Co-founders Emad Al-Turk, Chairman Emeritus & Okolo Rashid, President Emerita.
In December 2000 a group of Jackson, Mississippi Muslims identified the need to develop a museum to educate the public about Islamic history and culture and the contributions of Muslims to the world.
With the hard work and dedication of co-founders Mrs. Okolo Rashid and Mr. Emad Al-Turk and a steering team of scholars, experts, and community members, the Museum opened in April 2001 with a major exhibition, Moorish Spain: Its Legacy to Europe and the West alongside the Museo del Prado’s international touring exhibition The Majesty of Spain, at the Mississippi Arts Pavilion in downtown Jackson. The museum attracted over 2,000 visitors in its first month of operation and continues to be a pioneer in sharing the beauty and majesty of the world’s Muslim cultures.
As America’s First Muslim Museum,
our mission is to educate the American public on Islamic history, art, and culture.
Executive Director
Aseelah Rashid
Deputy Executive Director
Lina Ali
Director of Research & archives
Dr. Esam Alhadi
operations Manager
Juanita Powe
Events & outreach Manager
grants & Development Manager
Docent & facilities Manager
Sundiata Glover
strategy & capital fundraising
Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur