Here Since the Beginning: Muslim Americans and the Test of Religious Freedom, 1730–Present

Every state teaches Islam as a world religion. Almost none teaches the story of Muslim Americans. Many students finish school believing Muslims arrived in the United States only recently, and that their story begins with September 11.

Here Since the Beginning gives students the documented history instead. It covers enslaved African Muslims who wrote in Arabic, the founders’ debates over religious freedom, early mosques built on the prairie, and the growth of a diverse Muslim American community. Along the way, students see how Muslim Americans have repeatedly tested, and helped widen, America’s promise of religious freedom for everyone.

What’s inside

• A three-period inquiry lesson for Grade 11 U.S. History, with adaptations for Grade 12 civics and Grades 6–9
• Nine primary sources, from Omar ibn Said’s 1831 autobiography and Thomas Jefferson’s writings to presidential speeches and Supreme Court decisions, each with context, a glossary and discussion questions
• A teacher answer key, an assessment rubric and differentiation strategies
• Seven full-page images for projecting or photocopying
• Alignment to the C3 Framework, NCSS themes and AP U.S. History, plus a worksheet for matching the plan to your state’s standards
• A built-in ING speaker panel, with first-person voices from diverse Muslim Americans, available in person or virtually in every state

For educators: The lesson teaches about religion academically, not devotionally. It fits into the U.S. History content you already teach, including the First Amendment, the civil rights movement, the 1965 Immigration Act and September 11.

For community leaders: Share this plan with teachers and school leaders in your area, and connect them with ING to schedule a speaker panel. Together, we can make sure young people learn that Muslim Americans have been part of this country’s story from the beginning.

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