Elijah Muhammad House Museum

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The Cracked Atom® Statue symbolizes important tenets taught to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad; Unity, Resurrection and Civilization. Museum Founder and Developer, Sajdah Wendy Muhammad, was divinely inspired by these Teachings when she commissioned Chicago-based Artist, Maxwell Emcays, to help materialize her vision.

The statue is located in the Friendship Garden of the Elijah Muhammad House™, at 4847 South Woodlawn Avenue. 

The Cracked Atom® Statue Consists of 7 Members of the African Diaspora touching a cracked atom in unison. They are holding briefcases that bear the founder’s brand “The Mind of an Entrepreneur®” surrounded by an artistic imprint from the iconic fez' worn by both the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

The artistic imprint symbolizes the wisdom or the mind of the Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad upon which Ms. Muhammad hopes to fuse with economic development as she inspires the Black Man and Woman to do for self. Inspired by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's words: “Our unity is more powerful than atomic bombs,” the concept for the statue came to her as a form of “divine inspiration”.

“This cracking of an atom or breaking open of the mind of the black man and woman, unleashes our power which when combined with unity is more powerful than a nuclear bomb. The splitting of the atom represents the building block from which we multiply.  Spiritually and metaphysically this atom is cracked into three parts that represents Allah Who Came in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan”, says Muhammad. She continues, “In 1990, as a new convert to Islam, when I learned of these 3 powerful men, I was certain that they were the materialization of the trinity I learned of as a young girl growing up in the Catholic church”. 

Muhammad described how Emcays immediately embodied the vision and dedicated himself to “researching, praying, and meditating” on the project. His design process included incorporating timeless and diverse faces to reflect Black heritage as he meticulously designed each figure with authentic hairstyles, headpieces, jewelry, and clothing. “Max was inspired by the Fruit of Islam (FOI)”, says Muhammad. “He gave the FOI on the statue a powerful feature by running the electricity for the cracked atom through the body of the FOI figure. He engineered the statue so that the form of the FOI channels the energy that illuminates the atom, signifying the critical role of the Black Man in uplifting the Black community.” 

In Islam, unity is a duty. We are taught to want for our brothers and sisters what we want for ourselves. On the cover of the Muhammad Speaks Newspaper, the official newspaper of the Nation of Islam from 1960-1975, was a similar artistic representation of unity. 

As the new statue draws the eyes of passersby and sparks reflection, it not only stands as an artistic homage but also as a call to action—one that encourages visitors to embrace a shared history and strive toward a collective future. This installation marks a significant milestone for the development of the museum, offering the public a powerful visual message to carry forward the way of life given to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad for generations to come.