Imam Jamil Al-Amin, Civil Rights icon, dies at 82

Imam Jamil Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, has died at the age of 82, his son confirmed in an emotional video posted to Facebook.

In the video, Al-Amin’s son, Kairi Al-Amin, asked for privacy as the family grieves and shared a heartfelt prayer for his father. In the caption, Kairi wrote another prayer for his father and asked Allah to welcome him with open arms.

“From Allah we come, surely to Allah is our return. I lost my father today. Ya Allah please accept my father Imam Jamil Al-Amin as a shaheed, a martyr, a dedicated servant to You,” Kairi captioned the video. “Ya Allah please make his grave spacious and reserve for him the most beautiful spot in Your paradise, please grant him peace, Ameen. It’s no longer free my father, my father is free.”

The announcement set off an outpouring of grief and remembrance for the former civil rights leader, who spent more than two decades behind bars for a crime his supporters say he did not commit. Muslim scholar Imam Omar Suleiman also honored Al-Amin on Instagram, sharing a photo and reflecting on the long fight to free him.

“For years we fought to free him. Today he is free,” Suleiman wrote. “From prison to paradise God willing. He never lost his dignity, his voice never shook. His innocence was proven, but the system didn’t care. We cared. We loved. And InshaAllah, we will continue to move forward with his legacy May Allah accept him among the righteous and grant him the highest ranks of paradise. Ameen.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) confirmed the news as well, extending condolences to the family and reiterating that Al-Amin died after 23 years in prison for a crime the group maintains he did not commit. CAIR urged the Fulton County District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit to complete its review of the case and formally exonerate him.

CAIR also condemned the Bureau of Prisons for failing to properly treat Al-Amin’s cancer, saying they had warned officials repeatedly that his health was deteriorating. Al-Amin was convicted in 2002 for the fatal shooting of a Fulton County sheriff’s deputy and the wounding of another, a conviction civil rights advocates have long argued was marred by procedural problems, unreliable evidence, and a credible confession from another man, federal inmate Otis Jackson, who has repeatedly sworn under oath that he was the shooter.

Despite those developments, the DA’s office never vacated the conviction. Before his incarceration, Al-Amin was a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement. As H. Rap Brown, he was a leader in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and later became a respected imam after converting to Islam.

In Atlanta’s West End, he was known for transforming the neighborhood, guiding many people to Islam, and pushing drugs and crime out of the community. After his conviction, Al-Amin was moved from Georgia state custody to federal custody, a transfer his supporters believe was meant to limit his influence inside the prison system, where many inmates were embracing Islam through his mentorship.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad called him both “a hero of the civil rights movement” and “a victim of injustice. “To God we belong and to Him we return. Imam Jamil Al-Amin was a hero of the civil rights movement and a victim of injustice who passed away in a prison, jailed for a crime he did not commit. We pray that God rewards him with paradise for his good deeds and the injustices he suffered. We call on the justice system to reopen Imam Jamil’s case and clear his name. He deserves to be fully exonerated. We pray that God grants his family solace and justice.”

As tributes pour in, many of Al-Amin’s supporters say the fight is not over. Though he has passed, they insist the push to clear his name is far from over.

Born Hubert Gerold “Rap” Brown in Baton Rouge in 1943, he rose to prominence in the 1960s as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and later as Minister of Justice for the Black Panther Party. His uncompromising speeches, including the famous declaration that “violence is as American as cherry pie,” made him a national figure in the struggle for civil rights and Black liberation. In the decades that followed, he embraced Islam, becoming Imam Jamil Al-Amin, and worked to build strong, faith-centered communities while continuing to advocate for justice.

In his later years, Imam Jamil was celebrated for his commitment to spiritual discipline, community empowerment, and the nurturing of future generations. He inspired countless young people to pursue education, faith, and service, and his teachings emphasized dignity, self-reliance, and moral courage.