Third World Press To Publish Malcolm X Diary: Heirs Of The Late Civil Rights Leader Are Trying To Stop Its Publication Through A Court Order
El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz also known as Malcolm X is an African American Muslim Minister who was assassinated in February 21, 1965, New York City, New York, United States.
To his followers Malcolm X was a brave supporter of the rights of blacks; he was someone who condemned white Americans for their crimes against black Americans. He was even considered one of the most influential African American in history. However, to his detractors Malcolm is a preacher who teaches violence and racism.
Later in his life though, he denounced racism, saying, "I did many things as a [Black] Muslim that I'm sorry for now. I was a zombie then ... pointed in a certain direction and told to march."
Soon after he renounced the Nation of Islam, three members of Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam members killed him through assassination.
The leader of the Nation of Islam clearly rebutted the allegations on the annual Savior's Day convention on February 26 saying, "Malcolm X got just what he preached. We didn't want to kill Malcolm and didn't try to kill him," Muhammad announced. "We know such ignorant, foolish teachings would bring him to his own end."
Today, after almost 50 years through his death Malcolm X is still causing controversy.
The Heirs of the very famous and influential Malcolm X filed a lawsuit against Third World Press to block the publication of his diaries.
According to the lawsuit that was filed in Manhattan Federal Court, X Legacy claims that Third World Press, a Chicago company, plans to publish "Diary of Malcolm X" sometime next week, and it requests a court order to stop it from happening.
"X Legacy was created by the heirs of Malcolm X to protect and enhance the value of the property held by his estate," as stated in the file, declaring that only Malcolm's family has the rights to the diaries.
The diaries have been on loan in the Schomburg Center since 2003, where Third World Press most likely got the copies. The company started a funding campaign online, through www.indiegogo.com to be able to promote and publish the diaries, according to the lawsuit.
In addition, the suit even claims that the family and lawyers of the late Malcolm X have tried making contacts with the publishing company to stop them from releasing the diaries, unfortunately though "those efforts have fallen on deaf ears."
"TWP continues to act as if it's entitled to exploit intellectual property it does not own," the suit added, saying that the company's website is effectively a huge advertisement for the plan.
In continuation, the suit states that even though the Third World Press got the approval of one of Malcolm's daughters, Ilyasah Shabazz, she already given her rights in her father's belongings to X Legacy last 2011.
In its defense, the vice president of Third World Press, Bennett Johnson rebutted X Legacy's allegations, saying that the company had the right to publish the diaries and that is has "no doubt about it."