Khalid Abdul Muhammad
Encyclopedia
Khalid Abdul Muhammad (born Harold Moore, Jr.; January 12, 1948 – February 17, 2001) was an African American
activist who came to prominence as the National Assistant to Louis Farrakhan
of the Nation of Islam
(NOI). After a 1993 speech at Kean College Khalid was condemned and removed from his position in the Nation of Islam
by Louis Farrakhan
. He was also censured by the United States House of Representatives
.
After being removed from the Nation of Islam
he served as the National Chairman of the New Black Panther Party until his death in 2001. His views were considered controversial among most Americans, but his angry condemnations of white power gained him the support of many black youth.
, where he attended Bruce Elementary School, E.O. Smith Junior High School, and all-Black Phyllis Wheatley High School. He was also an Eagle Scout. After graduating high school, Muhammad went to Dillard University
in Louisiana
, where he was known as Harold Vann, to pursue a degree in theological studies, but he did not graduate. At this time, he ministered at Sloan Memorial Methodist Church. In 1967, he was initiated into Omega Psi Phi
fraternity (Theta Sigma chapter). Later, Muhammad transferred to Pepperdine University
and earned his Bachelor's degree.
. He changed his name to Harold Smith, became Minister Louis Farrakhan
's protégé, and was active as a recruiter within the organization. In 1978, Muhammad was appointed Western Regional Minister of the Nation of Islam and leader of Mosque #27. In 1983, Minister Farrakhan named him Khalid after the Islamic general Khalid ibn al-Walid
, a follower of Muhammad, calling him the Sword of Allah.
By 1984, Muhammad had become one of Louis Farrakhan's most trusted advisors in the Nation of Islam. He traveled to Libya on a fund-raising trip, where he became well acquainted with that country's leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi
. Muhammad's dedication to Farrakhan and to the message of the NOI eventually secured him the title of national spokesman and he was named one of Louis Farrakhan's friends in 1981. He served at Nation of Islam mosques in New York and Atlanta throughout the 1980s and was convicted of fraud in 1988. In 1991, he became Farrakhan's personal assistant.
Muhammad's new position involved public speaking engagements, where he became known for his inflammatory anti-white, anti-semitic, and anti-homosexual speeches along with notions of Black self-empowerment and black separation. Muhammad's condemnation of whites and Jews extended to conservative Blacks, whom he criticized for what he perceived as their self-subjugation.
In 1993, following a speech at Kean College in Union Township, New Jersey
, in which Muhammad referred to Jews as bloodsuckers; labeled the Pope
a "no-good cracker
"; and advocated the murder of any and all white South Africans who would not leave the nation subsequent to a warning period of 24 hours. He used the Book of John in the Bible as an excuse to defend his hatred of "so-called White Jews", saying that they crucified Jesus because he revealed them to be liars, and of "their father, the Devil". The United States Senate
voted 97–0 to censure Muhammad, and the United States House of Representatives
in a special session passed a House Resolution. When he was also reprimanded by the NOI, he left the organization. There is some question as to whether Muhammad was removed from the organization by Louis Farrakhan
or if his departure was voluntary (important to note is that Farrakhan stated in a press conference that he was not removing Muhammad because of the content of his comments, which he even defended as "truths", but because of the "mockery" tone in which they were said.) In 1994, Muhammad appeared on The Phil Donahue Show. He participated in heated arguments with Jewish audience members amid an explanation of his public statements.
Muhammad was shot by James Bess, a former NOI member, after he spoke at the University of California at Riverside on May 29, 1994. Muhammad believed the shooting was a part of a conspiracy against him.
in which he criticized Jews, whites, Catholics and homosexuals. He endorsed a Holocaust denial
position, asserted Jewish control over U.S. policy, and alleged Jewish involvement in various conspiracies.
In 1998, Muhammad organized the Million Youth March in New York City
. The march was controversial from its inception as New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied organizers a permit, calling it a hate march. A court ruled that the event could go on but scaled back its duration and size. At the conclusion of the rally, just as Muhammad appeared on the stage to speak, the demonstration was interrupted by a low-flying police helicopter that acted as a signal for more than 3,000 police in riot gear, including some mounted on horseback, to come in and disperse the crowd. In response, Muhammad exhorted the rally participants to attack the oncoming police, to beat them with rails, and to shoot them with their own guns. Dozens were arrested, and 30 officers and five civilians were injured. Mayor Giuliani said that the march turned out to be precisely what he predicted, “filled with hatred, horrible, awful, vicious, anti-Semitic and other anti-white rhetoric, as well as exhortations to kill people, murder people...the speeches given today should not occur [at] any place.” In subsequent activism, Muhammad convened a second march in 1999 that drew roughly 90 participants and no incidents with the police, even though he made threats that his speech would include all his beliefs beforehand.
In 2000, Muhammad's beliefs were introduced to a completely new demographic when it was revealed that one of the contestants on the American
version of the Dutch television show Big Brother, William Collins (Hiram Ashantee), was a follower of his. He also appeared in an episode of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
.
In 2001, Muhammad died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in Atlanta, Georgia
, at the age of 53.
group Public Enemy on the introduction of its 1988 track "Night of the Living Baseheads," from the album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
: He also appeared in rapper Ice Cube
's albums Death Certificate
(1991) and Lethal Injection (1993) as a guest. On the former, Muhammad appeared on the tracks "Death" and "The Birth". On the latter, he appeared on the song "Cave Bitch," a song ridiculing white women. He also appeared on MC Ren
's 1996 album The Villain in Black
on the track "Muhammad Speaks," where he spoke about the history of rights of the African-Americans. Tupac Amaru Shakur's Makaveli album also features Muhammad on the track "White Man's World."
A quote from Muhammad, appearing in a Louis Theroux documentary, was sampled by "Chase & Status
" in the song 'Hocus Pocus' from their 2011 album "No More Idols
":
Muhammad's 1996 "Kill the White Man" speech can be heard on the The Used's
2009 album "Artwork
" between tracks 6 and 7.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
activist who came to prominence as the National Assistant to Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
of the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
(NOI). After a 1993 speech at Kean College Khalid was condemned and removed from his position in the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
by Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
. He was also censured by the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
After being removed from the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
he served as the National Chairman of the New Black Panther Party until his death in 2001. His views were considered controversial among most Americans, but his angry condemnations of white power gained him the support of many black youth.
Early life
Muhammad was raised by his aunt, Carrie Moore Vann, in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where he attended Bruce Elementary School, E.O. Smith Junior High School, and all-Black Phyllis Wheatley High School. He was also an Eagle Scout. After graduating high school, Muhammad went to Dillard University
Dillard University
Dillard University is a private, historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 incorporating earlier institutions that went back to 1869, it is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church....
in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, where he was known as Harold Vann, to pursue a degree in theological studies, but he did not graduate. At this time, he ministered at Sloan Memorial Methodist Church. In 1967, he was initiated into Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
fraternity (Theta Sigma chapter). Later, Muhammad transferred to Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
and earned his Bachelor's degree.
Nation of Islam
In 1970, while attending Dillard, Muhammad joined the Nation of Islam, which was then under the leadership of Elijah MuhammadElijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad was an African American religious leader, and led the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975...
. He changed his name to Harold Smith, became Minister Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
's protégé, and was active as a recruiter within the organization. In 1978, Muhammad was appointed Western Regional Minister of the Nation of Islam and leader of Mosque #27. In 1983, Minister Farrakhan named him Khalid after the Islamic general Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar...
, a follower of Muhammad, calling him the Sword of Allah.
By 1984, Muhammad had become one of Louis Farrakhan's most trusted advisors in the Nation of Islam. He traveled to Libya on a fund-raising trip, where he became well acquainted with that country's leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
. Muhammad's dedication to Farrakhan and to the message of the NOI eventually secured him the title of national spokesman and he was named one of Louis Farrakhan's friends in 1981. He served at Nation of Islam mosques in New York and Atlanta throughout the 1980s and was convicted of fraud in 1988. In 1991, he became Farrakhan's personal assistant.
Muhammad's new position involved public speaking engagements, where he became known for his inflammatory anti-white, anti-semitic, and anti-homosexual speeches along with notions of Black self-empowerment and black separation. Muhammad's condemnation of whites and Jews extended to conservative Blacks, whom he criticized for what he perceived as their self-subjugation.
In 1993, following a speech at Kean College in Union Township, New Jersey
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
, in which Muhammad referred to Jews as bloodsuckers; labeled the Pope
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
a "no-good cracker
Cracker (pejorative)
Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a pejorative term for white people. It is an ethnic slur that is especially used for the white inhabitants of the U.S. states of Georgia and Florida , but it is also used throughout the United States.-Etymology:One theory holds that the term comes from the...
"; and advocated the murder of any and all white South Africans who would not leave the nation subsequent to a warning period of 24 hours. He used the Book of John in the Bible as an excuse to defend his hatred of "so-called White Jews", saying that they crucified Jesus because he revealed them to be liars, and of "their father, the Devil". The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
voted 97–0 to censure Muhammad, and the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in a special session passed a House Resolution. When he was also reprimanded by the NOI, he left the organization. There is some question as to whether Muhammad was removed from the organization by Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
or if his departure was voluntary (important to note is that Farrakhan stated in a press conference that he was not removing Muhammad because of the content of his comments, which he even defended as "truths", but because of the "mockery" tone in which they were said.) In 1994, Muhammad appeared on The Phil Donahue Show. He participated in heated arguments with Jewish audience members amid an explanation of his public statements.
Muhammad was shot by James Bess, a former NOI member, after he spoke at the University of California at Riverside on May 29, 1994. Muhammad believed the shooting was a part of a conspiracy against him.
New Black Panther Party
After being stripped of his position as NOI spokesman, Muhammad became the national chairman of the New Black Panther Party. On May 21, 1997, he delivered a heated speech at San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
in which he criticized Jews, whites, Catholics and homosexuals. He endorsed a Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
position, asserted Jewish control over U.S. policy, and alleged Jewish involvement in various conspiracies.
In 1998, Muhammad organized the Million Youth March in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The march was controversial from its inception as New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied organizers a permit, calling it a hate march. A court ruled that the event could go on but scaled back its duration and size. At the conclusion of the rally, just as Muhammad appeared on the stage to speak, the demonstration was interrupted by a low-flying police helicopter that acted as a signal for more than 3,000 police in riot gear, including some mounted on horseback, to come in and disperse the crowd. In response, Muhammad exhorted the rally participants to attack the oncoming police, to beat them with rails, and to shoot them with their own guns. Dozens were arrested, and 30 officers and five civilians were injured. Mayor Giuliani said that the march turned out to be precisely what he predicted, “filled with hatred, horrible, awful, vicious, anti-Semitic and other anti-white rhetoric, as well as exhortations to kill people, murder people...the speeches given today should not occur [at] any place.” In subsequent activism, Muhammad convened a second march in 1999 that drew roughly 90 participants and no incidents with the police, even though he made threats that his speech would include all his beliefs beforehand.
In 2000, Muhammad's beliefs were introduced to a completely new demographic when it was revealed that one of the contestants on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
version of the Dutch television show Big Brother, William Collins (Hiram Ashantee), was a follower of his. He also appeared in an episode of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends is a television documentary series, in which Louis Theroux gives viewers the chance to get brief glimpses into the worlds of individuals and groups that they would not normally come into contact with or experience up close...
.
In 2001, Muhammad died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, at the age of 53.
In popular culture
Muhammad was notably featured by the hip-hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group Public Enemy on the introduction of its 1988 track "Night of the Living Baseheads," from the album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 14, 1988, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at Chung King Studios, Greene Street Recording, and Sabella Studios in New York City...
: He also appeared in rapper Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
's albums Death Certificate
Death Certificate (album)
Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
(1991) and Lethal Injection (1993) as a guest. On the former, Muhammad appeared on the tracks "Death" and "The Birth". On the latter, he appeared on the song "Cave Bitch," a song ridiculing white women. He also appeared on MC Ren
MC Ren
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson , better known by his stage name MC Ren, is a rapper who formed part of the group N.W.A. His moniker is derived from his first name .-Early life:...
's 1996 album The Villain in Black
The Villain in Black
The Villain in Black is MC Ren's second solo album. Working with Above the Law's Cold 187um, Ren has constructed an album reminiscent of classic G-funk grooves.-Track listing:# Bitch Made Nigga Killa...
on the track "Muhammad Speaks," where he spoke about the history of rights of the African-Americans. Tupac Amaru Shakur's Makaveli album also features Muhammad on the track "White Man's World."
A quote from Muhammad, appearing in a Louis Theroux documentary, was sampled by "Chase & Status
Chase & Status
Chase & Status are an electronic music production duo from London consisting of Saul Milton and Will Kennard. MC Rage & Andy Gangadeen also make up the live band.-2003-2005:...
" in the song 'Hocus Pocus' from their 2011 album "No More Idols
No More Idols
No More Idols is the second album by British production duo Chase & Status, released on 28 January 2011. No More Idols marks the first major full-length release by Chase & Status since their debut album More Than Alot three years prior; a period in which the group signed a major management deal...
":
Muhammad's 1996 "Kill the White Man" speech can be heard on the The Used's
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
2009 album "Artwork
Artwork (album)
Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.-Writing and recording:...
" between tracks 6 and 7.
See also
- African-American – Jewish relationsAfrican-American – Jewish relationsAfrican Americans and American Jews have interacted throughout much of the history of the United States. This relationship has included widely publicized cooperation and conflict, and—since the 1970s—has been an area of significant academic research. The most significant aspect of the relationship...
- Nation of Islam and antisemitism
- Black separatismBlack separatismBlack separatism is a movement to create separate institutions for people of African descent in societies historically dominated by whites, particularly in the United States. Black separatists also often seek a separate homeland...