1978 photo of community members gathered at Masjid Bilal in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, CA — For more than six decades, a remarkable community of African American Muslims has helped shape the religious, cultural, and social landscape of Los Angeles. From its beginnings as Muhammad's Temple of Islam No. 27 in the 1950s to its evolution into today's Masjid Bilal Islamic Center, the community's journey represents one of the most fascinating, yet often overlooked, chapters of American religious history.
Now, a new book by author, historian, and veteran media executive Lon Muqaddin, titled 27: The Evolution of an American Muslim Community, brings this extraordinary history to life through an extensive collection of hundreds of rare and historic photographs, firsthand accounts, and compelling historical narratives.
Published by Baitcal Publishing, the book offers readers an intimate look into the people, personalities, institutions, and transformative events that shaped one of the nation's pioneering African American Muslim communities.
More than a photographic history, 27 chronicles an American journey of faith, racial identity, economic independence, religious transformation, and community empowerment.
The story begins in the 1950s, when a small group of African Americans in Los Angeles embraced the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam.
At a time when African Americans confronted widespread racial discrimination and economic exclusion, the Nation of Islam offered a message emphasizing self-respect, discipline, education, family responsibility, and economic self-reliance.
The early Los Angeles congregation initially gathered in modest surroundings before establishing Muhammad's Temple of Islam No. 27 on 5606 Broadway Avenue. Under the leadership of pioneering ministers, including John Shabazz, Herman Rassoull, and Bashee Muhammad, the community expanded its membership and influence.
Through schools, businesses, religious instruction, and public outreach, Temple No. 27 became a prominent institution within Southern California's growing African American Muslim population.
In 1971, Abdul Karim Hasan was selected to lead the Los Angeles Muslim community, beginning an era of leadership that would influence its direction for more than five decades.
Two years later, in May 1973, the congregation purchased a historic three-story building on South Central Avenue. Formerly an African American Elks Lodge, the building was transformed into a thriving center for worship, education, entrepreneurship, and community activities.
The purchase represented a significant milestone in the community's determination to establish permanent institutions and contribute to the development of South Los Angeles.
One of the book's most compelling themes is the dramatic religious transformation that followed the death of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad in 1975.
Under the leadership of his son, Imam W. Deen Mohammed, a historic movement began that would guide hundreds of thousands of African American Muslims toward the universal teachings and practices of mainstream Islam.
For the Los Angeles congregation, this transformation marked a defining chapter in its evolution.
Muhammad's Temple No. 27 gradually became Masjid Bilal Islamic Center, adopting a religious identity grounded in the Qur'an, the life example of Prophet Muhammad, and the universal principles of Islam.
Imam Abdul Karim Hasan played a central role in guiding the Los Angeles community through this transition, helping maintain continuity while introducing a broader understanding of Islamic faith, worship, and relationships with people of other religious traditions.
Through historical photographs and detailed accounts, Muqaddin examines this period of profound change and its lasting influence on Muslim identity in America.
The book also explores the community's connections to the civil rights movement, political leaders, prison ministry, media, education, and interfaith dialogue.
Imam Abdul Karim Hasan and "27" author Lon Muqaddin at Masjid Bilal Islamic Center in 2023
Central to the story of Masjid Bilal is the extraordinary leadership of Imam Abdul Karim Hasan.
Since assuming leadership in 1971, Imam Hasan has played an instrumental role in shaping the community's religious direction and its place within the broader Los Angeles metropolitan area.
His commitment to education, economic development, religious understanding, and civic engagement helped transform Masjid Bilal into an institution recognized far beyond the Muslim community.
Over the decades, he established relationships with religious leaders, educators, elected officials, and community organizations, emphasizing cooperation across racial, religious, and cultural boundaries.
His philosophy of service is reflected in a powerful statement featured in the historical material:
"We are not building walls—we are building bridges."
That philosophy helped define Masjid Bilal's approach to community development.
In August 2026, Imam Hasan celebrated his 95th birthday, marking another milestone in a lifetime devoted to spiritual guidance and public service.
His legacy remains deeply connected to the transformation of Masjid Bilal and the larger history of Islam in Los Angeles.
The book also documents one of the community's greatest achievements: the rebuilding of Masjid Bilal Islamic Center along the historic Central Avenue corridor.
Central Avenue holds a special place in the history of African American Los Angeles. For generations, it served as a center of Black culture, commerce, entertainment, and civic life.
Following extensive earthquake damage to its former building during the 1980s, the Masjid Bilal community faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding its religious and educational facilities.
The journey would require decades of planning, fundraising, community support, and perseverance.
A major milestone came in 2007 with the completion of the Bilal Learning Center, a modern educational facility that became home to the Center for Advanced Learning public charter school.
The next ambitious undertaking was the construction of a new mosque.
After years of dedication and construction, the community celebrated the official opening of its magnificent new masjid on December 1, 2023.
Featuring an elegant dome and towering minaret, the new mosque became a striking landmark on Central Avenue and an enduring symbol of the community's resilience.
The inaugural celebration brought together Muslims, civic leaders, interfaith representatives, and supporters from across the country, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The surrounding block received the honorary designation Imam Abdul Karim Hasan Square, recognizing the imam's decades of leadership and contributions to the city.
Today, the congregation continues working toward the next phase of its ambitious development plans: a new community center intended to expand educational, social, and community-serving opportunities in South Los Angeles.
The opening of the mosque was more than the completion of an architectural project. It represented the fulfillment of a vision sustained by generations of believers who refused to abandon their dream.
One of the most distinctive features of 27: The Evolution of an American Muslim Community is its extraordinary photographic collection.
The book features hundreds of rare and historic photographs spanning more than 65 years, including images drawn from private archives, personal collections, and historic media documentation.
These photographs capture defining moments in the community's development: early religious gatherings, pioneering leaders, educational institutions, Muslim-owned businesses, public demonstrations, civic events, historic visits, and major religious celebrations.
Readers encounter images of ordinary men and women whose dedication helped build an enduring American Muslim institution.
Many of these photographs have rarely been seen by the wider public.
Together, they provide a visual record of an extraordinary American experience, connecting personal memories with historical events that influenced generations.
For historians, researchers, students, and readers interested in African American history and the growth of Islam in America, the collection offers an opportunity to explore an important and frequently underrepresented part of the nation's heritage.
For author Lon Muqaddin, the story of Masjid Bilal is deeply personal.
Raised within the community, Muqaddin has spent much of his professional life documenting Muslim American history through journalism, television, documentary filmmaking, and archival preservation.
As President and CEO of Baitcal Media Group, Inc., Muqaddin has produced and developed numerous media projects examining religion, culture, social transformation, and the contributions of African Americans to American society.
His family's involvement in documenting Muslim history stretches back more than half a century.
His father, Samir Muqaddin, was closely associated with Imam Abdul Karim Hasan during the early years of his leadership in Los Angeles.
In fact, Samir Muqaddin personally welcomed Imam Hasan when he arrived in Los Angeles in 1971, picking him up at the airport. Their relationship would develop into a shared commitment to communicating the message of Islam through modern media.
Those early efforts eventually helped establish Baitcal as an important media organization documenting the growth of Muslim communities in America.
Reflecting on the book, Lon Muqaddin explains:
"Documenting the history of Muslims in America has been a responsibility my family has taken on for more than half a century. It has been a true privilege."
Muqaddin emphasizes that the story extends far beyond the boundaries of a single congregation or city.
Although centered on Los Angeles, he regards the history of Temple No. 27 and Masjid Bilal as a window into the larger transformation of Islam within African American society.
His documentary and archival experience brings a distinctive perspective to the book, combining historical research with firsthand knowledge of the people and events that shaped the community.
At its heart, 27: The Evolution of an American Muslim Community is an American story.
It is about a community navigating the challenges of racial inequality, social change, religious identity, and economic independence.
It is about the development of institutions that provided education, spiritual guidance, and opportunities for generations of families.
It is about leadership, sacrifice, and the power of collective determination.
And it is about the historic movement of African American Muslims toward a universal understanding of Islam, an evolution that helped reshape the religious landscape of the United States.
Through its combination of compelling narratives and historic photography, 27 preserves an irreplaceable record of the American Muslim experience.
The book also underscores the importance of preserving history before its witnesses, documents, and photographic records disappear.
Featuring hundreds of rare and historic photographs spanning more than 65 years of African American Muslim history.
Published by Baitcal Publishing
Discover an extraordinary story of faith, perseverance, transformation, and the enduring legacy of a pioneering American Muslim community.
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