“Pushing the Program”: A Phenomenological Analysis of Selling the Nation of Islam's Final Call Newspaper

• In Event: The Evolving Role of Religion in Education Research and Practice

Abstract

The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a Black religio-nationalist organization known mostly for transforming the lives of its adherents, for its militant posture, and for espousing a doctrine offensive to many. While the organization itself has been the object of articles, studies, books, and movies since its inception, the scholarly literature lacks emic, first-hand accounts of the organization from actual members. In this study, we examined the experiences of men in the NOI as they engaged in street corner sales of The Final Call, the NOI’s self-published, weekly newspaper. Often derisively dismissed as mere “paper boys”, this study reveals a more complex understanding of the role selling the paper plays in the mental, physical, and spiritual lives of these men.

Authors

• E. Anthony Muhammad, Georgia Southern University

• Sheena N. Odom, Muscogee County School District