Dr. Mark Bolden returned this week to join us in a discussion of George Jackson and Black August. We heard music from Burning Spear, Archie Shepp and Oddisee, as well as, clips from the motion picture film Black August. During our discussion we referenced this article calling the film a “lie” and agreed that Jackson’s works themselves are far more important. Soledad Brother and Blood in My Eye are essential pieces of political philosophy and demonstrate the brilliance of Jackson’s writing and analysis.
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So far no film has been produced that would give viewers any real insight as to who George Jackson was and why he is so well respected as a leader and architect of the revolutionary black prisoners movement that not only still exists today,but has a membership in most state and federal prisons thru-out the u.s., which comes to public attention only when wardens cannot suppress the news of events like massive hunger strikes accompanied by manifestos and exposition papers revealing the continued inhumane treatment of prisoners that is denied by all branches and levels of authority and government. The best way to understand George Jackson is to read his publications…Prison letters, or Soledad Brother, and Blood in my eye, where he explains the life of the oppressed, the fact that inspite of the emergence of a black bourgeoise class in post slavery america and the mass collusion of members of that class with their captors and tormentors that true freedom has never been the experience of the black man in america. He further explains the road to freedom for all people that must be taken in order to achieve such, which is the overthrow and doing away with once and for all, the institutionalized means of enslaving and exploiting anyone anywhere, and accepting new ideas and new rules of government conduct that for the most part will never again make it possible. It was to this that he dedicated and gave his life. Movies tend to fictionalize his character and eliminate altogether his process of development and don’t reveal how his genius and intestinal fortitude gained him the respect he deserved.It has been 41 years since his assassination at San Quentin Prison and the falsified reports about how and why it took place. Now he is embraced by prisoners political and non political alike all over the nation and as a result it is the rule of almost every prison that his name not be spoken or written without punishment being brought against those found guilty of either or both.Furthermore, all of his comrades and followers have been persecuted to the fullest extant wherever they can be found, and this has been the case since 1971. Kumasi
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