Birthplace of elijah muhammad biography

(1897-1975)

Who Was Elijah Muhammad?

After moving to Detroit in 1923, Elijah Muhammad met W. D. Fard, founder of the black separatist movement Nation of Islam (NOI). Muhammad became Fard’s successor from 1934 until his death in 1975 and was known for his controversial preaching. His followers included Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan.

Early Years and Family

Elijah Muhammad was born Elijah Robert Poole in Sandersville, Georgia, on October 7, 1897. He was one of 13 children of William and Mariah (Hall) Poole. His father was a sharecropper and his mother was a domestic worker. He grew up in Cordele, Georgia, where he attended school only through the fourth grade and dropped out to begin working in sawmills and brickyards. At an early age, he witnessed extreme prejudice and violence toward blacks.

He married Clara Evans in 1919 and eventually had eight children with her. In 1923, seeking better employment and a more tolerant environment, he moved his own family, p

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Elijah Muhammad (October 7, 1897 - February 25, 1975)

Elijah Muhammad, known as the most prominent leader of the Nation of Islam (NOI), was born Elijah Poole in Sandersville, Georgia. Muhammad grew up in the segregated South and worked alongside his family as a sharecropper. In 1917, he married Clara Evans and by 1923, Muhammad and his wife moved to Detroit, Michigan in order to find better living and employment opportunities. Once in Detroit, Muhammad worked in the automobile industry until he was laid off from his job during the Great Depression.

During his time of unemployment, Elijah met the founder of the NOI, Wallace Fard. Muhammad was captivated by Fard’s teachings of Black Islam and racial supremacy. In 1931, Elijah Poole joined the Nation and changed his name to Elijah Muhammad. That same year, he quickly rose to power as Fard named him Chief Minister of the Nation of Islam.

As leader of the Nation of Islam, Muhammad dedicated himself towards expanding the organization b

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Elijah Muhammad

Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an African-Americanreligious leader, who led the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975. He was a mentor to Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, Muhammad Ali; and his son Warith Deen Mohammed.

Muhammad was born on October 7, 1897 in Sandersville, Georgia. Poole married Clara Evans (1899–1972) on March 7, 1917. They had eight children. Muhammad died from congestive heart failure at the age of 77 on February 25, 1975, the day before Saviours' Day, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.^[1]

Al Freeman, Jr. played him in the 1992 movie Malcolm X.

References

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1. ↑"Elijah Muhammad Dead". New York Times. February 26, 1975. Retrieved 2011-11-15.

Other websites

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Media related to Elijah Muhammad at Wikimedia Commons