What do you think?
Rate this book
Betty Shabazz: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Faith Before and After Malcolm X
Profiles Betty Shabazz's life before, during, and after her marriage to Malcolm X, exploring her efforts to move beyond the often extraordinary personal tragedy touching her and her family.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2003
9 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Read
December 19, 2020She’s exactly the woman I want to be
October 30, 2009
Russell Rickford does a great job of artfully constructing the mysterious life of Betty Shabazz and writing about her early courtship with Malcolm X. He also weaves in good contextual details about the Harlem of Betty's young adulthood, the Nation of Islam and its thoughts about women (sigh).
August 15, 2013
Took me awhile to get through these 548 pages, but it was never once boring, and that number speaks to the depth of Rickford's detailed interpretation, analysis, and amount of sources. Although he assisted [[Manning Marable]] in Marable's work on Malcolm X, Rickford is a respected and experienced scholar in his own right and an expert in African Politics.
I so appreciate the comprehensiveness of this work. My old Theory of Personality psych prof would have seen this as a great book for applying theory and analysis to the subject of Dr. Betty Shabazz' personal development. I did not find Dr. Shabazz likeable early in the story, and the beauty of a comprehensive work is often the reader's chance to see growth and develop empathy. It would also make a good case study of the effects of trauma on both individuals and families and an excellent subject for a genogram to see how these patterns repeat through generations.
By necessity, to support his analysis, Rickford went deeply into African American as well as African politics and thought. I am so happy to have developed a better understanding for example, of the differences between Malcolm X' philosophy and that of Martin Luther King, Jr. I have thought a lot and read a lot about non-violence as a political tool compared to other methods and am trying to come to some stance on that. I think after reading this book that I have done that by combining both ideas and seeing that of course different strategies are effective with different people and in different situations. I've rather hero worshipped Malcolm X since reading his autobiography, but now have a more mature appreciation of him as a whole person I believe.
With this background, Rickford was then able to analyze Dr. Shabazz' growth and transitions with deeper understanding.
As I said previously, I did not take to Shabazz initially. She appeared pretty narcissistic as a child, which would be consistent with someone who experienced trauma before the age of three, which she likely did. She was abandoned by her birth mother, and perhaps wrested away by foster parents who were then consistently there for her as parents. She seems to have actually been active in inserting herself into their lives, which is consistent with her later survival behavior. I believe this relationship with this couple prevented her from continuing down the road to total obnoxious narcissism and helped her to develop further. However, as is often the case with abused or neglected children, Dr. Shabazz moved toward a man and movement (The Nation of Islam) that were very fundamentally based in early cognitive developmental stages of black and white thinking. (This choice would also be consistent for Malcolm who also experienced much childhood as well as adult trauma.) Trauma typically brings cognitive development to a screeching halt until there is an opportunity for healing.
Shabazz' experiences with Malcolm and others pushed her further in her political and philosophical development, tempered with her own narcissism, which I personally think paid off for her and her children. I think these things were the basis for her intellectual development as well as her determination to survive and protect her children. Because as we know, there was much more trauma to come. The Shabazz familiy experienced unbelievable amounts of betrayal, fire bombing of their home, witnessing the murder of their husband and father and more. It did not stop there as threats on their lives and unending harassment continued.
Once again, the strong bonds in their African community and family members helped to support and sustain this family as their mother was able to both protect her family and get herself into a position to be able to support her family financially. Of course we parents cannot protect our children from life, and her children would express their trauma in their own ways, as did other children of Civil Rights activists. Shabazz' daughter Qubilah ended up in court facing a charge of conspiring to kill one of the men (Farrakhan) who she believed was partly responsible for her father's murder. That has of course been topic enough for many other books, but there is enough here to further convince me personally, that this death was the result of collaboration between the FBI and the Nation of Islam. The records supporting the harassment by the FBI have been released by the FBI itself. Additionally the person whom Qubilah was supposedly hiring admitted to being paid off himself by the FBI to attempt to entrap Qubilah. Shabazz sees that the only hope for her daughter is a perceived reconciliation between Shabazz and her archenemy Farrakhan, who publicly supports the child of his enemy and she makes this happen. This also involves healing some of the differences between the philosophies of Malcolm X and MLK and their intellectual heritage.
In one last trauma, Shabazz' death is caused by a fire set by her grandson, the son of Qubilah. On her deathbed she gives us one last important message, that we must not only forgive, but look for our own part in creating the actions of our children. The parallels between the lives of her grandson and her husband are very strong.
This book was emotionally evocative for me through the horror of the murder of Malcolm X as well as the triumph spiritually of Dr. Shabazz. There is so much more to this book than I can even begin to touch on. Just READ IT! Five stars.
I so appreciate the comprehensiveness of this work. My old Theory of Personality psych prof would have seen this as a great book for applying theory and analysis to the subject of Dr. Betty Shabazz' personal development. I did not find Dr. Shabazz likeable early in the story, and the beauty of a comprehensive work is often the reader's chance to see growth and develop empathy. It would also make a good case study of the effects of trauma on both individuals and families and an excellent subject for a genogram to see how these patterns repeat through generations.
By necessity, to support his analysis, Rickford went deeply into African American as well as African politics and thought. I am so happy to have developed a better understanding for example, of the differences between Malcolm X' philosophy and that of Martin Luther King, Jr. I have thought a lot and read a lot about non-violence as a political tool compared to other methods and am trying to come to some stance on that. I think after reading this book that I have done that by combining both ideas and seeing that of course different strategies are effective with different people and in different situations. I've rather hero worshipped Malcolm X since reading his autobiography, but now have a more mature appreciation of him as a whole person I believe.
With this background, Rickford was then able to analyze Dr. Shabazz' growth and transitions with deeper understanding.
As I said previously, I did not take to Shabazz initially. She appeared pretty narcissistic as a child, which would be consistent with someone who experienced trauma before the age of three, which she likely did. She was abandoned by her birth mother, and perhaps wrested away by foster parents who were then consistently there for her as parents. She seems to have actually been active in inserting herself into their lives, which is consistent with her later survival behavior. I believe this relationship with this couple prevented her from continuing down the road to total obnoxious narcissism and helped her to develop further. However, as is often the case with abused or neglected children, Dr. Shabazz moved toward a man and movement (The Nation of Islam) that were very fundamentally based in early cognitive developmental stages of black and white thinking. (This choice would also be consistent for Malcolm who also experienced much childhood as well as adult trauma.) Trauma typically brings cognitive development to a screeching halt until there is an opportunity for healing.
Shabazz' experiences with Malcolm and others pushed her further in her political and philosophical development, tempered with her own narcissism, which I personally think paid off for her and her children. I think these things were the basis for her intellectual development as well as her determination to survive and protect her children. Because as we know, there was much more trauma to come. The Shabazz familiy experienced unbelievable amounts of betrayal, fire bombing of their home, witnessing the murder of their husband and father and more. It did not stop there as threats on their lives and unending harassment continued.
Once again, the strong bonds in their African community and family members helped to support and sustain this family as their mother was able to both protect her family and get herself into a position to be able to support her family financially. Of course we parents cannot protect our children from life, and her children would express their trauma in their own ways, as did other children of Civil Rights activists. Shabazz' daughter Qubilah ended up in court facing a charge of conspiring to kill one of the men (Farrakhan) who she believed was partly responsible for her father's murder. That has of course been topic enough for many other books, but there is enough here to further convince me personally, that this death was the result of collaboration between the FBI and the Nation of Islam. The records supporting the harassment by the FBI have been released by the FBI itself. Additionally the person whom Qubilah was supposedly hiring admitted to being paid off himself by the FBI to attempt to entrap Qubilah. Shabazz sees that the only hope for her daughter is a perceived reconciliation between Shabazz and her archenemy Farrakhan, who publicly supports the child of his enemy and she makes this happen. This also involves healing some of the differences between the philosophies of Malcolm X and MLK and their intellectual heritage.
In one last trauma, Shabazz' death is caused by a fire set by her grandson, the son of Qubilah. On her deathbed she gives us one last important message, that we must not only forgive, but look for our own part in creating the actions of our children. The parallels between the lives of her grandson and her husband are very strong.
This book was emotionally evocative for me through the horror of the murder of Malcolm X as well as the triumph spiritually of Dr. Shabazz. There is so much more to this book than I can even begin to touch on. Just READ IT! Five stars.
June 28, 2019
A great book to read after reading the autobiography of Malcolm X. The radical views shared by Malcolm X are softened but still somewhat part of the views shared by his wife Betty. Both individuals Made significant contributions to the continued rise of Afro American people in the US. Both books provide great backgroundTo understanding the problems facing black Americans in the US in the 1930s 40s 50s 60s and beyond.
November 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this book tremendously. I took notes on this book and I only do that if I really like a book.
June 2, 2021
A stunningly researched biography that manages the rare feat of not just imparting the history of the subject but their personality too.
Read
June 30, 2023I think this is the book I read... my copy is 548 pages, not 608, though, and the title is "Betty Shabazz, Suriviving Malcolm X." The inner pages give the "Remarkable Story" title, though.
October 8, 2020
Rickford says in his introduction that he will concentrate on Betty’s life before and after Malcolm, but inevitably their seven years of marriage form a lot of the narrative and at times this veers into being yet another Malcolm X or Nation of Islam biography. He also refers to her as “the widow” a lot, which somewhat undermines his stated mission to depict her as more than that role. Not that it was easy role to hold.
That said, this is a thorough and revealing account of a woman who was fiercely private. She went through some serious shit and tended not to share with anyone outside her most innermost circle. Which does mean the information Rickford is able to include sometimes feels off-balance. He recounts every minute detail of Malcolm’s death and previous assassination attempts, but the fact that of Malcolm and Betty’s six daughters, one dropped out of high school and another became a young, single parent is dropped in with no information about how those events affected Betty – at least until several years later when Betty was caring for her grandson on and off while her daughter fought drug problems and FBI entrapment, which is covered more fully.
Read my full review: https://www.noseinabook.co.uk/2020/10...
That said, this is a thorough and revealing account of a woman who was fiercely private. She went through some serious shit and tended not to share with anyone outside her most innermost circle. Which does mean the information Rickford is able to include sometimes feels off-balance. He recounts every minute detail of Malcolm’s death and previous assassination attempts, but the fact that of Malcolm and Betty’s six daughters, one dropped out of high school and another became a young, single parent is dropped in with no information about how those events affected Betty – at least until several years later when Betty was caring for her grandson on and off while her daughter fought drug problems and FBI entrapment, which is covered more fully.
Read my full review: https://www.noseinabook.co.uk/2020/10...
November 29, 2023
An absolutely gripping story of how reinventing yourself and returning to your foundation, can be one in the same. This book blew my mind.
December 28, 2016
I am in the midst of a personal project to read all that I can on the life of Malcolm X. In doing this, I quite naturally need to read about the woman who shared his life, Mrs. Betty Shabazz. I have read quite a number of books on Malcolm, with “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” standing head and shoulders above all others as my favorite. There are some very good books out there on Malcolm. There are. Now, having said this, let me say a few other things. First, Mrs. Betty Shabazz is a legend in her own right, a woman whose story can inspire the World, independent of her relationship with Malcolm. She needs to be respected as a person in her own right, and this book is perfect for that task. I can honestly say, that outside of “The Autobiography Of Malcolm X,” I have read no other book on the larger Malcolm story that brings me more profound emotional pleasure than this book written by Russell Rickford. This is more than an extraordinary book! It is superb, on so many different levels, but I'll try and give a few examples. Beginning with the paragraph at the top of page 38, that starts with the words, “To experience...” and going to the paragraph in the middle of the next page that ends with the words”...where you been?”', one would have a hard time finding a better description of the intensity that is Malcolm X...anywhere! Later, on in the book, Russell talks about Malcolm respecting MLK, despite all, because he knew that King was truly a man. The description of the intensity of Betty's first meeting with Winnie and Nelson Mandela is, in itself, worth the total price of what I paid for this book. Once Winnie grasped that the person standing several feet away from her was the wife of Malcolm X, she became very aggressive in hugging Betty, which speaks volumes for the respect, held throughout the continent of Africa, for Malcolm. Winnie was simply ecstatic to be hugging Malcolm's wife, and Betty felt the same way about Winnie, as it seems both women stood in awe of each other, and of each other's husband. The meeting between Winnie Mandela and Betty Shabazz almost makes a person want to cry, and it's as if one can hear reggae singer Bob Marley's anthem of respect to women of color, “No Woman, No Cry” symbolically playing in the background. The comparison of the Malcolm/Betty marriage with that of the Nelson/Winnie marriage that is spelled out within the book is not one that I had previously thought of, but in terms of its international impact, symbolism and implications, is a fair, and powerful one. There are so many wonderful things in this book that it amazes me that it only has 20 reviews! But, of all the things that I love this book for, I love it most for its reverential, sensitive, perspicacious, awe-inspiring respect that it pays to the marriage of Malcolm and Betty. There are very few that can grasp how profound this simple fact is. This is an absolutely wonderful book on so many different levels, and anyone who respects Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X, and the marriage between them, is more than wise in making this book part of one's collection. Thank you so much Mr. Russell Rickford for such an absolutely wonderful book! Simply wonderful!
October 30, 2012
This is an excellent, readable, comprehensive telling of the lives of Malcolm X and his wife, Betty Shabazz.
The adoption connection is that both of them spent time in kinship/foster care and Shabazz later became the guardian of her grandson, who ended up in the foster and judicial systems after her death.
The adoption connection is that both of them spent time in kinship/foster care and Shabazz later became the guardian of her grandson, who ended up in the foster and judicial systems after her death.
February 19, 2015
an amazing journey of the strength of a woman,juggling between her own ambitions and remaining custodian of her husband's legacy. a story of self discovery, love,hate and later deeper understanding of life.
story of the difficulty of single parenthood,betrayal of Malcolm by Elijah Muhammad and finaly the journey of the 3 widows to preserve their martyed husband's legacies
story of the difficulty of single parenthood,betrayal of Malcolm by Elijah Muhammad and finaly the journey of the 3 widows to preserve their martyed husband's legacies
August 6, 2011
I had a visceral effect while reading and relating to her strength to endure, to keep her family together. Through pain, fear and uncertainty, the only thing she was sure of was that she wanted her family to be safe, strong and prosperous. A thick book, but I got through it in about 2 1/2 days.
March 8, 2010
This is a great compliment to the Autobiography of Malcolm X! A must read!
August 7, 2011
Wonderful book for a wonderful courageous woman. I've always been fascinated by Betty Shabazz and her strength. Highly recommended!
Read
May 10, 2019Not sure how I feel about this book. There are some tellings of her relationship and marriage with Malcolm that contradict what Manning Marable unearthed in his voluminous biography. It seems that Rickford paints their marriage--and Betty's undying devotion to his legacy--through rose colored glasses.
I'd be interested in hearing thoughts from others who have read this and Manning Marable's biography of Malcolm X.
I'd be interested in hearing thoughts from others who have read this and Manning Marable's biography of Malcolm X.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews