Malcolm X’s daughters filed lawsuit against CIA, FBI

Crump was speaking at a press conference Friday after three of Malcolm X’s daughters filed a lawsuit against the three law enforcement agents of the United States of America.
“We believe that they all conspired to assassinate Malcolm X, one of the greatest thought leaders of the 20th century,” said Crump.

The lawsuit filed by Malcolm X's daughters is a significant development in the ongoing fight for justice and accountability regarding the assassination of the civil rights leader.

The allegations outlined in the lawsuit claim that these agencies were not only aware of the plot to kill Malcolm X but were also complicit in his assassination. The complaint asserts that the agencies had knowledge of the conspiracy, had agents present at the scene of the shooting, and failed to intervene or stop the crime. The lawsuit also accuses the agencies of actively covering up their involvement and obstructing the truth for many years, which is consistent with long-standing suspicions of a larger government role in Malcolm X's death.

The allegations touch on a complex and sensitive historical period, as Malcolm X was a polarizing figure who advocated for black empowerment, separation, and self-defense, contrasting with the more moderate civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X's evolving ideology — especially after he broke with the Nation of Islam (NOI) — furthered his ideological and political isolation, which may have made him a target for various government agencies that were concerned with the rise of black militancy.

The exoneration of Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam in 2021, after decades of wrongful imprisonment for the 1965 murder, raised fresh questions about the original investigation and the role of law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The new lawsuit builds on this revelation, suggesting that there was a broader conspiracy to cover up the truth and deny Malcolm X's family justice.

While this legal action focuses on the alleged involvement of government agencies, it also highlights the ongoing struggle for transparency and accountability regarding the deaths of prominent figures in the civil rights movement. The case is likely to draw attention to unresolved questions about government surveillance, COINTELPRO (the FBI's covert surveillance and disruption program), and the treatment of black leaders in the 1960s.

The Nation of Islam, under current leader Louise Farrakhan, has long argued that COINTELPRO was not only complicit but acted as the mastermind in the death of Malcolm X.

A 1969 FBI internal memo previously classified but now publicly shared on the NOI’s website stated in part that “Over the years considerable thought has been given, and action taken with Bureau approval, relating to methods through which the NOI could be discredited in the eyes of the general black populace or through which factionalism among the leadership could be created.”

While the FBI has not issued a formal statement specifically regarding the lawsuit, the agency has consistently defended its actions from that period, often asserting that its surveillance of Malcolm X was part of its broader efforts to monitor individuals and groups it considered threats to national security, particularly during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.