Nation of Islam

Origins of the Prison Ministries

The efforts of the Nation of Islam to recruit the support of black prison inmates occurred largely as a result of the Second World War. Opposing what it perceived as a war of white imperialist aggression, the Nation attempted to claim conscientious objector status for its members who were threatened with enlistment in the U. S. Army. In 1942, Elijah Muhammad was convicted with more than 60 other Black Muslims for draft evasion, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

During his incarceration, Muhammad reflected on the failure of civil rights leaders to recruit support from the black prison population. Following his release in 1946, he set out to establish prison ministries across the United States. These ministries attempted to rehabilitate African American inmates through a process of physical and spiritual transformation. Prison converts were instilled with a strict moral code of discipline, abandoning drugs and alcohol and cultivating the habits of thrift and hard work. Their personal redemption was accomplished by cleansing themselves in body and in mind of the destructive influences of the ghetto. To encourage a new sense of purpose and belonging, prison converts were provided with employment at one of the Nation's temples upon their release.

The most famous prison convert to the Nation of Islam was a petty criminal called Malcolm Little. Malcolm experienced his spiritual conversion while an inmate at the Charleston Penitentiary in Massachusetts. By the time of his release in 1952, Malcolm Little had become Malcolm X, a name that symbolized the rejection of the Christian surname imposed on his forefathers by white slave masters. Malcolm's brilliant oratorical skills swiftly established him as the preeminent spokesperson of the Nation of Islam. His status as a reformed inmate made him an ideal role model for other prison converts to the Nation.

The Freedom of Religious Practice in Prisons

The prison outreach programs of the Nation of Islam have received numerous awards. Despite such accolades, the ministries have suffered persistent opposition from prison authorities. Officials often perceive Black Muslim inmates as potential risks to prison security because of their supposed incitement of racial hatred. Converts to the Nation of Islam are also said to create an administrative burden because they demand exceptional treatment, such as the provision of special diets, days of worship, and religious instruction from their own ministers. These tensions have resulted in Black Muslims becoming the targets of harassment, intimidation, and violence. In response, the Nation of Islam has taken legal action on a number of occasions to secure the [Page 620]protection of its supporters' right to practice their religion under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Although the courts have not been entirely consistent, they have in broad principle established the freedom of religious practice in prisons.

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