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Honoring A Legacy

Quick answer: On August 29, 2026, from 2–4 PM at 13148 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit will officially unveil an honorary street sign in memory of Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin—co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit, pioneering interfaith leader, and tireless community builder who shaped the city for decades.

Detroit has a long memory. And some people deserve to be remembered on every block they walked, in every neighborhood they fought for. Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin is one of those people.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1944 and raised right here in Detroit from the age of seven, Imam Abdullah spent the better part of five decades weaving himself into the fabric of this city. He was, as his daughter Zarinah put it, a gentle giant—working in “loud and also quiet ways” to build something real and lasting for Detroit’s Muslim community and beyond.

The Ceremony: Mark Your Calendars


Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
Date: August 29, 2026
Location: 13148 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit, MI 48238

This is the moment we’ve been working toward. The honorary street sign at the corner of Davison and Woodrow Wilson will stand as a permanent, public tribute to a man who made that stretch of Detroit his life’s work. Key speakers will be announced on our social media channels—so follow along and stay tuned.

Come ready to celebrate, to remember, and to recommit to the work Imam Abdullah modeled every single day.

Why This Street Sign Matters

A street sign might seem like a small thing. It isn’t.

For the thousands of Detroiters—Muslim, Christian, and everything in between—whose lives Imam Abdullah touched, seeing his name on a sign at that corner is a statement. It says: this man mattered here. It says: faith, service, and community are worth honoring. And it says: Detroit remembers.

Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin is widely remembered for saying, “If you see something that needs to be done, do it.” We embrace that call to action, standing on the shoulders of a giant in our community and continuing to build on the foundation he laid for us for generations to come.

  • A Life Built on Service

    The résumé alone is remarkable. Imam Abdullah co-founded the Muslim Center of Detroit in 1983 alongside his wife, Dr. Cheryl El-Amin. He served as the first executive director of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. He was a Neighborhood City Hall Manager under Mayor Dennis Archer from 1994 to 2001. He founded Crescent Janazah Funeral Services to support Muslim families navigating end-of-life care. He served as a delegate on international projects in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Palestine, and the Philippines. He wrote a book. He ran for city council. He spent years as a columnist for the Muslim Observer Newspaper.

  • But here’s what made Imam Abdullah extraordinary: it wasn’t any single title or achievement. It was the way he showed up—consistently, generously, and with that big infectious smile—for everyone around him. 

  • Come Out and Be Part of This

    We would love to see you there on August 29th. Follow us on social media for speaker announcements, parking info, and updates leading up to the ceremony. 

  • His Legacy 

    The work Imam Abdullah El-Amin did—the relationships he built, the institutions he co-founded, the people he lifted up—that’s still here. Still running. Still mattering. This street sign is one small way of saying, “We see it.“ We’re grateful. And we’re going to keep going.

     

Volunteers!

Location:

The DREAM Center Field
13148 Woodrow Wilson St.
Detroit, MI 48238

GET IN TOUCH

For inquiries or more information contact: info@dreamofdetroit.org

 

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1605 Davison Fwy, Detroit, MI 48238
info@dreamofdetroit.org

"The true life that God wants for all people—not one people—their true life is a life of cooperation… community life!"
- Imam W.D. Mohammed