On The Square EP5 - Muslim Artifacts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

On The Square EP5 - Muslim Artifacts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Author: Arab Studies Institute November 22, 2021 Duration: 41:06

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square History Editor Zaheer Ali speaks with Tulani Salahu-Din, museum specialist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), about Muslim artifacts at the museum. Salahu-Din provides the backstory for some of the objects at the museum, including those featured as part of Sapelo Square's Black History Month 2021 special: an egg carton from the Nation of Islam's Muslim Farms, a tape recorder used by Malcolm X at Mosque No. 7, and a pendant the Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave to his wife Sister Clara Muhammad as described by their grand-daughter Amirah Muhammad in an oral history. They also talk about the importance of preserving Muslim material culture, and steps everyone can take in collecting and recording their family histories.

To the question, "If Black Islam had a theme song, what would it be?," Salahu-Din chose Quincy Jones's "What Good Is a Song?"

To learn more about some of the Muslim artifacts featured at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), visit Sapelo Square's Black History Month 2021 feature, or search the online collections at NMAAHC. To find out more information about the museum's artifacts and public programming around themes of religion and spirituality, visit the Center for Study of African American Religious Life.

Theme music by Fanatik OnBeats.

Artwork was created by Scheme of Things Graphics.

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Courtesy of Maydan Podcast.


Each month, Status/الوضع assembles a vital audio journal from the Arab Studies Institute, moving beyond headlines to explore the deeper currents shaping the region and its global connections. This isn't about quick takes; it's a sustained, critical conversation built on ground-level reporting and scholarly insight. You'll hear extended dialogues with analysts, activists, and artists, alongside dispatches recorded where events unfold. The tone ranges from sharp, informed commentary to pointed satire, reflecting the complex realities it examines. The podcast deliberately blends genres-interviews feel like revealing conversations, reports carry narrative depth, and commentary is interwoven with readings of essential texts. It’s a collaborative project that values independence, offering a platform for nuanced perspectives often sidelined in mainstream discourse. By engaging with culture, politics, and society as intertwined forces, Status/الوضع provides listeners with a more complete, challenging, and human picture of the Middle East and its place in the world. Tune in for a monthly installment of substance, where critical thought meets audio storytelling.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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