Categories: U.S. and Canada

Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center

conference_cardconference_cardThis year, Workers World Party‘s annual conference will be held on Nov. 7 and 8 at the historic Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York.

The center was previously known as the Audubon Ballroom. It is where Malcolm X was assassinated on Feb. 21, 1965, and where the Organization of Afro-American Unity that he co-founded held their meetings. Important public events were also held at the Audubon.

The Audubon Ballroom fell into disrepair following Malcolm’s death, and was subsequently closed. It became the property of New York City in the early 1980s due to owed back taxes. The building was later purchased by Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, which scheduled it for demolition.

It was saved, however, due to community protests and public outcry, including appeals by educator Dr. Betty Shabazz for historical preservation of the site of her spouse’s murder. After much debate the medical center agreed to restore a section of the building as a memorial to Malcolm X, but the stage where he was murdered was demolished.

The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty ­Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center opened on May 18, 2005, the 80th anniversary of Malcolm’s birth. It is a memorial to Malcolm X’s humanitarian efforts and honors the leadership and integrity of his legacy. It is also a symbol of the ongoing struggle of African Americans for social justice and equality. Shabazz, who was instrumental in negotiating for and contributing to the planning of the center, died in 1997.

The Shabazz Center consists of a lobby, a ballroom on the second floor and a basement meeting room. In the lobby is a life-sized bronze statue of Malcolm X by sculptor and activist Gabriel Koren. A large painted mural in the ballroom by Daniel Galvez depicts Malcolm’s life in historic detail. The most complete archives anywhere on the lives of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz are located at the center, which includes interactive kiosks, a photo gallery, documents and handwritten postcards by Malcolm.

Programs such as teacher workshops for all disciplines are held at the center. The history of civil rights and social justice is taught, and curriculum outlines and lesson plans for the classroom are jointly composed. Hands-on experiential presentations, exhibits and story boards are utilized, including art work, social studies and language. K-12, undergraduate and graduate students are taken on field trips and guided tours to enhance classroom experience.

Events at the center include jazz evenings, film screenings, memoir-writing workshops, lectures and talks about love and liberation, policing, mass incarceration, community organizing and workshops in activism.

Dolores Cox

Dolores.Cox@workers.org

Share
Published by
Dolores Cox

Recent Posts

NATO and the EU are pushing Europeans toward war

Raposo is a Portuguese Marxist analyst, editor of the web magazine jornalmudardevida.net, where this article…

July 25, 2025

Why ouster of U.S. occupation forces from West Asia is key to lasting peace and stability

By Alireza Salehi The following commentary first appeared on the Iranian-based Press TV at tinyurl.com/53hdhskk.…

July 25, 2025

From Palestine to Turtle Island: Smash the capitalists’ settler states! Part 2

This is Part Two of a series based on a talk given at a national…

July 25, 2025

Educators for Palestine claims victory against racism and hate, despite NEA board decision

Educators for Palestine released the following news release on July 19, 2025.  Washington, D.C. Educators…

July 24, 2025

Palestinian, Lebanese resistance hails order to release Georges Abdallah

On July 17, a court in France ordered the release of Georges Abdallah, a Lebanese…

July 24, 2025

Yemeni leader denounces Israeli aggression on Syria

The following are highlights from a speech given by Yemen’s Ansarallah Commander Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badr…

July 24, 2025