Ben Crump was right when he wrote, “This is #BlackExcellence,” on Twitter.
“Imagine getting your first college degree at just 13 yrs old!” Crump tweeted to his followers about a 13-year-old boy named Elijah Muhammad. The young scholar recently walked across the stage during a commencement ceremony to receive his Associate’s Degree in Cybersecurity.
Imagine getting your first college degree at just 13 yrs old! This young man received an associate’s degree in Cybersecurity before he was old enough to get a driver’s permit! Bright minds achieving educational goals is inspiring! This is #BlackExcellence 📹: TikTok/goddessshay_ pic.twitter.com/UqGbhiAr50
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) May 18, 2023
Elijah is the younger brother of Rashay Khadeja Muhammad, the woman who posted the video to TikTok, which has already been viewed over 2 million times. “So proud of my brother,” Elijah’s sister captioned the video.
According to NBC 15, the 13-year-old graduated from college with four degrees, making him the youngest African American to complete a college degree in Computer Science and Cybersecurity. “You’re the youngest to ever do it,’” Elijah said his dad explained to him.
The teen’s achievements include 10 IBM certifications, one Google IT certification, and four Oklahoma City Community College degrees. Another video posted by Elijah’s older sister showed that her younger brother completed his degree with a 3.8 GPA and was a Phi Theta Kappa graduate.
https://www.tiktok.com/@goddessshay_/video/7232727205116251435?lang=en
It seems the Muhammad family is dripping in success and knocking out their educational requirements faster than normal. Elijah passed his sister Shania Shakura Muhammad, who held the previous record, graduating from college at 14. Elijah’s older sister, Rashay, also finished school earlier than expected. In high school, she graduated at 16 with a 4.0 GPA, two years earlier than her original 2020 graduation date. Rashay recently graduated Magna Cum Laude and debt-free from her HBCU at 21 years old. According to her TikTok, she earned her bachelor’s degree in one and a half years.
Rashay publicly thanked her dad, who she said made all of their college achievements happen, and highlighted their mother, who she labeled as a doctor in one of her posts.