Unmasking the Master Narrative: Exclusionary Practices and the Enslaved African Muslims Omar ibn Said, Bilali Muhammad, and Abdulrahman Ibrahima Sori
This study investigates the exclusionary practices encountered by enslaved African Muslims in the antebellum United States, focusing on how these practices shaped their lives and identities. By examining the experiences of individuals such as Omar ibn Said, Bilali Muhammad, and Abdulrahman Ibrahima Sori, the research highlights the challenges faced by these individuals and offers critical insights into the workings of historical power structures. The guiding research question is: In what ways did exclusionary practices impact the lives of the enslaved Muslims under study? To address this, the study employs a decolonial framework inspired by the works of Walter Mignolo and Aníbal Quijano. Key concepts such as the "master narrative," "coloniality of power," and "exclusionary practices" are utilized to analyze the legacy of oppression experienced by enslaved African Muslims. This research contributes to the broader scholarship by providing a focused exploration of the lived experiences of enslaved Muslims—an underexamined subject in both historical and archival studies. The conclusion synthesizes the analysis of exclusionary practices and the "master narrative," underscoring their centrality to understanding the historical dynamics of marginalization and power.
This dissertation explores the narratives and writings of four enslaved African Muslims: Omar ibn Said, Bilali Muhammad, Abdulrahman Ibrahima Sori, and Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq.
This study investigates the exclusionary practices encountered by enslaved African Muslims in the antebellum United States, focusing on how these practices shaped their lives and identities.