Othello's Children in the "New World": Moorish History & Identity In The African American Experience

by José V. Pimienta-Bey

In the early decades of the 20th century, a North Carolinian named Timothy Drew, established a political and religious organization known today as the Moorish Science Temple of America Inc (M.S.T.A.). Later referred to as 'Prophet' Noble Drew Ali, he would teach the so-called 'Negro' ('Black') public of the 1910's and 20's, that they were specifically 'Moors,' and that they needed to publicly declare their Moorish nationality and Islamic faith. Drew Ali insisted upon the designation of 'Moor,' while relatively few of his contemporaries understood or appreciated the logic of placing such emphasis upon a 'Moorish' nationality. With the exception of Shakespeare's fictional 'Othello,' few 'mainstream' Americans knew anything of consequence concerning 'Moors' in any Western society. But before his passing in 1929, Ali's Moorish Science Temples would expose 'Negro'Americans to historical information connecting them to a 'Moorish' identity.Using primarily a historical methodology and drawing directly from M.S.T.A. literature, this work explores the key postulates of the Moorish Science Temple movement. The study utilizes the pre-1929 official literature of the Moorish Science 'The Moorish Koran,' 'The Koran Questions,' and 'The Moorish Literature.' This study shows that the Moorish Science Temple provided valuable historical leads in understanding some of the more enigmatic and little known facts of American and World history, as they pertain to the Moors. Through the organizational texts one was told of the ancient African connections with the American continent, as well as the Moorish 'Moslem' (Muslim) presence in the pre-Columbian Americas. Such Moorish Science postulates regarding pre-Columbian contacts between Africa and America, proves intriguingly accurate when we take a fresh look at the 'racial' ambiguity of the term 'Indian' in American history.This work also discusses why Ali's interpretation of the Islamic religion differed from that of 'orthodox' (Sunn

Genres: History, Religion

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2002

Reviews

[Jaszmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this and presented it to classmates for my AA studies course. It was absolutely phenomenal in that the book explains the beginning of racism and how it has affected us until today with factual evidence, accounts, and receipts. If you are interested in the richness and greatness of African peoples in America and the entire world or want more insight into the confusion how white and black in relation t o class became in relation to skin tone. This book could be more complex to digest for some so I would recommend keeping a pen and paper handy as there are many concepts and events to track to make easier on the reader. I have kept this book permanently and fully intend to share with others to learn and enjoy.

[Castle Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a book for truth seekers.