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Speaker spreads message of father, Malcolm X |
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By Maliha Jafri, Contributing Writer
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NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – In commemoration of black history month, Atallah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, delivered her father’s message to an audience of more than 300 people at California State University Northridge.
The event, hosted by the Muslim Student Association (MSA), along with other campus groups, included a short screening of "Malcolm X: Make it Plain." Shabazz, who is the eldest daughter, requested this documentary saying it not only accurately depicts her father’s life but also his message.
Shabazz was very straightforward through the question and answer session and spoke of her father’s assassination freely when an audience member apologized for bringing up her father’s death.
"On that day there were five members of the Nation of Islam who killed my father," she said, adding that it shocked her family.
"It’s all because he walked in truth," she added. Malcolm X was assassinated on Februay 21, 1965. Shabazz, who has been outspoken about criticism of the Nation of Islam, said that she believed God would take care of those who were responsible.
Shabazz also gave glimpses into her childhood and details about her father, which she feels have been left out in many biographies and writings about him. Her father grew up in a quatra-lingual household, where English, Arabic, Spanish, and French were spoken.
When answering each question, Shabazz made it clear that her message to every person was "to seek your own knowledge."
Speaking on minorities, she said that at some point in history, every minority group has faced significant problems of discrimination, from the Latinos, to African-Americans and now the Muslims. "We are all in it together, in the same spotlight," she said.
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