Malcolm X’s Widow Suing Haley Estate
The widow of Malcolm X is suing the brother of the late Alex Haley for at least half of the money the author’s estate made on the sale of the original manuscript of “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”
Haley, author of “Roots,” collaborated with the civil rights activist on the autobiography in the early 1960s. It was published in 1964.
The book was the basis for the screenplay of the movie “Malcolm X,” which opened last week.
The lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of Betty Shabazz of Elmsford, N.Y., seeks a minimum of $60,750.
The manuscript was discovered among Haley’s possessions after his death earlier this year.
It and the working drafts of three chapters left out of the final product were sold at an Oct. 1 auction to settle Haley’s financially troubled estate. The manuscript sold for $100,000 and the three chapters sold for $21,500, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit against George Haley, executor of his brother’s estate, also seeks an undetermined amount of punitive damages.
According to the lawsuit, the manuscript was registered under the Federal Copyright Act as a jointly owned work of Alex Haley and Malcolm X.
Sign up for our Book Club newsletter
Get the latest news, events and more from the Los Angeles Times Book Club, and help us get L.A. reading and talking.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
