Sister Clara Muhammad was born in November 1899, in Macon, Georgia. She was the wife of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. They married in 1917 and had eight children: six boys and two girls, including our late leader and teacher
Imam W. D. Mohammed.
She was known for her outstanding dedication, relentless commitment, and remarkable strength and convictions. During her lifetime, she is remembered for working diligently beside her husband, with a strong unselfish commitment for the Nation of Islam and her fight for equal and quality education for all children.
In 1931, Sister Clara took a courageous stand for the right to educate her children in her home, when home schooling was illegal. She refused to enroll her children back in the public school, along with many members of our community. Her brave stance would pave the way for the establishment of the largest private elementary school system in the United States of America.
In 1934, Sister Clara was credited with the establishment of one of the earliest alternative educational school. The school was called The Muhammad University of Islam and was considered one of the nation’s earliest versions of religious home schooling.
Sister Clara Muhammad remained devoted to her husband, her family, and to the Muslims and African American community until her death on August 12, 1972. Her son, Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, who assumed Leadership of the Nation of Islam in 1975, renamed the Muhammad University of Islam School to the Sister Clara Muhammad School, in remembrance and honour of the untiring work and great contributions made by his mother Sister Clara Muhammad.
She was the most courageous, strongest and dedicated woman of her time. She upheld a posture of grace, righteousness, kindness and dignity unparalleled by most women of her day and her SPIRIT lives on. Today the Clara Muhammad Schools have been established in most major cities in the United States and Bermuda.
We thank ALLAH (SWT), The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and all that’s between, for the great contributions to Education made by Sister Clara Muhammad.
“Education is the Foundation for a Strong Community”