Anniversary of Huey P. Newton's Death

“You can jail a Revolutionary, but you can't jail the Revolution” - Huey P. Newton

(Huey P. Newton)

Dr. Huey Percy Newton was born February 17, 1942 in Monroe, Louisiana, USA. In 1945 Newton’s family moved out to Oakland, CA.

(Newton’s high school photo)

He attended Merritt College, San Francisco Law School, and the University of California Santa Cruz where he earned a bachelor's degree and later a Ph.D in social philosophy. In 1964 Newton was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and served 6 months in jail. While attending Merritt College Newton became involved in the politics of the Bay Area. He joined the Afro-American Association and became a member of the fraternity Phi Beta Sigma. He played a role in getting the first African-American History course in Merritt College.  He read the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Frantz Fanon, Malcolm X, Mao Zedong, Durkheim, and Che Guevara during his time at Merritt College. Newton and friend Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense in October of 1966.

(Bobby Seale (Left) and Newton (Right) standing in front of the Black Panther Party HQ)

Bobby Seale became chairman of the organization and Newton became the minister of defense. Many of the Black Panther’s beliefs were influenced by Malcolm X. The party’s goals were included in their 10 point program. They promoted self defense and for Blacks to defend themselves from police brutality and other racially motivated attacks against them. Newton sought to educate those around him about the legality of self-defense while recruiting new members to the party. The Panthers did numerous things for the Bay Area community including founding the Oakland Community School, which provided high-level education to 150 children from impoverished urban neighborhoods. Other Panther programs included the Free Breakfast for Children Program and others that offered dances for teenagers and training in martial arts.

(Newton pictured with the local youth of Oakland, CA) On October 28th 1967 Newton and a friend were pulled over by Oakland Police officers. While trying to arrest Newton and his friend shots were fired and Newton and 2 police officers were wounded. 1 of the officers died from the bullet wounds. No guns were found on Newton or the officer that died. Newton was then arrested and charged for the death of the officer. Newton was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in September of 1968. He was sentenced to 2 to 15 years.

(Newton in jail after being convicted of voluntary manslaughter)

In May of 1970 the conviction was reversed and a new trial was ordered. The charges were dismissed after 2 new trials ending in hung juries. Newton received an invitation to visit the People’s Republic of China in 1970 and visited in 1971. He was greeted by thousands of people that were in support of the Black Panther Party.In 1974 he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Cruz. On August 6th 1974 Newton shot an 18 year old woman after she made him mad after a casual exchange. Newton and his girlfriend fled to Cuba and lived there until 1977.

(Newton’s mugshot)

Newton was acquitted in September of 1978. Newton earned a Ph.D. in social philosophy at the University of California Santa Cruz in 1980.

(Newton at his graduation following earning his Ph.D.)

On August 22nd, 1989 Newton was fatally shot by a Black Guerrilla Family member in Oakland, CA. He was 47 years old.

(Newton’s Funeral)

Today is the 28th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.

Movies Involving Huey P. Newton

• Panther (1995)
• A Huey P. Newton Story (2001)
• The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)

Books Involving Huey P. Newton

• To Die For the People (1972) By Huey P. Newton
• Revolutionary Suicide (1973) By Huey P. Newton
• War Against the Panthers (1980) By Huey P. Newton

Videos including Huey P. Newton

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHL7glIcP4o  “Huey P. Newton, Ishmael Reed & Jawanza Kunjufu On Racism Against Black Men (1988)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyBaZ2KvTRo  “Huey P Newton Interview From Jail”

Anniversary of George Jackson's Death

“Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it's cowardice” - George Jackson

(George Jackson)

George Jackson was born on September 23rd, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. As an adolescent he spent time in the California Youth Authority Corrections facility. In 1961 he was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 1 year to life in prison. While in prison he became involved in revolutionary activity. In 1966 he started to learn about Marxist and Maoist ideology.

(Jackson in 1966)

Also in 1966 he and W.L. Nolen founded the “Black Guerilla Family”. He also joined the Black Panther Party after meeting Huey P. Newton in prison. In 1970 Jackson was convicted of murdering a corrections officer.

(Jackson in 1970)

While being tried in the courtroom Jackson’s younger brother burst into a Marin County courtroom with an automatic weapon, freed prisoners James McClain, William A. Christmas and Ruchell Magee, and took Judge Harold Haley, Deputy District Attorney Gary Thomas, and three jurors hostage to demand the release of his brother among others. In 1971 Jackson met with an attorney on a civil lawsuit Jackson had filed against the California Department of Corrections. After the meeting while being escorted back to his cell a C.O. notices something in his hair and realizes it's a wig and then out of his wig Jackson pulls out a pistol and ordered the C.O. to open the other cells. Other inmates took the guards and 2 inmates hostage.

(Jackson in 1971)

On August 21st, 1971 while trying to escape the prison George Jackson was shot and killed by guards. He was 29 years old.

(Jackson’s Funeral)

Today is the 46th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.

Books by George Jackson

• Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson (1994)
• Blood in My Eye (1996)

Videos of George Jackson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgA7FkV3BJY  “Death of a Revolutionary :George Jacskon Soledad Brother”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Va-wxoJYQ  “George Jackson Speaks! 1971 Prison Interview”

Happy Birthday Stokely Carmichael

“Our grandfathers had to run, run, run. My generation's out of breath. We ain't running no more” - Stokely Carmichael

(Stokely Carmichael)

Stokely Carmichael was born on June 29th, 1941 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. In 1952 he moved to Harlem, NY, USA. He then moved to the East Bronx. He attended Bronx High School of Science. In 1960 he attended Howard university.

(Carmichael in 1960)

While at Howard he joined Nonviolent Action Group (NAG). In 1961 he participated in the Freedom Rides of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). With 8 other activists Carmichael traveled by train from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi, to integrate the formerly "white" section on the train. they encountered white protestors blocking the way. The activists were charged with disturbing the peace, arrested and taken to jail. He served 49 days with other activists at the Parchman State Prison Farm.

(Carmichael's mugshot)

In 1964 he graduated with a philosophy degree. He also joined SNCC. Throughout Freedom Summer, he worked with grassroots African American activists, including Fannie Lou Hamer. During a protest in Maryland Carmichael was hit directly in a chemical gas attack by the National Guard and had to be hospitalized.

(Carmichael in 1964)

In 1965 he participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches. Also in 1965 working as a SNCC activist in the black majority Lowndes County, Carmichael helped to increase the number of registered black voters from 70 to 2,600.

(Carmichael in 1965)

In 1966 Carmichael became chairman of SNCC. Carmichael joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Floyd McKissick, Cleveland Sellers and others to continue James Meredith's march.

(Carmichael (Right) with Dr. King (Left))

After the march Carmichael made a speech using the slogan “Black Power”.

(Carmichael making his “Black Power” speech)

Under Carmichael's term, SNCC continued to maintain a coalition with several white radical organizations, most notably Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). SNCC conducted its first actions against the military draft and the Vietnam War under Carmichael's leadership. Carmichael popularized the oft-repeated anti draft slogan, "Hell no-We won't go!".

(Carmichael making a speech)

In 1967 Carmichael left SNCC. Also in 1967 he wrote the book Black Power. He also visited Guinea, North Vietnam, China, Cuba and the UK in 1967.

(Carmichael (Left) with Kwame Nkrumah (Center) and Shirley Dubois (Right))

In 1968 Carmichael was targeted by FBI COINTELPRO. Also in 1968 after Dr. King’s assassination Carmichael led a group through the streets of Washington D.C., demanding that businesses close out of respect.

(Carmichael in 1968)

Also in 1968 he married Miriam Makeba. In 1969 they moved to Guinea.

(Carmichael (Right) with his wife Miriam Makeba (Left))

He then changed his name to Kwame Ture. In 1971 he published his collected essays in a second book, Stokely Speaks: Black Power Back to Pan-Africanism.

(Carmichael in 1971)

In 1986 Ture was arrested for his past association with Ahmed Touré, and jailed him for three days on suspicion of attempting to overthrow the government. Ture worked with the All-African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) for the rest of his life. He spoke on its behalf on several continents at innumerable college campuses, in community centers and other venues. Great Britain and Trinidad & Tobago banned Ture from speaking there for fear that he would arouse African descended people in those countries. In 1996 Ture was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Ture was treated for a period in Cuba, while receiving some support from the Nation of Islam.

(Ture in 1996)

Benefit concerts for Ture were held in Denver, New York City, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.,to help defray his medical expenses. On November 15th, 1998 Kwame Ture died of Prostate Cancer in Conakry, Guinea. He was 57 years old.

(Ture in 1998)

Today is his 76th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Kwame Ture.

Videos of Kwame Ture

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxrzTsfpPfM  “STOKELY CARMICHAEL POWERFUL SPEECH”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP5_qyGs8c  “Stokely Carmichael "We Ain't Going" Speech”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToPcoNwEGW4  “Clips of Kwame Ture Stokely Carmichael and H Rap Brown Speaking At The Free Huey Rally 1968”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_QbWDoJBvk  “Stokely Carmichael - Passive Boycotts”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOILkkjtg6Y  “Stokley Carmichael interview-excerpt”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLrPQkQR8o  “RBG| Kwame Ture (fna Stokely Carmichael) The Importance of Studying History”

Happy Birthday Kathleen Cleaver

“People have been murdered for less than what the Black Panthers did, so the question was for us: 'Do you want to live on your knees or die on your feet?'” - Kathleen Cleaver

(Kathleen Cleaver)

Kathleen Cleaver was born as Kathleen Neal on May 13th, 1945 in Dallas, Texas, USA. Her family moved around the world to countries such as India, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Philippines.

(Neal in her early 20’s)

In 1963 Neal graduated with high honors from George school. She then attended Oberlin college and barnard college. In 1966 she got a job with the Student nonviolent coordinating committee.

(Neal in 1966)

While in Nashville, TN she met Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver. In 1967 she moved to San Francisco, CA and joined the Black Panther Party.

(Neal in 1967)

She married Eldridge Cleaver the same year.

(Kathleen Cleaver (Left) and Eldridge Cleaver (Right) with their 1st born)

She organized the campaign to free Huey Newton from jail.

(Cleaver in 1967)

In 1968 she ran for California's 18th state assembly district, also as a candidate of the Peace and Freedom party. The Cleaver’s house was raided by police in 1968. In 1969 the Cleavers moved to Algeria in exile.

(Kathleen Cleaver and Eldridge Cleaver in Algeria)

The Cleavers formed a new organization called the Revolutionary People’s Communication Network in 1971. They then moved to New York City, NY. In 1976 Kathleen went to work on the Eldridge Cleaver Defense Fund and he was freed on bail. In 1981 she went back to school and received a scholarship from Yale University. She graduated in 1983. In 2005 Cleaver was selected an inaugural Fletcher Foundation Fellow.

(Cleaver in 2005)

She then worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Yale Law School, and a Senior Lecturer in the African American Studies department at Yale University.

(Cleaver in 2016)

Today she turns 72 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Kathleen Cleaver.

Books by Kathleen Cleaver

• Memories of Love and War (1998)

Videos of Kathleen Cleaver

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUna84ztulU  “Kathleen Cleaver on Natural African Hair”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVuFLPcyZwI  “Kathleen Cleaver interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1L3aQFGhQo  “Bobby Seale and Kathleen Cleaver Press Conference on Murder of Bobby Hutton (1968)”     

Happy Birthday Bobby Hutton

“Am I under arrest? Cause if i’m not under arrest get your hands off me!” - Bobby Hutton

(Bobby Hutton)

Bobby Hutton was born on April 21st, 1950 in Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. At 3 years old his family and him moved to Oakland, CA. Hutton met Black Panther Party founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale at the North Oakland Neighborhood Anti Poverty Center. In 1966 Hutton became the 1st member and the first treasurer of the Black Panther Party.

(Hutton (In glasses) with fellow Black Panthers)

In 1967 Hutton was 1 of 30 Panthers who traveled to the California state capitol in Sacramento to demonstrate against the Mulford Act. Hutton and 4 other panthers were arrested.

(Hutton in front of the Oakland Police Dept.)

On the night of April 6th 1968 Hutton was a part of a group of 12 other panthers led by Eldridge Cleaver to attack Oakland police officers. On that night of April 6th 1968 Hutton was shot 12 times and killed in Oakland, California, USA by the Oakland police officers after they told him to strip down to his underwear. He was 17 years old.

(Hutton’s funeral)

Today is his 67th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Bobby Hutton.   

Videos of Bobby Hutton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g05Sb9CcnE  “Marlon Brando eulogizes Black Panther Bobby Hutton (1968) - from the EDUCATION ARCHIVE”

Anniversary of Bobby Hutton's Death

“Am I under arrest? Cause if i’m not under arrest get your hands off me!” - Bobby Hutton

(Bobby Hutton)

Bobby Hutton was born on April 21st, 1950 in Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. At 3 years old his family and him moved to Oakland, CA. Hutton met Black Panther Party founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale at the North Oakland Neighborhood Anti Poverty Center. In 1966 Hutton became the 1st member and the first treasurer of the Black Panther Party.

(Hutton (In glasses) with fellow Black Panthers)

In 1967 Hutton was 1 of 30 Panthers who traveled to the California state capitol in Sacramento to demonstrate against the Mulford Act. Hutton and 4 other panthers were arrested.

(Hutton in front of the Oakland Police Dept.)

On the night of April 6th 1968 Hutton was a part of a group of 12 other panthers led by Eldridge Cleaver to attack Oakland police officers. On that night of April 6th 1968 Hutton was shot 12 times and killed in Oakland, California, USA by the Oakland police officers after they told him to strip down to his underwear. He was 17 years old.

(Hutton’s funeral)

Today is the 49th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.  

Videos of Bobby Hutton

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g05Sb9CcnE  “Marlon Brando eulogizes Black Panther Bobby Hutton (1968) - from the EDUCATION ARCHIVE”

Happy Birthday Spike Lee

“It comes down to this: black people were stripped of our identities when we were brought here, and it's been a quest since then to define who we are” - Spike Lee

(Spike Lee)

Spike Lee was born as Shelton Lee on March 20th, 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. As a child his family moved to Brooklyn, NY. He then got the nickname “Spike” as a child.

(Lee in high school)

Lee attended Morehouse college in Atlanta, GA. He graduated with a BA from Morehouse in Mass Communication. In 1985 Lee began on his 1st feature film She’s Gotta Have It. The film released in 1986 and earned $7 million at the US box office.

(Lee in She’s Gotta Have It (1986))

In 1989 Lee’s film Do the Right Thing (1989) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

(Lee in Do the Right Thing(1989))

In 1990 Lee’s film Mo’ Better Blues was accused of antisemitism by the Anti-Defamation League and several film critics. Lee denied the charges, Lee said that he would not release an anti semitic film because Jews run Hollywood. In 1991 Lee taught a course at Harvard about filmmaking. In 1993 Lee began to teach at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In the mid 90’s Lee produced TV commercials for Levi’s jeans. Also Spike Lee joined with Michael Jordan to promote Air Jordan sneakers.

(Michael Jordan (Left) and Lee (Right))

In 1997 Lee’s film 4 Little Girls was nominated for the Best Feature Documentary Academy Award. In 2007 Spike Lee was honored with the San Francisco Film Society's Directing Award. In 2008 he received the Wexner Prize. In 2012 after the shooting of Trayvon Martin, Spike Lee was one of many people who used Twitter to circulate a message which claimed to give the home address of the shooter George Zimmerman.

(Lee in 2012)

In 2013 Lee won The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. In 2015 Lee received an Academy Honorary Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his contributions to film. Lee is the director, writer, and producer of the MyCareer story mode in the video game NBA 2K16.

(Lee in 2015)

Today is his 60th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday Spike Lee.

Spike Lee’s filmography

• Joe’s Bed Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983)
• She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
• School Daze (1988)
• Do the Right Thing (1989)
• Mo’ Better Blues (1990)
• Jungle Fever (1991)
• Malcolm X (1992)
• Crooklyn (1994)
• Clockers (1995)
• Lumiere and Company (1995)
• Girl 6 (1996)
• Get on the Bus (1996)
• 4 Little Girls (1997)
• He Got Game (1998)
• Freak (1998)
• Pavarotti and Friends for the Children of Liberia (1998)
• Summer of Sam (1999)
• Pavarotti and Friends for the Guatemala and Kosovo (1999)
• The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)
• Bamboozled (2000)
• A Huey P. Newton Story (2001)
• The Concert for New York City (2001)
• 25th Hour (2002)
• Jim Brown: All American (2002)
• Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002)
• She Hate Me (2004)
• Sucker Free City (2004)
• Inside Man (2006)
• When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006)
• Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
• Passing Strange (2008)
• Kobe Doin’ Work (2009)
• If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise (2010)
• Red Hook Summer (2012)
• Bad 25 (2012)
• Oldboy (2013)
• Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (2013)
• Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2014)
• Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife (2014)
• Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store (2014)
• Chi-Raq (2015)
• Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016)

Videos of Spike Lee

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muc7xqdHudI  “DO THE RIGHT THING - Trailer - HQ”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd9oTGr_1DA  “She'S Gotta Have It - Trailer”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLT3Qu76-bw  “School Daze TRAILER”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx4sEvhYeVE  “Malcolm X (1992) Official Trailer - Denzel Washington Movie HD”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njLUPZr4DeU  “He got Game Trailer”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMZ6zp-3oGY  “Spike Lee's Bamboozled Trailer”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGTuuj-aTJs  “Chi-Raq Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Wesley Snipes, Teyonah Parris Movie HD”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNpI-VIlONw  “Spike Lee Interview: "Do The Right Thing" 25 Years Later”