by Comrade Kelvin Khaysi Canada
Ten years ago, in 2005, two revolutionized comrades, Shaka Zulu, now the chairman, and Kevin Rashid Johnson, now minister of defense, came up with the concept to create the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter in reflection of the Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter that was originally created in 1971 by Comrades W.L. Nolen and George Jackson to fight against injustice and abuse as well as in-prison criminalization of prisoners who resisted being victims.
It is revolutionary and historically blasphemous to compare the conditions of today’s plantations to the plantations of antiquity. Nonetheless, the need for a NABPP-PC today is just as imperative as it was when Comrades W.L. and George created the original BPP-PC, because the same prison injustice and abuse still persist, just in more modern forms. Comrades George and W.L. knew that the only way to effectively extinguish this injustice and abuse was via mobilization and political proselytization of the oppressed prisoner population of all races, nationalities and creeds.
Comrades Shaka and Rashid resurrected these same revolutionary and ideological sentiments in 2005. For the past 10 years, comrades from the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter have honorably continued the fight and struggle that Comrades George and W.L. started and will honorably continue from inside these plantation walls as well as in society.
What Comrades George and W.L. created in 1971 and what Comrades Shaka and Rashid recreated in 2005 wasn’t about romanticizing in-prison injustice and abuse that prisoners were being subjected to under the guise of rehabilitation or restoring order. It was about making the oblivious public aware of these often concealed injustices and abuses and creating a synthesis by proselytizing and mobilizing the oppressed prisoner population.
This is the ideological foundation of the NABPP-PC. And for 10 years, comrades have served this revolutionary initiative with “Pantherism.” Without the sacrifices, fortitude and persistence of the comrades before us, the NABPP-PC wouldn’t exist.
So on behalf of all the comrades I want to say, “Revolutionize in peace.” I’d also like to conclude by paying a revolutionary tribute to the NABPP-PC founders Shaka Zulu and Kevin Rashid Johnson. It’s not about self-praise and individualism, but it’s only right to acknowledge y’all’s relentless contributions y’all continue to make in developing and progressing the NABPP-PC movement.
Y’all continue under extreme oppression and repression to be the voice for the voiceless, the eyes for the blind, the backbone for the spineless and the muscle for the weak. We all salute y’all and will continue to stand in solidarity with y’all to extinguish these in-prison injustices and abuses. If we don’t do it, who will?
Happy 10th anniversary to the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter from
- Kelvin Khaysi Canada, 1050088
- Mujahid Qawitt, 1053675
- Michael Che Jackson-Hunter, 1079574
- Markeese Bunchy Carter-Jones, 1446668
- Kevin Core Scott, 1453174
- Lord Infinite Allan, 1070674
- Kamau Pit Mukuria, 1197165
- Christopher City Robinson, 1407444
All are at Red Onion State Prison, P.O. Box 1900, Pound VA 34274.