Oral History Interview with Mitchell Shamsud-Din on August 25, 2020

Oral history interview with Mitchell Shamsud-Din, conducted by Ayesha Cook on August 25, 2020. Interview written by Dr. Alisa Perkins (Research Director) and Ayesha Cook. Mitchell Shamsud-Din was born on August 23, 1956, in Detroit, Michigan to parents who were both born in Georgia. Raised in a Baptist Christian family, Shamsud-Din converted to Islam through the Nation of Islam at at fifteen years of age, and joined Temple No. 1 (now Historic Masjid Wali Muhammad). He enrolled in the University of Islam, graduating in 1970. Shamsud-Din became a member of the Warith Deen Mohammed community in 1975. He studied with Dr. Abdulmumin Shakir at Wayne County Community College’s Muslim World Studies Program, earning a degree in 1997. Shamsud-Din discusses how he has drawn on a do-for-self ideology to pioneer non-profit work in Detroit’s African American Muslim community throughout his life. He is a founding member of the Detroit Muslim Mission Community Development Corporation, which serves to provide basic needs such as food to the community. For many years, Shamsud-Din has helped organize and provision the weekly soup kitchen and food pantry at Masjid Wali Muhammad. He has also helped sustain the long running soup kitchen and food distribution program at the Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center. Shamsud-Din is a founding member of the Muslim Center, and a founding member and board member of the Health Unit on Davison (HUDA Clinic), a free medical clinic established in 2004. He has partnered with non-profits such as the Community Development Advocates of Detroit (housing) and the Community Health Awareness Group. He is married to Crystal Shamsud-Din and has four children.