When Did Islam Arrive in America? From Enslaved People to the Birth of a Mayor
Islam is often perceived as a ‘newcomer’ to the American continent. However the report titled The First American Muslims, published by The Pluralism Project under Harvard University, shows the opposite: Islam has been present in America since the colonial era, even before the United States officially came into being.
Long before the waves of Muslim migrants in the 20th century, thousands of African Muslims had already set foot on the continent as victims of the Atlantic slave trade.
Islam Arrived Before Modern America Formed
Some historians believe Muslims may have reached the American continent before Christopher Columbus’s arrival, although the claim remains debated. One of the earliest Muslim figures documented is Estevanico of Azamor, a Moroccan explorer who landed in Florida in 1527.
By the late 18th century, historical records also mention the Moorish community (free people not under the rule of the Sultan of Morocco) in South Carolina. However, their presence was still limited and had not become a large wave.
The significant wave came via the darkest channel in American history: the slave trade.
The Slave Trade and African Muslims Forced to Speak Quietly
During roughly three centuries of the Atlantic slave trade, around 10 million Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas. Some historians estimate that 10% to 50% of them were Muslim.
Many African Muslims sought to maintain their faith despite a brutal slave system. This system involved family separation, erasure of identity, and bans on religious practice.
Historical records and oral traditions show that some of them observed the five daily prayers, fasted during Ramadan, read and memorised the Qur’an, and named their children with Islamic names.
Bilali and Omar Ibn Said: Unequivocal Written Evidence
One important figure is Bilali (Bilali Mahomet or Bul-Ali), an African Muslim enslaved on the Sea Islands, Georgia. He was multilingual and is described as a fighter in the War of 1812. Bilali lived as a Muslim until his death and is said to have been buried with his prayer rug and Qur’an.
Another figure is Omar Ibn Said. He wrote an autobiography in Arabic in 1831. Before being enslaved, Omar was a scholar who had studied the Qur’an for 25 years and had even performed the Hajj. Today, his legacy is honoured through the Omar Ibn Said Mosque in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
From Slave to Diplomat: America’s First White Muslim
The 19th century also records the name Muhammad Alexander Webb, one of the first white American citizens to openly embrace Islam. Born in New York in 1846, Webb was initially a Presbyterian Christian.
While serving as the US consul in the Philippines in 1887, he became interested in Islam and eventually became a Muslim. Webb later founded the American Islamic Propaganda Movement and represented Islam at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.
His presence marked a new chapter for Islam in America. Islam was no longer an identity held in secret, but began to be publicly introduced into the public sphere.
Dozens of US Officials Are Muslim
The US political map has entered a new era in recent years. Several Muslim politicians have won strategic positions across states.
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral election held on 4 November 2025 set a historic milestone in American political dynamics. He became the first Muslim to be elected Mayor of New York.
Following Mamdani, several Muslim officials across states have won elections. Ghazala Hashmi, a Democratic Party female Muslim politician, was elected as Vice Governor (Lt. Governor) of Virginia after defeating Republican candidate John Reid. The incumbent Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, also won re-election by a wide margin over his opponent Nagi Almudhegi.
In the political history of the United States, several Muslim politicians have held strategic roles, from mayors to members of Congress. Here is a list of Muslim officials in the United States.