Askia Muhammad

Born in Mississippi and raised in Los Angeles, Askia Muhammad studied at San Jose State College and Antioch College-East. Starting in the late 1960s, he published poems, essays, and commentary while also making photographs. He rose to prominence in Washington, DC, as a journalist, radio producer and commentator. Muhammad served as news director for WPFW FM in DC, where he also hosted a weekly jazz and journalism show; senior correspondent for the Final Call newspaper; editor in chief of Muhammad Speaks newspaper; White House correspondent for the Chicago Defender over the course of nine presidential administration; and writer for the Washington Informer. He received a DC Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Service to the Arts, and in 2009 the DC City Council made a resolution honoring his writings on race. Muhammad also received awards from National Association of Black Journalists for work on NPR, where he was a commentator on All Things Considered for over 25 years. He published his photographs along with his poetry and personal essays in his final book, The Autobiography of Charles 67X.