Hon. Malcolm X: Los Angeles (Ronald Stokes Murder)

Ronald Stokes Service, May 22nd 1962.


On April 27th 1962, seven unarmed Muslims were shot outside Muslim Temple 27 in Los Angeles. Temple Secretary, Ronald Stokes 29, was killed. "They're going to pay for it," Hon. Malcolm declares, and goes to Los Angeles to eulogize Stokes at a funeral attended by 2,000 people. Despite an autopsy that established Stokes was shot at close range and had been stomped, kicked and bludgeon while dead or dying. An all-white coroner's jury deliberating the Stokes' killing, took 23 minutes to conclude it "justifiable homicide." By contrast, 14 Nation of Islam members are indicted for assault in the incident and 11 are found guilty.

Elijah Muhammad's reluctance to aggressively retaliate Stokes death, would be the first of a series of events, causing irreparable rifts between The Honorable Malcolm X and The Messenger. And lead to his eventual ouster from the Nation of Islam.