Askia Muhammad

Askia Muhammad is a poet, journalist, radio producer, commentator,^[1] and photojournalist.^[2] He has been multiply awarded by the National Association of Black Journalists for his work on National Public Radio, with first place "Salute to Excellence" awards for his commentaries on "Mississippi and My Memories" and "Mike Tyson: Check Yourself" and a third place "Salute to Excellent" award for "Ethel Payne Postage Stamp".^[3]

He has served as the editor of Muhammad Speaks and as the head of the Washington office of The Final Call, the official newspapers of the Nation of Islam.^[4][5] He has worked as a commentator for National Public Radio and a columnist for Washington Informer.^[6][7] He is the author of the book Behind Enemy Lines.^[8]

Biography

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Early life and education

Askia Muhammad was born Charles King Moreland Jr., in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and lived for two years in the home of his grandmother, Ollie Lee Canteberry in the Mississippi Delta town of Indianola. In 1947 he moved with his single mother Nola Mae Canteberry to Los Angeles, California. Muhammad was raised in the community of Watts.^[9] He attended John C. Fremont Senior High School, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles State College, San Jose State College, and he pursued a masters degree at Antioch College-East in Baltimore in 1978. While at Fremont High he studied photography and journalism and he participated in the Scholastic Sports Association (SSA), sponsored by the Los Angeles Examiner newspaper. He represented the SSA at the American Legion's California Boys' State in 1961 (he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction at Boys' State), and he rose to be Associate Editor of the SSA, and he won the SSA's William Randolph Hearst Scholarship when he graduated from high school in 1962. While serving as Assistant Coordinator of the Mutli-Cultural Program at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California in 1971, he earned a California Community College Teacher's Credential. He attended U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. as a Reserve Officer Candidate (ROC) in 1967.

Writing and journalism career

In 1967, while attending San Jose State College, C.K. Moreland Jr. was editor of The Jabberwock newspaper, published by the Associated Student Body and The San Jose State Experimental College. In 1968 he took the paper off campus and published a half-dozen issues of The Son of Jabberwock newspaper. In 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Newsweek magazine chose 12 African American students to be its summer interns. C.K. Moreland Jr. was assigned to Los Angeles, under Bureau Chief Karl Fleming.

In 1968 C.K. Moreland Jr.'s poems "Shorty Blue," and "Take Route 49e 30 Miles Past Greenville" were published in The Reed the magazine of creative and critical expression published the English Department San Jose State College. Listed in the International Guide. That same year his poems "Paper Route," "Shorty Blue," and "Assassination," were published in Watts Poets: A Book of New Poetry & Essays Edited by Quincy Troupe, published by The House of Respect. Library of Congress Catalog Number 68-7829. In 1969 his poem "Ode to Leslie Parham" was published in The Reed the magazine of creative and critical expression published by the English Department San Jose State College. Listed in the International Guide. In June 1969 his short story "The Top Hat Motel" was published in the Annual Fiction Issue of Negro Digest. In September 1969 his poem "Armenta" was published in the Annual Poetry Issue of Negro Digest, published by Johnson Publishing Company. In September 1970 his poem "A Panther Named Paul" was published in the Annual Poetry Issue of Black World (Negro Digest), published by Johnson Publishing Company. In 1970 his poems "The Drums of Africa," "Eloise," "For Cousin L.B. in Noxapater, Mississippi," "Ode to Leslie Parham," and "On the Rainstorm After Sonia Sanchez" were published in A Galaxy of Black Writing edited by R. Baird Shuman, published by Moore Publishing Co., Durham, North Carolina. Library of Congress Catalog Number 70-99294. In 1971 his poem "Ode to the Impressions" was aired on the broadcast premiere of the PBS-TV series "Soul!"

June 11, 1977 Askia Muhammad's "Civil War in Islamic America" appeared in The Nation Volume 224 No. 23. In 1978 his poems "Askia's Anthem," "Title VI: sub-paragraph 501 (c) 3," "Post Valentine Poem," "Shuttle Diplomacy," and "Me Too," were published in FREE DC (The Writers' Workshop), edited by A.B. Spellman, published by Free D.C. Press, with support from the Washington, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. In 1992 his poem "On The Night Shift" was published in the WPFW89.3FM Poetry Anthology, edited by Grace Cavalieri, published by The Bunny and Crocodile Press, Washington, D.C. Library of Congress Catalog Number 91-078328. In 1996 he authored Behind Enemy Lines: The Hon. Marcus Garvey, The Hon. Elijah Muhammad, Minister Louis Farrakhan & The Arabs In White American Mainstream Media 1977-1995, a collection of essays and commentaries published in corporate-owned newspapers and magazines and broadcast on public radio. Published by Lumumba Book Printers & Co. Hampton, Virginia. Library of Congress Catalog Number 95-78614. ISBN 1-56411-152-0. In 2002 his essay "Terrorism, Muslim Profiling and the 'Enemy'" was published in The Paradox of Loyalty: An African American Response to the War on Terrorism, edited by Julianne Malveaux and Reginna A. Green, published by Third World Press, Chicago. Library of Congress ISBN 0-88378-243-X. In 2002 he authored Black Muslim Millennium: A Brief History of the Nation of Islam, published by KHA Books Unlimited Drewryville, Virginia Library of Congres ISBN 1-56411-254-3.

In 1976 in Chicago, Askia Muhammad founded Black Journalism Review which published a dozen editions, featuring interviews with then FCC Commissioner Benjamin L. Hooks, and Johnson Publishing Company Founder John H. Johnson. He is the founder and editor of National Scene News Bureau, a freelance news agency which provides editorial and photographic content for news outlets including Pacifica Radio's WPFW-FM in Washington, where he is News Director; The Final Call newspaper, where he is Senior Correspondent; and The Washington Informer newspaper, where he writes a weekly column. From 1978-1980 he was a correspondent for Pacifica Radio Network News. From 1979 through 1984 he was Editor of National Scene magazine, a monthly rotogravure magazine inserted in National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA—The Black Press of America)-member newspapers. From 1978-1980 he was a founding panelist on "America's Black Forum," a syndicated television public affairs program. From 1981 through 2005 his commentaries appeared on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." From 1985-1998 his commentaries appeared on Christian Science Monitor Radio's "Early Edition"; on Public Radio International's Marketplace Radio; and on the Canadian Broadcasting Company. He has produced nine documentaries on public radio's "Soundprint" series. Since March 1979 he has hosted "Yardbird Sweets," a Jazz and journalism program heard Tuesday mornings on WPFW-FM 89.3FM in Washington, D.C., where he is known as "The Poet Laureate of the Morning." He was a panelist on Howard University Television WHUT-TV32's "Evening Exchange Weekly News Analysis" from 1984 through 2005. His articles have appeared in USA TODAY, The Washington Post, The Nation, Jet, The Baltimore Sun, The Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe.

Awards and citations

Askia Muhammad's Soundprint.org documentary "Mississippi Becomes a Democracy" was a winner in 2004 in the Salute to Excellence Award competition held by the National Association of Black Journalists, and won the "Unity Award in Journalism" from Lincoln University of Missouri. In 1998 his contribution to NPR's first series on AIDS helped earn the Silver Baton Columbia University-DuPont Award. His commentaries on The Tavis Smiley Show on NPR won First Place in 2003 and 2004 in the NABJ Salute to Excellence Award competition. His commentaries for Pacifica Radio won First Place in 2002 in the NABJ Salute to Excellence. Muhammad is a recipient of the 1994 Washington D.C. Mayor's Award for "Excellence in Service to the Arts," the so-called "Oscar" for the Arts in the Nation's Capital. He received the 1993 Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) "President's Award." In 1999 both the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the D.C. Council proclaimed March 28, "Yardbird Sweets 20th Anniversary Day," celebrating his 20 years hosting the Tuesday morning Jazz program on WPFW-FM. He has served twice as a judge of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, and three times as a judge of the National Newspaper Publishers Association Merit Awards.

Personal life

Muhammad is the father of two children: Nadirah Inez Moreland, a teacher living in Washington, D.C.; and Raafi Rivero Muhammad, a filmmaker living in Brooklyn, N.Y. He is married to Alverda Ann Muhammad.

References

Further reading

• Villa, Mariama; Todd Stevens Burroughs (2001-07-04). "The cycle of Askia Muhammad: Long-time black journalist has proven to be a quiet, humble leader". Sacramento Observer. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79644295.html. (subscription required)