The Muslims are the third largest religious community in America and like many immigrants, they try to blend in and be accepted. They began immigrating in the late nineteenth century, some fled from homelessness after the creation of Israel in 1948. Some fled oppressive regimes in the middle east, and some came for the same reason that many other immigrants before them came, to find a better life. Some came just to assimilate and others came with the intention of making it big and returning to their home land. Many students from Sudan to Indonesia came because they could express their ideas and beliefs in America without the fear of persecution.
The African American community became active in the Muslim community during the middle part of the twentieth century. Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam were the first to begin a movement, a movement of separatism. Many members of the Nation of Islam were young, enthusiastic members who did not fear the "white devil" who some deemed it a radical organization. Some famous members of the Nation of Islam were boxing great Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, who was assassinated at a religious rally by to members of the Nation. Elijah Muhammad's son Warith went against his fathers teachings of separatism and went back to the Islamic belief and practice, but many did not see Warith the same way they saw his father. Louis Farrakhan leads the Nation today and still preaches the idea of separatism. .
