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Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History

by Edward E. IV Curtis
978-0-81607-575-1. Reference
COPY ISBN
Curtis (Millennium Chair of the Liberal Arts, Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ. Indianapolis) has assembled a fascinating and timely resource detailing the history and contributions of Muslim Americans in the United States. More than 300 articles, written by scholars, historians, and experts in Islam and American history, outline the long legacy and impact that Muslim Americans have had since their earliest arrival on slave ships in the 18th century. Familiar names, such as Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Karee Abdul-Jabbar share space with lesser-known but no less interesting Americans such as Job Ben Solomon, a 19th-century slave and, later, free religious scholar, and Farooq Kathwari, CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors and philanthropist. Topics include people, movements, cultural and social issues, law, politics, and religious thought. Signed articles are arranged alphabetically by entry and include references for further reading. An index and a list of entries, as well as cross-references within the text, help with navigation. Monochrome photographs are scattered throughout. BOTTOM LINE A necessary and timely resource to remind us of the vital contributions that Muslim Americans have made to our culture and society since its founding. Unique in its focus, this encyclopedia is recommended for all secondary school, public, and academic libraries.—Amanda Sprochi, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
Gr 9 Up—This diverse work includes biographies and material on significant cities, organizations, and general topics such as "children's literature," "film," "hip-hop," and "women." Black-and-white captioned photographs are included with some articles; all list further-reading suggestions. The idea of "Muslim-American" is of recent origin. Prior to September 11, 2001, Americans who were Muslim typically self identified as, for example, Pakistani-American, African-American, or Bosnian-American, and the experiences of the various ethnicities are very different. While there are entries on Muslims of those ethnicities and others, the lack of commonality in their cultures and the overly general nature of many other entries give the volumes an oddly disjointed feel. Also, though it is alluded to in other articles, there is no entry on radical Islam, an obvious omission. The vast majority of Muslims are not radicalized, but radical Islam in the United States and abroad has had an all-too-large impact on the recent history of Muslim Americans. While there is useful and accurate information in this volume, and there is a demand for information about Islam, this work has shortcomings.—Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH
Reviewed by Kristin Anderson , Nov 15, 2010

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