Khadijah Farrakhan, wife of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, dies at 90

CHICAGO — Khadijah Farrakhan, the wife of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, died on Saturday at the age of 90, the organization announced. She had worked alongside her husband for 72 years and played an active role in the movement's leadership. Born Betsy Ross, Khadijah married Louis Walcott in Boston in 1953, and the couple had nine children. She converted to Islam in 1955 and joined the Nation of Islam the same year alongside her husband. The movement, founded in the United States in 1930, combines Islamic principles with Black nationalist thought and seeks to improve the socioeconomic conditions of African Americans. It is known for its work in combating drug use and crime and in prisoner rehabilitation, though some human rights organizations have classified it as a hate group. The couple's base was the Mosque of Mary in Chicago's South Side, widely known as the movement's headquarters.