Countering the "Phenomenology of Whiteness": The Nation of Islam's Phenomenology of Blackness

The Nation of Islam (NOI) has intrigued American society since its inception in 1930. Historically, the religio-nationalist organization has been the object of admiration for its uncanny ability to reform the lives of downtrodden blacks. At the same time, the NOI has garnered condemnation for the controversial, racialized and divisive doctrine that it espouses. This condemnation has led to a dismissal of the NOI’s doctrine as reactionary, bigoted, and fanciful myth-making. In recent decades however, scholars have begun interrogating the doctrine of the NOI. Rather than dismissing it, scholars in various fields have recognized the critical and phenomenological nature of its doctrine as it goes about the “mental, physical, and spiritual resurrection” of black Americans. In this article, I interrogate three of the most controversial claims of the NOI: The White man is the devil, the Black man is God, and its endorsement of the separation of Blacks into their own territory. Viewed through the lens of phenomenology, I submit that the NOI’s doctrine and actions should be viewed as the establishment of an emancipative and recuperative “Phenomenology of Blackness” that counters a lifeworld built upon the disembodiment and dehumanization of Black bodies. Reframing the NOI’s doctrine in this way positions it as a linguistic, religiously stylized, praxis-oriented critical hermeneutic phenomenology.

Malcolm X : Pengaruh dan Konflik Internal dalam Gerakan Nation of Islam (NOI) di Amerika Serikat (1952-1965)

This research aim to analyze the influence of Malcom X in the movement of NOI, and how it ignite internal conflict within this organization. The analyze focused on library research by using history research method. History research method requires certain procedures for instance heuristic, verification, interpretation, and historiography. As a result, there are three significant factors that triggered the violence againt Malcolm X performed by NOI perpetrators. The first factor was assumed on the popularity of Malcolm X whom gained more attention than Elijah Muhammad did. The consequences of Malcolm X’s fame initiated the jelaousy toward him. As a result there was rumour produced by Elijah Muhammad followers on the agenda of coup d’etat against the leadership of the legal chief of NOI. The next cause of the internal conflict within NOI was the scandal of Elijah Muhammad with his female secretary. The last factor was the Malcolm X opinion on mass media toward the homicide of President Kennedy. Keywords : Influence, Internal Conflict, Malcolm X, NOI. Abstrak: Penelitian ini dilaksanakan dengan tujuan untuk menjelaskan pengaruh Malcolm X dan konflik internal dalam gerakan NOI. Penelitian ini dipusatkan pada kajian pustaka dengan menggunakan metode penelitian sejarah. Langkah yang dilakukan peneliti yaitu heuristik, kritik sumber, interpretasi dan historiografi. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah setidaknya ada tiga faktor utama yang menyebabkan konflik Malcolm X dari NOI. Pertama, Malcolm X lebih terkenal dan menjadi tokoh besar dalam gerakan NOI daripada Elijah Muhammad. Ketenarannya merangsang rasa iri dan rumor bahwa dia akan mengambil alih gerakan serta dia ingin lebih berhasil dari Elijah Muhammad. Kedua, kehidupan pribadi Elijah Muhammad yang terguncang oleh skandal perempuan. Ketiga adalah komentar Malcolm X pada pembunuhan Presiden Kennedy.Kata Kunci : Pengaruh, Konflik Internal, Malcolm X, NOI

Uniting for Survival

This chapter documents several brutal clashes between African Americans and the police, which engendered a loose coalition of Black organizations and a number of sympathetic white ministers. It recounts the Rochester cases that garnered significant attention, while police clashes occurred throughout most cities in the postwar era. It also mentions a case where the US Justice Department interceded and another case where the famed Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X joined the protest efforts. The chapter argues that police brutality became a salient issue for a broad cross section of the Black community, which included ministers who cultivated and promoted a unified response. It talks about the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that worked closely with Malcolm X and local Nation of Islam leaders to organize a unity rally, chastising the Rochester branch for consorting with reputed Black separatists.

Ethnic Identity of Black Muslims and Resilience from Criminal Risk Factors

The overrepresentation of Black males in the criminal justice system is well-established in the literature, linking individual factors to criminal engagement of Black men. Compared to literature seeking to understand why Black males offend, there remain gaps in the literature exploring resilience in Black males from criminality. Religion is a major influence in Black communities, providing moral and ethnic socialization, and serving as a protective factor against criminal involvement. For Black Muslims, ethno-religious teachings play a significant role in one’s self-accountability, Black identity, and moral decision-making, including decisions to resist or desist from crime. The Nation of Islam, a Black ethnic, political and religious movement, is characterized as a racist and revolutionary organization, despite work done in the community to improve the social and economic conditions for Black Americans. The focus on self-reliance and self-accountability is the nexus of the prevailing worldview shared by members; and how to navigate racial discrimination, especially in the criminal justice system. This study presents the results of a focus group with Black males in the Nation of Islam. The men discussed the influence of ethno-religious teachings on non-offending, their worldview, and racial pride. Implications for future studies are provided.