The Life and Legacy of Michael X: From Black Power Icon to the Hangman's Noose
The story of Michael X, also known as Michael Abdul Malik or by his birth name, Michael de Freitas, is a complex and tragic narrative that spans activism, crime, and eventual execution. Rising to prominence during the 1960s as a key figure in Britain’s Black Power movement, de Freitas’ journey from Trinidad to London and beyond reveals a man deeply shaped by the turbulence of post-colonial Britain. His life oscillated between radical activism, hustling, and relationships with high-profile celebrities, before spiralling into crime and murder. By the time he was hanged in Trinidad in 1975, Michael X had become one of Britain’s most infamous black radicals, yet remains a largely obscure figure in popular memory.
Early Life in Trinidad and Move to Britain
Born in 1933 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Michael de Freitas was the son of an Afro-Caribbean mother and a Portuguese father. His mixed heritage placed him at the intersection of race and class tensions in colonial Trinidad, shaping his later views on race and identity. Seeking a better life, de Freitas moved to Britain in 1957 as part of the Windrush generation, a wave of Caribbean immigrants who answered Britain’s call to help rebuild the nation after World War II. However, like many of his peers, de Freitas faced racial discrimination, economic hardship, and limited opportunities upon arrival.
In London, de Freitas took on menial jobs before becoming involved in hustling and petty crime. His criminal activities included racketeering, evictions, and involvement in violent disputes. These experiences toughened him and made him increasingly aware of the racial inequalities entrenched in British society. De Freitas found himself disillusioned with Britain, a country he had once believed would offer him equality and opportunity. Instead, he encountered systemic racism and exclusion.
The Notting Hill Riots and Black Activism
In 1958, Michael de Freitas began to assert himself more in the fight against racism. He became active in meetings aimed at mobilising the black community in the wake of the Notting Hill Riots, a violent conflict between white Teddy Boys and Caribbean immigrants. The riots marked a turning point for de Freitas, deepening his sense of alienation and pushing him toward activism. He realised that black people in Britain needed a stronger voice to combat the entrenched racism they faced. Around this time, de Freitas adopted the name Michael Abdul Malik after converting to Islam, reflecting his evolving political and spiritual identity.
Encounter with Malcolm X and Political Transformation
A pivotal moment in Michael de Freitas’ life came in 1965 when he met Malcolm X during the American activist’s visit to Britain. The two men travelled together to Smethwick, a town in the West Midlands notorious for its racial segregation policies. Malcolm X’s visit to Smethwick, in defiance of local segregationist sentiment, left a profound impact on de Freitas. The American civil rights leader impressed upon him the importance of black autonomy and resistance, convincing de Freitas that black people in Britain should assert their rights independently.
It was after this encounter that de Freitas began using the name Michael X, symbolically aligning himself with Malcolm X’s radical black nationalism. This new identity reflected his growing commitment to black empowerment and anti-racist activism in Britain. He became a leading figure in the Black Power movement in London, advocating for racial justice and self-determination.
The Black House: A Symbol of Hope and Controversy
In 1969, Michael X founded the Black House, a community centre on Holloway Road in London designed to support young black men. The Black House, funded by a combination of donors, including John Lennon, Sammy Davis Jr., and the comedian Dick Gregory, became a hub for black political activism. It offered a space for black youth to engage in activities like self-defence training and cultural education, providing them with a sense of pride and belonging.
However, the Black House was also a site of controversy. While it was intended as a safe haven for black empowerment, it quickly became associated with criminal activities. In what became known as "the slave collar affair," businessman Marvin Brown was lured to the Black House, brutally attacked, and forced to wear a spiked collar. The assault, intended as a form of extortion, led to the imprisonment of two men involved in the incident. The negative publicity from this affair, along with growing suspicion from the authorities, led to the Black House being raided by police. Soon after, it was mysteriously burned down.
Celebrity Connections: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Muhammad Ali
Despite his criminal associations, Michael X remained connected to prominent figures in the worlds of art, politics, and activism. His charisma and radical ideology attracted the attention of celebrities like John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who supported his causes. Lennon even paid Michael X’s bail in January 1971 when he was arrested for extortion. The couple saw Michael X as an emblem of the counterculture movement, a figure who challenged the status quo and embodied the struggle for racial justice.
X had reached out to John and Yoko after they made headlines for paying fines incurred by anti-apartheid activists who'd interrupted a rugby match between Scotland and South Africa. Inspired by the gesture, X asked John and Yoko to support the Black House, a home for disadvantaged youth in London, and they agreed.
But instead of offering money, the Lennons hatched a plan for the latest in a series of publicity stunts. Having recently cut off their hair (which they thought would have the added benefit of allowing them to travel more freely in public), they offered to exchange it for a pair of Muhammad Ali's boxing shorts – an odd celebrity bartering program that was supposed to benefit a pair of projects, with the hair being auctioned off to support the Black House and the shorts being sold to raise money for John and Yoko's peace campaign.
The haircut took place in Denmark on Jan. 20, 1970, and John and Yoko met up with X on the Black Center's rooftop on Feb. 4, where they held a press conference to announce their plans and posed for photos with the hair. Lennon proved typically flippant at the gathering, shrugging that he'd decided on a new look because he was "cheesed off" at his hair ("it was gettin' in me ears") and saying he didn't care whether people saw it as nothing more than a stunt.
Michael X’s connections with these celebrities lent him a degree of legitimacy, but they also obscured the darker elements of his life. He was simultaneously a champion for black rights and a man increasingly entangled in violent criminal activity.
Flight to Trinidad and the Commune
By 1971, facing mounting legal troubles and disillusioned with the state of the Black Power movement in Britain, Michael X fled to Trinidad. There, he established a commune that attracted idealistic followers, including figures like Joseph Skerritt and Gale Benson. What began as an attempt to create a utopian society quickly devolved into a nightmare of paranoia, violence, and death.
In January 1972, police in Trinidad arrived at the scene of a burned-down commune. Inside the ruins, they uncovered the body of Joseph Skerritt, whose throat had been slashed. In another shallow grave, they discovered the decomposed remains of Gale Benson, a young woman who had been stabbed multiple times with a cutlass before being buried alive. Benson, the daughter of a Conservative MP, had become involved with Michael X’s commune through her relationship with Hakim Jamal, an associate of Michael X. She had been going by the name Hale Kimga at the time of her death.
Michael X had ordered the killings of Skerritt and Benson, instructing two of his followers, Stanley Abbott and Edward Chadee, to carry out the murders. Skerritt was killed for refusing to obey orders to attack a local police station, while Benson was reportedly causing "mental strain" to Jamal, prompting Michael X to demand her death. The horrific nature of the murders shocked the public and signalled the complete disintegration of Michael X’s commune.
Capture and Execution
After the bodies were discovered, Michael X went on the run, fleeing to Guyana. He was eventually captured in the Guyanese rainforest during a failed attempt to cross into Brazil. Extradited to Trinidad, Michael X was charged with the murder of Joseph Skerritt. Although he was never tried for the murder of Gale Benson, her death further tarnished his reputation.
Despite pleas for clemency from international figures such as Angela Davis, Dick Gregory, and radical lawyer William Kunstler (paid by John Lennon), Michael X was sentenced to death. He was hanged in Trinidad’s Royal Gaol in May 1975, marking the grim end to a life once filled with promise and revolutionary zeal.
Legacy and Reflection
Michael X’s life is a cautionary tale of a man who rose to prominence through his fiery rhetoric and commitment to black empowerment but ultimately succumbed to violence and criminality. His journey from Trinidad to London, and later back to Trinidad, reflects the broader struggles of the Windrush generation and the tensions faced by black people in post-war Britain.
While Michael X’s radicalism and activism were undoubtedly influential, his legacy is overshadowed by his criminal activities and involvement in murder. Unlike prominent figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X, Michael X remains relatively obscure in British history, a footnote in the broader story of black liberation.
Nevertheless, his life offers valuable lessons about the complexities of activism, the dangers of extremism, and the fine line between revolutionary zeal and violence. Michael X was, as Dhanveer Brar, a lecturer in Black British History, noted, a "deeply flawed" but "necessary figure." His failures helped others to understand what was and wasn’t possible for black radicals in Britain during the 1960s and 1970s.
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