The Table Talks Project

Table Talks of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad is a collection of rare home recordings that document informal discussions with his house guests, organization officials, friends, and family. The history of this remarkable collection is as extraordinary as its contents. They reveal a rare glimpse into the personality of the renowned leader and teacher, which capture question and answer sessions.  These home recordings document intimate interactions filled with biographical narratives, social commentary, spiritual guidance, and organizational direction given by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad – leader of the Nation of Islam, largest Muslim movement in the history of the western hemisphere.

The Archive
The original archive consists of over six hundred hours of sound recordings from Mr. Muhammad’s dining table, documented by his grandson and closest aide – Sultan Muhammad. These are also the last known recordings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.  These last known recordings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad have been documented to serve as a source of study into his early history, into the establishment of the movement and to facilitate a deeper understanding of the “New World teachings of Master Fard Muhammad,” (b.1877) — founder of the Nation of Islam — July 4th, 1930.  The full archive of original sound recordings were devoutly documented by Mr. Muhammad’s beloved grandson and closest aide Sultan Muhammad, at the dining table of his home, nearly every evening from August 1973 — December 1974.

Community led Oral History Project

‘Table Talk’ is a form of literature or memoir in which a collector (biographer, archivist, colleague, friend, etc.) records impromptu comments by notable leaders or influential people (made generally at the dining table or in small gatherings), in anticipation of their lasting significance.  The Table Talks Project serves as an oral history initiative that seeks to preserve our stories, and advocate grass roots research, preservation, and documentation of our shared heritage.

Our focus in preserving community narratives of our pioneers and families root the project in principles of inter-generational engagement which strengthen our community narrative, advance public awareness, and promote spaces to deepen appreciation of our national heritage and community experience.