The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Black Muslims in America

How two enigmatic circus magicians took on new personas, made a fortune, swung Chicago elections, and founded the Black Muslims. The early life of Noble Drew Ali, the prophet of the first Black Muslim mass movement in America, has been unknown until now. This book charts the history of "Oriental magic," taking us into a fascinating world of tented shows and vaudeville theaters populated by Indian fakirs and Arabian acrobats. In such venues, the first Black Broadway star adopted various Musl...