On this date in 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. The three assassins were all member of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X had previously been a member of the NoI, but had left the organization a year earlier after a falling out with the group’s leader, Elijah Muhammad.
All three of the killers were arrested, tried, and convicted. Two of them were paroled in the 1980s. The third was paroled in 2010.
Further reading:
Wikipedia-Malcolm X
Not as peaceful as it claims to be. Not surprising, either.
Speculation at the time was that Malcolm was shifting to a more conciliatory stance than he had in the past, and that Elijah Muhammad wanted him out of the picture. I’m inclined to believe this. Demagogues don’t like competition.
I have met only ONE person who became a good friend to me, and who was also a black muslim, and even HE admitted there was a LOT of racism and diviseness in the ranks.
Maybe things have changed since the 1980s…but I doubt it.
Some things need to be kept watch over.
Good post.
Stay safe out there.
I tend to doubt things have improved much under Louis Farrakhan.