muslim student association :: drew university

A Memoir by the Daughter of Malcolm X

Ilyasah Shabazz was only two years old when her father, Malcolm X, was assassinated. After the tragedy, Dr. Betty Shabazz, determined to protect her girls from the barrage of media and press surrounding the life of her husband, gave them a comfortable home and a private school education. Astonishingly Ilyasah and her sisters knew very little about the rich heritage that her father had left them. Later, when Ilyasah was older, she became fully aware of the impact of his contribution to the world. GROWING UP X reveals little-known details about Ilyasah's experiences as a member of the Shabazz household, from sibling rivalry to first boyfriends. It also explores the complex emotions manifest as a result of Ilyasah's education as a woman of color in predominantly white schools.

Written with great warmth--and featuring reminiscences of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances like Coretta Scott King, Muhammad Ali, and Spike Lee--GROWING UP X is a fascinating, first-ever look at a family many have admired from afar.... and never seen so close.