The Family of the renowned “Prince Among Slaves” will continue to Natchez, MS, for the remainder of the week, to include its May 11 Symposium – “The Twinning of Two Cities: ISABELLA AND THE PRINCE, A Transatlantic Love Story”

JACKSON, MS – Princess Karen Chatman, President CEO of The United Global Research Center (UGRC) and of The House of Abdulrahman Ibrahima Ibn Sori, has confirmed the visit of a Guinean delegation to the International Museum of Muslim Cultures (IMMC), 201 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, MS 39201. The delegation will be led by El Hadji Mody Oury, the elder representative of the Sori-Barry family.

The historic visit will take place Tues., May 9, 2023, at 3 p.m., is an opportunity to welcome the family of the early 19th Century “Prince Among Slaves” Abdulrahman from Fouta Djallon and to share the history of the Kingdom of Fouta and the Sori-Barry dynasty. This narration inspired the Legacy of Timbuktu exhibit of IMMC, which is still on display and continues to enlighten, excite, and inspire visitors from across the country and globally.

According to Princess Karen Chatman, a direct descendant of Abdulrahman (Ibrahimi), it is the first time the family of the enslaved Muslim Prince from Fouta Guinea has come to meet other descendants, highlighting that the Prince did not give up his religion of Al-Islam under the horrific experience of enslavement.

While in Mississippi, the delegation has plans to meet with the Mayor of Jackson, the Hon. Chokwe Antar Lumumba and the Mayor of Natchez, the Hon. Dan N. Gibson.

The Jackson host to the delegation, the International Museum of Muslim Cultures (IMMC) is America’s first Muslim Museum dedicated to educating the public about Islamic history and culture and the contributions of the diverse Muslim communities to America and the world. IMMC promotes multiculturalism, pluralism, diversity, equity and human dignity. In 2020, the IMMC was among USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awardees, coming in 4th place among the 10Best Religious Museums! It is also a recipient of the Golden Award of Montreaux (Switzerland) for the design of IMMC’s “Muslims with Christians and Jews Covenants and Coexistence” Exhibition developed by StudioBasel, located at IMMC’s satellite site.

IMMC celebrates its 22nd year of operation in Jackson, where in 2006 it premiered the international “Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word” Exhibition with a display of ancient Timbuktu manuscripts from the Mamma Haidara Memorial Library of Timbuktu, with emphasis on Islamic West Africa’s sophisticated and highly literate culture of great scholarship, wealth and empire-building.

IMMC’s second location in Jackson, (101 E. Capitol St., Jackson, MS 39201) “Muslims with Christians and Jews: An Exhibition of Covenants & Coexistence,” is an Exhibit introducing the “peace-building leadership of Prophet Muhammad, who was both a Prophet of God and Head of State and prepared the first Constitution in history for his multiethnic, multiracial, multilingual and multi-religious Commonwealth. This Constitution, which may have influenced that of the U.S., is on display, as well as other copies of covenants of protection extended to Jews, Christians, and others.