May 28–June 3 in Black History: A Legacy of Resilience and Impact

On May 28, 1936, Betty Shabazz—widow of Malcolm X—was born in Detroit, Michigan. Raised by foster parents, she attended Tuskegee Institute and became a registered nurse. Shabazz emerged as a powerful voice for justice, later sparking national debate in 1994 by suggesting Minister Louis Farrakhan was linked to Malcolm X’s assassination. Despite the controversy, she reconciled with Farrakhan in 1995 and spoke at the Million Man March. She tragically passed in 1997 from injuries sustained in a house fire set by her grandson. Also on this day: In 2010, documents cited in “The Unspoken Alliance” by Sasha Polakow-Suransky revealed that Israel had secretly offered nuclear and chemical weapons to South Africa’s apartheid regime in the 1970s. The revelation shed light on overlooked global alliances during a period when much of the world sought to end White minority rule. These historical moments underscore the ongoing struggle for truth, justice, and accountability.