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MALCOLM X
1925 - 1965
Malcolm started out as Malcolm Little.
When Malcolm converted to the Nation of
Islam he exchanged his family name with an X, because the name had
been received from white slave owners back in the days.
In 1958, Malcolm married Betty
Sanders, who had previously also converted to the Nation of
Islam.
In 1964, Malcolm leaves the Nation of
Islam more or less voluntarily and becomes a Sunnite Muslim. He
receives death threats. One week before his assassination his home
gets firebombed.
Malcolm's Muslim name was el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz.
THE
ASSASSINATION OF MALCOLM X
February 21, 1965 - Audubon Ballroom, Harlem, New York.
Civil rights leader Malcolm X delivers a
speech when somebody throws a smoke bomb.
Thomas Hagan shoots Malcolm with
a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun. Malcolm falls to the floor.
Normal Butler and Thomas Johnson approach and shoot
Malcolm several times with a .45 pistol and a 9mm Luger.
Malcolm's bodyguards return fire and hit
Hagan in the leg. The other two shooters escape but were later
captured. All three shooters belonged to the Nation of Islam.
Malcolm died two hours later in surgery.
He suffered 16 bullet wounds.
His wife Betty, while pregnant with
twins, and his four daughters had to witness Malcolm's
assassination.
Check out
Assassinations in History.
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