Shaykh Mustafa Briggs

America and the Stories it Forgot

Description

As the United States marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, debates around race, identity and historical memory continue to shape the American story. But whose histories became central to the national narrative and whose were forgotten, erased or pushed to the margins?  

Historian and scholar Mustafa Briggs explores the relationship between power, memory and nationhood, examining how histories of Black experience, migration, faith and global connection complicate traditional understandings of America’s past.

Moving beyond simplified narratives, this conversation asks how nations construct identity through memory, and what happens when forgotten histories begin to re-emerge.

About the Speaker

Shaykh Mustafa Briggs

Shaykh Mustafa Briggs is a British Islamic scholar, historian, bestselling author, and international speaker. Educated at the University of Westminster, SOAS, and Al-Azhar University, he is known for uncovering overlooked histories of Islam, particularly African Muslim scholarship. He has lectured at over 50 universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Yale.