Malcolm X Remembered 50 Years After Assassination

"Democracy Now!" airs weekdays at 9 a.m. PT on KCET.

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X, one of the most influential political figures of the 20th century. He was shot dead as he spoke before a packed audience at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965. Malcolm X had just taken the stage when shots rang out, riddling his body with bullets. He was 39 years old. Details of his assassination remain disputed to this day.

"Democracy Now!" airs highlights from his speeches "By Any Means Necessary" and "The Ballot or the Bullet." We also speak with journalist Herb Boyd, who along with Malcolm X's daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, co-edited "The Diary of Malcolm X: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, 1964."