“THE FRUIT OF ISLAM“, A SPECIAL GROUP OF BODYGUARDS FOR MUSLIM LEADER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, SIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PLATFORM WHILE HE DELIVERS HIS ANNUAL SAVIOR’S DAY MESSAGE IN CHICAGO. THE CITY IS HEADQUARTERS FOR THE BLACK MUSLIMS. THEIR $75 MILLION EMPIRE INCLUDES A MOSQUE, NEWSPAPER, UNIVERSITY, RESTAURANTS, REAL ESTATE BANK AND VARIETY OF RETAIL STORES. MUHAMMAD DIED FEBRUARY 25, 1975
Featured on PDR in the collection John H. White’s Photographs of Black Chicago for DOCUMERICA (1973–74)
It’s hard not to read John H. White’s DOCUMERICA series as a love letter to Black Chicago. Whether capturing protesters or checkers players, concerts or chores, White’s work feels animated by a wonder and curiosity for the great breadth of stories and characters he encountered while exploring his adopted home city — “life”, as he put it in the captions to several of his images, “in all its seasons”.
Also appearing in the collection…
“The Fruit of Islam, a special group of bodyguards for Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad, sit…”
Artist
Date
1973–4
From
Documerica
Digital Rights
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