The Nation of Islam In Milwaukee, A Brief History

The Nation of Islam In Milwaukee, A Brief History

In the early days of Islam in America, Master Fard Muhammad (founder of the Nation of Islam) traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to further the expansion of the Nation of Islam outside of its first two cities, Detroit and Chicago. Upon his arrival he found individuals who were receptive to his message, establishing a base of support for his student, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. In 1934, the Master Teacher and his Student traveled together to visit what would become the third city of Islam in the West. The trip solidified friendships that in 1935 allowed the Honorable Elijah Muhammad to flee Detroit, to Chicago and a short time later to the safety of Milwaukee due to threats against his life. His stay, while brief, provided him with a glimpse of the difficulty of his assignment and the certainty of victory promised to him by his teacher.

This initial group of believers in what was then known as Muhammad's Temple #3, located on McKinley Boulevard, produced the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's first National Representative, Minister Sultan Muhammad. During this period the Honorable Elijah Muhammad never stayed in a city more than two weeks, up until his arrest by Executive Order in the spring of 1942 in Washington D.C. Upon receiving the news of the Messenger's arrest, Minister Sultan and William Muhammad, of Temple #1 in Detroit traveled to his aid, leading to their subsequent arrest and imprisonment under the Selective Service Act . During the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's and his followers unjust incarceration, the believing community of Milwaukee collected scrap metal, tires, and anything redeemable to support the Messenger's wife and family until his release on August 24th, 1946.

After Minister Sultan Muhammad was arrested and sent to Sandstone Federal Correctional Institution in Minnesota, the post of local representative was given to Minister John 3X, who held it until 1965. In the summer of 1965 the Honorable Elijah Muhammad began to periodically send Minister Milton X from Chicago to give weekly lectures. In 1967 Minister Henry X was assigned the post and remained as minister until 1975. During this period of exponential growth, Muhammad Mosque #3 acquired numerous properties and businesses including a University of Islam and schoolbus, the Shabazz restaurant, Henry's Temple #3 Barber Shop, Shabazz Grocery, Fish Market and many others.

After the departure of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in 1975, Imam Warith D. Mohammed made significant organizational changes that drastically altered the way the Nation's Mosques functioned. As a part of this new direction, Mustafa B. Ali assumed the role as minister under Imam Warith D. Mohammed and remained during the transition into the World Community of Al Islam. This shift from the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad included a complete dismantling of the Nation of Islam, its financial structure, as well as its military known as the Fruit of Islam and the Muslim Girls Training and General Civlization Class.

It wouldn't be until the winter of 1987 that the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the work of the Nation of Islam would be resurrected in the city of Milwaukee, when a visionary young man from Chicago named Jerry Belin stood up to rebuild Muhammad Mosque #3 by taking weekly trips to the city to begin a study group. His efforts became the foundation of a new Mosque under the guidance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, who renamed him Jerry Muhammad. Minister Jerry Muhammad forged friendships with people from all walks of life, embodying the character and discipline of Islam. In early 1990, Minister Jerry passed and those left behind continued the work of rebuilding the Milwaukee mosque.

On May 5th, 1990, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan appointed Ahmed Muhammad as Minister of Mosque #3. Minister Ahmed Muhammad served until July of 1993 and in the late fall of that year a new energetic minister named William 3X (now known as Brother William Muhammad), who had served as Captain of the Nation of Islam's headquarters' Mosque in Chicago, was assigned to Milwaukee as Minister. Under Brother William's leadership, Muhammad Mosque # 3 has continued to be active in service to Milwaukee and throughout the state, firmly rooted and committed to upholding the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.