Brother John Muhammad sworn in as St. Petersburg City Council’s newest member

ST. PETERSBURG — Brother John Muhammad, also known as John C. Malone, received a standing ovation Thursday after he was sworn in as the newest member of the St. Petersburg City Council.

Muhammad, a longtime community activist and president of the Childs Park Neighborhood Association, was appointed to the District 7 seat last week in a 4-3 vote. Lisa Wheeler-Bowman vacated that seat after she resigned following accusations that she did not live in her district. He was sworn in Thursday by Honorable Pamela A. M. Campbell, judge of the Florida 6th Circuit Court.

“Mama, they made me a city council member!” Muhammad said after signing paperwork with the city clerk.

After photos with family and friends, city council members, Mayor Ken Welch and Pinellas County Commission member Rene Flowers, who advocated for Muhammad to join the council, Muhammad took his seat on the dais with the name plate John Muhammad Malone.

There was controversy over Muhammad’s candidacy for the council seat. City council members and Jewish groups, including the Florida Holocaust Museum, took issue over his support for Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam whom the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as an anti-Semite.

Muhammad’s appointment was narrowly confirmed last week after members of the Jewish community appeared at a later council meeting claiming Muhammad mischaracterized their position on his candidacy. Muhammad had read aloud part of a text that was sent to Flowers, who shared it with him, that wasn’t intended to be for him.

Maxine Kaufman, executive director of Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast, had a phone call with Welch last week over concern about Muhammad. On Wednesday she issued a joint statement with the federation’s board president, Douglas J. Weiland.

“While Brother John Muhammad has served his community well, his refusal to dissociate himself from the hateful teachings of Minister Farrakhan is problematic for the St. Petersburg community and disturbing for us,” they wrote. The note went on to ask if Muhammad agrees with listed quotes from the Nation of Islam labeled “Anti-Caucasian” “Anti-LGBTQ” “Anti-Semitic.”

During public comment at Thursday’s city council meeting, supporters of Muhammad congratulated him and the council on their appointment.

Bishop Manuel Sykes said he remembers a time when the council would not be this diverse, with women, Muslims and members of the LGBTQ community on the dais.

“You have a diversity that is historic,” he said. “John is just another addition to that diversity and my hope is that you all will be intentional in working together.”

Sykes said the council has a duty to do what’s necessary “to bring all of the community up, just as our downtown area is rising as fast as Jesus from the grave.”

“I hope you all take that very seriously and remember our community that most of the time, we’re not a part of the progress,” he said. “This is a this is a time to catch that up and to be fair and equitable care everybody.”