“Raising Her Voice”: Writings By, For and About Women in Muhammad Speaks Newspaper, 1961–1975

This chapter critically examines the contributions of African American Muslim women to the Nation of Islam (NOI) and the larger media stage. The writings by, for, and about women in Muhammad Speaks newspaper, from 1961 to 1975, provides a chance to explore the largely unacknowledged philosophical perspectives and sociopolitical ideas embraced and espoused by African American Muslim women as they navigated the NOI during the Civil Rights-Black Power era. The chapter provides a brief overview of the history and goals of the Nation's newspapers, and the sociopolitical milieu in which women "raised their voices. It explores the selection of broader themes NOI women commonly engaged in their writings. The chapter also explores how Muhammad Speaks provided women with a platform to participate in the dialogue concerning the local and global Black liberation agenda.