Bio: Bahiyyah Muhammad, Ph.D., is a blessed mother of three (Jaelah, Jian and Al-Muntaqim Jr.). Associate Professor of Criminology at Howard University and Director of the Undergraduate Criminology Program. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. She received her doctorate from Rutgers University’s School of Criminal Justice. Dr. Muhammad’s major research interest is familial imprisonment. Focusing specifically on those issues pertaining to children of incarcerated parents. She has done hundreds of interviews with affected children, parents, and caregivers in the United States, Africa, Europe, Uganda, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and various Caribbean Islands. Her most recent work revolves around success and resiliency among children of prisoners. She is currently the co-principal investigator for the “Mothers of the Mecca: Identifying Student Parents at Howard University” research project. Dr. Muhammad is the Co-Founder of Mothers of the Mecca (MOM) and Dads Academically Determined (DAD). Both formerly student-led organizations for student-parents at Howard University.
Dr. Muhammad is founder of Project Iron Kids, an initiative to educate and empower children of incarcerated parents. She co-published the first coloring book for children of the incarcerated, titled The Prison Alphabet: An Educational Coloring Book for Children of the Incarcerated. Her work has been translated into Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and French. Dr. Muhammad’s most recent children’s book include, Mommy Is Coming Home (2021) and Daddy Is Coming Home (2021). In addition, Dr. Muhammad spearheaded a Howard University Alternative Spring Break experience connected to her Prison Inside Out course, entitled Making Our Memories (MOM) Camp at a Federal Prison in Alderson, West Virginia. During this once in a lifetime experience, incarcerated mothers spent an intimate week engaging with their children behind bars. During MOM Camp, incarcerated mothers and their children had a sleepover, watched Frozen with popcorn, had a talent show, played games, prayed together, made memories, bonded and much more.
Her selected publications include: “Mothering from the Field: The Impact of Motherhood on Site-Based Research” (Rutgers University Press, 2019), “Social Revolution: Black Children of Incarcerated Parents Speak Truth to Power” (Routledge, 2024), Resilient Black Love Among Children of Incarcerated Parents (Howard Magazine, 2021) and Professor Calls for Children to Be Included in Crime Solutions (Jamaica, 2022). Dr. Muhammad’s research has been published in the Journal of Criminal Justice and Law Review, the Journal of Gender, Social Policy, Peabody Journal of Education and the Law, the American University Business and Law Review, Criminal Justice and Behavior and Oxford University Press.
Incarcerated M/otherhood: Conversations That Raise Our Children From A Distance
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