It has been 60 years since Malcolm X was assassinated on Feb. 21, 1965 in New York City. Attorney Ben Crump, who represents Malcolm X’s family, held a news conference Friday morning calling for the documents in the case to be declassified.
“During this Black History Month, we believe, now more than ever, we need to tell the story of Malcolm X, one of the greatest thought leaders of the 20th century,” Crump said from the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in Washington Heights.
Crump pointed to President Trump’s executive order to declassify other high-profile cases, including the assassinations of civil rights leader Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and former President John F. Kennedy.
“On this historic day marking the 60th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination, we formally request that the president declassify [the] Malcolm X files,” he said.
Malcolm X was a prominent spokesman for the Nation of Islam, famously calling on Black people to claim their civil rights “by any means necessary.” Near the end of his life, he split with the organization and started talking about the potential for racial unity, earning him the ire of some.
The civil rights activist was 39 when he was gunned down as he prepared to deliver a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in Upper Manhattan.
Three men were convicted in his murder and sentenced to life in prison. Mujahid Abdul Halim, who also went by the names Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan, admitted to shooting Malcolm X but said the other two men — Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam — were not involved. In 2021, Aziz and Islam were exonerated.
Aziz was freed after serving 20 years in prison, but Islam died before his name could be cleared. The men and their families were eventually awarded $36 million in a pair of wrongful conviction settlements.
Malcolm X family suing NYPD, FBI and CIA
Last November, Crump filed a lawsuit on the family’s behalf accusing the New York City Police Department and the federal government of conspiring to play a role in the assassination.
“Despite knowing the gravity of the threats, the FBI failed to protect Malcolm X, instead actively compromising his safety by arresting his security team days before his assassination,” the complaint read in part.
The lawsuit claimed the government failed to protect Malcolm X leading up to the shooting and failed to intervene on the scene. It also claimed the government actively encouraged the shooting and tried to cover it up.
The NYPD and FBI declined to comment on the lawsuit at the time. The New York City Law Department said it was reviewing the case.
“The family of Malcolm X and the American people deserve transparency and truth,” Crump said Friday.
The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in Washington Heights is hosting an event Friday to pay tribute to the leader and individuals who echo his dedication to social justice.
