03/06/2026
Origins and Founding
The school was founded in 1934, when it originally operated out of parents’ and teachers’ homes, making it one of the first Muslim schools in Milwaukee. It was originally called Mohammed University.
The school was inspired by the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, who was influenced by W.D. Farad, the founder of the Nation of Islam. Milwaukee’s Nation of Islam temple was established in 1934 by Minister Sultan Muhammad, a national representative of the Nation of Islam appointed by Elijah. That same year, the temple started what became the third Mohammad University, which later became the Clara Mohammed School. The idea was to target cities with high segregation and inequitable education.
Early Struggles
For the first 38 years, the school operated as a homeschooling network run by teachers and parents in the faith. It was illegal to homeschool students in the 1930s, which meant many students were subject to truancy cases.
Despite numerous threats of imprisonment by local authorities, the late Sister Clara Mohammed — wife of the Honorable Elijah Mohammed — started Islamic schools in America when she refused to send her children to the public school system. She did not feel that the existing environment provided the proper education, self-respect, and dignity that her children deserved.
Acquiring a Permanent Home
In 1972, religious exceptions were made following the landmark case Wisconsin v. Yoder. That same year, Milwaukee’s Clara Mohammed School received enough donations to purchase two buildings on North King Drive — the current school building and one on West Wright Street, which is now a church. The Imam at the time was Mustafa Ali, who oversaw the school’s transition to the new building.
The Name “Clara Mohammed”
The schools were renamed in Clara’s honor in 1975, following her death in 1972. W.D. Mohammed took over as the religious leader when Elijah died in 1975, and the change in leadership also brought about a change in religious direction — the previous teachings of the Nation of Islam were left behind in favor of the new leader’s direction.
Historical Significance
The Clara Mohammed School offered Milwaukee students a predominantly Black and faith-based school alternative at a time when segregation was at its peak. When notable figures like Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad visited Milwaukee in the 1950s, the FBI sent agents to spy on Nation of Islam members. The religious group was often a target for surveillance due to its school and businesses, which found success in Milwaukee’s Black community.
Key Leadership — Principal Basimah Abdullah
The school’s long-term survival is credited significantly to Principal Basimah Abdullah. Imam Bramouse Fahad Muhammad, educational director of the Clara Mohammed School, stated: “The school wouldn’t be here if not for Sister Basimah. We have weathered many storms because of her leadership.”
A major turning point came when, in June 1998, the Wisconsin Supreme Court found that including religious schools in the Choice Program did not violate constitutional bans against the establishment of religion. CMS began participating in the Wisconsin school choice program in the 1998–1999 school year, which provided a steady source of income.
Current Profile
Today, Clara Mohammed School is a private Muslim school serving approximately 193 students in grades K–12, with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1. About 85% of graduates go on to attend a 4-year college.
The school is located in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood.
Its mission is to equip young minds with knowledge, values, and skills while fostering a strong sense of community and faith, having served the community for over 50 years as a private Islamic school.
It’s a remarkable institution with deep roots in both Milwaukee’s Black community and American Islamic history.
