The Promise of Patriarchy

“A well written, complex narrative that sits at the intersection of race, religion, culture, and gender.”—Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)

“A refreshing, robust study of the most prominent community of African American Muslims in the 20th century.” —Reading Religion

“Explores how black women struggled for voice and agency within a Black Power organization. . . . Deserve[s] a wide audience among scholars of African American women’s history and of the civil rights and Black Power movements in particular.”—Journal of Southern History

“An easy-to-follow and thought-provoking, yet thoroughly documented, work. It is suitable for undergraduates, graduates, and scholars alike.”—Nova Religio

“Peels back the layers of mystery and silence associated with the NOI to provide a riveting account of the daily lives of the group’s members and the profound crises and contradictions of the organization. . . . Well-written, richly sourced, and intensely felt.”—Journal of American History

“Taylor’s The Promise of Patriarchy offers the first in-depth, book-length analysis of women within the Nation of Islam. . . . Her astute reading of archival sources and deft use of oral histories. . . . [complicate] simple narratives of gender domination and resistance, revealing the multidimensionality of Black women’s inner lives and struggles.”—The North Meridian Review

“Taylor’s multilayered assessment of the lives of women of the NOI gives the reader a sophisticated view of how they both submitted to patriarchy and trumped it. This is a well-researched, well-written book that will serve as an important reference for researchers and an accessible and enjoyable read for students.”—RGWS: A Feminist Review

“Until now, histories of the NOI have not given women their due, and none have had this kind of archival breadth and reach. This is superb scholarship.”—Gerald Horne, author of Fire This Time

“While much has been written about the Nation of Islam, male-centered narratives of the most controversial and high-profile leaders have predominated. And yet, as Taylor demonstrates, without the work and foresight of women, the NOI would have been a far-less-effective organization. This study moves the women of the NOI from the periphery to the center to unveil layers of insight into the politics of black intimacy. It combines compelling storytelling of individual biographies and deft analysis of the larger cultural and political forces impacting the lives of ordinary black people using a rich treasure trove of archival records and interviews. This is a stellar contribution to gender studies, African American studies, and late twentieth-century U.S. history.” —Tera W. Hunter, Princeton University