Muslim Americans and the Arts | The Great Muslim American Road Trip

The Great Muslim American Road Trip introduces several contemporary American Muslim artists making an impact in theater, music, writing, and more. In this clip, we are introduced to co-host Mona Haydar’s hip-hop career, how she got started in music, and what her main influences have been. We also meet jazz musician Leon Rollerson to discuss the history of Muslim American jazz musicians over the years, as well as Amin Abdullah, an actor based in Los Angeles.

Lesson Objectives:

Students will aim to….

• Describe how Muslim faith and spirituality influence artists such as Mona Haydar and Amin Abdullah.
• Draw comparisons between Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and the road trip we see in the video clip, based on a excerpt from the text.
• Understand how jazz music attracted Black Muslim performers and how this legacy continues today.