Bill Text: NY J02883 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 55th Anniversary of the death of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz ("Malcolm X"

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-02-27 - ADOPTED [J02883 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J02883-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 2883

BY: Senator SANDERS

        COMMEMORATING the 55th Anniversary of the death of
        El-Hajj  Malik  El-Shabazz  ("Malcolm  X"),  a human
        rights activist, dynamic orator, and one of the most
        influential African American leaders in history

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize  and
commend  individuals  and  events  which  celebrate  our  nation's great
struggle to fulfill the promise of equality and opportunity for all; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  it  is the sense of this Legislative Body to
commemorate  the  55th  Anniversary  of  the  death  of  El-Hajj   Malik
El-Shabazz ("Malcolm X"), a powerful figure in American history; and

  WHEREAS,  Malcolm  X  was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, on
May 19, 1925; and

  WHEREAS, On January 14, 1958, Malcolm X married Betty Sanders;  they
had  six  children,  Attallah,  Qubilah,  Ilyasah,  Gamilah, Malaak, and
Malikah; and

  WHEREAS, Once a member of the Nation  of  Islam,  Malcolm  X  was  a
Muslim  minister,  public  speaker,  and human rights activist; he was a
courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans in the  face  of
institutionalized racism; and

  WHEREAS,  After  his  departure  from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X
founded Muslim Mosque Inc., and the Organization of Afro American Unity;
he then became a Sunni Muslim, and after his holy pilgrimage to Mecca he
became El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz; and

  WHEREAS, Malcolm X's pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia  proved  life
altering and for the first time, he shared his thoughts and beliefs with
different   cultures,  and  found  the  response  to  be  overwhelmingly
positive; and

  WHEREAS, When he returned to the United States, Malcolm X  mentioned
that  while he was abroad he had met men of all races that he could call
his brothers; he also returned to the United States with a  new  outlook
on  the  African  American  struggle for equality, a new message for all
mankind, and a new hope for the future; and

  WHEREAS, Malcolm X said "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it.  I'm
for justice, no matter who it's for or against."; and

  WHEREAS,  On  February  21,  1965,  Malcolm X was assassinated while
giving a lecture in the Audubon Ballroom, in New York  City,  which  was
subsequently designated as a landmark and currently houses the Malcolm X
and Dr.  Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center; and

  WHEREAS, The Shabazz Center harnesses the legacies and continues the
work   of  Malcolm  X  and  Dr.  Betty  Shabazz  through  the  worldwide

advancement  of  human  rights  and  social  justice  and  high   impact
programming in New York City; and

  WHEREAS,  An  internationally  recognized historic site, the Shabazz
Center also honors the memory and inspiration of  Malcolm  X  and  Betty
with events and programs that promote public discourse and engagement on
issues relevant to both the African Diaspora and the community as large,
as  well  as  educational,  cultural and social activities that catalyze
change through action; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body applauds Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance for
reopening the investigation into the murder of Malcolm X; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body also commends Rachel Dretzin and Phil
Bertelsen for directing the 2020  Netflix  documentary  miniseries  "Who
Killed Malcolm X?"; and

  Whereas, The documentary follows the efforts of Abdur-Rahman Muhammad,
an  historian  and  tour  guide in Washington, D.C., who, for years, has
persistently searched for the truth behind the assassination of  Malcolm
X; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1987, in honor of the slain civil rights leader, Lenox
Avenue in Harlem,  New  York  City  was  named  after  Malcolm  X;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate  the  55th  Anniversary  of  the  death  of  El-Hajj   Malik
El-Shabazz  ("Malcolm  X"), a human rights activist, dynamic orator, and
one of the most influential African American leaders in history.