Malcolm X is one of the greatest Black leaders during the Freedom Movement. His advocacy for the Black freedom struggle was immortalized in film in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, starring Denzel Washington. For giving his life to for his people, Malcolm’s life is worthy of celebration.
The annual Malcolm X Birthday Celebration at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center (3940 Broadway) will take place on May 19.
The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center is a memorial to Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz located at 3940 Broadway and West 165th Street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, the building which once housed the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965. It opened on May 19, 2005, the 80th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth.
According to the description, “The stated purpose of the center is to carry on the work of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz “through the advancement of human rights and social justice.” The center is decorated with a 63-foot (19-meter) mural depicting the life of Malcolm X and a life-size bronze statue of the human rights activist. It includes six interactive kiosks that provide information about the lives of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. The kiosks were developed by Columbia University’s Digital Knowledge Ventures and Professor Manning Marable of the university’s African American Studies department. The center also is home to documents related to Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz.”
Our evening, Living the Legacy and Continuing the Work, will feature a conversation with the Daughters of the Movement about how their lives and personal passions and commitments to justice, politics, activism, and the arts were shaped by their parents, a performance by artist, entertainer and activist Ayana Gregory, the presentation of the Malcolm X Legacy award, and more.
Join us at the Shabazz Center to celebrate the life and legacy of our “Shining Black Prince” on May 19th.
