Temple Folk, a highly acclaimed debut short story collection about a community of African Americans who were once upon a time members of the Nation of Islam, before they moved on to Sunni Orthodoxy, will be featured tomorrow at the monthly meeting of Rebel Readers, a monthly book club aimed at lifting the voices of diverse authors to explore stories about individuals with intersecting identities.
The public is invited to attend the meeting, which will be held Wednesday, December 6 at 7p at the Maltz Museum, 2929 Richmond Rd, Beachwood [44122].
The book, written by 2004 Oberlin College grad Aaliyah Bilal, was a finalist for this year’s National Book Awards.
The book portrays the lived experiences of Black Muslims contemplating the convictions of their race, religion, economics, politics, and sexuality in America. The ten stories in the collection explore diverse narratives about black life, sharing the experiences of a community that resists the mainstream culture they are born into while nevertheless having to function within the larger society.
Rebel Readers is a monthly book club hosted by Dahlia Fisher and Felicia Haney, two women from different backgrounds with shared values. Together, they lift the voices of diverse authors to explore stories about individuals with intersecting identities.
Publishers Weekly describes Temple Folk as a book that “depicts African American Muslims exploring their faith and seeking liberation in the 1970s.”
Born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Bilal also earned a master’s degree at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. Her work has appeared in The Michigan Quarterly Review and The Rumpus. She also has a forthcoming graphic memoir, Cloud Country: A Black Life in East Asia.
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