june born known american educator civil rights advocate wife grew detroit michigan foster parents largely sheltered racism attended alabama encounters racism unhappy situation alabama moved new_york_city nurse new_york met joined nation islam couple married husband left nation islam witnessed assassination following year left responsibility raising daughters single mother pursued higher education went work brooklyn new_york following arrest daughter allegedly murder took young grandson set fire apartment caused severe burns died weeks later result injuries early years born years old teenager couple unmarried life maintained born detroit michigan early records high school college georgia place birth authorities georgia michigan able locate birth certificate accounts abused raising detroit betty years old taken helen prominent businessman wife founding member detroit group african american women organized campaigns support black owned businesses boycott stores refused hire black employees member active members local african methodist despite lessons black self reliance spoke racism looking wrote race relations discussed hoped denying existence race problems problems away openly discussed race relations quickly viewed race riots childhood truth housing project following year later called psychological background formative years young adult years graduated high school left foster parents home detroit study historically black college alabama alma mater intended earn degree education teacher left detroit alabama foster mother stood train station crying later recalled trying words come time arrived alabama felt knew saying minute got train knew trying trying tell words racism prepared southern racism long stayed campus avoid interacting white people weekend trips montgomery nearest city try patience black students wait white person store helped staff serve received service complained refused discuss issue interview summarized attitude quiet away studies suffered result growing frustration decided change field study education nursing dean nursing encouraged consider studying affiliated program new_york_city foster parents wishes left alabama new_york new_york encountered different form racism hospital performed clinical training black nurses given worse assignments white nurses white patients abusive black nurses racial climate new_york better situation alabama frequently wondered merely exchanged racism prejudice nation islam second year nursing school invited older nurse aide friday night dinner party nation islam temple harlem food delicious recalled food like dinner woman asked come muslims lecture agreed speech nurse aide invited join nation islam declined woman asked chose join nation islam visiting replied know brought join mother kill additionally don understand philosophy decided remain methodist rest life nurse aide told minister temple night wait hear minister talk disciplined good looking sisters want enjoyed food agreed come meet woman minister second dinner nurse aide told minister present thought big deal recalled demeanor changed caught glimpse looked saw man extreme right aisle sort podium tall thin way looked going important podium got podium sat straight impressed met dinner party long conversation life childhood detroit racial hostility encountered alabama studies new_york spoke condition african americans causes racism began things different perspective lot anxiety experience south recalled interview felt soon attending lectures temple number seven harlem sought ask lot questions impressed leadership work ethic felt came helping lean needed help thought maybe person began pressure join nation islam mid converted like members nation islam changed surname represented family african ancestors know marriage family conventional courtship dates contrary teachings nation islam instead couple shared dates dozens hundreds members frequently took groups visit new_york museums libraries invited discussed subject suspected interested marriage day called asked marry married january michigan coincidence licensed nurse day relationship followed nation islam concerning marriage set rules followed wrote thorough pattern family lives time family dynamic changed small concessions demands independence recalled little family talks began telling expected wife time told expected husband came shock dinner night said boy betty said hit like ton bricks going having little workshops talking listening concluded marriage mutual exchange couple daughters names born named born named born named muhammad born named twins born father assassination named leaving nation islam march announced leaving nation islam known muslims assassination february manhattan ballroom began speak meeting disturbance broke crowd moved quiet disturbance man rushed forward shot chest shotgun men charged stage fired hitting times audience near stage daughters heard gunfire grabbed children pushed floor beneath bench shielded body shooting stopped ran husband tried perform police officers associates carried brought pronounced dead angry caught beat assassins arrested scene identified suspects men members nation islam convicted sentenced life prison assassination immediately afterward difficulty sleeping weeks assassination suffered death husband worried support family publication autobiography helped received half royalties assisted writing book got half publication best seller roots signed portion royalties actor activist wife established raise funds buy house pay educational expenses family committee held series benefit concerts raised bought large family home new_york looking said initially unrealistic decision injustice husband assassination realized giving husband death help world impossible create environment children grow develop isolation mix society level time pilgrimage late march pilgrimage husband year recalling experience wrote don know today gone shortly assassinated helped track going making good think people world loved prayed life stopped focusing people trying tear family apart returned new fellow bestowed meaning beautiful raising family raising children exhausted providing difficult share royalties autobiography equivalent annual salary sold movie rights autobiography film maker began authorize publication speeches provided source income daughters enrolled day care active member day care center parents organization time parents representative school board years later president began accept speaking engagements colleges universities spoke black nationalist philosophy spoke role wife mother felt images husband projected media attempted promote violent person whites explained sensitive man understanding person yes disliked behavior whites reality based agenda daughters grew older sent private schools summer camps joined jack social club children african americans advanced education late enrolled complete degree education left nurse completed undergraduate studies year decided earn master degree health administration enrolled pursue higher education administration curriculum development years drove massachusetts monday morning returned home wednesday night july defended earned doctorate joined delta april january associate professor health sciences concentration nursing new_york student body percent black predominantly working class average age black women faculty percent students female thirds mothers qualities attractive overseeing health sciences department college president decided effective purely administrative position classroom promoted new position fund college year later given tenure given new title director held position college death 1970s 1980s continued volunteer activities president ford invited serve american revolution council served advisory committee family planning hosted new_york convention active nelson visited harlem asked introduce befriended widow widow common experience losing activist husbands young age raising children single mothers press came refer numerous joint public appearances movement williams king frequent guests occasionally visited king center atlanta writing williams described free spirit best sense word laughed beauty lit room years resentment nation islam particular felt role assassination husband assassination speech traitor dealt like nation deals traitor hell business nation able deal interview asked death replied course yes kept secret badge honor everybody talked yes denied allegations stating death said created atmosphere allowed assassinated january charged trying hire assassin kill retaliation murder father surprised family defended saying think guilty hoped convicted shook hands stage public event intended raise money legal defense heralded evening reconciliation thought order protect daughter regardless nearly raised evening aftermath maintained cool relationship agreed speak million man march october accepted plea agreement respect charges maintained innocence accepted responsibility actions terms agreement required undergo psychological counseling treatment drug alcohol abuse year period order avoid prison sentence duration treatment year old son sent live apartment new_york death june young grandson set fire apartment suffered burns percent body remained intensive care weeks new_york underwent skin replacement operations doctors struggled replace damaged skin save life died injuries june sentenced months juvenile detention arson attended memorial service new_york prominent leaders present including scott king poet actor activists new_york governor new_york_city secretary labor delivered tribute president bill_clinton statement released death civil rights leader said stopped giving cynical leaves today legacy hope healing funeral service held new_york_city public viewing harlem place viewing taken place years earlier buried husband cemetery new_york memorials late renamed brooklyn new_york honor founded chicago illinois named honor columbia_university announced opening educational center memorial located ballroom assassinated march new_york_city named broadway corner corner ballroom portrayals film subject television movie betty played portrayed film played film daughter played television movie death prophet portrayed film ali
Betty Shabazz