FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2003

Contact: Joseph Fleming, Esq.
(212) 385-8036

SETTLEMENT REACHED ON MALCOLM X COLLECTION

The family of Malcolm X and the Representatives of the Estate of Betty Shabazz announced today that they have reached and consummated an agreement regarding the conflicting claims to the rare collection of documents and other archival materials belonging to Malcolm X, which will allow for the return of the property to the family.  The Agreement was reached with Butterfields Auctioneers, the auction house to which the Malcolm X documents had been consigned for public auction in early 2002; Public Storage USA, the storage facility that previously sold the Malcolm X items at public auction; and, James Calhoun and Shergill’s Auction House, each of whom had purchased portions of the materials at a bulk auction in Florida.  The parties participated in a series of negotiations designed to find a solution to their respective claims without the necessity for protracted and potentially divisive litigation.

While the terms of the settlement will not be made public, all parties agree that the settlement terms represent the best result for all concerned.  The family has taken possession of its property and has delivered the bulk of the property to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture New York Public Library, where it will be formally catalogued, preserved, stored and made available for scholarly research.  The family will retain ownership of the property, and has been in discussion with various parties with respect to the growing interest in the publication of the content of the material.

The family wishes to express its thanks to Butterfields and to Public Storage for the non- adversarial and responsible manner in which they responded to the family’s objections to the effort to auction the property.

In a joint statement released by representatives of the Estate of Betty Shabazz; Joseph Fleming, the attorney for the daughters of Malcolm and Betty Shabazz; the auction houses; and, Mr. Calhoun, the parties expressed their mutual satisfaction with the outcome of their negotiations.  Each agree, that despite the conflicting claims, all of the parties acted in good faith in an effort to find a resolution that satisfied everyone’s interest.  The ultimate outcome is one that preserves for the family of Malcolm and Betty Shabazz the ability to reclaim their father’s property without having to pay the human cost that might have resulted from a legal battle, and returns to the family the right to be the proprietors of their father’s magnificent legacy.

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