HOUSTON - It’s no secret Houston has a bustling Muslim population with residents stemming from all walks of life.
There’s a rich tapestry of work focusing on the legacy left behind by Muslims in this city, yet little has been touched on when it comes to African American efforts.
For example, Houston’s oldest and most historic mosque, Houston Masjid Al-Islam, located in the 6600 block of W Bellfort Ave.
in the Third Ward, was set up in 1978 through funds donated generously by Muslim activist and the late great boxing champion, Muhammad Ali, and his manager Jabir (Herbert) Muhammad.Boxer Mohammed Ali with his manager Jabir Herbert Muhammad during his March 1976 visit to Paris, France. (Photo by François LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) It was a Christian Science church that would later be converted into a mosque, but the journey in its development took nearly 30 years in the making, starting in barbershops before moving location to location in Houston’s Third Ward.