(SEATTLE, WA 2/12/19) – In honor of Black History Month, The Council on American-Islamic Relations – Washington (CAIR-WA), is highlighting stories of local black Muslims as part of its recently launched social media campaign, "Everyday Muslims"
“Everyday Muslims” is a “Humans of New York”-style social media series showcasing the diverse stories of Muslims in Washington State. The series, which was launched on Jan. 22nd of this year, reminds audiences that Muslims and specifically black Muslims have always been a part of the of the American story.
A large percentage of Muslims in Washington state are Black; with Seattle boasting one of the largest Somali populations outside of Minneapolis Amina Ibrahim, a Somali American and CAIR-WA’s Program and Outreach Coordinator, says that people often forget that some of the first Americans were Muslim – brought here as slaves.
“When people think of Muslims they tend to think of foreigners and Arabs when in fact Muslims were some of the first people brought to the U.S. as slaves from Africa,” said Ibrahim. “It is important that we showcase the diversity within Islam and dismantle many of the stereotypes that exist about Muslims American.”
An estimated 20% of current American Muslims are black and approximately one-third of American slaves were Muslim. While the exact number of enslaved Muslims is unknown, up to 40 percent of those who were captured and enslaved came from predominantly Muslim parts of West Africa.
Read More:
Demographic portrait of Muslim Americans, Pew Research:
http://www.pewforum.org/2017/07/26/demographic-portrait-of-muslim-americans/
America's First Muslims Were Slaves, VOA News :
https://www.voanews.com/a/america-s-first-muslims-were-slaves/4763323.html?fbclid=IwAR0JO3IAcL_F8cEQ-CoeOZrFlzuTTNuheQV3rSSSYqqHa_jw2t79brspPZA
Media Availability and Media Contact:
CAIR-WA Program and Outreach Coordinator, Amina Ibrahim, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.