From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Betty Shabazz
|
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Black caucus Wash. D.C. Sept. 14, 1996
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Born
| Betty Dean Sanders
(
1934-05-28
)
May 28, 1934
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Died
| June 23, 1997
(1997-06-23)
(aged 63)
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Resting place
| Ferncliff Cemetery
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Other names
| Betty X
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Spouse
| Malcolm X
(1958?1965)
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Children
| Attallah Shabazz
Qubilah Shabazz
Ilyasah Shabazz
Gamilah Lumumba Shabazz
Malikah Shabazz
Malaak Shabazz
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Betty Shabazz
was an
American
educator
and
civil rights
activist
. She was the
widow
of
Malcolm X
.
She was born on May 28, in either 1934 or 1936. Her full name at birth was
Betty Dean Sanders
. She grew up in
Detroit
,
Michigan
. She and Malcolm X joined the
Nation of Islam
in 1956. They married in 1958. They had six children together. She raised them on her own after her husband was
murdered
in 1965.
Shabazz converted to Islam in 1965. Betty was pregnant with twin girls when she witnessed Malcolm X’s assassination. Betty never remarried after her husband’s death, and became a national figure. She also cared deeply about the struggle of people of African heritage in the U.S.
Shabazz's grandson
Malcolm Shabazz
(1984-2013) set fire to her
apartment
on June 1, 1997. She died of burns in hospital on June 23, 1997. He was convicted of
arson
and
manslaughter
and sentenced to 18 months
juvenile detention
.