Hudson County Community College to Welcome Malcolm X’s Daughter, Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz
December 19, 2024
Dr. Shabazz will be Guest Speaker at the College’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial event.
Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, published author, public speaker, activist, and daughter of the late Malcom X will be the guest speaker at Hudson County Community College’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on January 28, 2025.
December 19, 2024, Jersey City, NJ – Malcolm X fought racial injustice by any means necessary, advocating armed resistance and separatism; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. espoused peaceful protests and community organizing to end segregation and fight discrimination. Although the Muslim revolutionary leader and the Baptist minister differed in their advocacy and philosophical approaches, their legacies are intertwined. Before they were both assassinated at age 39, they built the foundation for future generations of activists.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and in celebration of Black History Month, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) will welcome Malcolm X’s daughter, Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz at the College’s 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The event will be held beginning at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the HCCC Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City, NJ. Following Dr. Shabazz’s speech, attendees will enjoy lunch and the Opening Reception of the Civil Rights Art Exhibition in the Benjamin J. Dineen and Dennis C. Hull Gallery in the Gabert Library. Guests may RSVP at https://form.jotform.com/242805965321155.
Dr. Shabazz is an author, public speaker, and activist who promotes interfaith dialogue to build bridges between cultures for the world’s young leaders. She was the inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fellow at Worchester State University for the 2023-2024 academic year, and assisted with diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout the campus. Dr. Shabazz is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she has taught a variety of courses including American Cultural Pluralism and the Law.
HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber stated, “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X sacrificed their lives in the fight for equality. They shared a common goal: improving Black lives and all lives. We are honored to welcome Dr. Shabazz as our guest speaker.”
Although Dr. King and Malcolm X met and were photographed together only once during a Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act in 1964, their widows bonded. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet” speeches helped define their visions for civil and human rights. Their parallel paths are detailed in The Sword and The Shield dual biography.
More information on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial event may be obtained by contacting the HCCC Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at 201-360-5399 or deiFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE.