Please join me for a book talk Thursday Feb 4 at 5 Pacific/8 Eastern for a discussion of my book, The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Black Muslims in America (Boston: Beacon Press: 2020), just released in paperback.

The online talk is organized by Books, Inc, the West's oldest independent bookseller: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-princess-and-the-prophet-book-talk-tickets-127785085631

Robin D.G. Kelley says:

“Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali. Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led. A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.”

Here's the jacket copy:

The just-discovered story of how two enigmatic circus performers and the cultural ferment of the Gilded Age sparked the Black Muslim movement in America

Delving into new archives and uncovering fascinating biographical narratives, secret rituals, and hidden identities, historian Jacob Dorman explains why thousands of Americans were enthralled by the Islamic Orient, and why some came to see Islam as a global antiracist movement uniquely suited to people of African descent in an era of European imperialism, Jim Crow segregation, and officially sanctioned racism.

The Princess and the Prophet tells the story of the Black Broadway performer who, among the world of Arabian acrobats and equestrians, Muslim fakirs, and Wild West shows, discovered in Islam a greater measure of freedom and dignity, and a rebuttal to the racism and parochialism of white America. Overturning the received wisdom that the prophet was born on the East Coast, Dorman has discovered that Noble Drew Ali was born Walter Brister in Kentucky. With the help of his wife, a former lion tamer and “Hindoo” magician herself, Brister renamed himself Prophet Noble Drew Ali and founded the predecessor of the Nation of Islam, the Moorish Science Temple of America, in the 1920s.

With an array of profitable businesses, the “Moors” built a nationwide following of thousands of dues-paying members, swung Chicago elections, and embedded themselves in Chicago’s dominant Republican political machine at the height of Prohibition racketeering, only to see their sect descend into infighting in 1929 that likely claimed the prophet’s life. This fascinating untold story reveals that cultures grow as much from imagination as inheritance, and that breaking down the artificial silos around various racial and religious cultures helps to understand not only America’s hidden past but also its polycultural present.

View a multimedia website with additional archives, talks, and videos: princessandprophet.com.

Some more reviews:

"makes a signal contribution to understanding African-American Islam." - The Wall Street Journal.

Dorman has a "knack for keeping one amused and amazed" - Harper's Magazine

“A captivating reinterpretation of Muslim-American heritage.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review

“A fascinating work of historical reinterpretation.”
—Booklist, Starred Review

“A remarkable study.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Dorman does an excellent job of presenting his information in a clear and entertaining manner, making the subject matter so interesting that you can’t helped but be pulled into the narrative.”
—Qantara

“The Princess and the Prophet is a must-read! Jacob S. Dorman weaves together fascinating and compelling tales of circuses and theatrical stage shows and love and religion to reveal the deeply layered and mysterious public and private life of the first Black Muslim prophet. With this major contribution to the fields of African American and religious studies and of US history, Dorman illuminates how America’s socioeconomic and political landscape of racial segregation, corruption and vice, Northern migration and immigration, and public and private amusements shaped African Americans’ varying interpretations of and attraction to Islam during the early twentieth century. The Princess and the Prophet is certain to transform our understanding of African American history, leaving readers with new ways of discussing Black life, culture, and religion.”
—LaShawn D. Harris, author of Sex Workers, Psychics, and Numbers Runners: Black Women in New York City’s Underground Economy

“A masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative, The Princess and the Prophet is an immense accomplishment. Dorman illuminates lost chapters of American history and transforms our understanding of an American prophet. The Princess and the Prophet will make a lasting contribution to our study of American religion.”
—Michael Muhammad Knight, author of The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip-hop and the Gods of New York

“Jacob Dorman, the author of an earlier award-winning book on Black Israelite religions, has scored again with this superb study. Intelligently conceived, meticulously researched, and splendidly written, Dorman’s new book fills a major void in African American history.”
—Bill Tuttle, author of Race Riot: Chicago in the Red Summer of 1919

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Co

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

With The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America (Beacon Press, 2020), Jacob S. Dorman uncovers the hidden history of the founder of the precursor of the Nation of Islam and his secret life on Broadway, in the circus, in vaudeville, and in the Harlem Renaissance—as well as new chapters in the sordid tale of Chicago political corruption in the age of Al Capone.

UCLA’s Robin D.G. Kelley writes: “Performer, prestidigitator, peddler, preacher, prophet, politician, prisoner, and precursor of the Nation of Islam—these are the many faces of the enigmatic Noble Drew Ali.  Jacob Dorman’s deft and riveting historical ‘thriller’ demolishes everything we thought we knew about the man, his equally mysterious wife, and the movement he led.  A journey through continents and circus tents, barbershops and backrooms, millennia of religious traditions and an ersatz ‘Orient’ embodied in the flesh of Black pretenders, The Princess and the Prophet is itself a prodigious feat of detective work and archival magic. A spectacular book in so many ways.” Michael Muhammad Knight judges it “a masterful blend of rigorous scholarship and compelling narrative…an immense accomplishment.” Michigan State University’s LaShawn D. Harris calls it “a must-read!...fascinating and compelling.” Publisher’s Weekly deems it “a remarkable study.”

Jacob S. Dorman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Core Humanities at the University of Nevada, Reno, solves historical mysteries using microhistory and deep archival research, as well as a writing style that has been called “captivating.” In addition to The Princess and the Prophet, he is the author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions (Oxford University Press 2013), winner of four book awards. Many funders have generously supported his writing, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

“Prophet Noble Drew Ali and Islamic Anti-Imperialist Antiracism”, part of the panel, “Militant Islam in the Nation and Beyond

Chair: Nicole Burrowes, University of Texas at Austin Jacob Dorman, University of Nevada-Reno “Prophet Noble Drew Ali and Islamic Anti-Imperialist Antiracism” Joseph Stuart, University of Utah “The Nation of Islam’s Message of Black Masculinity, 1931–1958” Rasul Miller, Yale University “Black Muslims and Black Power: Towards a Genealogy of Black Muslim Radicalism” Comment: The Audience

8:30-10:15AM—Session 1

Gordon-White Building, UT Austin