‘I always put God first.’ One of Macon’s first Black-owned restaurants thrives for decades

As one of the first Black girls to attend A. L. Miller High School and the first Black woman to work in the front office in Macon-Bibb County’s Government Center, the owner of Saleem’s Fish Supreme paved the way for future generations.

Saleem’s Fish Supreme was the second Black-owned restaurant in Bibb County when it opened in 1978, said Wadee’ah Saleem, 72, owner of the restaurant.

Saleem endured racism and prejudice as a pioneer in Macon-Bibb County’s African American history, but by the grace of God she said, her business is still going strong.

“I think my strong faith in God has helped me make it,” she said. “I never gave up hope. I never gave up hope, and I always turned to God when things got hard. I always put God first in my life.”

Saleem’s faith journey

Saleem was raised in a Christian church because her father was a minister, but when she went to college, she felt like she needed more from her faith.

“I felt like something was missing in my life because I didn’t have no peace,” she said.

Her first job out of college was working in the front office of Mayor Ronnie Thompson. Her father convinced the mayor to give her the job, and she became the first Black woman to work in the front office of the mayor, she said.

Saleem met Abdur Saleem, her future husband, while working for the mayor, because Abdur worked for the city as well. They started dating and were married in 1974. Abdur started attending Nation of Islam services, and the couple converted in the mid-1970s.

“It sort of seemed like it was more peaceful… It changed my life,” Saleem said.

After the death of Elijah Muhammad, Saleem and Abdur followed the teachings of Muhammad’s son to traditional Islam, and helped start a mosque in Macon.

Opening the restaurant

When Abdur opened Saleem’s Fish, he was following the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, which taught Black men to stop asking white men for jobs and to create jobs for themselves, Saleem said.

Abdur started selling fish with some of his Muslim brothers, and eventually opened Saleem’s Kosher Fried Fish & Sandwiches on Aug. 5, 1978 at 2196 Pio Nono Avenue. At the time, Saleem was taking care of her children at home.

They moved to their current location at 2198 Pio Nono Avenue in the 1980s, and Abdur transferred the ownership to Saleem under the new name Saleem’s Fish Supreme, she said.

“He wanted to secure the family and put it in my name,” she said.

Keeping the restaurant open and successful took a lot of hard work, sacrifice and prayer.

“A lot of times we’re short on help. You have to do a lot of extra work and stuff, but if you have it in your mind that you’re going to make it, don’t give up,” Saleem said.

Support from the community

The restaurant has been open for 43 years, and although they had to cut their hours during the coronavirus pandemic, Saleem said people still come to buy their famous fish.

“We have good food I can tell you, the best in Macon, the best in town,” Saleem said.

The Rev. Ronnie Jackson, who attends Ross Temple Missionary Baptist Church, said he has been eating at Saleem’s Fish since it opened, and when he was overseas in the military, he would dream of the day he could have their food again.

“I was raised over right down the road so when they first opened up, they was the new kid on the block, and I tried it one time and fell in love with it,” he said.

Larry Davis, a customer for about six years, said he comes once or twice a week, and although he has to wait in line sometimes because so many people are there, the food is worth the wait, he said.

“I’m kind of picky. They have good food, and it tastes good and it’s always good. I’ve tried other places, but I just don’t like it, so I prefer coming here,” he said.

Because they had to reduce their hours during the coronavirus pandemic, Saleem’s Fish is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Saleem said.

“We appreciate all of the support over the years,” Saleem said. “Sales are good. People are still coming. People love our fish.”

This story was originally published October 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM.