On June 23, 1997, Betty Shabazz, a civil rights pioneer and beloved icon in the African American community, passed away at the age of 62. Betty Shabazz was an inspiring figure in American history. She was born Betty Louise Sanders on May 28, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan. She later moved to New York City with her family and graduated from Brooklyn College in 1959, with honors in mathematics. In 1964, Shabazz became the wife of Malcolm X, who was famously assassinated in 1965. After his death, she cared for their six children as a single mother and earned her Masters degree in Education Administration and Supervision from the Ivy League’s Columbia University in 1976. Shabazz made lasting contributions to the civil rights movement throughout her lifetime. In the aftermath of her husband’s death, she worked with the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She was later appointed Dean of College at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, which was established in the memory of Medgar Evers, a prominent civil rights activist. Additionally, she traveled around the globe, delivering speeches about women’s rights, education, and civil rights. Shabazz touched the lives of many, including generations of students with whom she interacted in her work at Medgar Evers College, and will continue to be remembered for her legacy in the civil rights movement. She was preceded in death by her husband, Malcolm X. She is survived by her six children, Qubilah, Ilyasah, Malikah, Gamilah, Attallah and Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.