1968 Nation of Islam Map of the World w/ the United States as 'The Beast'

A truly bizarre 1868, anti-FBI, anti-COINTELPRO map that presents the world from the perspective of the Nation of Islam. In accordance with NOI doctrine, the map presupposes white America as 'The Devil' or 'The Beast.' The United States here takes the form of a red demonic monster, with Baja California being the pointed tail, Florida the front foot, and Cape Cod the lower Jaw. Radiating from America are rays of influence. Battleships covered with eyes sail from America to all parts of the world. The United States is crowded with evil looking white men wearing headphones. Similar white men appear in all other parts of the world, but in a lower density.

The Nation of Islam

The NOI is an African American political and religious movement founded in 1930 that embraces a variant form of Islam as taught by founders Wallace Fard Muhammad and Elijah Muhammad. The movement reached its height under Elijah Muhammad in the 1960s and 1970s. The essential doctrine argues that the original 'black' man was created trillions of years ago. For most of human history, mankind was ruled by a group of black 'scientists.' Then, roughly 6000 years ago, a rogue scientist, Yakub, equivalent to the Biblical Jacob, created the white race in a cruel betrayal. He taught the white race to hate other races and believe it its own supremacy, then arranged that it would rule the world for roughly 6000 years, or until now. They believe that the Christian Bible represents ancient truths that have been corrupted and rewritten to affirm white power.

The Message of the Map

The map bears a message, 'Map of America, the Beast Full of Eyes Before and Behind.' This is a reference to a verse from the New Testament, Revelation 4:6, in which the 'Throne of God' is described as surrounded by 4 living creatures covered in eyes,

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they are covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.

The NOI argues that the Biblical writings in the Book of Revelation are not, as traditionally assumed, prophecy, but rather a strategic model for the expansion of white global dominance. The 'beasts' described support the throne, representing the mechanisms of white power. On the map the battleships with eyes and men with headphones represent the 'anti-black' 'big brother' surveillance state as epitomized by COINTELPRO.

COINTELPRO

The map specifically criticizes COINTELPRO (Counter INTELligence PROgram, 1956 - 1971), an FBI program run throughout the 1960s that targeted domestic political organizations, among them Communists, anti-Vietnam War organizations, the Ku Klux Klan, and what it called 'Black Nationalist Hate Groups,' among them the NOI. The goal of the program was surveillance, infiltration, and finally, sabotage and disruption. In 1968, J. Edgar Hoover issued a directive to COINTELPRO,

Prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement.

The National of Islam believed that this directive was intended to focus attacks on their organization.

Publication History and Census

The map was published as the centerfold in several different 1968 issues of the Nation of Islam newspaper, Muhammad Speaks (1961-1975). The map is probably available in institutionally held collections of Muhammad Speaks, but many of these have been converted to microfilm or are incomplete, and individual issues are not properly cataloged. Of the map, we are aware of only one other example to appear on the market in recent history. The map was the centerfold in both the January 19 and February 2, 1968 issues.