Reviews

Our verdict on the latest historical books and media

Creators Rachel Dretzin, Phil Bertelsen Distributor Netflix Released: Out now

On 21 February 1965, Malcolm X was addressing the Organisation of Africanamerican Unity (OAAU) at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. Suddenly, a disturbance broke out and three gunmen opened fire. Malcolm X was shot 21 times and died shortly after arriving in hospital. One of the assailants, Talmadge Hayer, was arrested at the scene. Later, Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson were also arrested and all three sentenced to life for the murder. But what if, with the exception of Hayer, they got the wrong men?

Netflix’s new documentary Who Killed Malcolm X? follows Abdur-rahman Muhammad, a historian and tour guide who has devoted 30 years of his life to investigating Malcolm X’s death. The six-episode series uses Muhammad as its through-line and the assassination as its focus, but covers a whole range of topics and leaves no stone unturned. We are given a comprehensive biography of Malcolm X, an in-depth discussion about the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad, and explore how the FBI and police spied on both of them. It’s an exhaustive approach but one that provides viewers with a full understanding of the events and those involved, before presenting its conclusions.

The evidence shown is similarly extensive. A variety of witnesses and experts are interviewed, original documentation and documentary footage is shown, and despite its nearly six-hour running time, the series maintains a fast pace. This focus on the ‘craft’ of the researcher is a pleasing stylistic choice and sequences in archives are given just as much emphasis as those with individuals. The interviewees are honest in their sentiments and no one shies away from asking difficult questions. It’s the hard-edge, investigative approach which Netflix has excelled at in recent years and which has led to some of its biggest and most popular shows.

However, whilst this comprehensive approach and fast pace certainly helps in some areas, for those unfamiliar with the life of Malcolm

X it requires absolute concentration. At several points we found ourselves having to skim back as we’d missed an interviewee’s name or their connection to the story at large. It’s an understandable problem for a narrative with this scope, but it may be something for viewers new to the topic to bear in mind.

On the whole, Who Killed Malcolm X? can be proclaimed as an astounding achievement for all involved. The recent news that the documentary series has led to discussions that the murder case might be reopened is a testament to the excellent work on show here. Indeed, while the documentary itself tells a fascinating and important story, the way in which it tells it makes it equally worthy of your attention. CM