Khadijah Farrakhan, Wife of Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, Dies at 90

Khadijah Farrakhan, the wife of longtime Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, has died at the age of 90. She passed away on Saturday, according to the organization, which expressed deep sorrow over her death.

Known affectionately among members as "Mother Khadijah," she was an active figure in the Nation of Islam for more than seven decades, supporting one of the most influential Black religious and political movements in the United States.

In a statement, the Nation of Islam's Shura Executive Council announced that Minister Louis Farrakhan had "with profound gratitude to Allah and deep sadness" informed members of the passing of his wife of 72 years and the movement's First Lady.

The Farrakhan family has long resided near Mosque Maryam on Chicago's South Side, the Nation of Islam's headquarters.

Born Betsy Ross, Khadijah married Louis Eugene Walcott—who later became known as Louis Farrakhan—on September 12, 1953, in Boston. She embraced Islam in 1955, the same year her husband joined the Nation of Islam under the influence of Malcolm X. The couple had nine children.

Beyond being the spouse of the organization's leader, Khadijah Farrakhan was widely recognized as a prominent figure in her own right.

Speaking at the Million Woman March in Philadelphia in 1997, two years after the historic Million Man March, she emphasized the importance of women and family in community development.

"A nation can rise no higher than its women. We speak about women, but we must move forward together as a family—men, women, and children."

Members of the public will be able to pay their respects on Wednesday and Thursday at Mosque Maryam, where her body will lie in repose from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral prayers are scheduled to take place at the mosque on Friday at 11:00 a.m.

The Nation of Islam was founded in 1930 by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad, who began preaching among African American communities in Detroit. The movement combined elements of Islamic teachings with a message of Black empowerment, economic self-sufficiency, and the rejection of identities imposed during slavery.

Leadership later passed to Elijah Muhammad, who relocated the organization's headquarters to Chicago and expanded it into a nationwide movement with schools, newspapers, farms, and businesses.

The Nation of Islam experienced rapid growth after Malcolm X joined in 1952, with membership reportedly reaching nearly 300,000 within a decade. The movement gained international prominence in 1964 when legendary boxer Muhammad Ali embraced Islam and became a member.

Following Elijah Muhammad's death in 1975, his son Warith Deen Mohammed moved the organization toward mainstream Sunni Islam. Louis Farrakhan opposed those reforms and re-established the Nation of Islam in Chicago in 1977, reviving its emphasis on Black economic empowerment.

Throughout that rebuilding process, Khadijah Farrakhan played a significant role in supporting and strengthening the organization alongside her husband.