Midterm Review

Muslims in America: Communities and Institutions

1. In West Africa, how did the introduction of slavery contribute to changes in the legal-
political structure? How did individuals become slaves in West African setting and
what role did Islam play in reference to the Slavery institution?
2. What were the major factors that contributed to the increase in the availability of
slaves sent to the Americas? And how did people become enslaved in Africa?
3. What evidence does Diouf present regarding literacy in Africa and why is it
important? Literacy has always been a foundation for recording and transmission of a
given community experiences, what role literacy had in West Africa? How important
was literacy for Muslim slaves and did it aid them in the new setting or was it a
liability
4. When was the first exclusionary act issued and who was included in it?
5. How did the Church deal with the slavery and what were the positions of the Catholic
and Protestant on it?
6. Even though the institution of slavery was widely known and used in West Africa,
what were the major differences between slave/owner practices in an African setting
vs. the institution developed in the New World?
7. According to Dioufs how did he profession of faith, Shahada, manifest itself in
different ways in the new world?
8. Who is the Prince and why is he significant in our study of Islam in America?
9. What is the Nation of Islam and when was it founded?
10. What is the Ahmadiyya movement and why is it important?
11. In the lecture we discussed the differences between the voluntary immigrants and
involuntary immigrants i.e. refugees from war and conflict zones. List differences
between the two groups that either help or prevent adjustment to the new
circumstances?
12. List the various immigration periods in American history? What is the Chinese
Exclusionary Act and what impacts did it had on the number of immigrants from Asia
and the Muslim world?
13. What changes did the 1964 Immigration Act put forth and how did it impact Muslim
immigration to the US?
14. What are the main reasons for Muslim immigration to the US?
15. How is race understood by immigrants and how do they negotiate their position and
status in it?
16. What theories do we have concerning a pre-Columbus contact between West African
Muslims and the new world? Discuss with references from class lecture notes? Why
is this material important at this time?
17. What are the early influences in Malcolm Xs life?
18. Who is Marcus Garvey? What organization did he establish and what were its goals?
19. How did Malcolm Xs mother end-up in a mental hospital and how was his
relationship with her? How was his relationship with his dad and what were
Malcolm's conclusions on this relationship?
20. Who is Ella? How did she impact Malcolms life?
21. What are the five distinct names reflective of Malcolms life?
22. How did Malcolm embrace Islam and why was it a transformative experience?
23. Why did Malcolm leave the Nation of Islam? What changes did Malcolm embark
upon and how did the visit to Mecca transform him?
24. What institutions did Malcolm help establish before his death and what impact did
they have afterward?