Malcolm X assassination (1965)

Site: Audubon Ballroom, 3940 Broadway, Washington Heights neighborhood, New York City.

Then: On Feb. 21, 1965, black Muslim minister and civil rights activist Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little) was shot dead by three men in the Audubon Ballroom as he prepared to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity, a group he had founded.

Two years after the shootings, New York City seized the ballroom because of unpaid taxes. The building was shuttered in 1980, and soon its exterior was coated with graffiti.

Neighboring Columbia University eventually planned to raze the Audubon and build a commercial biotech research center. Historic preservationists fought the demolition. A compromise was reached, allowing much of the ballroom to be saved and converted into a museum remembering the work of Malcolm X. The plan was reportedly supported by Malcolm X’s widow, Dr. Betty Shabazz.

Photo: Malcolm X