Among the names of enslaved laborers on this Savannah-area planation in 1781 were four with names associated with Islam: Mahomet and Fatima. Mahomet is a Latin version of the name Muhammad, while Fatima was Muhammad’s daughter. Through Islamic names in lists like these and advertisements seeking fugitives from slavery, it is possible to discern the presence of enslaved Muslims in the early South.
From the Royal Georgia Gazette, March 8, 1781.
The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the rights holder.