Black Pilgrimage to Islam

Rating:
Summary: Well written social history of African-American Islam
Review: Fifteen years of research have gone into the most comprehensive, candid and well-written social history of African American Islam to date. The author's experience as a journalist and, more recently, teacher of urban anthropology at New York University show as he brings facts and personalities to life. From the working-class and depressed urban neighborhoods to college campuses, community organizations and prisons, Dan-nin investigates the surprising range of expressions that Islam has taken, all the while inquiring how Islam has aided people seeking to overcome a legacy of slavery and ra-cial oppression. His travels, conversations and readings show that the Nation of Islam, which commands a disproportionate share of national media attention, is but a thread in a much larger design, which is itself a rich element in the social tapestry of the United States. DD