Muslims in America: A Timeline documents important historic milestones for Muslims in America, beginning in the 17th century and continuing through 1934, when the first building built specifically to be a mosque was established.

Introduction

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EMBED: © HSP

ALT: Portrait of Yarrow Marmood (The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection, Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia)

Muslims in America: 1619–1934 is adapted from the U.S. Department of State’s publication Being Muslim in America. It documents important historic milestones for Muslims in America, beginning in the 17th century and continuing through 1934, when the first building built specifically to be a mosque was established.

1619-1800s

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EMBED: State Dept.

ALT: Drawing of a ship (State Dept.)

An estimated 10 million Africans are brought to North America as slaves. Approximately 30 percent are Muslim.

1775

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Drawing of Battle of Bunker Hill (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

Former slave Peter Salem (Saleem) fights in the Battle of Bunker Hill and throughout the American Revolution. Muslim Americans have served with distinction in all U.S. wars.

1796

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Portrait painting of John Adams (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

President John Adams signs the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary.

1819

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EMBED: © HSP

ALT: Portrait of Yarrow Marmood (The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection, Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia)

Freed by his master in middle age, Yarrow (Mamout) Marmood, depicted here in 1819, established himself as a property owner and bank investor in Georgetown, today part of Washington.

1898

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Page from the New York Times (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

Kawkab Amrika (Star of America), first Arabic newspaper to appear in the United States, begins daily publication, as reported by The New York Times here.

1907

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EMBED: Courtesy photo

ALT: Map of Poland (Courtesy photo)

Tatar immigrants from Poland, Russia and Lithuania found the American Mohammedan Society, the nation’s first Muslim organization.

1908

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Immigrants at Ellis Island (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

Large numbers of Muslim immigrants enter the United States from parts of the Ottoman Empire, including today’s Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

1913

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Portrait photo of Noble Drew Ali (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

Noble Drew Ali (1886-1929) founds the Moorish Science Temple of America in Newark, New Jersey. This religious group claims to be an Islamic sect but incorporates influences from many religions.

1919

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© AP Images

ALT: Workers on auto manufacturing line (AP Images)

First Islamic Association is founded in Highland Park outside of Detroit, Michigan, where many immigrants found work in auto manufacturing plants.

1924

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EMBED: Library of Congress

ALT: Immigrants waiting on benches (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

Johnson-Reed Immigration Act imposes national quotas that sharply restrict the number of new immigrants.

1934

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EMBED: Courtesy The Mother Mosque

ALT: Mosque building (Courtesy The Mother Mosque of America)

The Mother Mosque, the first building in America built specifically to be a mosque, is established in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/iipdigital-en/index.html)