“You're Black. You're from Africa. You can't be the Principal”: Limited Leadership in Islamic Institutions

Abstract

This work examines how leadership in U.S. Islamic institutions is impacted by anti-Blackness. During this ethnographic project, I interviewed 15 participants who identified as part of the Islamic community in one city in the southwestern portion of the United States. The findings in this paper are based on 15 attendees of two mosques and one private Islamic school whose interviews brought up the topic of barriers to leadership as a form of discrimination for Black community members. In particular, I highlight the experiences of two successful Black leaders who have experienced discrimination within the Muslim community. Findings demonstrate that anti-Blackness in Islamic community spaces manifests itself in two distinct ways: (1) lack of leadership opportunities as a result of exclusionary practices and (2) limitations placed on those who may manage to become leaders. Thus, anti-Blackness robs Black Muslim community members of the safety that should be afforded by Islamic institutions.