outlaws. Right among the Temple Seven Muslims, I had seen more marriages destroyed by inlaws,
usually anti-Muslim, than any other single thing I knew of.
I wasn't about to say any of that romance stuff that Hollywood and television had filled women's
heads with. If I was going to do something, I was going to do it directly. And anything I was going
to do, I was going to do my way. And because I wanted to do it. Not because I saw
somebody do it. Or read about it in a book. Or saw it in a moving picture somewhere.
I told Mr. Muhammad, when I visited him in Chicago that month, that I wasthinking about a very
serious step. He smiled when he heard what it was.
I told him I was just thinking about it, that was all. Mr. Muhammad said that he'd like to meet this
sister.
The Nation by this time was financially able to bear the expenses so that instructor sisters from
different temples could be sent to Chicago to attend the Headquarters Temple Two women's
classes, and, while there, to meet The Honorable Elijah Muhammad in person. Sister Betty X, of
course, knew all about this, so there was no reason for her to think anything of it when it was
arranged for her to go to Chicago. And like all visiting instructor sisters, she was the house guest
of the Messenger and Sister Clara Muhammad.
Mr. Muhammad told me that he thought that Sister Betty X was a fine sister.
If you are thinking about doing a thing, you ought to make up your mind if you are going to do it,
or not do it. One Sunday night, after the Temple Seven meeting, I drove my car out on the Garden
State Parkway. I was on my way to visit my brother Wilfred, in Detroit. Wilfred, the year before, in
1957, had been made the minister of Detroit's Temple One. I hadn't seen him, or any of my family,
in a good while.
It was about ten in the morning when I got inside Detroit. Getting gas at a filling station, I just went
to their pay phone on a wall; I telephoned Sister Betty X. I had to get Information to get the
number of the nurses' residence at this hospital. Most numbers I memorized, but I had always
made it some point never to memorize her number. Somebody got her to the phone finally. She
said, "Oh, hello, Brother Minister-" I just said it to her direct: "Look, do you want to get married?"
Naturally, she acted all surprised and shocked.
The more I have thought about it, to this day I believe she was only putting on an act. Because
women know. They know.
She said, just like I knew she would, "Yes." Then I said, well, I didn't have a whole lot of time,
she'd better catch a plane to Detroit.
So she grabbed a plane. I met her foster parents who lived in Detroit. They had made up by this
time. They were very friendly, and happily surprised. At least, they acted that way.
Then I introduced Sister Betty X at my oldest brother Wilfred's house. I had already asked him
where people could get married without a whole lot of mess and waiting. He told me in Indiana.
Early the next morning, I picked up Betty at her parents' home. We drove to the first town in
Indiana. We found out that only a few days before, the state law had been changed, and now
Indiana had a long waiting period.
This was the fourteenth of January, 1958; a Tuesday. We weren't far from Lansing, where my
brother Philbert lived. I drove there. Philbert was at work when we stopped at his house and I
introduced Betty X. She and Philbert's wife were talking when I found out on the phone that we
could get married in one day, if we rushed.
We got the necessary blood tests, then the license. Where the certificate said "Religion," I wrote
"Muslim." Then we went to the Justice of the Peace.
An old hunchbacked white man performed the wedding. And all of the witnesses were white.
Where you are supposed to say all those "I do' s," we did. They were all standing there, smiling
and watching every move. The old devilsaid, "I pronounce you man and wife," and then, "Kiss
your bride."
I got her out of there. All of that Hollywood stuff! Like these women wanting men to pick them up
and carry them across thresholds and some of them weigh more than you do. I don't know how
many marriage breakups are caused by these movie-and television-addicted women expecting
some bouquets and kissing and hugging and being swept out like Cinderella for dinner and
darsice
(darsice)
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