Khadijah Farrakhan, 'first lady of Nation of Islam' as wife of famous pastor, dies at 90

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Khadijah Farrakhan, longtime woman of Nation of Islam person Louis Farrakhan, died connected Saturday, the Nation of Islam has announced. She was 90.

“Mother Khadijah” worked alongside her provocative and charismatic hubby for decades, helping pb their spiritual and sociopolitical movement, which espouses Black self-reliance. Its location basal was Mosque Maryam connected the southbound broadside of Chicago, wherever the brace lived.

“The Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan with heavy sadness yet with profound gratitude to Allah informs you that his beloved woman of 72 years, the archetypal woman of the Nation of Islam, Mother Khadijah has returned to Allah (may Allah beryllium pleased),” a connection by the Shura Executive Council said.

Her decease came lone 7 months aft devotees had marked Khadijah's 90th birthday. The connection said ceremonial services are to beryllium announced.

Mosque Maryam remembered Farrakhan arsenic “a devoted follower” with “a precious soul, a saccharine heart.”

In a station connected Facebook, R&B creator ZaRio Son Rise recalled her arsenic “a existent queen, a righteous woman, and 1 of the top examples of dignity, faith, loyalty, and grace our procreation has ever witnessed.”

Born Betsy Ross, Khadijah Farrakhan joined her husband, past named Louis Walcott, successful Boston connected Sept. 12, 1953. The 2 had 9 children. Their eldest son, Louis Farrakhan Jr., died successful 2018, and lad Joshua Farrakhan died successful 2023.

Khadijah Farrakhan converted to Islam successful 1955, the aforesaid twelvemonth that her hubby joined the Chicago-based question aft being heavy influenced Malcolm X, his person from Boston. The brace changed their names astir that time.

Louis Farrakhan stepped into the organization's enactment vacuum soon aft Malcolm X was assassinated successful 1965. Among his astir important accomplishments was the Million Man March connected Washington successful 1995.

Two years later, Khadijah Farrakhan spoke earlier a gathering of America's Black women successful Philadelphia dubbed the Million Woman March.

“A federation tin emergence nary higher than its women," she told the crowd. "We absorption connected women but cannot suffer show that we indispensable emergence arsenic a household -- men, women and children.”

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