Celebrating the life of Brother Leroy Baylor Muhammad
Associates and friends of native Harlemite Brother Leroy Baylor Muhammad reflected on his life and legacy on August 23 during a memorial service at the Harlem Erudite Academy. Black Leroy, as he was affectionately known, joined the ancestors on June 1 at 83 years young.
Leroy was born at Harlem Hospital on April 25, 1941, the youngest of Emmett and Lillian Baylor’s four children. He lived on Eighth Avenue — Frederick Douglass Boulevard — between 148th and 149th Streets, and attended Resurrection Catholic Elementary School before graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, where he ran track and was the second-fastest runner in New York City at the time. He earned a four-year scholarship to Manhattan College, where he was active socially and acquired a B.S. in business. While there, he formed many alliances with that era’s urban Black progressives, notably Amiri Baraka.
Surrounded by the Nation of Islam’s presence in Harlem during the late 1950s, he witnessed Muslim minister Malcolm X deliver dissertations on Harlem’s streets, as well as listened to him on radio station WLIB-AM on Saturday mornings. He also heard the Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s 30-minute radio broadcasts on Saturday afternoons on WNJR radio.
He eventually registered at the Nation of Islam Temple #7 in 1963, becoming known as Brother Leroy 23X. He met Minister Louis Farrakhan three years later and subsequently became his assistant, as well as that of Elijah Muhammad.
For the next several decades, Brother Leroy would be seen in the streets of Harlem, as well as at any prominent Black function in the city, greeting all who came near with a smile and a warm “A salam alaikum,” while distributing Nation of Islam periodicals, getting the word out to the everyday people.
Understanding the power of the printed word, he had a career at the New York Times, from where he retired. He also began writing for several progressive Back publications, including the AmNews and The Final Call, among others.
He later used the airwaves as a medium as well, where he was known as The Communicator. As the radio talk show host of The Communicators program on Harlem’s own WHCR, he tackled topics relevant to the local community such as gentrification, police brutality, and unemployment. He also shared some of his firsthand experience while in the streets of Harlem. He regularly featured progressive guests like Baraka, Shahrazad Ali, Dick Gregory, Alton Maddox, Les Brown, Dr. Velva Boles, and Dr. Sebi, just to name a few. He also facilitated his Books that Matter program on Manhattan Cable Network,
Various members from the Black community attended Brother Leroy’s Janazah Service (funeral) at Unity Funeral Chapel in Harlem in early June. An audio recording of Minister Farrakhan paying his respects was played.
It was noted that he was a father, husband, partner, grandfather, best friend, educator, storyteller, and man of faith. Mourners remarked that he was in service for Allah, the Nation of Islam, his family, and the community every day until the end. He was not a bitter man. He had a personality that kept you laughing, or crying, but it was always for good.
He is survived by his wife JoAnn Baylor, five children, six grandchildren, and other relatives.
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