February 21, 2024, will mark fifty-nine years since the assassination of Malcolm X (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) (1925-1965) at the Audobon Ballroom in Harlem, New York. His murder remains a topic of discussion, but the crime itself has been de-mystified through books and documentaries. Malcolm authored his own autobiography with the help of Alex Haley (1921-1992), but omitted certain aspects of his life. In my search to learn more about him, I came across Manning Marable’s (1950-2011)  ‘Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention‘.  I also read Bruce Perry’s ‘Malcolm: The Life of a Man Who Changed Black America‘, which contained surprising allegations regarding Malcolm’s persona life. Marable also made salacious claims which are still up for debate. Perry’s biography is a good starting, but lacks the detail of Marable’s work and the biography here by Les Payne (1941-2018) and his daughter Tamara, who finished her father’s writing after his untimely death. However, compared to Marable’s writing, the Paynes take a different approach by leaving out gossip and assumptions while focusing on Malcolm’s time within the Nation of Islam (“NOI”) which cast a dark cloud over Malcolm’s last days.

The authors revisit Malcolm’s early life and in particular his father Earl Little, Sr. (1890-1931) who has an interesting story of his own. In fact, I learned more details about him than I had previously known. And those details add more to Malcolm’s story which sadly is left out of the 1992 film starring Denzel Washington as the late iconic figure. The book moves at a steady pace and the authors do not give too much attention to areas which would have prolonged the story. We are given more than enough information about Malcolm’s youth, his move to Boston where his sister Ella Little-Collins (1914-1996) takes him in, and his fall from grace as he is tried, convicted and sent to prison. Like Marable, the Paynes ensure that Ella is a crucial part of the story. Sadly, she is not shown in the film due to personal differences behind the scenes. Another figure crucial to the story is Minister Louis Farrakhan, who appears in the story but only briefly towards the end. I first thought this was odd but having finished the book I understand the decision to keep Farrakhan’s role to a minimum.

The crux of this book is unquestionably Malcolm’s time in the NOI under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975). As a primer, the origins of the NOI are discussed and the disappearance of its mysterious founder Wallace D. Fard,  whose exodus paved the way for Muhammad. Interested readers can review the case files maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) here. I have started to examine them and Fard has quite the story. There are statements in the book from people who met Fard providing a glimpse into who he was. However, it is not clear what happened to him in 1934 when he vanished without a trace. But with Fard gone, the NOI was in the firm grip of Muhammad who through his rising star minister would expand the NOI and capture the FBI’s attention.

The first hint of trouble in Malcolm’s relationship with the NOI comes through a well-hidden story which has not garnered enough attention: the working agreement between the NOI and the Ku Klux Klan (“KKK”). This explosive story is not entirely secret and is reconstructed here to show the impact it had on Malcolm and the contradictions he was forced to confront. Further, as he became more popular, Malcolm gained more enemies, some of whom were members of Muhammad’s family. The dysfunction within Muhammad’s family is a story of its own but what stands out here is the contempt some of Muhammad’s children help for Malcolm. Further, the revelation of Muhammad’s illegitimate children by his son Wallace added fuel to the fire, and what develops is a toxic relationship between Malcolm and the NOI. And this is where the stage is set for his murder. Marable did discuss the attempts on Malcolm’s life but while reading this book, I read between the lines more closely to understand what Malcolm himself was saying about the NOI as his date with destiny approached.

Enemies of Malcolm had called for his removal as early as 1963, but the reasons for it need further exploration. The tension between him and Elijah Muhammad were an issue, but after reading this book I have come to believe that it is what Malcolm knew about NOI affairs as a whole that sealed his fate. In fact, he alluded to this several days before his death as discussed in the book. Frankly, he was too popular, too smart, and too willing to tell the truth about the Nation to remain alive. Readers will see the nexus of conspirators come into focus as the story progresses. And the picture, which is emerges, is of a man facing enemies both seen and unseen, determined to end his existence and project Muhammad and the NOI. Missing from the story is Malcolm’s relationship with his wife. Of course, Betty Shabazz (1934-1997) is in the story but very little is discussed regarding their marriage. This diverges sharply from Marable’s book which did discuss their marriage and personal struggles. Also left out of the main narrative is Clara Muhammad (1899-1972) whose marriage to Elijah Muhammad suffered under the strain of the paternity issues facing him as his deeds came to light. However, the story remains intriguing without those items on the agenda, and I did not lose focus on the growing web of danger surrounding Malcolm. In fact, the story builds up the suspense and it felt as if everyone else could see what Malcolm did not. It reminded me of the scene in the film where Betty (Angela Bassett) says to Malcolm (Denzel Washington) ” Open your eyes. Open your eyes. You can face death 24 hours a day, but the possibility of betrayal never enters your head. Open your eyes”.

The dreaded moment we know is coming arrives when Malcolm takes center stage at the Audobon Ballroom. The fracas and ensuing chaos are re-told here in vivid detail, including the events at Newark’s Mosque No. 25 as the assassins returned from New York. And it is alleged that among these killers was William Bradley (1938-2018), who is also examined in the Netflix docuseries ‘Who Killed Malcolm X?“. And like the docuseries, we learn here that the murder was an “open secret” within the NOI. I felt chills down my spine as the book’s conclusion played out. To be fair, Bradley was never convicted in a court of law of any wrongdoing. And though he did have a criminal record, none of the charges were related to Malcolm’s death. However, convicted assassin Talmadge X Hayer (Thomas Hagan) did admit that Bradley was the assassin who fired the sawed-off shotgun that day. The Paynes do not go into the subsequent arrests and convictions, choosing to end the book with Malcolm’s passing. They do, however, include a section about undercover New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officer Gene Roberts who also comes under scrutiny in the Netflix docuseries. Needless to say, Roberts was not the only person who saw the assassins that day. Scores of informants were in the ballroom that day, and each reported to case officers following the shooting.

We may never know the full truth about Malcolm’s death, and at least two shooters escaped justice. Malcolm is gone but his life will not be forgotten. And every year he is remembered for what could have been. If you need a streamlined account of Malcolm’s short but extraordinary life, you may find this to be exactly what you are looking for.

ASIN‏ :‎ B085T2DG2L