Hakim Jamal
Encyclopedia
Hakim Abdullah Jamal was the name adopted by African-American activist Allen Donaldson, who was a cousin of Malcolm X
and later became an associate of Michael X
. Jamal wrote From the Dead Level, a memoir of his life and memories of Malcolm X. He was romantically involved with several high profile women, notably Jean Seberg
, Diana Athill
and Gale Benson
. Jamal was shot dead in 1973.
Donaldson was born in Roxbury, Boston, in 1931. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother abandoned him when he was six. He started regularly drinking alcohol when he was ten and became a heroin user at 14. In his early twenties he spent four years in prison. Finally, his violent temper led to his committal to a mental asylum, after two attempted murders. He later underwent a conversion to the teachings of the Nation of Islam
and renamed himself Hakim Jamal. He became a spokesman for the movement and contributed articles to various newspapers promoting Black power. After Malcolm X
left the Nation of Islam, Jamal supported his decision and was outspoken in his criticism of Elijah Mohammed.
After Malcolm's death, Jamal joined with Maulana Karenga and others to found "US", an organization to promote African-American cultural unity. He had already circulated a self-produced magazine entitled "US". Jamal argued that the ideas of Malcolm X should be the main ideological model for the group. However, Jamal's views increasingly differed from Karenga's. Jamal continued to emphasise his cousin's radical politics, while Karenga wished to root black Americans in African culture. Jamal saw no point in projects such as teaching Swahili
and promoting traditional African rituals. He left "US" to establish the Malcolm X Foundation, based in Compton, California.
Though married to fellow-activist Dorothy Jamal, Jamal had several significant affairs. He had a brief relationship with actress Jean Seberg. His wife phoned Seberg's father to try to bring an end to the affair. He moved to London during the late 1960s where he met Gale Benson, daughter of a British M.P. They began a relationship which is said to have involved the total domination of Benson by Jamal. Benson's brother described a "strange act" that Jamal performed with her:
The writer V. S. Naipaul
later described Benson as Jamal's "white-woman slave". Jamal and Benson traveled in America seeking funds for a project to create a Montessori school for black children. They later joined West Indian
Black power leader Michael X in his commune in Trinidad, where Jamal wrote articles supporting the commune. Benson traveled to America to raise funds, but was unsuccessful. Shortly after her return she was murdered there by Michael X and his associates. Jamal was not a suspect, but it was alleged that Michael X had ordered her death because she was causing "mental strain" to Jamal.
In 1971 Jamal wrote his autobiography, From the Dead Level: Malcolm X and Me. At this time he became involved in a relationship with his editor, Diana Athill. Athill later wrote about their relationship in her memoir Make Believe. Athill recorded Jamal's increasing mental instability and his repeated assertions that he was God. He eventually returned to his wife and moved back to Boston, where he revived his role as director of the Malcolm X Foundation. On May 1, 1973, Jamal was killed when four men burst into his apartment in Boston and shot him repeatedly. Police attributed the crime to a factional dispute, linked to Jamal's attacks on Elijah Mohammed. It was blamed on a group known as De Mau Mau. Five members of the group were convicted of involvement in the murder.
Jamal is a character in the 2008 film The Bank Job
, in which he is played by Colin Salmon
.
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
and later became an associate of Michael X
Michael X
Michael X , born Michael de Freitas in Trinidad and Tobago to a Portuguese father and a Bajan-born mother, was a self-styled black revolutionary and civil rights activist in 1960s London. He was also known as Michael Abdul Malik and Abdul Malik...
. Jamal wrote From the Dead Level, a memoir of his life and memories of Malcolm X. He was romantically involved with several high profile women, notably Jean Seberg
Jean Seberg
Jean Dorothy Seberg was an American actress. She starred in 37 films in Hollywood and in France, including Breathless , the musical Paint Your Wagon and the disaster film Airport ....
, Diana Athill
Diana Athill
Diana Athill OBE is a British literary editor, novelist and memoirist who worked with some of the most important writers of the 20th century.-Life and writings:...
and Gale Benson
Gale Benson
Gale Ann Benson was a British model, socialite and daughter of Conservative MP Leonard Plugge. She was buried alive and murdered in Trinidad by local men including Black Power activist Michael X....
. Jamal was shot dead in 1973.
Donaldson was born in Roxbury, Boston, in 1931. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother abandoned him when he was six. He started regularly drinking alcohol when he was ten and became a heroin user at 14. In his early twenties he spent four years in prison. Finally, his violent temper led to his committal to a mental asylum, after two attempted murders. He later underwent a conversion to the teachings of the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
and renamed himself Hakim Jamal. He became a spokesman for the movement and contributed articles to various newspapers promoting Black power. After Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
left the Nation of Islam, Jamal supported his decision and was outspoken in his criticism of Elijah Mohammed.
After Malcolm's death, Jamal joined with Maulana Karenga and others to found "US", an organization to promote African-American cultural unity. He had already circulated a self-produced magazine entitled "US". Jamal argued that the ideas of Malcolm X should be the main ideological model for the group. However, Jamal's views increasingly differed from Karenga's. Jamal continued to emphasise his cousin's radical politics, while Karenga wished to root black Americans in African culture. Jamal saw no point in projects such as teaching Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
and promoting traditional African rituals. He left "US" to establish the Malcolm X Foundation, based in Compton, California.
Though married to fellow-activist Dorothy Jamal, Jamal had several significant affairs. He had a brief relationship with actress Jean Seberg. His wife phoned Seberg's father to try to bring an end to the affair. He moved to London during the late 1960s where he met Gale Benson, daughter of a British M.P. They began a relationship which is said to have involved the total domination of Benson by Jamal. Benson's brother described a "strange act" that Jamal performed with her:
He laid her across two chairs, head on one, legs on another, and as I watched, she seemed to go into a sort of coma. She was quivering—and she wasn't acting. Hakim said that being able to do this was proof that he was God.
The writer V. S. Naipaul
V. S. Naipaul
Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad "V. S." Naipaul, TC is a Nobel prize-winning Indo-Trinidadian-British writer who is known for his novels focusing on the legacy of the British Empire's colonialism...
later described Benson as Jamal's "white-woman slave". Jamal and Benson traveled in America seeking funds for a project to create a Montessori school for black children. They later joined West Indian
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
Black power leader Michael X in his commune in Trinidad, where Jamal wrote articles supporting the commune. Benson traveled to America to raise funds, but was unsuccessful. Shortly after her return she was murdered there by Michael X and his associates. Jamal was not a suspect, but it was alleged that Michael X had ordered her death because she was causing "mental strain" to Jamal.
In 1971 Jamal wrote his autobiography, From the Dead Level: Malcolm X and Me. At this time he became involved in a relationship with his editor, Diana Athill. Athill later wrote about their relationship in her memoir Make Believe. Athill recorded Jamal's increasing mental instability and his repeated assertions that he was God. He eventually returned to his wife and moved back to Boston, where he revived his role as director of the Malcolm X Foundation. On May 1, 1973, Jamal was killed when four men burst into his apartment in Boston and shot him repeatedly. Police attributed the crime to a factional dispute, linked to Jamal's attacks on Elijah Mohammed. It was blamed on a group known as De Mau Mau. Five members of the group were convicted of involvement in the murder.
Jamal is a character in the 2008 film The Bank Job
The Bank Job
The Bank Job is a 2008 British crime film written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, directed by Roger Donaldson, and starring Jason Statham, based on the 1971 Baker Street robbery in central London, from which the money and valuables stolen were never recovered...
, in which he is played by Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon is a British actor best known for playing the character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films.-Personal life:...
.