Nation Of Islam

Introduction.

The Nation of Islam began in the context of Black Nationalism during the early twentieth century (1913-1929). Black Nationalism arose in the context of political, religious and cultural oppression of blacks by whites. African Americans were subjected to unequal distribution of rewards, political power, and opportunities, which systematically restricts their chances to succeed as a group. By organizing in a social movement, African Americans wanted to change the conditions of racial and class inequality.
The origins of the Black Muslim movement are found in two black improvement organizations that began shortly before World War I (1914-1918): the Moorish Science Temple of America, founded in 1913 by Noble Drew Ali, and the Universal Negro Improvement Association, founded in 1914 by Marcus Garvey.
Marcus Garvey, who was mainly political, directly influenced W.D. Fard and Elijah Muhammad, and Garvey’s writings indirectly influenced Malcolm X., since he promoted independent black commerce and industry, and the emigration of all blacks to Africa, he also taught that whites were an inferior race and that God was black.
Marcus Garvey was known as the father of black nationalism, he successfully mobilized in the 1920s a tremendous economic and social movement on the platforms of "return to Africa" and nationalism. His separatist strategy was rooted in "race first," self-help, and nationhood. By appealing to black pride and dignity and promoting a black economic power base, Garvey eventually created a huge international support. He profoundly changed the way many African Americans and other black people viewed themselves and their role in predominantly white societies. His ideals introduced to many oppressed blacks the possibility of independence and free choice under a separate racial regime.
The organization of Noble Drew Ali who was mainly religious, namely the Moorish Science Temple of America, is a synthesis of Black