Abstract: This chapter focuses on Webb's legacy. It argues that Webb's legacy is valuable for the future of American pluralism and the emerging self-definition of its large and growing Muslim community. Sulayman Nyang defines Webb as the prototype of a “Webbian tradition” within American Islam, one that is “color-blind,” addresses itself “to the plight of all people in the world,” and is disposed to balance religious identity with American culture, creating a sense of self that is at once genuinely American and truly Islamic. As a historical generalization, Nyang's Webbian tradition may be somewhat problematic, although it is useful as a sociological concept and future ideal. Webb was not completely color-blind. He did, however, express concern for the plight of the poor and oppressed, and he certainly saw Islam as eminently compatible with an American identity.

Keywords: Alexander Russell Webb, Islam, Muslim American, legacy, American pluralism, Sulayman Nyang,