Splinter group of the Black Muslim Movement, formed in 1985 by the radical African-American preacher Louis Farrakhan (1933– ), who trained as a teacher and was converted to Islam by Malcolm X. The Nation of Islam was the original name of the Black Muslims (disbanded in 1985 by the son of their founder Elijah Muhammad) and was adopted by Farrakhan to proclaim his group’s adherence to the ideals of the movement, in particular Black separatism. In common with the original organization, the Nation of Islam has gained a reputation for instilling discipline and purpose in its members and working to rid the African-American community of exploitation through crime and drug abuse. In 1995, a “million-man” march on Washington, DC, was attended by around 400,000 supporters.

Farrakhan has been accused of fomenting racial hatred. In particular, his alleged anti-Semitism led to him being banned from entering Britain in 1986 and from Israel in 1997.