My Faith: US Congressman Keith Ellison

Keith Ellison representing the 5th Congressional District of Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives, taking the oath of office on a copy of the Quran.

Prior to 2006, few people even knew that then-Minnesota state legislator Keith Ellison was a Muslim. Because of his English name, he said, no one thought to ask.

But five years ago, when he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives - a race he would go on to win - word of his religious affiliation began to spread.

"When I started running for Congress it actually took me by surprise that so many people were fascinated with me being the first Muslim in Congress," said Ellison, a Democrat now serving his third term in the House.

"But someone said to me, 'Look Keith, think of a person of Japanese origin running for Congress six years after Pearl Harbor-this might be a news story.'"

Though Ellison's status as the first Muslim elected to Congress is widely known, fewer are aware that he was born into a Catholic family in Detroit and was brought up attending Catholic schools.

Click HERE to read full article. 


by mail from IslamiCity Bulletin