CAIR-Ohio is commemorating Black History Month to celebrate and recognize the rich legacy and contributions of Black Americans. This year, the theme is highlighting the Enduring Legacy of Black Muslim Excellence and their mark on our nation. For the first week, the focus will spotlight three individuals who are most known for their Activism and Leadership.
“Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence” celebrates not only the trailblazers of our past, but also the changemakers of today.
Black Muslims constitute one-fifth of the American Muslim community and were the first racial and ethnic group of Muslims in the Americas. As we honor and commemorate Black history in the U.S., CAIR-Ohio declares loudly and proudly: Black history is American history. Black history is Islamic history.
Stay tuned to your weekly CAIR-Ohio email newsletter and follow CAIR-Ohio on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to engage with the series.
While celebrating and reflecting on this enduring legacy, we cannot ignore the realities of racial inequity today. Black lives taken from us by police brutality; Black lives unfairly targeted by the criminal justice system; voter suppression; efforts to dismiss racism and censor history taught in our classrooms.
These are just a few of many racial justice issues that plague our nation, but that we as advocates, activists, allies, and Muslims can do something about. At CAIR-Ohio, we continue to fight for civil rights and justice for all.
See our spotlights below:
Dr. Yusef Salaam is a criminal justice advocate, activist and published poet. Dr. Salaam was a part of the “Exonerated Five,” where five young men (all Black and Latino) were wrongfully convicted for the rape and aggravated assault of white woman in Central Park. They were all convicted and sentenced for 6-12 years until a confession allowed all men to be exonerated.
After his exoneration, Dr. Salaam utilized his platform to share his experiences to provide key insight into the brutality of modern policing and mass incarceration. Dr. Salaam has dedicated his career to push for criminal justice reform and abolition of brutal practices such as solitary confinement to advance the causes of racial and equitable justice.
Bilqis Abdul Qaadir is an activist and motivational speaker. She is a former collegiate basketball player where she played for University of Memphis and Indiana State University. Qaadir is the first NCAA Division I player to play with a hijab. She hoped to continue her basketball career professionally in Europe, however, due to the rules of the International Basketball Federation, she was effectively barred from playing while wearing her hijab.
Qaadir refused to comply, and petitioned the federation for an exemption stalling her professional career. She became a strong advocate for representation in professional sports and promoting inclusivity for Muslim women athletes. By 2017, the federation amended their policies that allowed faith-based head coverings including the hijab. Empowering future generations of Muslim women players, Qaadir dedicated her career to shine a light on diversity and inclusion in sports.
Dalilah Muhammad is a track and field athlete who represented the United States both in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is regarded as the second fastest woman of all time, winning the 400 meter hurdle championship in 2016 and being a silver medalist in 2020. Muhammad was regarded highly talented at a young age, and began her career at 4 years old.
From high school national competitions to the olympics, Muhammad dominated as a track and field athlete and became a 4 time NCAA All-American. Off the field, Muhammad is an advocate for social equality and shared her experiences and challenges as a Black Muslim athlete. Understanding her role, she is a mentor to younger athletes and a role model to many.
