ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 TAG: 9702250099
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
As a Christian minister, Benjamin F. Chavis said uplifting black people was his primary goal.
Now as Benjamin F. Chavis Muhammad, the former head of the NAACP says the Nation of Islam's influence in the black community helped to spur his conversion to the religious sect.
``What other organization is taking men and women out of despair and making them upright? There has been a convergence and I have evolved into the Nation of Islam,'' he said in a telephone interview Monday, one day after announcing his conversion in Chicago.
The impact of Chavis Muhammad's conversion may be most strongly felt within the Nation of Islam, since leader Louis Farrakhan is 63 and has battled prostate cancer in recent years.
Chavis Muhammad dismissed talk of succeeding Farrakhan as ``wild speculation'' and said he didn't expect any problems from others who might have their eyes on taking over from Farrakhan.
``It's premature to talk about successors to Minister Farrakhan because the minister is strong, healthy and vibrant,'' Chavis Muhammad said. ``And I'm pleased to report that I have been embraced by all of the leadership. We had a good talk this morning and this was no surprise to them.''
Chavis Muhammad said he has been preparing for his conversion by reading the Koran, Islam's holy book, for the past five years.
``This is not a gimmick. This is life transformation,'' he said. He added that his wife, Martha Chavis, also is taking the name Muhammad and that he will take additional courses of study to become a Nation of Islam minister.
``The god of Judaism is the god of Christianity, which is the god of Islam,'' he said.
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan (left)by CNBwelcomes Benjamin Chavis to his religion.