Crate Diggers: Anniversary of Khalid Muhammad's Death

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Anniversary of Khalid Muhammad's Death


“Have you forgotten, that once we were brought here, we were robbed of our names, robbed of our language, we lost our religion, our culture, our God, and many of us by the way we act, even lost our minds!” - Khalid Muhammad

(Khalid Muhammad)
Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad was born Harold Moore Jr., January 12th, 1948 in Houston, Texas, USA. He attended Dillard University in Louisiana after graduating high school. He ministered at Sloan Methodist Church while in college. In 1967 he joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. In 1970 Moore joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) under the leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He changed his name to Harold X then to Malik Rushaddin. He became the protege to Minister Louis Farrakhan and was an active recruiter for the Nation of Islam. Rushaddin later transferred to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, USA where he earned a bachelor's degree. In 1978 he was appointed western regional minister of the NOI and leader of mosque #27. In 1981 he became the national spokesman of the NOI. In 1983 Min. Farrakhan gave Rushaddin the new name of Khalid after the Islamic general Khalid ibn al-Whalid. By 1984 Khalid Muhammad was one of Min. Farrakhan’s most trusted advisors.
(Khalid Muhammad giving a speech as part of the NOI)
Muhammad traveled to Libya on a fundraising trip where he became well acquainted with the country’s leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi. He served in NOI mosques in New York City, NY and Atlanta, GA throughout the 1980’s. In 1987 Muhammad was convicted of mortgage fraud and sentenced to 9 months in jail. In 1991 Muhammad returned to being Min. Farrakhan’s national advisor in the NOI. Muhammad’s position involved public speaking where his messages of Black self empowerment were accused of being anti-white, anti-semitic and homophobic. A particular speech he made in 1993 at Kean college in Union Township, NJ caused much controversy. He spoke of White Jews as blood suckers to the Black community for owning a lot of businesses and housing in Black communities, labelling the Pope as a “no good Crakkka” for his involvement with the nazis during World War 2, and advocated the killing of all White people occupying Apartheid era South Africa.
(Khalid Muhammad making a speech at Kean College in 1993)
The US House of Representatives voted 97-0 in censuring Khalid Muhammad. Min. Farrakhan responded by condemning Muhammad’s speech. Khalid Muhammad later left the NOI. On May 29, 1994 an attempt on Muhammad’s life was made by a former member of the NOI after Muhammad made a speech at the University of California, Riverside, luckily he survived the attempted assassination. In 1998 Muhammad became the national chairman of the New Black Panther Party.
(Khalid Muhammad as part of the NBPP)
In 1998 Muhammad organized a “Million Youth March” in New York City, NY which had an estimated 6,000 people show up. The then New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied Muhammad a permit calling it a hate march but a court ruled the march could go on. During the march a low flying police helicopter interrupted Muhammad’s speech. Then more than 3,000 NYC police in riot gear came to attack and disperse the crowd. Muhammad called for the crowd to defend themselves from the police. This resulted in 30 officers injured and 5 civilians injured. 0n February 17, 2001 Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad passed away from a brain aneurysm in Atlanta, GA. He was 53 years old.
(Khalid Muhammad’s Funeral)
Today is the 15 year anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.

Songs Referencing Khalid Muhammad
  • “Night of the Living Baseheads” By Public Enemy
  • “Freedom” By Rage Against the Machine
  • “Death” By Ice Cube
  • “The Birth” By Ice Cube
  • “Cave B***h” By Ice Cube
  • “Muhammad Speaks” By MC Ren
  • “1000 Deaths” By D’Angelo
Suggested Videos of Khalid Muhammad



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