Shabazz ( ar, شَبَازّ, Shabāzz) is the name of a supposed black architect whose tribe founded the populations of Africa according to the doctrine of the

Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious and political organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A black nationalist organization, the NOI focuses its attention on the African diaspora, especially on African ...

(NOI). It is similar to the Persian name Shahbaz. The name was adopted by Malcolm X, initially when he joined the NOI. Born Malcolm Little, by 1949 he was signing letters as "Malachi Shabazz", before taking the name "Malcolm X". After returning from his

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

, he finally adopted the title and name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, seen as symbolic of his spiritual journey to Orthodox

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

. The surname was borne by his wife

Betty Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders; May 28, 1934/1936 – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was married to Malcolm X. Shabazz grew up in Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, where he ...

and his children and has also been adopted by unrelated persons.

Origin

A 1994 article in ''The American Muslim'' claims that the name is from the

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

words ''sha‘b'' ( ar, شَعْب, lit=a people, link=no), and ''‘azz'' ( ar, عَزّ, lit=mighty or glorious , link=no). There is also a similar (but etymologically unrelated) Persian name, Shahbâz, meaning "royal falcon". Indicating "royalty and nobility", the name is popular with Bosnian, Turkish, Indian and Pakistani Muslims. In his book ''

Message to the Blackman in America ''Message to the Blackman in America'' is a book published by original Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad in 1965 and reprinted several times thereafter. Beginning with a brief autobiography of Muhammad, it covers his philosophies on race, t ...

'',

Elijah Muhammad Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an African American religious leader, black separatist, and self-proclaimed Messenger of Allah, who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1934 until his de ...

wrote that

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

(then called Negroes) are descended from an ancient tribe by that name:

People

Notable people with the name include:

The family of Malcolm X

* Malcolm X or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (1925–1965), an American Muslim minister and human rights activist *

(1934–1997), his wife *

Attallah Shabazz Attallah Shabazz (born November 16, 1958) is an American actress, author, diplomat, and motivational speaker, and the eldest daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Early years Shabazz was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 16, 1958. S ...

(born 1958), his daughter *

Ilyasah Shabazz Ilyasah Shabazz (born July 22, 1962) is an American author, most notably of a memoir, '' Growing Up X'', community organizer, social activist, and motivational speaker, and the third daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Early life Shabazz ...

(born 1962), his daughter *

Malcolm Shabazz Malcolm Latif Shabazz (October 8, 1984 – May 9, 2013) was the grandson of civil rights activists Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, through their daughter, Qubilah Shabazz. Shabazz made headlines for various reasons throughout his life, most not ...

(1984–2013), his grandson *

Qubilah Shabazz Qubilah Bahiyah Shabazz (born December 25, 1960) is the second daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. In 1965, she witnessed the assassination of her father by three gunmen. She was arrested in 1995 in connection with an alleged plot to ...

(born 1960), his daughter

Rappers

A number of rappers have adopted "Shabazz" as part of their

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

s to express an affinity with Malcolm X, the

, or the Black power movement more broadly. * Shabazz Palaces (Ishmael Butler of

Digable Planets Digable Planets () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987. The trio is composed of rappers Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving. The group is notable for their contributions to the subgenre ...

) *

Shabazz the Disciple Shabazz the Disciple, also known as Scientific Shabazz, born David Collins, is a rapper from the Red Hook Houses of Red Hook, Brooklyn. He is an original member of the Sunz of Man and Da Last Future. Biography Shabazz appeared in the 1994 Grav ...

(born 1973), a

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...

affiliate * Lakim Shabazz of Flavor Unit.

Others

Abdulalim A. Shabazz Abdulalim Abdullah Shabazz (May 22, 1927 – June 25, 2014) was an African American Professor of Mathematics. He received the National Association of Mathematicians Distinguished Service Award for his years of mentoring and teaching excellence. ...

(born Lonnie Cross, 1927–2014), professor of mathematics * Ahmad Uthman Shabazz, respondent in O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz U.S. Supreme Court case *

Jamel Shabazz Jamel Shabazz (born 1960) is an African-American fashion, fine art, documentary and street style photographer. His work has been published in books, shown in exhibitions, and used in editorial magazine works. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. ...

, documentary photographer *

John C. Shabaz John C. Shabaz (June 25, 1931August 31, 2012) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He served 30 years as a United States district judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, and was Chief Judge between 1996 and 2001. Earlier in his car ...

(1931–2012), United States federal judge * K. Malik Shabazz or Ron Killings (born 1972), American professional wrestler *

Malik Zulu Shabazz Malik Zulu Shabazz (born Paris Lewis on September 7, 1966) is an American attorney. He has previously served as Chairman of the New Black Panther Party which is labeled as a hate group , he is the current National President of Black Lawyers f ...

(born 1966), leader of the New Black Panther Party *

Menelik Shabazz Menelik Shabazz (30 May 1954 – 28 June 2021) was a Barbados-born British film director, producer, educator, and writer, acknowledged as a pioneer in the development of independent Black British cinema, having been at the forefront of contempor ...

(1954–2021), Barbados-born British film director * Michael Shabaz (born 1987), American tennis player * Shabazz Muhammad (born 1992), American basketball player * Shabazz Napier (born 1991), American/Puerto-Rican basketball player

Fictional characters

*A character named Shabazz K. Milton Berle appeared in the TV series

The Boondocks Boondocks are remote, usually brushy areas. Boondocks may also refer to: * The Boondocks (band), an Estonian rock band * ''The Boondocks'' (comic strip), a comic strip by Aaron McGruder ** ''The Boondocks'' (2005 TV series), the television ser ...

, in the episode " The Passion of Reverend Ruckus".

References

External links

Online text of ''Message to the Blackman''
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