Was Malcolm X’s assassination a government conspiracy?

The mystery surrounding the assassination of Malcolm X, one of the most influential civil rights leaders of the 20th century, has persisted for nearly six decades.

New developments have brought the case back into the spotlight as Malcolm X’s family has filed a $100 million federal lawsuit against the FBI, CIA, and NYPD. The suit alleges these agencies not only failed to prevent his murder but actively conspired in a cover-up that left many questions unanswered.

Did government agencies have a hand in the Malcolm X assassination?

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little and later known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, was shot 21 times at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan while addressing hundreds of supporters.

His family, including his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, announced the lawsuit on the 58th anniversary of his death. The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, stated during a press conference, “We believe that they all conspired to assassinate Malcolm X, one of the greatest thought leaders of the 20th century.”

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The lawsuit alleges a “corrupt, unlawful, and unconstitutional” relationship between law enforcement and Malcolm X’s assassins. It claims these agencies colluded to allow the killing, concealed critical evidence, and protected the identities of undercover operatives present during the assassination.

The NYPD is accused of intentionally detaining members of Malcolm X’s security team days before the attack and withdrawing officers from inside the ballroom on the day of the event.

Federal agents and undercover operatives, who were reportedly present in the ballroom during the assassination, allegedly took no steps to prevent it. Mustafa Hassan, a witness to the murder, claimed that NYPD officers at the scene seemed to assist one of the gunmen in escaping.

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Who killed Malcolm X?

Malcolm X rose to prominence as the national spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, advocating Black empowerment and separatism. In 1964, he broke away from the organisation after ideological disagreements and threats against his life.

A week before his assassination, his home was firebombed, signalling escalating threats from members of the Nation of Islam and potentially others.

Three men were convicted for Malcolm X’s murder: Talmadge Hayer (also known as Mujahid Abdul Halim), Muhammad Abdul Aziz, and Khalil Islam. Hayer admitted to the killing but maintained that Aziz and Islam were innocent.

In 2021, Aziz and Islam were exonerated after a review by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance revealed that prosecutors, the FBI, and the NYPD had withheld key evidence. New York City and the state of New York later paid a combined $36 million in settlements to the wrongly convicted men.

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Despite these exonerations, no new suspects have been identified, and the real extent of government involvement remains unclear. The lawsuit filed by Malcolm X’s family seeks to uncover the truth, asserting that the damage caused to the Shabazz family by decades of obfuscation is “unimaginable, immense, and irreparable.”

What allegations have been made against the FBI?

The family’s lawsuit points to systemic surveillance and harassment of Malcolm X by federal intelligence agencies, particularly the FBI, under its COINTELPRO program. This covert operation targeted Black leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr and Fred Hampton, labelling them threats to national security.

A letter from a New York FBI agent to then-FBI Director J Edgar Hoover in December 1964 called for increased surveillance of Malcolm X, citing his intent to bring the plight of Black Americans before the United Nations.

Attorneys for the Shabazz family allege that nine FBI informants were present in the ballroom during Malcolm X’s assassination. One of the identified shooters reportedly had deep connections with the FBI and was allegedly shielded from repercussions after the murder.

The lawsuit also asserts that federal and local agencies colluded to suppress evidence of their involvement in the killing, further deepening suspicions of a cover-up.

Will Malcolm X’s family find accountability?

For Malcolm X’s family, the lawsuit is not just about financial reparations but also about achieving justice and clarity. Ilyasah Shabazz, who was just two years old when her father was killed, remarked, “My mother was pregnant when she came here to see her husband speak… to witness this horrific assassination… it has haunted our family for decades.”

The family claims they were kept in the dark about critical details, including the identities of undercover agents and the extent of government orchestration.

Lawyers representing the family also highlight testimony from Malcolm X’s former security guards, who allege they were deliberately entrapped by undercover NYPD officers days before the assassination to ensure his vulnerability.

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These revelations further fuel the argument that Malcolm X’s murder was not merely the act of disgruntled Nation of Islam members but a coordinated effort involving government agencies.

The unanswered questions surrounding Malcolm X’s death echo broader concerns about government surveillance, racial justice, and the systemic undermining of Black leaders. As Crump stated, “We hope this lawsuit forces the government to acknowledge and address its role in one of the most heinous events in American history.”

With inputs from agencies