The Three-Word Motto That Built A Nation

a woman shopping in a grocery store
Via Pexels
Adé Hennis
July 8, 2026

Three simple words: Do For Self. Thousands of Black people came together to transform this slogan into a system.

Do For Self was a concept created by the Nation of Islam to empower our people individually and collectively. In 1964, this concept was enshrined in the Nation’s economic programs nationwide.

By 1968, the Nation of Islam owned over 1,000 acres of land, used solely for agriculture, supplying Black restaurants and the Nation’s Your Supermarket chain. With a nationwide food production and distribution network, Muslims and non-Muslims alike found employment and business opportunities.

Navy beans and fish were prioritized in Black supermarkets and restaurants, offering alternatives to traditional but less nutritious foods. The program ended in 1975.

The Do For Self program empowered us to build together. Today, unity is even more powerful. How can we find ways to support each other right here, right now?

We have a quick favor to ask:

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With as little as $5 a month, you can help PushBlack raise up Black voices. It only takes a minute, so will you please ?

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