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Who Was Michael X?

by BBC Sounds

Who’s Michael X? A fascinating documentary series investigating Michael ‘X’ Abdul Malik who became Britain’s preeminent Black Power leader of his age, but yet has been forgotten to the folds of time. Malik participated in seminal moments in the black British experience. A friend to the highest and lowest and never far from scandal, his journey took him into the heart of the establishment. This immersive series brings to life a story replete with intrigue, major crime, espionage, and murder. Through his Black experience, this series will uncover the systemic remnants of empire that have sculpted the present UK.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 16, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Requiem for an Illusion

    After an audacious escape attempt to Brazil via the Amazon jungle, Michael is imprisoned once more and held on charges of murder. Found guilty, he exhausts legal appeals, despite the help of a slew of celebrities and prominent lawyers like Geoffrey Robertson. He meets his fate at the hands of the...

  2. From the Dead Level

    Michael is back in his home country. Escaping the looming court case for assault in the UK, he relocates to Trinidad with his family, setting up home in Christina Gardens, Arima. Once again, he embarks on a series of projects - creating a commune, a black liberation army and an alternative...

  3. The Black House

    Michael is released after serving a year in prison for hate speech. Undaunted, he returns to his activism, this time creating the Black House on Holloway Road. Supported by the likes of John Lennon, Sammy Davis Junior and a major benefactor called Nigel Samuels, it still descends into crime and...

  4. Black Power

    Black Power comes to the UK in the form of Stokeley Carmichael. He speaks at the Dialectics of Liberation conference with Michael on stage beside him. In the country only for a short time, as he is swiftly kicked out by the British state, Stokeley still manages to inspire black activists like...

  5. Blood of an Englishman

    It’s the swinging sixties and Michael X has risen to national fame as an outspoken and radical black leader. He moves between worlds as a hustler, activist and beatnik. As he becomes part of the underground counter culture movement, drugs and poetry flow along with fantasies of creating a better...

  6. Malcolm X

    It’s 1965 and Michael is searching for a higher meaning to life. In London he meets the man who will change his life forever, Malcolm X. They travel together to Smethwick on the outskirts of Birmingham to protest the racial actions of the local Conservative council. Just 11 days later Malcolm is...

  7. Mother Country

    Making a home in the slums of Notting Hill, Michael and others of the Windrush generation find that instead of being welcomed to the UK as fellow Brits they are discriminated against and rejected. This area is one of the epicentres of the black experience in Britain and tensions are heightened by...

  8. Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?

    Born in the midst of empire, Michael grows up conflicted, raised by a mother indoctrinated to loath her own skin colour. We examine this identity crisis within a historical context that reaches out to touch us in the present, showing the difficulty of being mixed race in the UK today and the...

  9. Introducing Who Was Michael X?

    Who was Michael X? A fascinating documentary series investigating Michael ‘X’ Abdul Malik who became Britain’s most famous Black Power leader of his age, but yet has been forgotten to the folds of time. Malik participated in seminal moments in the Black British experience. A friend to society’s...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Who’s Michael X? A fascinating documentary series investigating Michael ‘X’ Abdul Malik who became Britain’s preeminent Black Power leader of his age, but yet has been forgotten to the folds of time. Malik participated in seminal moments in the black British experience. A friend to the highest and lowest and never far from scandal, his journey took him into the heart of the establishment. This immersive series brings to life a story replete with intrigue, major crime, espionage, and murder. Through his Black experience, this series will uncover the systemic remnants of empire that have sculpted the present UK.

HOSTED BY

BBC Sounds

Produced by BBC

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Who Was Michael X? have?

Who Was Michael X? currently has 9 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Who Was Michael X? about?

Who’s Michael X? A fascinating documentary series investigating Michael ‘X’ Abdul Malik who became Britain’s preeminent Black Power leader of his age, but yet has been forgotten to the folds of time. Malik participated in seminal moments in the black British experience. A friend to the highest and...

How often does Who Was Michael X? release new episodes?

Who Was Michael X? has 9 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Who Was Michael X??

You can listen to Who Was Michael X? on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Who Was Michael X??

Who Was Michael X? is created and hosted by BBC Sounds.
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