Muhammad, Akbar. Thats not to say that anyone so amorphous is not capable of producing very absolute effects on history. He wrote two books for the movement, The Secret Ritual of the Nation of Islam, which is transmitted orally to members; and Teaching for the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in a Mathematical Way, which is written in symbolic language and requires special interpretation. Some of his followers became suspicious of him, but he still commanded an impressive following of thousands and his message seemed to resonate well with the poor black population of Detroit. Chameleon: The True Story of W.D. For some time, one W. D. Fard assumed leadership of the Moorish movement. [24] He established the Moslem Girls' Training and General Civilization Class, where women were taught how to keep their houses, clean and cook. What seems most remarkable is that Fard seems to have utterly disappeared from the governments (especially the FBIs) radar after leaving Detroit in 1933. With growing prestige over a constantly increasing group, [Fard] became bolder in his denunciation of white people and began to attack the teachings of the Bible in such a way as to shock his hearers and bring them to an emotional crisis. [50], Karl Evanzz, in his book The Messenger, postulates that Fard was the son of a Pakistani Muslim, then known as East Indians. Fards First Temple of Islam included the Fruit of Islam, a military-like organization of black male converts, a Muslim Girls Training Corps Class and a University of Islam which, despite its name, was mainly focused on elementary and high-school level education. More about myself I will not tell you yet, for the time has not yet come. Fard appears in the novel Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, in which Fard's Detroit Temple No. A few of them had come under the influence of the Moorish-American cult which succeeded it. She is employed despite her ethnicity because the managers are desperate for someone with a working knowledge of silk they rationalize the hire by discovering that her place of birth was Turkey, a Muslim country, although she is a practicing Greek Orthodox Christian. The FBI maintained an open file on Fard Muhammad up until as late as 1960, according to documents published through the Freedom of Information Act. See, The years 1891 and 1893 have both been cited by sources relying upon FBI records primarily. According to the version of Elijah, he saw Fard off at the Detroit airport when Fard was being deported. At his suggestion, he came back to teach the residents, along with guests. Wallace Fard came to Detroit in the early 1930s and, in-between peddling silks and perfumes, preaches a unique brand of Islam to the local black population. In 1934 he disappeared without a trace. The culprits vary depending on who's talking. He said that he loved us (the so-called Negroes), his lost and found, so well that he would eat rattlesnakes to free us if necessary, for he has power over all things. The effect of both these movements upon the future members of the Nation of Islam was largely indirect. WebIn late 1933 or in 1934 Fardmysteriously disappeared from public record. Leader of the Nation of Islam Black Nationalism: A Search for Identity in America. He arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an obscure background and several aliases, and taught an idiosyncratic form of what he considered Islam to members of the city's black population. The later official view of the Nation of Islam was that he was in Mecca. [25][Note 2] Some of the lessons are in the form of questions asked by Fard to Elijah Muhammad. He was described as of medium height and build with brown eyes and black hair. Otherwise he would chastise us with a severe chastisement until we did submit. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBIs capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. How we had been made blind, deaf and dumb by this white race of people and how we must return to our people, our God and His religion of peace (Islam), the religion of the prophets. A relatively short leadership struggle ended with Elijah Muhammad assuming control of the NOI. ." He claimed he was influenced by the group. What seems most remarkable is that Fard seems to have utterly disappeared from the governments (especially the FBIs) radar after leaving Detroit in 1933. Fard appeared as a peddler "from the East," selling silks and other sundries and dispensing advice about health and spiritual development to his customers. I guess so, because if you compare their features (ears, nose, chin, mouth, eyes and eyebrows), they're very similar. 44 records found for Wallace Rd, Oswego, KS 67356. Of course, his relative obscurity in the annals of history has much to do with his brief time in the public eye and the numerous aliases he assumed over the course of his life. [41] Immigration records did not match any of his aliases. He appeared in Detroit in 1930 and had an obscure background and used several aliases. Some have suggested that he was a member of the Moorish Science Temple of America or the Ahmadiyyah Movement. It's the late 1950s and the civil rights movement is beginning to emerge. His original name was Wallace D. Fard, but he was also known by other aliases, such as Farad Muhammad, F. Muhammad Ali, Wali Farrad, and Professor Fard. There were rumors about his whereabouts until the 1990s, when some believed he was still alive and living somewhere in California. His fathers name is listed as Zaradodd Ford, his mothers name as Babbjie, and their birthplace as Madrid, Spain. Edit: After looking at those two pictures more I am convinced they're the same guy. Wallace Fard Muhammad was the founder of the Nation of Islam. But I am not the same person who taught Elijah Muhammad and I am not God. A 1920 birth record for a boy named Wallace Max Ford born in Los Angeles lists his father as Wallace Ford, who was born in New Zealand, and his mother as Hazel Barton. Contemporary American Religion. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/legal-and-political-magazines/fard-w-d-c-1877-1934-religious-and-political-leader, "Fard, W. D. (c. 1877-1934), Religious and Political Leader [20], With regard to Elijah Muhammad, Beynon's article stated: "From among the larger group of Muslims there has sprung recently an even more militant branch than the Nation of Islam itself. . Jeffrey Eugenides novel Middlesex, which could justly be called a Detroit epic, includes a fascinating chapter in which the matriarch of the Stephanides family, Desdemona, takes a job as a silk worker at the Nation of Islams headquarters on Hastings Street. The Black Muslims in America. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The prophet came to America to find and to bring back to life his long lost brethren, from whom the Caucasians had taken away their language, their nation and their religion. ", Beynon refers to some of the lessons by Fard as an "oral tradition" that was recorded at the University of Islam as the "Secret Ritual of the Nation of Islam." Following his disappearance, Elijah Muhammad succeeded him as the chief of the Nation of Islam. What seems most remarkable is that Fard seems to have utterly disappeared from the governments (especially the FBIs) radar after leaving Detroit in 1933. Contemporary American Religion. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBIs capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. On a 1926 San Quentin State Prison file, a Wallie D. Ford of Los Angeles gave his birthplace as Oregon, and his age as 31. After Elijah's death, Warith Deen appointed Abdullah imam of Mosque #77 in Oakland, California. He declared that he would heal us and set us in heaven at once, if we would submit to Him. Ford reported that he was a cook, age 26, born in Oregon and living in Los Angeles. Fard worked the streets as silk peddler, but his real sales pitches were religious beliefs and dietary restrictions. After another brush with the law in April 1934, Fard left Detroit for good. var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); And that He was able to force the whole world into submission to his will. Fard, also known as Wallace Fard Muhammad, had a murky past. This would suggest he was, in fact, diabetic. Master W. D. Fard founded the Nation of Islam, or the "Black Muslim" movement, in a Detroit ghetto called Paradise Valley in July 1930. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. A World War I draft registration card for Wallie Dodd Fard[4] from 1917 indicated he was living in Los Angeles, unmarried, as a restaurant owner, and reported that he was born in Shinka, Afghanistan on February 26, 1893. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Fard disappeared in 1934. Within three years Fard had established several organizations: the "Temple of Islam," with its own worship style and rituals; the "University of Islam," to propagate his teachings; the "Muslim Girls Training," to teach female members home economics and how to be a proper Muslim woman; and the "Fruit of Islam," consisting of selected male members to provide security for the temple and Muslim leaders and to enforce the disciplinary rules. rcds.appendChild(rcel); Wallace Fard Muhammad was the founder of the Nation of Islam. [68][bettersourceneeded]. On their marriage record, Ford gave his race as Spanish, his birthplace as Oregon, and his age as 26. "[48][dubious discuss] An FBI memorandum dated August 1963 states that the FBI had not been able to verify his birthdate or birthplace, and "he was last heard from in 1934. He told his followers that they were not Americans and therefore owed no allegiance to the American flag and could refuse to serve in its military. The entire movement was placed under a Minister of Islam. On his 1917 draft card, under the name "Wallie Dodd Fard", he listed his place of birth as "Shinka" in Afghanistan. When nothing further was heard from him, some rumored that he had been killed by police. She claimed Ford was a New Zealander who had lived in Portland prior to coming to LA, and that she had one son by him, Wallace Dodd Ford Jr., who had died during World War II. Uncover property values, resident history, neighborhood safety score, and more! WebWallace Dodd Ford or Fard was also known as Wallace Fard Muhammad and he was the founder of the Nation of Islam in the 1930s in Detroit, MI. WebWallace D. Fard aka Wallace Fard Muhammad / f . There is some evidence that Fard lived at least until the 1960s; his alleged lover stated that he had returned to New Zealand. One of the Conference Members by the name of Mr. Osman Sharrieff said to the Eleven Members of the Conference: 'The Lost-Found Nation of Islam will not return to their original Land unless they, first, have a thorough Knowledge of their own.' The organizations humble origins in the Hastings Street Temple of Detroits Paradise Valley are little known, as is the story of the enigmatic Wallace D. Fard. The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 added to the crushing poverty and racial discrimination felt by many black people and made some of them receptive to Fard's new religious message. Both of these tenets are contrary to the creed of orthodox or Sunni Islam. Fard, W. D. (c. 1877-1934), Religious and Political Leader He lived in Los Angeles with a woman named Hazel Ford. In 1930, W.D. The book Chameleon: The True Story of W.D. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture, Beynon stated that Fard's position on human sacrifice "was never made clear. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function() { This was perhaps true, but the police recognized that Fard's preaching was encouraging extremist behavior and offered him an ultimatum: leave the city forever and avoid criminal charges. "[19], Beynon's interviewees told him that reports of Fard's message spread throughout the black community. Free maps of USA towns - printable, unique, stylish, souvenir maps for download now! Fard, most scholars have relied on his teachings as passed down, and perhaps modified, by Elijah Muhammad. Lincoln, C. Eric. This is the story that stuck. Members of the Nation of Islam believe that he was a light-skinned black man or mulatto who knew both the white and the black world and who was born on February 26, 1877. Since Mr. Fard has been deified, the Temple People raise to the rank of prophet the former Minister of Islam, Elijah Mohammed, now a resident of Chicago. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. He also taught us to give up all evil doings and practices and do righteousness or be destroyed from the face of the earth. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME! Here in America they were living other than themselves. Elijah Muhammad, who took the position of leader of the Nation of Islam after Fard's disappearance, railed agaist the media claims that Ford was Fard. Others asserted that he had returned to Mecca to prepare for his eventual return. Islam in the African AmericanExperience. How did the founder of a group that recruited men like Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali slip under the radar so easily? In June 1934, Fard left Detroit for Chicago and disappeared without a trace. Two days later, Elijah Muhammads son, Wallace Muhammad, was named leader of the NOI, and quickly distanced himself from certain aspects of his fathers teachings most notably those denouncing whites as devils. He spoke as a guest at the NOI temples in Detroit and Chicago. His parents were Zared Fard (a New Zealander whose parents were from an area of East India that eventually became Pakistan) and Beatrice (of New Zealands minority British population). The FBI file states: "Our investigation of the NOI and Fard failed to establish his birth date and birth place." WebParking is abundant-plenty of room for an RV, toys, and multiple vehicles. Among the files reviewed was that of Wallace Dodd Ford. It seems that there is room for even more study into the origins of the Nation of Islam this always fascinating, sometimes controversial, organization that has exerted considerable influence on Americas thoughts and dialogue for more than 70 years. So they sent a Messenger to them of their own. He stated that he was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to a Black African father and a Russian Jewish mother, from the Caucasus. WebThe FBIs FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. He claimed to have attended Oxford and the University of California, and then to have begun training as a diplomat for the kingdom of Hejaz (now a part of Saudi Arabia). 1962. WebWallace Muhammad - Disappearance Disappearance In June 1934, Fard left Detroit for Chicago and disappeared without a trace. My introduction to the life of Fard came via a fascination with Malcolm X that began in high school. He claimed his father was a black Arab and his mother from the Caucasus mountains. [55] Authors have also cited E. U. Essien-Udom for this proposition as well. Fards demise as the leader of the temple was brought upon him when, on Thanksgiving Day in 1932, one of his followers, Robert Harris, renamed Robert Karriem, committed a human sacrifice in order to bring himself closer to Allah. Two sons of Elijah Muhammad have variously identified him either as an Ahmadiyyah missionary from Pakistan, a position supported by Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, or as an Arab of "Turko-Persian" origins, a view offered by Akbar Muhammad. Garvey taught the Negroes that their homeland was Ethiopia. Karriem cited a quotation from a book entitled Secret Rituals of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam, authored by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad, which read, The believer must be stabbed through the heart. This quote, as well as another stating, Every son of Islam must gain a victory from a devil. 2 as its headquarters. The first is the expansion of Islamic statesthat is, states whose ruling elite consisted, Islam There is No God but ALLAH. He appeared in Detroit in 1930 and had an obscure background and used several aliases. Members of the movement believe Fard to be the incarnation of Allh, and his birthday, February 26, is observed as Saviours Day. var rcel = document.createElement("script"); Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. His main goal, he often stated, was to bring salvation to African-Americans, whom he often referred to as his lost uncle in the wilderness of North America.. Fard offered blacks a credo of moral and cultural superiority to their white oppressors. The FBI file on Fard provides both dates for individuals suspected (but never confirmed) to be Fard. "[58], Beynon also wrote: "The prophets message was characterized by his ability to utilize to the fullest measure the environment of his followers. Members of the movement believe Fard to be the incarnation of Allh, and his birthday, February 26, is observed as Saviours Day. The past is filled with elusive characters whose true identities tend to slip just beyond absolute description. https://68.media.tumblr.com/8baacfedb2c5ff0be7055d0550917d7e/tumblr_ne5vz9XWui1t1ova9o10_500.jpg. He founded the religious movement in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in 1930, and was its leader until 1934, his disappearance. Fard through a vent. [36][bettersourceneeded], A declassified Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) memorandum dated May 16, 1957, states: "From a review of instant file it does not appear that there has been a concerted effort to locate and fully identify W. D. Fard. Never confirmed ) to be Fard reviewed was that of Wallace Dodd Ford, as well as another,! And dietary restrictions named Hazel Ford also known as Wallace Fard Muhammad was the founder the! 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The 1990s, when some believed he was described as of medium height and with!, as well as another stating, Every son of Islam was largely indirect born in Oregon living! As Madrid, Spain radar so easily copy the text for your bibliography say that anyone amorphous!