Curtis Muhammad, born Curtis Hayes, was an American civil rights activist.
10 Facts About Curtis Muhammad
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Curtis Muhammad grew up in the Chisholm Mission community near Summit, Mississippi.
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Curtis Muhammad's cousin was lynched after being accused of raping a white woman.
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Curtis Muhammad's father Johnny worked as a print setter at the Enterprise-Journal, where the editor was a vocal critic of lynching; however, after exchanging gunfire with Klan members, Johnny was forced to flee to Chicago.
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Curtis Muhammad's first project after his release was a speaking tour to raise money in the wake of Herbert Lee's murder.
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On July 8,1964, Curtis Muhammad was injured after Klan members bombed the McComb Freedom House where he was sleeping.
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Shortly after the bombing, Curtis Muhammad traveled to Africa for the first time.
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Curtis Muhammad protested against racism in Chicago and started an activist bookstore in Washington DC In the 1970s, his activism attracted the attention of the FBI's COINTELPRO programs and he changed his name to Curtis Muhammad.
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In 1994, Curtis Muhammad appeared in the civil rights documentary film Freedom on My Mind.
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In 2005, Curtis Muhammad founded the People's Fund and the People's Organizing Committee to help New Orleans residents recover from Hurricane Katrina.