Malaak Shabazz is one of the six children of the slain civil rights leader Malcolm Little popularly known as Malcolm X. She and her twin Malikah were born months after her father was assassinated.
Malaak Shabazz is a human rights activist and has spoken about her father’s legacy on several occasions. She and some of her sisters have continued their father’s legacy on others to better the world. She is functioning as an agent for the Assembled Countries NGO.
Malaak Shabazz and her sisters were raised by their mother Betty Shabazz (Betty X) after Malcolm X, their father was assassinated in their presence.
Here are 10 other interesting things to know about Malaak Shabazz
1. Malaak Shabazz was assassinated in the presence of her siblings and her pregnant mother
At the age of 39, Malcolm X was assassinated inside the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965, as he was about to start speaking at a meeting.
Betty Shabazz was in the audience with her girls so when she heard the gunshot, she grabbed her daughters and pushed them down using her body as a shield to cover them.
One of the assassins was caught and beaten at the scene and the other two were later identified to be members of the Nation of Islam.
2. Malaak Shabazz was born the same year her father was assassinated
Malaak Shabazz and her twin, Malikah were born in the United States on 30 September 1965. That was the same year their father was assassinated, in fact barely after seven months.
Her mother raised her alongside her other siblings. Her mother ensured that Shabazz and her sisters attended private schools.
3. Betty Shabazz was very protective of her girls
Growing up. Malaak Shabazz and her sisters had the love and protection of their mother. Betty Shabazz was a trained nurse and also an educator who did not play with her girls. She ensured that her daughters lacked nothing.
4. Malaak Shabazz’s mother died in 1997
In June 1997, Shabazz’s mother died after she suffered burns from a fire that was started by her grandson Malcolm Shabazz.
More than half of her body got burnt and before she died, she was in the Intensive care unit for close to three weeks.
Malcolm Shabazz was later killed in Mexico in 2013 at the age of 28. according to reports he was killed over a dispute on $1200. Malcolm’s mother was Qubilah Shabazz who is the eldest child of Malcolm X.
5. The Malcolm daughters have a clothing line
In other to keep the family’s legacy fresh, Malcolm X’s daughters launched a clothing line, Malcolm X’s legacy. They produce sweatshirts, hats, and T-shirts.
The clothing line had slogans such as “By Any Means Necessary” and also “A Man Who Stands for Nothing Will Fall for Anything.”
6. Malaak Shabazz believes her father would have been the Mandela of their time
According to reports, 58 year-old Shabazz believes her late father’s vision would have changed the world.
She revealed during an interview that her father’s oneness vision would have been the best but he was murdered instead. She added that her father had the passion to make sure injustice was heard.
7. She and her twin sister are on different paths
Her sister was sentenced to five years probation for swindling an elderly widow of $55,000. She was also arrested in 2017 together with her daughter. they were allegedly accused of animal cruelty.
8. Her parents never courted before marrying
Unlike many couples, Betty and Malcolm X did not court before marrying. They just knew each other by attending the same teachings. Moreso, one-on-one dating was contrary to the teachings of the Nation of Islam so they shared their supposed dates with other members or groups.
They never talked about marriage until Malcolm called Betty and asked her to marry him. Thye married the same day she became a licensed nurse.
Read Also: Malikah Shabazz- Bio of Malcolm X’s Daughter, Arrest, Where is She? 5 Facts
9. Malaak Shabazz was named in her father’s honor
After Malcolm X died, his wife gave birth to the twins and decided to name them in his honor. All her siblings have been named after various leaders like Patrice Lumumba. Her siblings’ names are:
- Qubilah named after Kublai Khan
- Attallah named after Attila the Hun
- Illyasah named after Elijah Muhammad
- Gamilah Lumumba named after Patrice Lumumba
10. Malaak Shabazz and her sisters were accused of spending too much
Shabazz and her sister Ilyasah were accused of spending estate money on themselves by her twin sister, Malikah. According to the latter, her sisters spend money while permitting property and other estate assets to languish and tax bills to accumulate.
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