After the assassination of her husband, civil rights leader Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz (1936-1997) persevered to raise her six children, receive her doctorate, and continue a career, all the while staying true to her values as a member of the Nation of Islam religion. She chose mainly to operate outside of the spotlight, but made occasional appearances to promote civil rights and to relate her husband's message to the public.

When Betty Shabazz married the dynamic civil rights leader Malcolm X, she could not anticipate the extent of her husband's fame or the course that their lives would take. Shabazz was catapulted into the American consciousness and the media spotlight following her husband's assassination in 1965 by three members of the Nation of Islam. Formerly an esteemed leader of the Nation, Malcolm broke with the black nationalist organization in 1963 after revising his separatist ideals and embracing a new philosophy...