Nearly 60 years after Malcolm X was shot and killed while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, there are still more questions than answers about the circumstances of the civil rights leader’s death, which has been the subject of controversy, conspiracy theories, and well-founded skepticism alike. In this episode, we explore some of these narratives and uncover the power of visual documentation in revealing truths about injustices. We also examine the parallels between the enduring legacy (and demise) of Malcolm X and widely beloved rapper and community activist, Nipsey Hussle, setting the tone for the next season of the Second Draft Project where we hope to answer some of the questions that cast a long shadow over his death. Be sure to join us on our quest for truth!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Parallels in the life and death of Malcolm X and Nipsey Hussle.
• Questions that still remain nearly 60 years after Malcolm X’s death.
• The wrongful death lawsuit his family filed against US government agencies and the NYPD.
• Smartphones as instruments of social change: the importance of Black Witnessing.
• How Black leaders that inspire self-sustainability in the Black community are seen as a threat.
• Insight into the assassination of Nipsey Hussle in 2019.
• What to expect from the next season of the Second Draft Project!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Who Killed Malcolm X?

Ben Crump

Cultural Moves: African Americans and the Politics of Representation

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Dr. Allissa V. Richardson

Dr. Allissa V. Richardson on LinkedIn

Dr. Allissa V. Richardson on X

Jameela Hammond

Jameela Hammond on LinkedIn

Second Draft Project

In March 2019, widely beloved rapper and community activist Nipsey Hussle was gunned down in the parking lot of his store, The Marathon Clothing in South Central Los Angeles. In this episode of the Second Draft Project, Shaniek Brown and Maya Broomfield explore Nipsey’s enduring influence in his community and take a look at how it intersects with Malcolm X's to identify how Malcolm X impacted Black leadership on the West Coast. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the similarities that both men shared when it came to their upbringing, their portrayal in the media, the common causes they dedicated their lives to, and ultimately, their legacy.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The circumstances surrounding Nipsey’s childhood and his enduring love for music.
• Some of the similarities between Nipsey and Malcolm X’s backgrounds.
• How a trip to his father’s home country of Eritrea changed the trajectory of Nipsey’s life.
• Various reflections on how the Nation of Islam shaped activism in Los Angeles.
• Ways that the media painted both Nipsey and Malcolm X in a negative light.
• The common unity that they each dedicated their lives to.
• Public effects of both men and how they posed a threat to systematic racism.
• The Marathon Continues: how Nipsey Hussle’s legacy is being preserved.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Nipsey Hussle

The Marathon

Neighborhood Nip Foundation

‘Killing of Nipsey Hussle in South L.A. likely has some ties to gangs, source says; LAPD seeks suspect’

Patrisse Cullors

Black Lives Matter

Brandi Kane on X

Samiel Asghedom (Blacc Sam)

Second Draft Project

Shaniek Brown on LinkedIn

Maya Broomfield

Maya Broomfield on LinkedIn

As an outspoken Black man, Muslim faith minister, and human rights activist during the height of legalized segregation in the United States, it’s unsurprising that Malcolm X’s beliefs ruffled many feathers. His advocacy for Black empowerment and community strengthening led to a broader movement and an enlightening period for many Americans, and his highly recognizable image ensures in popular culture today, from music to fashion to art. In this episode of the Second Draft Project, Zoe Trask and Jen Byers are on the ground at Leimert Park Farmers Market in Los Angeles to find out how Malcolm X's legacy lives on, particularly in the world of revolutionary apparel. Tuning in, you’ll hear from shop owners, designers, and even Malcolm X’s kin about the role that fashion plays in activism, the history that accompanies the likeness of notable freedom fighters, and how radical politics continues to shape trends today.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Vox pops from Leimert Park in Los Angeles: how Malcolm X’s legacy lives on.
• What Queen Aminah has to teach us about the role of fashion in Black activism.
• How style is a direct manifestation of Adam X’s beliefs.
• Whether revolutionary clothing honors the legacy of Malcolm X or waters it down.
• Profit versus social justice: how fast fashion exploits the image of Malcolm X.
• Army fatigues, keffiyehs, wearing all-black, and other forms of activist fashion.
• The importance of historical context during this resurgence of revolutionary style.
• What Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, tells us about the timelessness of truth.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Queen Aminah

Queen Aminah on Instagram

Adam X

Original Manufacturing Inc.

Community Alliance for Family Farmers

Cordell Walcott

Sole Folks

Ilyasah Shabazz

Second Draft Project

Zoe Trask on LinkedIn

Jen Byers on LinkedIn

Everyone dreams about who they want to be when they grow up. As we grow up, however, these desires are increasingly influenced by the realities of life. This is especially true for the children of famous civil rights leaders like Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X. In this episode, Dr. Shabazz speaks with the Second Draft Project about her father, birthright, lineage, and the importance of carrying the torch. Balancing the work of rewriting the false narrative that surrounds her family while also maintaining her place in the fight for civil rights is an uphill battle, but these are the responsibilities that a daughter of the movement has to bear. Tuning in, you’ll also hear from Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder Patrisse Cullors and Rodney King’s daughter Lora King about how they are passing the torch to the next generation.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The challenges Dr. Shabazz faced growing up in the shadow of her famous father.
• How she continues her parents’ legacy through her own civil rights activism work.
• Why Patrisse Cullors isn’t a typical daughter of the movement but still carries the torch.
• Rising to the occasion: why not all activists are born to social justice leaders.
• What Lora King wanted to be before she assumed the mantle of leadership.
• Ways that she bridges the gaps between police brutality, community relations, and race.
• How Daughters of the Movement passes the torch to the next generation.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Daughters of the Movement

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz

The Shabazz Center

Growing Up X: A Memoir by the Daughter of Malcolm X

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz on X

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz on LinkedIn

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz on Instagram

Patrisse Cullors

Black Lives Matter

Lora King on LinkedIn

Lora King on Instagram

Rodney King Foundation

Second Draft Project

Abenet Tafesse

Alexander Song

Alexander Song on LinkedIn

Widely celebrated as a vocal advocate for Black empowerment during the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X was also viewed as a controversial figure accused of preaching racism and violence. In this episode of the Second Draft Project, John Quincy Broadway and Sangmin Kim revisit the legacy of Malcolm X: the man, the myth, and his movement. Who was he? Why were people taught to be afraid of him? How did our media landscape fail to respect him and his impact? Tuning in, you’ll hear from other Black Muslims, historic members of the Black Panther Party, USC students, vendors at Leimert Park, and many others about the role that the press plays in shaping the image of revolutionaries and how some of the radical ideas that Malcolm X championed continue to inspire people today. We also offer some insight into the Second Draft Project and its mission to revise the “first draft of history,” which has often painted influential people of color in a negative light.

Key Points From This Episode:

• How US news organizations painted Malcolm X’s words and actions in a negative light.
• Why Ilyasah Shabazz believes her father was portrayed as a controversial figure.
• Bobby Seale’s take on the ways that Malcolm X influenced the Black Panther Party.
• Malcolm X’s view of the role of the press in shaping the image of an incident or people.
• Comments on Malcolm’s legacy from Black street vendors in Leimert Park.
• What Huey P. Newton and John Bunchy Crear have to say about Malcolm’s impact.
• How Second Draft Project revises biased media representations of individuals in history.
• Some of the ways that Lora King and Ilyasah Shabazz continue their fathers’ legacies.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz

Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz on X

Rasheed Shabazz

Oakland Voices

Maynard Institute for Journalism Education

Revolutionary Suicide

Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab

Dr. Allissa V. Richardson

Jameela Hammond

Jameela Hammond on X

Second Draft Project

John Quincy Broadway on LinkedIn

Sangmin Kim on LinkedIn

Former president and publisher of the Washington Post, Philip L. Graham, once described journalism as the first draft of history. For the most marginalized members of our society, however, history has shown that this first draft is at best incomplete. At worst, it’s inaccurate, and sometimes, it can even be harmful. Enter the Second Draft Project: a chance for those at the center of our nation’s most pivotal moments in social justice to highlight where the media fell short and offer a fresh testimony. Using ethical AI technology, the Second Draft adopts a reparative approach to journalism and centers the storytellers whose testimonies are often overlooked. In this introductory episode, you’ll learn more about the project, the theories that underpin it, how it leverages immersive technology, what to expect from the first season of the podcast, and much more! What is the Second Draft Project? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Reparative journalism and what the Second Draft Project teaches students.
• The conscious and unconscious biases that influence news coverage.
• Insight into the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab at USC Annenberg.
• Mobile journalism and significant Black media makers throughout history.
• Two journalism theories that underpin and support the work of the Second Draft Project.
• How the Second Draft uses AI technology to create “interactive interviews.”
• Ways that students have explored Malcolm X’s portrayal in mainstream media.
• Leveraging immersive technology through photogrammetry and augmented reality.
• What to expect from the upcoming season of the Second Draft Project Podcast.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir

‘The year journalism starts paying reparations’

Reporting Inequality: Tools and Methods for Covering Race and Ethnicity