Qubilah Shabazz facts for kids

Qubilah Bahiyah Shabazz (born December 25, 1960) is the second daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. She is known as the child of important civil rights leaders.

Early Life and Education

Qubilah Shabazz was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1960. Her father named her after Kublai Khan, a famous emperor. A well-known photographer and filmmaker, Gordon Parks, was her godfather.

In February 1965, when Qubilah was four years old, her family's house was set on fire. One week later, she was with her mother and sisters when her father, Malcolm X, was sadly killed.

Growing Up and School

As a young person, Qubilah Shabazz went to a summer camp run by Quakers in Vermont. When she was 11, she became a Quaker, changing from Islam. She and her sisters also joined Jack and Jill of America, a social club for children from well-known African-American families. As a teenager, Shabazz attended the United Nations International School in Manhattan.

After high school, she went to Princeton University. She later moved to Paris, France, where she studied at the Sorbonne. While in Paris, she worked as a translator.

Family Life

In Paris, Qubilah Shabazz had a son named Malcolm Shabazz in 1984. She later moved with her son to Los Angeles and then to New York City. She worked in different jobs, like waiting tables and proofreading, to support herself. Her mother and sisters often helped care for her son Malcolm.

Later Years and Family Losses

Qubilah Shabazz moved to San Antonio and worked at a radio station. She got married briefly in December 1996.

Her son Malcolm lived with her mother, Betty Shabazz, in Yonkers, New York for a time. Sadly, her mother Betty passed away in June 1997. Later, in 2013, her son Malcolm also passed away in Mexico City when he was 28 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Qubilah Shabazz para niños