Speaker: Sonia Wind, Historian and Founder of the Nana Asmau Project

Talk: Explores the life and legacy of Bilali Muhammad, an African Muslim scholar who was enslaved on Sapelo Island, Georgia, in the early 19th century. Drawing on historical sources, the presentation examines his role as a religious leader within an enslaved community and his authorship of a handwritten Arabic manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence. The program situates Bilali Muhammad’s story within the broader history of African Muslims in the Americas, highlighting how Islamic knowledge and practices were maintained under conditions of enslavement. It also introduces an ongoing documentary project focused on recovering and preserving this local history.