Steve Neavling
Malik Shabazz, right, built a reputation as a courageous activist who routinely confronted crime and racism.
Malik Shabazz was never one to give up.
The fearless Detroit activist has stood up to drug dealers, city leaders, and bad businesses for decades, always sticking up for people who have been unfairly treated.
Now he’s fighting the ultimate battle – the one for his life.
Shabazz, the founder of the New Black Panther Party/New Marcus Garvey Movement, had a massive heart attack on June 26, and he has been in intensive care since. He fought off an infection caused by a heart pump, and doctors removed his breathing tube on July 12.
He’s in critical but stable condition, and can interact during short periods with his family and friends.
On Tuesday, Shabazz is going back under the knife to have a permanent heart pump implanted.
“His strong will to live, the prayers, and the good vibes have helped him immensely,” friend and activist Sam Riddle tells Metro Times. “He’s got the fighting spirit. And he does it with love. I think that is one of the reasons he is still with us.”
Riddle says Shabazz’s family is grateful for the community’s support and the “amazingly good” care he’s received at Henry Ford Hospital.
A day after his heart attack, dozens of people, including Mayor Mike Duggan, turned out at a vigil for Shabazz in front of the hospital on West Grand Boulevard.
Shabazz has earned a reputation as a courageous, unapologetic activist for Detroiters. He confronted drug dealers at their homes, protested outside grocery stores selling rotten meat, and helped search for missing people. He called on Wayne State University to increase Black enrollment, helped Detroiters find jobs, and marched for peace.
Riddle says Shabazz still has a long way to go, but he’s headed in the right direction.
“There is a long road to recovery ahead, and that’s now part of his life journey,” Riddle says.
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