From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 29, 2026
Khadijah Farrakhan, wife of Louis Farrakhan, dies at 90
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Khadijah Farrakhan, wife of longtime Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, one of the US’s most prominent antisemitic leaders, died Saturday, the Nation of Islam announces. She was 90.
“Mother Khadijah” worked alongside her husband for decades, helping lead their religious and sociopolitical movement, which espouses Black self-reliance. Its home base was Mosque Maryam on the south side of Chicago, where the pair lived.
“The Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan with deep sadness yet with profound gratitude to Allah informs you that his beloved wife of 72 years, the first lady of the Nation of Islam, Mother Khadijah has returned to Allah (may Allah be pleased),” a statement by the group’s Shura Executive Council says.
Louis Farrakhan, who has led the Nation of Islam for decades, is known for his antisemitic and homophobic rhetoric. He has praised Adolf Hitler, accused Jews of controlling the US government and railed against what he calls the “Synagogue of Satan.”
His wife’s death came seven months after devotees had marked Khadijah’s 90th birthday. The statement says funeral services are to be announced.
Born Betsy Ross, Khadijah Farrakhan married her husband, then named Louis Walcott, in Boston on September 12, 1953. The two had nine children. Their eldest son, Louis Farrakhan Jr., died in 2018, and son Joshua Farrakhan died in 2023.
The Times of Israel Community.