Edward Mealy El (born Edward Mealy; September 17, 1870 – 1935), often known as E. Mealy El, was an American religious leader who was Noble Drew Ali's successor as head of the

Moorish Science Temple of America The Moorish Science Temple of America is an American national and religious organization founded by Noble Drew Ali (born as Timothy Drew) in the early twentieth century. He based it on the premise that African Americans are descendants of the Moa ...

. He was appointed the first Assistant Chairman of the Moorish Science Temple of America by Prophet Noble Drew Ali on June 1 of 1927. On August 1 of the same year he received an appointment to General Chairman from the Prophet Drew Ali. In February 1928, Mealy El was made Grand Sheik and Chairman of the Moorish Science Temple of America by appointment of the Prophet Noble Drew Ali. By the close of the first annual convention of the Moorish Science Temple of America (October 15–20) Edward Mealy El was promoted to Supreme Grand Sheik of the organization's highest tribunal and executive cabinet, the Supreme Grand Council. In all his appointments, he was unanimously approved by the "Grand Body", or, executive heads of all subordinate temples within the Moorish Science Temple of America. In February 1929, an annual corporation report filed with the Illinois Secretary of State lists Edward Mealy El as President of the Moorish Science Temple of America Inc. Upon Drew Ali's death on July 20, 1929, Mr. Mealy El continued to run the organization. Edward Mealy El died in 1935.

Early life

Edward Mealy was born on September 17, 1870, in

Wilkerson Wilkerson is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Aaron Wilkerson (born 1989), American baseball player * Brad Wilkerson (born 1977), American baseball player * Brandie Wilkerson (born 1992), Canadian beach volleyball player * C ...

, Mississippi, which was renamed Huntington and later abandoned.

Moorish Science

Mealy El moved to Chicago, Illinois, and became involved with Noble Drew Ali's African-American Islamic religious movement, the

. He became the Governor (pastor) of Chicago's Grand Major Temple No. 1.

Noble Drew Ali's death and succession controversy

Noble Drew Ali died on July 20, 1929, and his attorney, Aaron Payne Ali, tried to unite the Moorish Science movement under his leadership. He was unsuccessful, and several of Drew Ali's former disciples emerged to vie for power amidst the leadership vacuum. Mealy El stated that he had been declared Drew Ali's successor by the Prophet himself. In August,

John Givens El John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Seco ...

, Drew Ali's

chauffeur A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine. Originally, such drivers were often personal employees of the vehicle owner, but this has changed to speciali ...

, declared that he was Drew Ali reincarnated. He is said to have fainted while working on Drew Ali's automobile and "the sign of the star and crescent ppearedin his eyes". Mealy El was present at the Second Annual National Convention of the Moorish Science Temple of America, or "Unity Conference," in September 1929. As the end of the convention neared, hours were spent discussing the Prophet's intentions. Around this time, John Givens El entered the chamber and sat himself on the Prophet's empty seat. He announced:

I am back. I am the Prophet Noble Drew Ali, reincarnated, and Prophet Noble Drew Ali, the founder. We two are one in icthe same.

A silence fell over the convention chamber. Despite this, the convention delegates did not vote for Givens El to lead the Moorish Science Temple of America. Instead, with two-thirds of the votes, the grand sheikhs elected Mealy El as the first Supreme Grand Sheikh and C. Kirkman Bey as his Grand Advisor. Ultimately, the election was not accepted by all members, and both Givens El and Kirkman Bey went on to lead their own factions of the Moorish Science Temple. Kirkman Bey took Mealy El to court to try to gain legal leadership over the denomination, but lost each time. On My 7, 1931, Judge Eberhart ruled in his favor in the case of ''C. Kirkman vs. E. Mealy El''. In response, Kirkman Bey created his own organization, called the "Moorish Science Temple of America, Inc," taking most of the Moors with him. By then, Mealy El only retained leadership over Temple No. 1 in Chicago, but possessed Drew Ali's original documents. Several years after the leadership feud, Mealy El suffered a stroke and was sent to live with his family in Mississippi by his wife, Dealia, who was unable to care for him. He died in late 1935 while on a business trip, no longer living in Chicago due to infighting. Following his death, Dealia Mealy El inherited Noble Drew's papers and used them to place, William Morris El, who she was rumored to have started a relationship with after her husband's death, in the position of Supreme Grand Sheikh. Over time, his leadership was rejected by many of the members of Temple No. 1. In response, some of them turned Noble Drew Ali's documents over to Charles Kirkman Bey, thus strengthening his legitimacy as Noble Drew Ali's successor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mealy El, Edward 1870 births 1935 deaths 19th-century American people 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century Islamic religious leaders 20th-century Muslims 20th-century religious leaders African-American former Christians African-American Muslims African-American religious leaders American former Protestants Converts to Islam from Protestantism Converts to new religious movements Members of the Moorish Science Temple of America People from Bolivar County, Mississippi 20th-century African-American lawyers Muslims from Mississippi