Zohran Mamdani’s choice of Quran at his swearing-in ceremony paid tribute to the profound influence of Black communities and their culture on the city.
On January 1, 2026, history was made in New York City as it welcomed its first Muslim and South Asian mayor, the energetic Uganda-born politician Zohran Mamdani, who is only 34 years old. Several details of Mamdani's midnight swearing-in ceremony were talked about, such as the unique location of the event (which took place inside an abandoned subway station), as well as the cool-chic, on-loan outfit worn by his accompanying wife, the Syrian-American illustrator Rama Duwaji.
But what also quietly stood out was the small Quran that Mamdani took an oath on during the intimate event. No larger than the palm of one's hand, the Quran is currently on view in the ornate McGraw Rotunda at the New York Public Library (NYPL) until March 19. Noted for its simplicity and modesty, the Quran stands alone in a glass case, under the title of 'The People's Quran'. So, what is the story behind this holy book, what is its significance, and why was it particularly chosen for Mamdani's ceremony?
The brown-coloured, leather-bound book hails from the renowned library's enormous collection of multilingual manuscripts and is associated with the Puerto Rican-born, Black scholar, historian and intellectual Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (1874 – 1938), who lived in New York for most of his adult life. Schomburg was a passionate collector of diverse materials related to Black culture, history, literature and art. Through his singular collecting practice, it was his mission to collect items that documented Black people's contributions to the world. In 1926, the bibliophile sold his entire collection of more than 4,000 books (including the Quran) to the library and the Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture was born.
The institute is still going strong, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. "The Schomburg Centre is honoured to have an object from its holdings included in this historic moment for New York City," said Joy Bivins, director of the Schomburg Centre, in a statement. "As we celebrate 100 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing the riches of global Black culture at this singular institution, we are delighted that Mayor-elect Mamdani selected a Quran from our namesake’s personal collection to mark the beginning of his administration."
It is believed that the unsigned and undated Quran possibly harks back to the 18th or 19th century and was produced in Ottoman Syria. In terms of aesthetics, the Quran's cover features a gilt-stamped medallion, embellished with elegant floral ornamentation. As for its pages, the Arabic verses are written in both black and red ink, where the latter colour symbolises the structural divisions of the text. The calligraphic verses have been written in the style of the 'naskh' script, which was traditionally used to 'copy' manuscript texts, including the Quran. There are no lavish features, such as gold-coloured illumination, in the book, which indicates that it was likely made for the everyday man, hence the name of the display, 'The People's Quran.'
"Because of its connections with everyday people, the African Diaspora, and New York City itself, this Quran has entered another chapter of the city’s history. It is a manuscript that belongs to all New Yorkers," reads a display text next to the item. In addition, the library's curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, Hiba Abid, said in a statement, "The significance of this Qur'an extends far beyond the beauty of its pages. It is a Quran close to the people, not only because of its simple craftsmanship, but also because it is part of the collections of the nation's largest public library system. Its importance lies not in luxury, but in accessibility, and we hope it inspires more New Yorkers to explore the rich diversity of our Middle Eastern and Islamic collections."
But beyond the physical aspects of the book, the display holds deeper symbolism in a world that is politically divided. "This specific Quran, which Arturo Schomburg preserved for the knowledge and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, symbolises a greater story of inclusion, representation, and civic-mindedness," said the library’s president, Anthony W. Marx. On social media, Mamdani posted about the display, inviting many positive comments. On Facebook, one user wrote: "I am not Muslim, but I love history, and I think this is beautiful." Another comment on Instagram (to a post with more than 400,000 likes) read: "So this is what representation feels like." @nypl @schomburgcenter
