"In The Name Of Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam" begins by talking about the Black Nationalist Movement. Gardell brings attention to some of the leaders in this movement. This book was enlightening because it explained why the Black Nationalist and the Nation of Islam were started, the book was also controversial because of the leaders and the methods used to rise and be noticed.

In 1897 W.E.B. Du'bois identified eight races in the world, the criteria was based on history, language, religion, and geography. According to Du'bois, they were "the Slavs of Eastern Europe, the Teutons of Middle Europe, the English of Great Britain and America, the Roman Nations of Southern and Western Europe, the Negroes of Africa and America, the Semitic people of Western Asia, and the Mongolians of Eastern Asia.

This breakdown of races is a very interesting read. It does not tell what a race is, nor does it address who decided that whatever race was three would only be eight of them. This type of labeling made it harder for people to live together, every race wanting the claim of first existence, this made it easy for people to decide to go their own way. The Nation of Islam which argues that they are the original Black Asiatic Man is an early proponent of this tradition.

Marcus Garvey a native of Jamaica and Founder of University Of Improvement Association and African Communities. His motto was "One God One Arm One Destiny". Garvey's desire was to unite all Negro people of the world into one great body and establish a country and government absolutely their own.

Booker T. Washington, another black historian mentioned by the author. Washington, freed by the act of Emancipation as a child. Inaugurated the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Washington was also criticized for saying "We must acknowledge that notwithstanding cruelty a moral wrong of slavery the 10 million Negroes inhabiting in this country who themselves or whose ancestors through the school of American slavery, are in stronger and more hopeful conditions materially, intellectually, morally and religiously than is true of any equal number of black people in any other portion of the globe. According to Gardell (pg. 17) Washington's' position was challenged by W.E.B. Du'bois. Booker T. Washington was quoted for saying "this is the type of slave mentality we're trying to get away from". W.E.B. Du'bois, had his reasoning for such a statement, although it is unclear how deprivation, abuse, misuse, and murder can make anyone a better person. Especially a country of people, a group, a multitude forced into servitude, being captured like something dangerous is when prevented it from harming others. As the blacks in America began sharing, and expressing their feelings of hostility, and humiliation some were empowered to take a stand.

Black Nationalist religion founded by W.D. Fard, a Detroit door-to-door salesman during the Depression. Originally built on ideas from Marcus Garvey's back to Africa" movement, the Nation creed urges blacks to drop the "slave religion of Christianity and return to their ancestral Islamic faith. The NOI has never joined Islam; their basic theology teaches that a mad black scientist named Yakub created white people 6000 years ago as a curse and test for the superior black people. With its bow ties, detox and prison programs, manhood training, militant Fruit of Islam bodyguards, street corner sales of bean pies and the Final Call newspaper, the Nation has been regarded for decades by white America as a curiosity of ghetto black life. Attention has focused intermittently on the anti-white comments of leaders like Malcolm X in the 60's, Louis Farrakhan in the 80's and Khallid Abdul Muhammad in the 90's. The Nation Of Islam was not the first faith to claim Islam as the African American original and natural religion, it was preceded by another the Moorish Science Temple which helped pave the way for the Nation Of Islam.

On July the Fourth, the day of America's Independence celebration, W.D. Fard was said to announce the beginning of his mission which was to restore and to resurrect his lost and found people(gardell pg. 95), who were identified as the original members of the tribe of Shabazz from the lost nation of Asia. According to Gardell Fard was called "God" by his followers. The lost people of the original nation of African descent, "were captured, exploited, and dehumanized to serve as servitude slaves of America" (gardell pg. 49) for over three centuries. The Nation Of Islam remembers his mission as trying to teach the Black people a thorough Knowledge of God and themselves, and to put them on the road to self-independence . "He taught us the ways of love and peace, one of refinement in the pursuit of happiness and eternal joy in the Supreme Knowledge of God and the Science of everything in life" (Elijah Muhammad, gardell pg 103).

In 1931 W.D. Fard was preaching when he met a man named Elijah Poole in Detroit Michigan. He chose him to be his "Divine Representative" (gardell pg. 121). For 3 1/2 years He taught and trained Elijah Muhammad until he felt he was profound in the doctrine and also in what Fard called "hidden knowledge" which consisted of knowing the original people who were the first founders of civilization of our planet and who has a full knowledge of the Universal Order of things from the beginning of creation. During his controversial leadership Fard had been to jail on numerous occasions for drug dealing 1and numerous other felonies. After being released from San Quentin Fard stated promoting Islam. Followers did multiply by his teachings about Allah (the name only name for god in Islam), and about the Q'uaran which is the book they follow. In 1934 Fard was forced by law enforcement to leave Detroit due to his controversial lifestyle which consisted of being arrested for drugs and a spending at least five years in prison for fraud. Upon fards abrupt departure Elijah Muhammad assumed responsibility for the people that were following Fard. The Nation of Islam honors Elijah Muhammad saying "the Honorable Elijah Muhammad labored tirelessly to bring life to his mentally and spiritually dead people until his return to the Master in 1975". Elijah Muhammad identified W.D. Fard as being the answer to the one that the world had been expecting for the past 2,000 years under the names Messiah, the second coming of Jesus, the Christ, Jehovah, God, and the Son of Man.

During Elijah Muhammads' initial 44 years as leader he dealt with persecution and rejection from the congregation that appointed him "The Servant of God". Elijah Muhammad had never received any more than a fourth grade education, yet he went on to lead over 10,000 in the NOI. Elijah Muhammad had his share of problems also, he was remembered for infidelity and having sex with the secretaries in their congregation, and noted for having approximately 4 children with his wife and 6 children with the three women he had an affair with. These infidelities were not accepted gracefully by all of his followers, especially not with one of his most outspoken "sons", Malcolm X.

Malcolm X born Malcolm Little converted to Islam while serving time in prison. Malcolm X was a very controversial member of the Nation Of Islam, he is best remembered for the phrase "By Any Means Necessary". Malcolm went on to be one of the most electrifying speakers of his time. He was definitely getting both positive and negative reactions to his sometimes abrasive words. Malcolm X would later visit Mecca, a holy city in which all Muslims are encouraged to visit before they die if they can afford to go. After his return, Malcolm was a changed man, a man that accepted people by their character instead of their color. Malcolm's new attitude was not accepted by his Nation Of Islam family, he was known as a sell-out to his people. Soon followed rumors that Malcolm wanted to take the position of Elijah Muhammad, and he was later asked to step down as the spokesperson for the Nation Of Islam, then almost simultaneously ousted out of the Nation completely, then Malcolm was assassinated. Some people have said that the murder was enacted by the Nation Of Islam as a symbol of revenge for Malcolm's "betrayal". Others have speculated that it was the Federal Government that was responsible . Louis Farrakhan was asked by reporters what he thought of the incident, Farrakhan replied "Allah is an all seeing and all knowing god, He gives us our just rewards, and this is Malcolm's".

Louis Farrakhan, born Louis Eugene Walcott, born the son of a Baptist preacher, now the leader of the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan converted from the Baptist religion to Muslim at the age of 22, while performing as a Calypso Singer. Farrakhan went to hear a speech given by Elijah Muhammad, although he did not appreciate that Muhammad was not an articulate speaker the contents of the speech really caught his attention. Farrakhan is best known for his controversial views, and Jew bashing speeches, but continues to have a large following all over the world. Farrakhan was the founder of "The Black Family Day Reunion", "The Million Man March", and has carried on traditions such as "The Saviors day Conventions. Although controversial and personally a little hard to swallow, the overall contents of Louis Farrakhan and the Nation Of Islam has good intentions toward the blacks in America. The NOI has made it very obvious that they feel that blacks should have their own money, own land, own business, or they will not survive in America.

The Black Nationalist and the Nation of Islam and all of the forerunners early in America that took a stand for the Blacks in America have a right to be acknowledged. Sometimes there is a need for controversy, in order to get the attention needed. The Black Nationalist were an adhesive for the Nation of Islam to stick to. The Nation of Islam is now representation of the adhesive to attract any black man or woman who will listen and agree to follow their teachings, and statistics show that lately, more blacks are attracted now more than ever before.