In a move both momentous and overdue, the daughters of Malcolm X have filed a lawsuit against the United States government, seeking accountability for the assassination of their father nearly six decades ago. With prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump leading their legal charge, this case is poised to be a seismic moment in America’s reckoning with its history of racial violence and governmental complicity in silencing Black leaders.
Malcolm X, a towering figure in the fight for Black liberation, was gunned down on February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. His death, shrouded in controversy and unanswered questions, has remained a painful reminder of the lengths to which systems of power will go to stifle dissent and maintain white supremacy. Now, with this lawsuit, his family is demanding answers and accountability from the New York Police Department (NYPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for what they allege was a conspiracy to assassinate him.
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The accusations at the heart of this lawsuit are staggering. Malcolm X’s daughters contend that the NYPD, FBI, and CIA not only had prior knowledge of threats against Malcolm X’s life but actively participated in creating the conditions that led to his murder. The family’s claims build upon decades of scholarship, declassified documents, and investigative journalism, which suggest that Malcolm X was under extensive surveillance by federal and local authorities, and that these agencies may have deliberately failed to prevent his assassination.
The lawsuit is partly informed by revelations from a 2021 documentary series, Who Killed Malcolm X?, and the subsequent exoneration of two men who were wrongfully convicted of his murder. Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam spent decades in prison for a crime they did not commit, a miscarriage of justice rooted in manipulated evidence and prosecutorial misconduct.
Their exoneration highlighted glaring omissions in the original investigation and raised questions about the NYPD’s and FBI’s handling of the case.
Attorney Ben Crump, often referred to as “Black America’s attorney general,” framed the lawsuit as a necessary step toward justice. “This is about more than Malcolm X,” Crump declared at a press conference announcing the legal action. “It’s about a pattern—a systemic effort to destroy Black leadership and suppress Black liberation movements in America.”
Malcolm X’s assassination fits a broader, tragic pattern of state violence against Black leaders during the civil rights era. From Medgar Evers to Fred Hampton, too many Black revolutionaries were targeted, surveilled, and killed under suspicious circumstances, often with the direct or indirect involvement of law enforcement. The FBI’s infamous COINTELPRO program sought to “neutralize”
Black activists and organizations, using tactics that ranged from infiltration and disinformation to outright violence.
The legacy of this governmental oppression has left deep scars. While Malcolm X’s daughters now have the courage and resources to pursue legal recourse, countless families of other slain leader were left to grieve in silence, denied the justice they deserved. This lawsuit is not just a pursuit of justice for Malcolm X; it is a demand for accountability for the countless lives disrupted or destroyed by a system that saw Black liberation as a threat.
Ben Crump’s involvement in this case is significant. Over the years, Crump has built a reputation as a relentless advocate for Black families seeking justice, from representing the families of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd to litigating cases of police brutality and systemic racism. His decision to take on Malcolm X’s case signals the weight of its implications.
“This is about showing that Black lives mattered then, and they matter now,” Crump said at the press conference. “We cannot allow history to erase the crimes committed against our leaders. If the truth about Malcolm X’s assassination comes to light, it will shine a light on all the other atrocities committed in the shadows of history.”
Crump’s words underscore a central truth: the fight for accountability is as much about the present as it is about the past. The systemic racism that enabled Malcolm X’s assassination persists in new forms, from police killings of unarmed Black people to the continued suppression of Black political power. By forcing a reckoning with Malcolm X’s death, this lawsuit could pave the way for broader demands for justice and reparations.
The implications of this case extend far beyond the courtroom. It raises critical questions about the United States’ willingness to confront its history of racial violence and state-sanctioned oppression. Will this lawsuit finally force the NYPD, FBI, and CIA to disclose the full extent of their surveillance and interference in Black liberation movements? Will it inspire other families to demand justice for crimes committed decades ago?
These questions are not just theoretical. They strike at the heart of America’s ongoing struggle with racial justice. The Black Lives Matter movement, which emerged in response to police violence, has already shifted public discourse about the value of Black lives and the role of systemic racism. But this case challenges us to consider how the failures of the past continue to shape the present.
It is no coincidence that Malcolm X’s daughters are pursuing this lawsuit at a time when the very teaching of Black history is under attack. Efforts to ban books and curricula that address systemic racism and the legacy of slavery are part of a broader attempt to sanitize America’s history. In fighting for accountability for their father’s death, Malcolm X’s family is also fighting to preserve the truth about his life and legacy.
The road to justice in this case will be long and fraught with challenges. The NYPD, FBI, and CIA have historically resisted transparency, and legal battles against powerful institutions rarely yield quick results. Yet the significance of this lawsuit cannot be overstated. It represents a step toward healing—not just for Malcolm X’s family but for a nation still grappling with the wounds of its racial past. As we reflect on this moment, it is worth remembering Malcolm X’s own words: “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” By seeking accountability for the past, his daughters are preparing for a future in which the truth is no longer buried, an justice is no longer delayed.
This lawsuit is not just about Malcolm X; it is about the countless Black leaders whose lives were cut short by violence and whose deaths have yet to be fully reckoned with. It is a call to action for all of us to demand a nation that values Black lives—not just in rhetoric but in action.
As we watch this case unfold, we must remember that justice, though delayed, can still be pursued. It is not too late to right historical wrongs, to honor the legacies of those who fought for freedom, and to ensure that the future they envisioned becomes a reality for generations to come.
