Celebrating African and African American Muslim History
A contest for Muslim middle schoolers
Thank you for your submissions!
Winners will be announced by Friday, February 25 inshallah.
Allah says in the Quran, “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted” (Quran, 49:13).
Black History Month is an excellent opportunity for Muslims of every race, ethnicity and culture to get to know the rich contributions of African and African American Muslims better. And, our learning should not stop there! It should be an ongoing effort that consists of knowledge building, relationships, advocacy and efforts to cultivate true brother and sisterhood.
We hope that ISLA’s new contest for middle schoolers will enable just that. Read below for more information!
What’s the contest about?
Muslim middle schoolers from Islamic schools (including homeschools) across the United States are invited to research and submit a powerpoint about an African or African American Muslim figure (currently living or already passed away) that made an important contribution to a historical movement or issue.
The winning presentations will be shared on our website, along with the winners’ names and schools. These presentations will help create a “library” of educational resources that other schools, teachers, and students can use throughout the year to get to know more about the important contributions African and African American Muslims have made throughout history.
Who can participate?
In order to participate in the contest, you must be a Muslim student enrolled as a 6th, 7th, or 8th grader at any school (public, private, or homeschool).
What should be included in the presentation?
Your presentation should be an original presentation created on Google Slides that is about a African Muslim or African American Muslim that you think people should know more about. The person may be someone no longer alive, or someone currently living. Check out the document below for the required content & rubric.
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Open in new tab How will winners be selected? What will they win?
- There will be a selection committee comprised of educators from across the United States that will score submissions according to the above rubric
- They will select finalists for each grade
- Winners will:
- Be recognized in ISLA’s digital newsletter, blog post & social media along with their Islamic school (if they were a student in one)
- Have their presentation hosted on ISLA’s website for teachers and students to learn from
- Receive a gift card
- Honored during a live Zoom event broadcast to Islamic school students, parents and community across the United States
Are there important dates I should keep in mind for this contest?
- Deadline for submissions: Friday, Feb 18 by 11:59 pm EST (9:59 pm PST)
- Winners Announced: Friday, Feb 25
- Zoom Event Honoring Winners: Monday, February 28 @ 7-9 pm EST*
- Flier & Zoom link will be distributed closer to date
Are there any other guidelines I should know about?
- You and an adult from your household or school must sign off on your presentation to verify that the presentation was created independently by you (the middle schooler)
- Only minor help from adults or others is allowed. This means others can help you think about who to do the presentation on, how to use the technology to create the presentation, or suggest resources for you to read or look into
- Significant help from adults or others is not allowed. For example, this includes someone telling you what to write on your slides, choosing pictures for your presentation, or reformatting your powerpoints.