Elijah Muhammad

This 1963 photo of Elijah Muhammad by Gordon Parks hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

"Elijah Muhammad helped develop the most enduring black militant movement in the United States, the Nation of Islam. Born into poverty in rural Georgia, Muhammad dropped out of school after third grade to supplement his family's income as a laborer. In the early 1920s, he migrated to Detroit, Michigan, and found work in the automobile plants. In 1931 Muhammad met Master Wallace Fard (or Wali Farad), who preached for the Nation of Islam and became his disciple. Muhammad built on Fard's teachings and combined aspects of Islam and Christianity with the separationist philosophies of the black nationalist Marcus Garvey. A shrewd judge of character, Muhammad easily contained a number of fiery, charismatic personalities in his movement." -- National Portrait Gallery