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Louis Farrakhan
Leader of the Nation of Islam
Made incendiary statements about Malcolm X before his assassination; led NOI through decades of controversy; antisemitic rhetoric; linked to COINTELPRO targeting
Overview
Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott) has led the Nation of Islam since 1977; rebuilding the organization after its fracturing following the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975. Farrakhan's role in the assassination of Malcolm X has been debated for decades. In December 1964; Farrakhan wrote in Muhammad Speaks magazine: "The die is set; and Malcolm shall not escape... such a man as Malcolm is worthy of death." Five weeks later; Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21; 1965. In 2020; Farrakhan acknowledged he "may have been complicit in words" regarding Malcolm's death. Two of the three men convicted of Malcolm's murder were exonerated in November 2021 after an investigation revealed that the FBI and NYPD had withheld evidence that would have cleared them; implicating a broader conspiracy involving the Bureau's COINTELPRO operations designed to foment conflict between Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan organized the 1995 Million Man March; drawing an estimated 400;000-1;500;000 Black men to the National Mall. However; he has been widely condemned for antisemitic rhetoric; calling Judaism a "gutter religion" (later claimed to have said "dirty religion"); referring to Jews as "Satanic"; and praising Adolf Hitler as "a very great man." He has been banned from Facebook; Instagram; and Twitter for hate speech. The ADL identifies Farrakhan as the most prominent antisemite in the United States.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Wrote in 1964 that Malcolm X was "worthy of death"; Malcolm was assassinated five weeks later; Farrakhan acknowledged he "may have been complicit in words"
Two men wrongly convicted of Malcolm X's murder were exonerated in 2021; FBI and NYPD had withheld evidence under COINTELPRO
Called Judaism a "gutter religion"; referred to Jews as "Satanic"; praised Hitler as "a very great man"
Banned from multiple social media platforms for hate speech; ADL identifies him as most prominent antisemite in the United States
Organized 1995 Million Man March drawing estimated 400;000-1;500;000 Black men to Washington
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Malcolm X
Former Nation of Islam rival whose assassination implicates NOI figures; Farrakhan acknowledged he "may have been complicit in words"
Jesse Jackson
Complicated parallel Black leadership relationship
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- May 11, 1933
- Birthplace
- Bronx, New York, USA
- Also Known As
- Louis Eugene Walcott
Education
Key Timeline
May 11, 1933
Born in the Bronx; New York as Louis Eugene Walcott
December 1964
Writes in Muhammad Speaks that Malcolm X is "worthy of death"
February 21, 1965
Malcolm X assassinated at Audubon Ballroom in New York
1977
Rebuilds the Nation of Islam; becomes its leader
October 16, 1995
Organizes Million Man March in Washington D.C.
2019
Banned from Facebook; Instagram; and Twitter for hate speech
November 2021
Two men wrongly convicted of Malcolm X's murder exonerated; FBI/NYPD evidence withheld revealed