![]() The first mosque structure built in the United States for the purpose of serving a Muslim community was in Ross, North Dakota (1929) and the oldest surviving mosque is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1934).Īfrican-Americans began to rediscover their African Islamic roots after the Great Migration of Blacks from the South to the Northern cities after World Wars I and II. Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb, an early American convert to Islam, established a mosque and mission in New York City in 1893. Although the majority of these immigrants (almost 90%) were Arab Christians, there were sizable clusters of Muslims, most of whom settled in the Midwest. During the late 19th century until the 1920s, large numbers of Arabs, mostly from Lebanon and Greater Syria, arrived in the United States. The next significant wave of Muslim immigrants began in the mid-19th century. There are several autobiographies of Muslim slaves that survive from this period, including some by individuals who were involved in the Abolitionist movement and were Union soldiers during the Civil War. Although enslaved people were denied freedom of religion, many did practice their faith in secret and pass it on to their children. Large numbers of Moriscos (former Muslims of Spain and Portugal) also came to the Spanish colonies, including many areas of what is today the United States. Scholars estimate that anywhere from a quarter to a third of the enslaved Africans brought to the United States were Muslims. Although some evidence suggests that there were Muslims on Columbus’ ships, the first clearly documented arrival of Muslims in America occurred in the 17th century with the arrival of slaves from Africa. ![]() The history of American Muslims goes back more than 400 years. What is the Truth About American Muslims?Īmerican Muslims in the United States 6.
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