Services and Programs:
• Established the country’s first permanent New Africa Center/Muslim American Museum & Archive, June 2005.
• Initiated production, creation and world premier showing of the Re-enactment of the Life & Times of Omar Ibn Sayyid, an African Muslim Scholar Enslaved in America in collaboration with Ahmad Kenya, Actor and Director, Feb 2009. • Initiated the creation of several Community Murals on the 4200 block of Lancaster Avenue, August 2008.
• Cultural Awareness Skill Enrichment (CASE) after school program serving over 1,500 youth at risk since 2007. • Produced three mini documentary DVD’s on the history of the Philadelphia African American Muslim Community in collaboration with the Scribe Video Center that was aired on PBS channel 12, Jan. 2008, Jan. 2011 and June 2014. • Conducting professional enrichment seminars for over 1,000 teachers from 1996 to 2006.
• Community Feeding and HIV testing in collaboration with the University of Penn and the American Muslim for Hunger
Relief on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month, serving over 9,000 resident living in West Philly since January 2012. • Professional development 3 credit in-service courses on Islamic Culture for over 500 teachers from 1995 to 2005.
⚫ Classroom presentations for over 3,000 students since 2005.
• Arabic Language interactive educational TV programs in partnership with University PA reaching 10,000 households.
• Initiated the inclusion of Islamic Holidays on the School District of Philadelphia calendar in 2001.
• Initiated the development of Policy Guidelines addressing the Religious Accommodation Needs of Muslim students
within the school district of Philadelphia in 2002.
• Sponsor’s the country’s largest Annual Islamic Heritage Festivals & City-wide Community Parade
At The New Africa Center (Muslim American Museum & Archive) our primary purpose is to preserve the African American Muslim rich cultural heritage and legacy to pass on to future generations. Operated by ICPIC which is the premiere Islamic Cultural organization in the country. We have clearly become an institution within the African American Muslim Community. For example, ICPIC’s annual community outreach programs/events and involvement in public education has afforded us recognition and awards from city and state government and community groups. Our July 2016, 24th Annual International Islamic Heritage Festival & Parade at Penn’s Landing and Independence National Park is one of Philadelphia’s major and largest multi-ethnic festival series it host each year. It is also the largest Islamic Festival in the country attracting 10,000 people yearly and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance estimated it has an $850,000 impact upon the city. Families plan their vacations around it, vendors schedule their calendars to attend every year, Islamic schools, Masjids and Muslim groups in the area avoid scheduling programs on the festival day because it’s a community event that the whole community support.
History of Services & Programs:
Founded in 1991 ICPIC’s educational and cultural programming was developed to inform and preserve our rich cultural heritage here in America and not to proselytize or convert non-members of the community. Over the years ICPIC has served as a vital and valuable resource for the African American Muslim community. From 1991 the Council has successfully collaborated with the School District of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Temple University, University of Penn, the City of Philadelphia, Penn’s Landing Inc., PECO Energy, PA Humanities Council, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, PA Depart. of Community & Economic Development, Scribe Video Center, the Peoples Emergency Center, Philly Jazz Project, and Keystone First in providing the following:
