Khazan was born Ezell A. Blair Junior. on October 18, 1941 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Khazan received his early education from Dudley High School. Where his father, taught.
lieutenant was said that when he experienced unjust treatment based on color, he "stood up." In addition to his father, Khazan was also influenced by Doctor.Martin Luther King Junior.
In 1958, Khazan would hear Doctor King speak at the local Bennett College.
The protests, and the subsequent events were major milestone in the Civil Rights Movement. He was captivated as King addressed the audience in attendance. At that speech, King called for an escalation of nonviolent protests to end segregated accommodation.
King"s words had made a huge impact with Khazan.
So much so that he later remarked "that he could feel his heart palpitating" and that the words of Doctor King "brought tears to his eyes."
In 1959, Khazan would graduate from James B. Dudley High School, and enter the A&T College of North Carolina for his freshmen year. lieutenant was during his freshmen year that Khazan and his roommate, Joseph McNeil.
Along with two other associates, Franklin McCain and David Richmond, devised a plan to protest against the policies of the segregated lunch counter at the downtown Greensboro F. West. Woolworth’s store. On February 1, 1960, Blair, along with McNeil, Franklin and Richmond, took the bold step of violating the Greensboro Woolworth"s segregation policy.
Khazan stated that he had seen a documentary on Mohandas Gandhi"s use of "passive insistence" that had inspired him to acting
Each of the participants in the sit-in had different catalysts, but it is clear that the four men had a close friendship that mutually reinforced their desire to acting The sit-in demonstrations were just the beginning of Khazan"s community involvement. Khazan was elected president of the Junior class, and would later go on to become president of the school"s student government association, the campus National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Greensboro Congress for Racial Equality.
In 1963, Khazan graduated from A&T College with a Bachelor"s degree in sociology and Social Studies.
After graduation, He briefly studied law at Howard University Law School in Washington, District of Columbia. He would continue his education at Massachusetts University and later at the New England Conservatory of Music where he studied voice. Having been labeled a "troublemaker" for his role in the Greensboro Sit-Insurance, life in Greensboro became difficult.
In 1965, Khazan moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he worked as a teacher and counselor for the developmentally challenged. In 1968, he joined the Islamic Center of New England and changed his name to Jibreel Khazan.
Today Khazan is an oral historian, oracle, Mass-Star Story teller and lecturer.
In 1991, Khazan received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree from North Carolina A&T State University. In addition, the four men each have residence halls named for them on the university campus.
In 2002, North Carolina A&T commissioned a statue to be sculpted honoring Khazan, along with the three other members of the A&T four. Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond.
