Malik Zulu Shabazz, often associated with Black nationalist activism, has had a long and complex career spanning legal advocacy, grassroots mobilization, and political organizing. As the former Chairman of the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) and the founder of Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ), Shabazz has played a central role in shifting Black Power-era rhetoric into legal and policy-oriented action in the 21st century.
While his public profile has been involved in controversy, his efforts reflect an evolving strategy to integrate radical political ideals with institutional engagement. Shabazz rose to national prominence in the late 1990s as a close protégé of Khalid Abdul Muhammad, the firebrand activist and former Nation of Islam spokesperson who later led the NBPP.
Shabazz joined the party around 1997 and quickly became one of its most visible representatives. Following Muhammad’s death in 2001, Shabazz assumed leadership of the organization. The NBPP maintained its nationalist and militant ideological roots, often drawing attention for its confrontational rhetoric.
Although the NBPP was labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League, largely due to public statements by its leadership, Shabazz maintained that the organization’s role was to protect and empower Black people in a country marked by racial inequality and historical injustices.
Similar to his role in the NBPP, Shabazz founded Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ) in 1996. The organization became the principal vehicle through which he would transition from activist to legal advocate.
The BLFJ was established to provide legal services to African Americans facing discrimination, police misconduct, and systemic injustices. It also functions as a platform to promote legal reforms and civil rights education within Black communities.
Through BLFJ, Shabazz has represented defendants who allege racial profiling, police brutality, and constitutional violations. His legal strategy is often tied to broader political goals, utilizing litigation as a form of redress and a means to challenge existing power structures.
This approach has earned him both criticism and respect. Critics have pointed to his earlier incendiary remarks as undermining his credibility, while supporters view his legal activism as a necessary continuation of the struggle for Black liberation, albeit within the confines of the U.S. judicial system.
In addition to legal work, Shabazz has remained actively engaged in organizing mass mobilizations during moments of racial crisis. In 2007, he helped lead a national march in Charleston, West Virginia, in support of Megan Williams, a young Black woman who alleged that she was kidnapped and tortured by six white individuals. The march attracted participation from over 100 Black organizations and helped draw national attention to the case.
He was also a visible presence during the 2015 Baltimore protests following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. His appearance at demonstrations, calling for direct action and public disruption, drew mixed reactions from local leaders. While some viewed him as an outside agitator, others saw his presence as part of a broader tradition of activist solidarity during community unrest.
After stepping down as Chairman of the NBPP in 2013, Shabazz increased his focus on legal work, representing clients in high-profile civil rights cases, including the 2023 Rankin County torture case in Mississippi.
In that case, Shabazz helped file a $400 million lawsuit on behalf of two Black men who were tortured by local deputies, which led to historically long prison sentences for the officers involved. From his early days in the NBPP to his leadership in Black Lawyers for Justice, Shabazz has worked to translate Black nationalist ideals into concrete legal and institutional outcomes.