The family of Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) has filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit against US federal law enforcement agencies and the New York Police Department (NYPD), alleging they conspired in the assassination of the iconic civil rights leader.
The suit, brought by Ilyasah Shabazz—Malcolm X’s daughter—and other family members, accuses the FBI, CIA, Justice Department, NYPD, and others of knowing about the plot to kill Malcolm X and failing to prevent it. It further claims the agencies worked together to cover up their involvement after his death.
“We believe all conspired to assassinate Malcolm X, one of the greatest thought leaders of the 21st century,” said civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, during a press conference on Friday.
The lawsuit alleges the FBI and CIA collaborated with undercover agents within the Nation of Islam, a group Malcolm X had been affiliated with before leaving it. The agencies are accused of undermining Malcolm’s security by arresting his security team days before his assassination on 21 February 1965.
The FBI is also alleged to have removed security personnel from the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan—the site of Malcolm’s killing—and denied him firearm permits that could have bolstered his protection.
Shabazz said the family’s fight is “primarily for our mother,” who faced violent attacks alongside her husband and attempted to save him as he was fatally shot.
“She turned this place of trauma into a place of triumph for others to benefit from my father’s work,” she said at the press conference, held at the former Audubon Ballroom, now the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Centre.
Ben Crump described the lawsuit as a groundbreaking move to seek justice for those wronged by the American legal system.
“We’re not just making history but creating a precedent-setting path for justice,” he said.
Malcolm X, a prominent voice in the fight for civil rights, was fatally shot during a speech at the Audubon Ballroom. His death has long been surrounded by allegations of a wider conspiracy, with questions lingering over the involvement of government agencies.
Shabazz and her legal team expressed their determination to uncover the truth and hold those accountable. “We are ready for this fight,” said Crump.
