Keith Ellison and Louis Farrakhan

Keith Ellison, the current Minnesota Attorney General and former U.S. Representative (the first Muslim elected to Congress), has a documented past association with Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam (NOI) that has been a recurring point of controversy, particularly during his political campaigns.

Early Involvement (1980s–1990s)

In the late 1980s and 1990s, while a law student at the University of Minnesota, Ellison (sometimes using names like "Keith Hakim" or "Keith X Ellison") wrote articles defending Farrakhan against accusations of racism and antisemitism. He described Farrakhan as a role model for Black youth and argued he was not antisemitic. Ellison helped organize the Minnesota contingent for the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, D.C., led by Farrakhan, which focused on Black self-sufficiency and personal responsibility. He has described this period as drawing him to NOI's message of empowerment for African Americans, but later acknowledged overlooking or wrongly dismissing Farrakhan's inflammatory statements.

Disavowal and Denunciations (2006 onward)

When running for Congress in 2006, Ellison publicly renounced the NOI and Farrakhan, writing a letter to Minnesota's Jewish community condemning antisemitic statements and actions by Farrakhan and the group. He called it a "mistake in my past," explaining he should have scrutinized their positions earlier. He reiterated this during his 2016–2017 bid for Democratic National Committee chair (where he lost to Tom Perez but became deputy chair) and in subsequent statements, describing Farrakhan's views as sowing hatred, division, antisemitism, homophobia, and chauvinism.

In 2018 interviews (e.g., with CNN's Jake Tapper and on Medium), Ellison insisted he has "never had a relationship" with Farrakhan personally, though he admitted to incidental encounters, such as being in the same room at events. He has denied deeper ties, calling renewed scrutiny attempts to divide Black and Jewish communities.Here are visuals from key moments in the controversy, including Ellison responding to questions about Farrakhan:

Keith Ellison says he never had a relationship with Farrakhan_Times of Israel

Later Incidents and Ongoing Scrutiny

Reports from 2013–2018 revealed Ellison attended events where Farrakhan was present, including a 2013 dinner with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (along with other Muslim-American leaders) and brief chance encounters. Jewish groups criticized these, urging stronger rejection, while Ellison maintained he did not know Farrakhan would attend some and did not interact meaningfully. Farrakhan has occasionally claimed closer ties, but Ellison has denied them.

As of 2026, there are no major new developments or renewed associations reported since the 2018 controversies. Ellison, now focused on state issues like consumer protection and fraud cases, continues to face occasional criticism from opponents referencing this history, but he has consistently distanced himself from Farrakhan's views.

The relationship remains polarizing: supporters see it as a youthful phase tied to Black empowerment efforts, while critics view the early defenses and later encounters as troubling given Farrakhan's well-documented antisemitic, homophobic, and divisive rhetoric. Ellison has repeatedly condemned bigotry in all forms.

17GEN4.com