Islam became racialized in American law through anti-polygamy discourse even without Muslims as defendants

Evidence

Despite African Muslims being de-Islamicized or having their religious identity erased in antebellum America, it does not follow that Islam itself was deracialized. In fact, it was deeply racialized. This becomes apparent in the context of the Mormon polygamy and the demands from the federal government that it be banned. In early polygamy jurisprudence, legal historian Sarah Barringer Gordon points out that the practice was considered unsuitable for whites. While not specifically linked with Islam in the cases, learned people of that time were aware of the Orientalist literature of Arabian Nights, sultans, harems, and languid odalisques reflecting the lascivious nature of those they commonly called “Mohametans.” As Martha Ertman argues, polygamy was considered “race treason,” with detractors specifically linking the practice to Islam, and a barrier to Christianity. — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 141

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Connects to the ‘Complaints About Immodesty’ article theme (moral panics coded in class/identity terms) - polygamy as ‘race treason’ against Christian monogamy parallels dress as identity signaling.
• XREF: Directly echoes Aziz’s argument that Islam acquired racial meaning through legal discourse; here Choudhury/GhaneaBassiri claim antebellum de-Islamicization did NOT deracialize Islam, complementing Aziz’s historical thesis about ‘Racial Muslim.’ — connects to: Polygamy jurisprudence racialized Islam by treating the practice as foreign and treasonable; Supreme Court rhetoric linked polygamy to racialized Asiatic and African family norms — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 142; Legal vilification of polygamy racialized non-monogamous religious groups as foreign barbarians — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 147 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Polygamy jurisprudence racialized Islam by treating the practice as foreign and treasonable #expands (0.95)
• Supreme Court rhetoric linked polygamy to racialized Asiatic and African family norms #corroborates (0.92) — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 142
• Supreme Court racialized Mormons by associating polygamy with Asian and African peoples #exemplifies (0.90) — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 328
• Legal vilification of polygamy racialized non-monogamous religious groups as foreign barbarians #expands (0.88) — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 147
• Islam has functionally become a race in law within the last twenty years #corroborates (0.78) — Cyra Akila Choudhury, Racecraft and Identity in the Emergence…, 34
• Muslim racialization in America predated the September 11 attacks #corroborates (0.75)