Malcolm X assassinated at rally in New York City 50 years ago this hour (Feb 21 1965)


Video: 'THE ASSASSINATION OF MALCOLM X (Feb. 21, 1965)'

(Sunday, February 21, 1965, 3:10 p.m. EST) — Black Muslim leader and civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death this afternoon at a rally of his followers inside Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom in New York.

Malcolm X was preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Audubon Ballroom when someone in the 400-person audience yelled, “Nigger! Get your hand outta my pocket!”

As Malcolm X and his bodyguards tried to quell the disturbance, a man rushed forward and shot him once in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun; two other men charged the stage firing semi-automatic handguns.

Malcolm X was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m., shortly after arriving at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

All three convicted (and later paroled) assassins – Talmadge X. Hayer, Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson – were members of the Nation of Islam, an organization recently repudiated by Malcolm X.


Video: 'THE ASSASSINATION OF MALCOLM X (Newsreel Footage)'


Video: 'Malcolm X Assassination(movie version)'


Video: 'Malcolm X Assassin' (3 videos)


Video: 'Malcolm X: Make It Plain'