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by Baba Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at
6261 AAAK / 25 July 2021 JC-PG
Africans Deserve Reparations! ‘Cause, Black Lives Matter!
Blessings of IMANI (FAITH) Beloved G-o-ds, Esteemed Elders, Sis-Stars, Bro-Stars, conSPIRITors and Youthful Revolutionaries!
May our Divine Mother-Father Creator of and in All – and incredible Ancients and Ancestors from millennia past, yesteryears and, literally, yesterday – find you and (y)our extended Family in positive and healing Spirit. WE encourage you and yours to continue practicing proven measures for protection against our known enemies, as well as those unseen and unknown destroyers of our precious lives. Asé.
Honoring Our New Ancestors
WE lovingly remember and honor the special contributions of several new Ancestors. They include our beloved Baba Comrade TERRY COLLINS, a great inspirational and revolutionary commUNITY leader, socialist, internationalist and political organizer over many decades in a variety of people’s struggles; early member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense; a key architect in the successful SF State student strike that led to the first Black and ethnic studies departments in the usa; a co-founder and mainstay at our truly independent KPOO radio here in the Bay Area; and, torch-bearer in the Spirit of his dear relatives, like Queen Mother ELLA LITTLE-COLLINS and her younger brother who she helped nurture from a young boy to international status, Minister MALIK SHABAZZ, fka MALCOLM (LITTLE) X. Asé.
Mama CONSUELA AFRICA, of our MOVE Organization in Philadelphia, and former unjustly held political prisoner. She and her husband Frank Edwards had two of their children – KATRICIA, nick-named “Tree,” just 14 years young and ZANETTA, aka “Netta” only 12 – murdered when the criminal “Black” mayor Wilson Goode, the city’s administration and the vicious police department inhumanely BOMBED Osage Avenue on 13 May 1985.
A few months ago, more truth was uncovered that these two babies’ bodies were “researched” at the University of Pennsylvania and later cremated without notification or permission from the parents. May WE Never Forget These Brutal Crimes Against Afrikan Humanity! Ona Move. Asé.
ROBERT “BOB” MOSES is another of the many brave and unsung leaders of the 1960s human rights and civil liberties movement. As Field Secretary for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he left Harlem, New York, in 1961. His purpose: to initiate the Mississippi Project to help register more African American voters in that terrorist state, particularly in majority Black counties.
Soon thereafter, he was a key visionary behind “Freedom Summer,” which recruited and trained hundreds of mostly young Black and white students primarily from Up-South areas to the Down-South usa region to accelerate the organizing for full rights, access to the ballot and equality for Black residents. A number of the Freedom Summer participants were viciously attacked and seriously injured, including Elder Black Moses – as i would call him in later decades.
Several activists, along with local leaders and residents were also murdered by white american terrorists in and out of uniform, who were subsequently acquitted. In the 1980s and 90s, i/WE had the opportunity to meet and work with Elder Black Moses, when WE brought him to our south-side Chicago communities to initiate his innovative Algebra Project with our parents, students and school leaders.
Later, WE would support this brilliant, brave, bold and incredibly humble humane-being in expanding these important teaching tools to other cities, for example to Bay Area neighborhoods like Bayview Hunters Point in San Francisco.
Serendipitously, on the day, 24 July 2021, that Elder Black Moses joined our Ancestors, a beautiful new mural titled “Chain-Breakers,” featuring him, FANNIE LOU HAMER and other contributors was unveiled at Jackson State University, in Mississippi. Asé. Amen. Visit https://twitter.com/JacksonStateU/status/1418964742937382912.
WE also honor our radical fighter for human rights and powerful Black liberation change-maker, GLORIA RICHARDSON. Please study HER story, and many accomplishments. You will learn how some very well-known and moderate all-male leadership controlling the 1963 March on Washington were so afraid of Ms. Richardson inciting the people to street action that they had security forcibly snatch the microphone right after she began her scheduled speech. Asé.
LEONARD CROW DOG, Elder Lakota Medicine Man and Spiritual Leader for the American Indian Movement (AIM) who fought for sovereignty, preservation of native languages and Indigenous rights. After helping lead the rebellion of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in 1973, he was held as a political prisoner by the unjust usa government until mass movements freed him. Asé.
Our friend and comrade ELIZABETH “BETTITA” MARTINEZ, an incredible organizer, educator and writer, particularly regarding the Chicano nation and full equality for women and girls. And, our super-cool friend and classmate, EARL “Mr. Two-Step” SMITH. Asé.
Finally, our sympathies and solidarity are also with the millions of victims and survivors of the worsening planet-wide capitalist corporate-military induced climate chaos and environmental destruction – in the forms of record high temperatures, devastating wildfires, melting tundra, massive flooding, torrential rains, unprecedented storms, as well as, the still unchecked corona viruses and variations now causing more sickness and death around our Alkebulan/Afrika continent, our neighborhoods and globally. Asé.
Long Live the Spirit, legacies and numerous contributions of these new and all our incredible Ancestors. Asé. Asé. Asé-O!
Commemorating Revolutionary Black August
Since the 1970s, led by dedicated prison abolitionists, our movements have turned up the heat, pun intended, by initiating revolutionary Black August. These activists have sought to highlight our movements for unity, resistance and transformation against oppression from inside and outside the prison walls, and righteous rebellions from the plantations to the streets of our cities big and small.
The Prison Hunger Strike movement, for example, is a continuation of these struggles from more than two generations ago. Below, WE highlight and run-back the great wisdom of a key leader and official Black August historian, Baba (Elder) General Kumasi from the August 2019 edition of our San Francisco Bay View. With great Respect and Gratitude for his solid continuing leadership! Asé. Amen.
Ruchell Magee is the sole survivor of that armed liberation attempt. He is the former co-defendant of Angela Davis and has been locked down for 57 years, most of it in solitary confinement.
Black August originated in the California penal system to honor fallen Freedom Fighters Jonathan Jackson, George Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain and Khatari Gaulden. Jonathan Jackson was gunned down outside the Marin County California courthouse on Aug. 7, 1970, as he attempted to liberate three imprisoned Black Liberation Fighters: James McClain, William Christmas and Ruchell Magee.
Ruchell Magee is the sole survivor of that armed liberation attempt. He is the former co-defendant of Angela Davis and has been locked down for 57 years, most of it in solitary confinement. Even after 57 years and at 81 years of life, the parole board recently denied Ruchell three years. WE are sending sacred, healing and loving prayers for him and all our suffering people inside the walls and in our commUNITY.
George Jackson was assassinated by prison guards during a Black prison rebellion at San Quentin on Aug. 21, 1971.
Three prison guards were also killed during that rebellion and prison officials charged six Black and Latino prisoners with the death of those guards. These six brothers became known as the San Quentin Six.
Khatari Gaulden was a prominent leader of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) after Comrade George was assassinated. Khatari was a leading force in the formation of Black August, particularly its historical and ideological foundations. Khatari, like many of the unnamed freedom fighters of the BGF and the revolutionary prison movement of the 1970s, was murdered at San Quentin Prison in 1978 to eliminate his leadership and destroy the resistance movement.
Black August is a time to embrace the principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, physical training and resistance.
The brothers who participated in the collective founding of Black August wore black armbands on their left arm and studied revolutionary works, focusing on the works of George Jackson. The brothers did not listen to the radio or watch television in August. Additionally, they didn’t eat or drink anything from sun-up to sundown; and loud and boastful behavior was not allowed.
The brothers did not support the prison’s canteen. The use of drugs and alcoholic beverages was prohibited and the brothers held daily exercises, because during Black August, emphasis is placed on sacrifice, fortitude and discipline. Black August is a time to embrace the principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, physical training and resistance.
Finally, i offer this apology to the dozens of Brothers and Sis-Stars who have written letters to me over this past period. Please know that WE have not forgotten you. Just overly busy doing our political and literary work as well as handling major personal matters. For some of you, WE have forwarded your correspondence to areas where WE have established connections with hopes our colleagues can better address your issue.
Destination Reparations
On 9 July 2021, the State of California’s Department of Justice held its second meeting of the newly established nine-member “Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act.” The California Reparations Task Force is a result of AB 3121 spear-headed by then Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2020.
It is primarily based on our federal legislation, H.R. 40 and S. 40, that our National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) envisioned, helped introduce first in 1989 and have championed over the past three decades plus. i/WE encourage persons of African ancestry and our allies to seek participation in upcoming California’s Reparations Task Force hearings by going to: https://oag.ca.gov/subscribe
To reach our N’COBRA and become a member, visit our website for updates at www.ncobraonline.org.
Gratitude to Baba Charles Barron, New York State Assemblyman and former member of the Black Panther Party’s Harlem Chapter, for introducing and passing legislation for Reparations in that state’s assembly. That bill now heads to the New York State Senate for debate and passage. Asé.
FREE THEM ALL! Asé. Please visit the website of our Jericho Amnesty Movement to learn more about the specific situations of our many long-suffering political prisoners and brave warriors for justice; as well as how to best assist them at https://thejerichomovement.com/.
Please take a moment to review, consider, sign-on and forward our “Change the Name of the ‘white’ House Petition” to your networks. https://www.change.org/p/u-s-house-of-representatives-change-name-of-white-house
OAKLAND RESIDENTS, PAST AND PRESENT, CONTINUE TO UNITE!
STOP THE A’S AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BILLIONAIRES!
SAY NO TO “WATER-FRONT” CONDOS AND A STADIUM AT OUR PORT OF OAKLAND!
LET THE A’S BUILD AT OUR FULLY ACCESSIBLE COLISEUM IN EAST OAKLAND!
OR LEASE FROM THE GIANTS’ ORACLE PARK IN SAN FRANCISCO!
OR BUILD THEIR “WATER-FRONT” CONDOS AND STADIUM IN THE DESERT OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA! Asé.
As WE urge you to do every month, please help us keep producing and sharing the truth from our San Francisco Bay View newspaper, outside and behind the walls! Send your check or money order in any amount to us at 4917 Third Street, SF, CA 94124. Or go to https://sfbayviewnews.wpenginepowered.com/donate/.
Continue to take (y)our righteous steps knowing our Divine will do the rest. And walk in the Power of IMANI (FAITH) on each and every day. Amen-RA Hotep! Asé.
#BlackLivesMatter #AfricansDeserveReparations #BringOurEldersHomeNow #AbolishPrisonsandPolice #LoveandDefendMotherEarth #BlackNewDeal
Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at traces his ancestral roots to the Yoruba and Ewondo nations in Alkebulan-Afrika. He is a Baba (Elder), Pan Africanist, socialist and (inter)nationalist. He is also a “FREE-tired” community, labor union, environmental/solar and social justice organizer; a writer, composer, yogi, martial artist, vegan and author of several books, including “Many Paths to Kujichagulia (Self-Determination).”
Baba Jahahara is, in addition, a Life Member, former National Male Co-Chair and Acting West Region Rep of N’COBRA. Take a listen to a few songs from his musical catalog at https://soundcloud.com/search?q=baba%20jahahara Invite Baba Jahahara to present at your group, school, spiritual gathering or event c/o support@africansdeservereparations.com or FONAMI, P.O. Box 10963, Oakland, CA 94610.
