On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was gunned down at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. He was 39 years old, a father of six, and one of the most uncompromising voices for Black liberation in the 20th century. His death was not just the silencing of a man, but the attempted erasure of a movement that dared to tell the truth about America’s racial hypocrisy. For all the demand to see the Epstein Files, why isn’t there a push to see the Malcolm X files when we know all the agencies lied and are still lying about what happened?

The story of Malcolm’s assassination remains locked away in government vaults. The FBI, CIA, DOJ, and NYPD continue to withhold or heavily redact files that could reveal the extent of their involvement. The question is no longer whether these agencies had Malcolm under surveillance — that is well‑documented. The question is: what did they know, and what did they do, in the hours and days leading up to his death?

This is not just a historical curiosity. It is a matter of justice, accountability, and truth‑telling. The United States cannot claim to be a democracy committed to transparency while it continues to hide the truth about how one of its most important leaders was killed. Long before any Epstein Files existed, there were files within the bowels of the FBI, CIA, DOJ, and NYPD containing details about Malcolm X’s death that had never come to light. It’s not that they haven’t been asked for.

The Pattern of Denial

The FBI has released 38 volumes of Malcolm X files through FOIA. But these documents are riddled with redactions, withheld under exemptions for “national security,” “confidential informants,” or “ongoing law enforcement interests.” Some requests have been outright denied, with the Bureau claiming it no longer possesses certain records.

The CIA and DOJ have responded to FOIA requests with the familiar bureaucratic phrase: “no responsive records.” This is implausible. Malcolm X traveled internationally, meeting with African and Middle Eastern leaders, and his activities were closely monitored. To suggest the CIA has no records is to insult the intelligence of the public.

The NYPD, for its part, has resisted FOIA requests for decades. Undercover officer reports from the Audubon Ballroom have been denied, with the department citing “public safety” and “ongoing investigations” — even though the assassination occurred six decades ago.

This pattern of denial is not accidental. It is a strategy of erasure.

The Lawsuit: A Demand for Truth

In November 2024, Malcolm X’s family filed a $100 million lawsuit against the FBI, CIA, DOJ, and NYPD. Their claim is simple: these agencies not only facilitated Malcolm’s assassination but also suppressed evidence by withholding records. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, put it plainly:

“The government’s fingerprints are all over the assassination of Malcolm X. We believe we have the evidence to prove it.”

The lawsuit is not just about money. It is about forcing the government to open its files, to admit what it has long denied, and to allow the public to confront the truth. In the 15 months since the lawsuit was filed, there is no public record of hearings, depositions, or judicial orders of any kind.

What We Already Know

Even without the unreleased files, the evidence of government complicity is overwhelming:

• NYPD Sabotage of Security: Days before Malcolm’s assassination, two of his key security guards were arrested on dubious charges. A deathbed confession from former NYPD officer Raymond Wood confirmed that his assignment was to entrap Malcolm’s security team so they would be absent at the Audubon Ballroom.
• FBI Surveillance: Malcolm was under constant surveillance by the FBI. Wiretaps, informants, and infiltration of his organizations were routine. The Bureau knew of threats against his life but did nothing to intervene.
• Nation of Islam Hostility: After Malcolm broke with the Nation of Islam, its leadership openly called for his death. FBI files show the Bureau was aware of these threats. Instead of protecting Malcolm, they exploited the rift.
• COINTELPRO Precedent: The FBI’s Counter-Intelligence Program targeted Black leaders for “neutralization.” Fred Hampton, deputy chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, was assassinated in 1969 after an FBI informant provided a floor plan of his apartment.

Why the Files Matter

Some might ask: why does it matter now? Malcolm X has been dead for sixty years. His killers were tried, convicted, and — in two cases — later exonerated. Isn’t this just reopening old wounds?

The answer is no. The wounds never closed.

For Malcolm’s family, the truth is a matter of dignity. For the Black community, it is a matter of justice. For the nation, it is a matter of integrity.

The files matter because they will show whether the government of the United States — the same government that claims to stand for freedom and democracy — participated in the assassination of one of its own citizens for daring to speak the truth.

The files matter because they will reveal whether the FBI, CIA, DOJ, and NYPD engaged in a cover‑up that lasted decades.

The files matter because history is not just about the past. It is about the present. The same tactics used against Malcolm X — surveillance, infiltration, disinformation — are still used today against activists who challenge state power. In the same way that the Epstein Files matter, so do the files about Malcolm X.