African Muslims in the Americas before Columbus

Slaves were brought to the Americas from Africa

They were Muslims 

Southern Africa used to be called southern Tunisia

Trade route from Libya to Chad

Trade route from Tunisia to Mali

Trade Route to Morrocco to Ghana which includes Mali, Mauritania

There were gold mines in part of Africa

Trade occurred between countries in Africa 

North African countries traded with Europe as well

Muslims developed routes and created service areas on highways 

Major import and export was gold and salt

Other products were also traded 

Caravans were carrying products and the message of Islam

Islam reached the west African nation

13th century the king of Mali embraced Islam 

Mali controlled the gold mines 

Mansa Suleiman ruled Mali from 1337 to 1339

Ibn Batutta visited Mali and he was impressed 

Children studied Quran and it was safe country

Mansa Musa ruled Mali and made Hajj in 1324

Mansa Musa was very rich

Mansa Musa led 72,000 followers 

Mansa Musa carried 13,000 camels with gold

Mansa Musa met Mamluk and they loved him

Mansa Musa was given a Mamluk bodyguard 

Mansa Musa built a madrassa and masjid wherever he went 

Timbuktoo was a center of trade 

Timbuktoo comes from a name of a woman 

Buktoo was a merchant and she had a well made 

The well and settlement spread out

The people of West Africa 

It was a marketplace then became a center for knowledge 

Ibn Batuta visited Timbuktoo and he was amazed 

Every person was illiterate then he became very educated 

the university enrolled 25,000 students

They studied all aspects of knowledge 

Mansa Musa reached Cairo and was interviewed 

He had 2,000 ships and they went into the atlantic 

They went to Brazil and Peru

Honduras has tribe names Al Mamys or Imams

Gharifuna living in Carribeans and New York

Gharifuna is an African Nation and They were montheistic

Gharifuna did not eat pork and upheld strong family ties

The women covered their faces