Press Conference at NAN House of Justice to Serve as Call to Action Amid Ongoing Efforts to Uphold Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Commemorate Malcolm X’s Mission to Challenge Systems
NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 16, 2025) –– National civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), Mayor Eric Adams, and relatives of Malcolm X, including daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, will commemorate what would have been the civil rights icon’s 100th birthday on Monday, May 19.
“Malcolm was taken from us 60 years ago, but his legacy has only grown over that time,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of NAN. “He challenged the systems that prevented many Black Americans from accessing basic services, and fought until his final day for Black empowerment. As we mark 100 years since his birth this Monday, it is crucial we keep the torch he lit alive to ensure Black Americans have their seat at the table, the ability to speak, and the ability to lead.”
“On what would have been Malcolm X’s 100th birthday, we honor a leader who boldly brought the struggle for Black justice in America to the global stage,” said Attorney Ben Crump. “In the final chapter of his life, he made the bold case to the United Nations that the fight for Black justice in America was part of a worldwide movement for dignity and liberation. Today, as we witness attacks on hard-earned progress, we must honor Malcolm’s legacy by continuing his mission here at home and in solidarity with oppressed people around the world.”
In the months before his February 1965 assassination, Malcolm X increasingly focused on economic empowerment for both Black Americans and marginalized communities across the globe. “In fact, the entire economy of the Black community in the States is controlled by someone who doesn’t even live there,” he said in a speech before the London School of Economics just 10 days before his death.
Later Monday, the 100th Birthday Celebration of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X will be held at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center (3940 Broadway New York, NY 10032). For more information, click here.
WHO
Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President, NAN
Ilyasah Shabazz, Daughter of Malcom X
Mayor Eric Adams
Attorney Ben Crump
WHEN
Monday, May 19th, 2025
Press call: 11:30 a.m.
Press conference: 12 p.m.
100th Birthday Celebration: 6:30 pm at the Shabazz Center
WHERE
NAN House of Justice
106 W 145th Street, at Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10039
For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net.
###
ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
About National Action Network (NAN)
National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender.
