Betty Shabazz is known as the wife of the African nationalist leader, Malcolm X. She was born Betty Dean Sanders on May 28, 1934 in Detroit. She studied at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
In 1953, she left Alabama to study at the Brooklyn State College School of Nursing in New York City. The racism she encountered at the hands of white Americans, deeply affected her personal life.
During this time, she was invited to the National of Islam temple in Harlem. She also met Malcolm during one of the services. The pair married in 14 January 1958. They had six daughters. Marriage life was not easy. At one time, they nearly divorced due to Malcolm's hectic schedule.
On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. This tragic event sent shocking news around the world. All of three men were identified as members of the Nation of Islam. They were sentenced to life in prison. It believed that the Nation of Islam and its leader, Louis Farrakhan, and the American government are behind the assassination of her husband. At this time, her spirits were tested and had to raise six children alone without the support of Malcolm. She persevered and raised them with racial awareness and pride.
A woman who dedicated her life to education: she completed an undergraduate degree at Jersey City State College, followed by a doctoral degree in higher-education administration at the University of Massachusetts.
Tragically, her life was cut short when her apartment caught fire. She sustained severe injuries and passed away on June 23, 1997. She is buried besides her husband in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
References:
1. https://www.biography.com/people/betty-shabazz-38339
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