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Who Killed Malcolm X? Elderly Witnesses Allege Gov and Police Coverup
NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS — Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, at age 39 while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom. He was shot a total of 21 times by a group of men, in front of his wife and daughters. At the time, three Black Muslim men—Muhammad Aziz, the late Khalil Islam, and Mujahid Abdul Halim—were convicted of killing him and imprisoned. Aziz and Islam maintained their innocence and were paroled in the 1980s. Halim was paroled in 2010.
The post Who Killed Malcolm X? Elderly Witnesses Allege Gov and Police Coverup first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

By Ariama C. Long Report for America Corps Member | Amsterdam News Staff
After more than 50 years, it’s hard to believe that the assassination of civil rights icon Malcolm X has not been fully solved. A few years ago, his longtime jailed accused and convicted “killers” were exonerated, and just this Wednesday, witnesses came forward alleging that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and federal government agencies had a hand in snuffing out X’s life.
X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, at age 39 while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom. He was shot a total of 21 times by a group of men, in front of his wife and daughters. At the time, three Black Muslim men—Muhammad Aziz, the late Khalil Islam, and Mujahid Abdul Halim—were convicted of killing him and imprisoned. Aziz and Islam maintained their innocence and were paroled in the 1980s. Halim was paroled in 2010.
Aziz and Islam’s convictions were overturned in 2021 by Judge Ellen Biben after new evidence emerged that the NYPD and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) withheld information that would have cast doubt on them as suspects, reported the Associated Press (AP). It’s now known that there were also undercover cops in the ballroom at the time of X’s killing, some of whom testified to interfering with X’s security team.
Which begs the question: Who killed Malcolm X?
This past Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center (the same ballroom where X was shot), two elderly witnesses who used to be on X’s security detail came forward with the legal assistance of civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Flint Taylor. Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, one of Malcolm X’s daughters, was also in attendance.
Walter Augustus Bowe, 93, and Khaleel Sultarn Sayyed, aka Ramakrishna, 81, were arrested a week before X’s assassination, jailed for about 18 months, and had never spoken before publicly. Sayyed was present for the conference, but Bowe was reportedly not feeling well.
In Sayyed’s affidavit, he stated that he was introduced to Raymond A. Wood, an undercover police officer at the time. He witnessed Wood bring up the idea of destroying the Statue of Liberty at a meeting but was not taken seriously.
“I was asked by a close follower of Malcolm X to serve as security at Malcolm X’s home, after it was firebombed on February 14, 1965,” said Sayyed. “I was offered this opportunity because it was widely known I respected Malcolm X and was interested in the [Organization of Afro-American Unity] OAAU.”
Five days before X’s shooting, Sayyed and Bowe were wrongfully arrested and accused of plotting to attack a national monument. They have both said in sworn affidavits that they believe their arrests were directly connected to an alleged conspiracy by the FBI and the NYPD’s Bureau of Special Services and Investigations (BOSSI) unit, which was later called the Special Intelligence Services or the Special Services Division, to kill X.
Similarly, it is now known that the Chicago police played a hand in the murder of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, leaders of the Black Panther Party, said Taylor who worked on the case for 13 years. In December 1969, special police raided the Black Panther Party apartment in Chicago, and Hampton and Clark were left dead in a hail of gunfire. The police falsely claimed that there was a fierce shootout where shots were fired back at the police. However, bullet holes and blood pools proved that bullets were sprayed into the rooms as the men slept. Hampton was shot at point-blank range in his bed.
The police who raided the apartment weren’t indicted.
Sayyed and Bowe have now joined with the family of Malcolm X and a legal team to figure out exactly why and how government agencies had allegedly hidden evidence in the assassination of X.
Crump said they have requested information from the city and the Department of Justice about the undercover agents and officers present in the ballroom when X was killed. They have been stonewalled so far, but are determined not to give up.
“I think they know we’re getting close. That’s why they refuse to release any of the information,” said Crump at the press conference.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member who writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1
The post Who killed Malcolm X? Elderly witnesses allege gov and police coverup appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
The post Who Killed Malcolm X? Elderly Witnesses Allege Gov and Police Coverup first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Remembering George Floyd
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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”
Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.
The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”
Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.
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