HOUSTON�Minister Benjamin Muhammad, the East Coast regional minister of the Nation of Islam, and Claudette Marie Muhammad, the chief of protocol for the Nation of Islam, have been appointed director and deputy director of the Million Family March.

The two have been sent by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam National Board and the march National Board of Directors on a preliminary tour to the headquarters cities of the seven regions in the Nation of Islam and other locations. The dynamic duo are informing people of the Million Family March scheduled for October 16, 2000.

At Final Call press time, the cities visited have been Winston Salem, N.C., Los Angeles, New York and Houston. Min. Benjamin and Sis. Claudette have been well received in each city. The Houston visit was one of the highlights of the tour, during which Mayor Lee P. Brown, the first Black mayor pledged his full support of the Million Family March.

"We are grateful for the efforts of Sis. Claudette and Min. Benjamin on behalf of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Million Family March. Their clear explanation of the march and willingness to listen to the participants in the meetings has led to the galvanizing support for the march in Houston," said Min. Robert Muhammad, Southwest regional minister of the Nation of Islam.

"The universal appeal of a family-oriented march that is inclusive of the human family is impossible to oppose on a rational basis. This march will be successful when after the event our spiritual concerns are translated into �family friendly� public policy on the local, state, and federal government levels and tangible economic realities are called into existence," Min. Robert added.

Another highlight of the Houston visit was an opportunity for Sis. Claudette, a native of Houston, to visit her father, 84-year-old Travis Johnson. Sis. Claudette went back to the home in which she was raised. The house is on the corner of Paul Quinn and Cebra in the Acres Home Community subdivision. Cebra Street is named after Sis. Claudettes� aunt, Belle Cebra, who was a community activist in the early 1940s. She was also one of the first Blacks in Houston to have a street named after her.

Min. Benjamin and Sis. Claudette visited Houston�s business and community leaders and local clergymen of all denominations. Some of the issues raised in the meetings were the involvement of women and youth in the upcoming march, the need for national Black leaders to dialogue more with one another and the need for a strong educational system.