haddad, exclude any reference to early Muslims from Africa in its historical references. Islam in North America: A Source hook, edited by Michael AKoszegi and 1. Gordon Melton, provides a short bibliography and other minimal historical information though it does acknowledge early contributions of Africans. Likewise, Akbar Muhammad's article "Muslims in the United States: History, Religion, Politics and Ethnicity" claims that the. foundation of the American Muslim community was the work of European American hummanists and social and religious malcontents. Further, he maintained that African Americans were merely the religious successors of those earlier whites.