Owning Islam · The Feeling Muslim Project

The 66 Blackamerican women within the Feeling Muslim study: 51 solely Black, 15 multiracial including Black · University of Georgia · IRB-approved · A companion to the forthcoming research note
The term Blackamerican is used following Dr. Sherman Jackson, Islam and the Blackamerican: Looking Toward the Third Resurrection (Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 17 to 18, where he develops the argument for the term, which he credits to the late C. Eric Lincoln.

Figure 1

What Is Your Race or Ethnicity?

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Of the 66 women, 51 identified solely as African-American or Black and 15 as two or more races including Black, together 25.7% of the study’s 257.

	Respondents
African-American or Black	77%n=51
2+ races incl. Black	23%n=15
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 2

Religion or Belief Prior to Islam

66 Blackamerican Respondents

79% were Christian before Islam, closely echoing the full cohort’s 76%.

	Respondents
Christian	79%n=52
Other	8%n=5
Agnostic	6%n=4
None	5%n=3
Atheist	2%n=1
Jewish	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 3

Age at the Time of Conversion

66 Blackamerican Respondents

One in four converted as a teenager: 26% between ages 16 and 19, well above the full cohort’s 16%.

	Respondents
25 to 34	35%n=23
16 to 19	26%n=17
20 to 24	20%n=13
35 to 44	12%n=8
45 to 54	3%n=2
Less than 16	2%n=1
55 to 64	2%n=1
65+	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 4

Marital Status at the Time of Conversion

66 Blackamerican Respondents

58% were single, never married at conversion; another 12% were divorced with children.

	Respondents
Single, never married	58%n=38
Divorced with children	12%n=8
Single with children	11%n=7
Married without children	6%n=4
Married with children	5%n=3
Divorced	5%n=3
Engaged	3%n=2
Separated	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 5

Current Marital Status

66 Blackamerican Respondents

57% are currently married, mirroring the full cohort’s pattern.

	Respondents
Married with children	42%n=28
Married without children	15%n=10
Single, never married	12%n=8
Divorced with children	9%n=6
Single with children	8%n=5
Divorced	6%n=4
Engaged	3%n=2
Widowed	3%n=2
Separated	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 6

Length of Time as a Muslim

66 Blackamerican Respondents

One in three has been Muslim for twenty years or more, nearly double the full cohort’s 18%.

	Respondents
20+ years	33%n=22
0 to 3 years	24%n=16
4 to 7 years	15%n=10
8 to 11 years	9%n=6
12 to 15 years	9%n=6
16 to 19 years	9%n=6
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 7

Branches of Islam

66 Blackamerican Respondents

58% identify solely as Sunni, alongside a Nation of Islam lineage, 9% in two forms, unique to this cohort.

	Respondents
Sunni	58%n=38
Other	17%n=11
Sufi-Sunni	12%n=8
Nation of Islam	6%n=4
Nation of Islam - Sunni	3%n=2
Sufi	3%n=2
Shi'a	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 8

Highest Level of Education

66 Blackamerican Respondents

All 66 finished high school, and 68% hold an Associate’s degree or higher.

	Respondents
Bachelor's degree	27%n=18
Master's degree	24%n=16
Some college, no degree	21%n=14
Associate's degree	17%n=11
Trade or vocational	9%n=6
High school or GED	2%n=1
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 9

Convert, Revert, or Muslim?

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Convert leads at 44%, while more than one in four prefers revert: a return to what was always there.

	Respondents
Convert	44%n=29
Revert	27%n=18
Other	17%n=11
Muslim	12%n=8
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 10

Being, Becoming, and Feeling Muslim

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Two-thirds affirm the distinction. Among the 13 who answered no are the study’s strongest voices of ownership.

	Respondents
Yes	67%n=44
No	20%n=13
N/A	14%n=9
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 11

Did You Instantly Feel Muslim?

66 Blackamerican Respondents

53% instantly felt Muslim, above the full cohort’s 47%.

	Respondents
Yes	53%n=35
No	47%n=31
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 12

Satisfaction with Feelings of Muslimness

66 Blackamerican Respondents

77% are satisfied or content, the highest of any group in the study.

	Respondents
Yes	77%n=51
No	23%n=15
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 13

Outwardly Identifiable as Muslim

66 Blackamerican Respondents

88% are outwardly identifiable as Muslim, some twenty points above the rest of the study.

	Respondents
Yes	88%n=58
No	12%n=8
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 14

Attire and Feelings of Muslimness

66 Blackamerican Respondents

For 64%, the choice of attire is connected to their feelings of Muslimness.

	Respondents
Yes	64%n=42
No	29%n=19
N/A	8%n=5
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 15

Gender Roles and Muslimness

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Only 32% connect Islamic gender roles to their feelings of Muslimness, versus roughly half of the rest of the study.

	Respondents
No	68%n=45
Yes	32%n=21
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 16

Feeling Welcome in Community

66 Blackamerican Respondents

One in three does not feel welcome in her Muslim community.

	Respondents
Yes	62%n=41
No	32%n=21
N/A	6%n=4
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 17

An Integral Part of Community?

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Half feel integral to their communities; 42% do not.

	Respondents
Yes	50%n=33
No	42%n=28
N/A	8%n=5
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 18

Would You Like to Be Integral?

66 Blackamerican Respondents

89% would like to be integral: the longing is nearly universal.

	Respondents
Yes	89%n=59
No	8%n=5
N/A	3%n=2
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 19

Thoughts of Leaving Islam

66 Blackamerican Respondents

41% admitted the thought in some form, essentially the same rate as the full study’s 42.8%. Published 2020 coding.

	Respondents
No	59%n=39
Yes	33%n=22
No, but . . .	8%n=5
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 20

Community Meeting Spiritual Needs

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Half say their community meets their spiritual needs; over a third say it does not.

	Respondents
Yes	50%n=33
No	36%n=24
N/A	14%n=9
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 21

Community Meeting Emotional Needs

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Emotional needs go unmet for 35%, with nearly a quarter unsure or without a community to ask.

	Respondents
Yes	42%n=28
No	35%n=23
N/A	23%n=15
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 22

Community Meeting Social Needs

66 Blackamerican Respondents

55% have their social needs met; 36% do not.

	Respondents
Yes	55%n=36
No	36%n=24
N/A	9%n=6
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 23

Community Meeting Financial Needs

66 Blackamerican Respondents

Nearly a third could not assess financial support; of those who could, more than a third said no.

	Respondents
Yes	42%n=28
N/A	30%n=20
No	27%n=18
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 24

A Home Muslim Community

66 Blackamerican Respondents

45% have no home Muslim community at all.

	Respondents
Yes	55%n=36
No	45%n=30
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

Figure 25

Classes for Converts

66 Blackamerican Respondents

91% want convert classes: near unanimity from the cohort sometimes assumed to need them least.

	Respondents
Yes	91%n=60
No	9%n=6
Total	100%n=66

feelingmuslim.org · Feeling Muslim Study · 2014

How to Cite This Research

APA (7th ed.)

Kovacik, K. N. (2026). Owning Islam: Blackamerican Women Converts in the Feeling Muslim Study (Data Charts). The Feeling Muslim Project. https://feelingmuslim.org/owning-islam-charts.html

Chicago (17th ed.)

Kovacik, Karla N. “Owning Islam: Blackamerican Women Converts in the Feeling Muslim Study (Data Charts).” The Feeling Muslim Project, 2026. https://feelingmuslim.org/owning-islam-charts.html.

ASA (7th ed.)

Kovacik, Karla N. 2026. “Owning Islam: Blackamerican Women Converts in the Feeling Muslim Study (Data Charts).” The Feeling Muslim Project. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY (https://feelingmuslim.org/owning-islam-charts.html).

A Note on the Data All figures presented here are drawn from the original 2014 to 2015 survey conducted as part of the M.A. thesis research at the University of Georgia under IRB-approved protocol. In total, 481 people responded to the survey. Of these, 459 were American women converts to Islam. The remaining 22 responses fell outside the parameters approved by the Institutional Review Board, which focused specifically on women converts born in the United States; those responses were received with gratitude and set aside from the women’s cohort. The 66 Blackamerican women charted here are drawn from the 257 women who completed both the quantitative and qualitative strands in full. Data collection, research design, and analysis were conducted by Karla Nicole Kovacik (formerly Evans). The survey remains the only known study of this scope focused specifically on the psychological and sociological dimensions of Muslim identity formation among American female converts. Underlying data: the 2014 Feeling Muslim survey, published in the author’s 2015 master’s thesis under her former name, Karla N. Evans (University of Georgia); the cohort analyses on this page are published here for the first time and are not contained in the thesis.