How enslaved African Muslims resisted bondage through their faith and writing

Portraits of two enslaved people: Ayuba Suleiman Diallo and Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori. National Portrait Gallery and Library of Congress via Wikimedia

Muslims in the United States often face negative stereotyping and suspicion. Especially in the years following 9/11, Muslims have been frequently cast as outsiders.

What many may not know is that Muslims have been part of the American story since its founding. Scholars estimate that as many as 30% of Africans who were enslaved and brought to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries were Muslim.