AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Clara Muhammad School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which began its work in 1934, remains one of the leading educational centers dedicated to nurturing young Muslim and African-American generations in the United States.
Originally known as “Muhammad University,” the institution was founded on Islamic teachings and values such as global citizenship, charity, and piety. Its founder, Clara Muhammad—the wife of Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, aimed to provide equal and high-quality education for Muslim and African-American children.
During the era of racial segregation, Muslim families and teachers operated the school in private homes, even though homeschooling was illegal at the time. After changes in education laws in 1972, the center was able to purchase its own building and expand its activities.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as efforts to end racial discrimination in Milwaukee’s public schools gained momentum, the Clara Muhammad School emerged as a strong alternative for African-American students. Despite political pressures and security surveillance targeting followers of the Nation of Islam, parents and teachers persevered in their mission.
Today, the school operates under Wisconsin’s Free Choice Voucher Program and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Despite its small size and family-oriented structure, it continues to provide Quranic education, Arabic language instruction, and Islamic studies alongside general academic subjects.
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