Summary
Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York City, using a Quran for the ceremony. He used copies of the Quran from his grandparents and a historic one loaned by the New York Public Library, which was part of a collection by Arturo Schomburg, a noted historian. Mamdani's campaign highlighted the diversity of New York, and he is among a few U.S. politicians who have taken the oath with a Quran.
Key Facts
- Zohran Mamdani is the new mayor of New York City and the first Muslim and South Asian to hold this position.
- He was sworn in using a Quran, including a 200-year-old copy from the New York Public Library.
- The historic Quran was once owned by Arturo Schomburg, a significant figure in Black history.
- Schomburg's collection became part of the NYPL's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
- Mamdani's swearing-in ceremony took place at an unused subway station under Times Square.
- New York mayors do not have to use a religious text for their oath, but past mayors have often used a Bible.
- Mamdani has shared his thoughts on Islamophobia in the U.S., especially after the September 11 attacks.
