Page:1965 FBI monograph on Nation of Islam.djvu/41

This page has been validated.

V. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

A. National Headquarters

Since 1934, when Elijah was forced to move from Detroit, the national headquarters of the cult have been at Temple No. 2, in Chicago. Muhammad's Temple No. 2 of the Holy Temples of Islam or, as it is sometimes called, Muhammad's Mosque No. 2, is located at 5335 South Greenwood Avenue, and adjacent to it is the University of Islam No. 2, at 5333 South Greenwood. In the basements of these buildings are the offices of the cult's of the FOI and their secretaries. Two secretaries who handle incoming mail, filing, et cetera, are employed at Elijah's long-time residence at 4847 South Woodlawn. Headquarters for the cult newspaper, "Muhammad Speaks," are at 634 East 79th Street.

B. National Membership

Though the NOI has never published membership figures, estimates reported by the public news media have ranged from a low of 25,000 to a high of 250,000, with the number frequently put at 70,000. All of these figures are grossly exaggerated.

After his defection, Elijah  estimated the the membership of the cult as 7,000; and this figure approximates the estimate