George L. Jackson (1941 – 1971) was a Black American revolutionary, activist, and theoretician who became a member of the Black Panther Party while in prison. Similar to Malcolm X, he studied while behind bars and became a leading figurehead behind the revolutionary prison movement.
Jackson was born in Chicago and moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of fourteen. As a teenager he had numerous run-ins with the law and at the age of eighteen he was accused of stealing $70 from a gas station. Although there was evidence of his innocence, Jackson’s court appointed lawyer told him to plead guilty to the armed robbery charge because it would mean a lesser sentence. He did and received an indeterminate sentence of one year to life. Jackson was never granted parole and would ultimately be gunned down by prison guards.
LIFE IN PRISON
‘Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson’ (click to purchase)
While incarcerated at Soledad Prison in Salinas, CA., Jackson studied the works of Mao Zedong, Frantz Fanon, and Fidel Castro. He also studied political economy, radical theory and developed strong ideas viewing capitalism as the source of the oppression of people of color. Jackson became the leader in the politicization of Black and Chicano prisoners in Soledad and during this time he authored two books, Blood in My Eye and Soledad Brother, which became bestsellers and brought him world-wide attention.
On January 16, 1970 in response to the death of three Black Muslims, a white guard (John Mills) was killed; Jackson, Fleeta Drumgo, and John Clutchette were accused of the murder. The three became known as the “Soledad Brothers.”
The fate of the Soledad Brothers became an international cause, which focused on the treatment of blacks in prison. The publication of Jackson’s book Soledad Brother that same year added to his visibility. For many supporters the issue was the belief that the Soledad Brothers were victims of a prison conspiracy.
In August of 1970, Jackson’s teenage brother Jonathan was killed in a shoot out at the Marin County Courthouse in an attempt to rescue his brother. The shotgun used in the escape attempt was registered to fellow Black Panther member, Angela Davis. Davis, who once dated George Jackson, would eventually be exonerated of all charges.
JACKSON’S DEATH
On August 21, 1971, three days before he was to go on trial, George Jackson was gunned down in the prison yard at San Quentin during an alleged escape attempt. The official report said that he was armed and had participated in a prison revolt earlier in the day, which had left five men (two guards and three prisoners) dead. Accounts of this incident remain conflicting to this day and many believe he was murdered in an attempt to silence his cause. Many in the Black Power Movement and the New Left eulogized Jackson as a martyr and a hero.
‘BLACK AUGUST’ MOVIE
Gary Dourdan (popularly known for his work on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), brings new life to the story of George L. Jackson in the movie, Black August.
I viewed an early release of the DVD this week and it is definitely worth your time.
Featuring a stand out performance by Dourdan, Black August is scheduled to be released on DVD on February 15th, in celebration of Black History Month. Make sure you check it out.
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Starting this month, Concrete Loop will post ‘Black History Spotlights’ featuring Black people who have made an impact on history. These features aren’t exclusive to ‘Black History Month,’ I just thought it was the perfect time to put them in rotation. Submissions are welcomed.
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Thank you for something new and not the same faces. Happy black history month!
yehh ..SO INSPERATIONAL ! x
lovely addition to the website!
gracias.
excellent information
Good looking out on all the political and educational posts.
thank you! i love the idea of black history spotlights
we are beautiful…beautiful….BEAUTIFUL!
I’ve been meaning to read Soladad Brother for years now…
Mos def will check it out.
thanks for the black history shine…
keep em coming!
Great pick Angel. Like many others who die at a young age, George Jackson was ahead of his time. His letters from prison really got to me when I read the book some years ago.
I’m proud that a young black woman is stepping the blogging game up each time by offering new information to our community is smart educational ways. LOVES IT!
thank-you cl
yay!
i’m so happy you all are doing this. and i accept the disclaimer. this is the perfect time for it, but please continue this after february.
Step it up Angel! I learned something new AND useful today! And it wasnt from J. D.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GREAT! but you guys should do this more often…not only in feb…Im sure there are plenty of black people to talk about all year long! i didnt even realize the month changed until i seen this post..BUT GREAT POST! Ive never heerd of him b4
I’m glad CL is stepping up their game and adding more informative and insightful posts for their readers to soak up. It’s such a beautiful thing. Keep up the good work!
A lot of the young readers (maybe even older folks as well) need to be informed and aware about their history and what’s going on today as well within the black community. Also as you have been doing, keeping us in check with the political issues occuring today.
I love it!!
@ 14. Did you read the disclaimer at the end of the post?
“Starting this month, Concrete Loop will post ‘Black History Spotlights’ featuring Black people who have made an impact on history. These features aren’t exclusive to ‘Black History Month,’ I just thought it was the perfect time to put them in rotation. Submissions are welcomed.”
Anyway, thanx CL visitors. After viewing ‘Black August’ and doing some research on George Jackson, I thought he was a good person to start with. As stated submissions are welcomed.
Great post to start Black History Month! For more info, read Remembering the Real Dragon- An Interview with George Jackson May 16 and June 29, 1971
Interview by Karen Wald and published in Cages of Steel: The Politics Of Imprisonment In The United States
CL, this was very informative. I will definitely check out this movie. It’s sad, how people try to keep us as black people on the hush. Black History should definitely be everyday! Keep ‘em coming CL.
He was a prolific brother who made some bad choices early on. When you say GANGSTER…. all of these street posers and idots w/guns drugs and no vision are nothing. The term GANGSTER is so simplistic and nonproductive. Jackson was considered a gangster by some, but to me, after reading his works and learning of his journey through friends of his like Dr. Angela Davis… I find this man to have been a visionary.
ANGEL I love you for this post. I’m a faithful Concreteloop visitor but I don’t comment often. I was shocked to see George Jackson posted when I logged on today. I was like is that who I think it is? Damn you really kicked off Black History month with an important person who holds a history and story that needs to be told and known. It’s nice to see Black folx being recognized for what they have contributed to the race outside of just the acknowledgment of entertainers. Keep the amazing post coming.
ARE THERE ANY INSPIRATIONAL STORIES OUT THERE THAT DO NOT INVOLVED BLACK MEN & PRISION?
I like to hear stories about black folks who grew up deep in the hood but never develop the “I’M SO HOOD MENTALITY”! While their high school buddies were having baby after baby, they were getting degree after degree. The ones who eventually came back to the hood & gave back through mentoring.
I GUESS IF A JAIL HOUSE STORY IS NOT ATTACHED, IT JUST DOESN’T SELL!
For those who play with this kind of knowledge….. (18) Please stop. Ignorance is NOT bliss. It’s just ignorance. Do us all a favor and Superman to another forum please.
This was a great post. I am interested in reading what he had to say in his books.
@ 21. Before jumping to conclusions, maybe you should read up on George Jackson. He was a visionary in my opinion and he basically became a political prisoner because of his views.
He shouldn’t have been in prison that long on “indeterminate sentence of one year to life.” They knew what they were doing. They didn’t even allow him to receive visits from most of his family, once he spread the word of prison corruption. Imagine going to prison at 18 and not being to able to at least get a visit from your girl or your mother. He was no saint, but don’t downgrade his importance. Read at least one of his books and then come back here with that.
If you feel someone should get a ‘Black History Spotlight’, you should submit their story to me via the contact form.
I’m loving all the new additions to the site. People who may not seek out this type of information will be guaranteed to get a good dose of it here.
o0o nope i didnt read it lool…ahwelll i stand corrected in one sense
CONCRETE LOOP:
Feedin’ and Fillin’ Hungry and Sometimes Ignant Minds On A Daily Basis.
Thanks for the history shout, Angel!
wooow #21 grace….
Bravo to CL….we need to be educated and reminded that not that long ago we were treated unfairly and unjustly, and times have not changed that much. Look how many Afro-Americans are jailed falsely and after 20 years released with just an apology. We had better wake up. Here in Los Angeles, Arnold builds jails/prisons just for us blacks.
Barack spoke about prison reform, we’d better listen cause our skin color still matters, no matter what they say or do. Here they treat our lives like a ball game; three strikes and your OUT!
BLACK AMERICIA IT’S TIME WE UNITE AND LOVE EACH OTHER BECAUSE TOMORROW IT MAY BE U.
Didn’t learn anything about this in history class…
@ 21 Grace
George Jackson is a seminal figure in Modern Black History. Like Hurricane Carter, Sonny Carson, Petey Greene, and of course, X, he might have deservedly gone to prison, but what he accomplished during and after that time moved us forward in a positive way.
No hate, but perhaps you should brush up a little more on him.
Make that Feedin’ and Nourishin’
yp, dats wot we need, a little black history to put us in our place!
I love this idea…CL got new fresh ideas to keep them ahead of the game…I love it
Keep doing your thing CL!!!!!!!
Thank you for the information! I look forward to future posts. Sistahs and brotahs we need to know our history! Educate yourselves!!
For those of you who have an interest in learning more about how George Jackson was framed or Bunchie Carter was framed or Assata Shakur was framed, a very good place to start is a small book called War at Home by Brian Glick. It details the creation of the COINTELPRO that was created by President Hoover (Counter Intelligence Program) that tracked so called domestic terrorists…they once labled Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X as domestic terrorists, so it is no suprise that the panthers were on their list. I believe largely that the panthers were feared the most not because of their nationalism (black power ideaology) but for their repudiation of capitalism and their understanding of it as the true root of our oppression.
Here is a link to War at Home
http://books.google.com/b...C&printsec=frontcover
Also if there are any of you who want to better understand what capitalism is…I recommend starting with Manning Marable’s How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America followed by Fanon, Castells, and Chomsky
http://books.google.com/b...m17IkU6jbziDyNS2xGVBm4JxQ
Frantz Fanon – both Wretched of the Earth & Black Skin White Masks are good reads
http://books.google.com/b...;sig=VjmYTv70uQlftb943hd7
WGQEa1c
Manuel Castells
http://books.google.com/b...q=Manuel+Castells&lr=
Noam Chomsky
http://books.google.com/b...uA0qQ6IMflV3x1SkibjrqTi9k
This is very inspiring!!!… I’l make sure to check it out!!!
CL is on FIYA!!! Thanks for informational/educational inclusions on your site!! Our school systems sure aren’t teaching our history in school.
Wooooowww…breathtaking…really…
Very inspirational!
@ 35 – thanks for the info!
i am SO happy to see Concrete Loop posting info like this! you all are truly in a class by yourselves, bypassing all that negative hoodrat stuff.
wow…i ABSOLUTELY LOVE this website…beats all the other Black gossip blogs by far!
I had never heard of him b4 today this was very interesting to read
@29 could u remove that pic thats a bit much, have some class
You learn something every day, there are so many black americans who contributed to our society without recognition,thakns CL for shedding light on those individuals.
@23 Didn’t they make a movie about this Brotha before?I think Berney Casey and Ron O’Neal and Lonette Magee were in the original?
Thanks for the enlightenment! I would suggest a weekly black history segment to hopefully educate your young readers. Because as you know, the only one who is going to tell our stories is us.
Interesting I can’t wait to read more. I will check out movie.
Thank you so much for these posts. Bossip is my ish but this is where I come for the real intellectual info. Love it.
Wow Angel, great piece. I had never heard this story before, and I thought I was pretty educated about black history.
Angel, thank you for this. Obviously everybody visiting this site aint built for this, but I appreciate it.
Thanks for the reminder that despite our personal struggles in life we are not alone. Being able to feed off the strength of those before us and those around us helps make me stronger and I wish the same for generations to come.
is it just me or does he look like Q-tip
thank you for refreshing black history news!
p.s. is it me or does he resemble Q-tip
Wow, that was just mind blowing! Crazy times to be living in the 1960s and 70s, just crazy!
Excellent Job CL in the Black History Post…. A very Good Look.
I am definitely going to get the Black August DVD.
OMG this movie looks wonderful.
cooncreteloop, thanks for the informative summary on him made me intersted in Mr.Jackson even more!!!
WOW , I NEVER EVEN KNEW HIS STORY… THATS SAD… THANKS CL*****
he kinda looks like Obama.
sorry I meant @24
wonderful post! wonderful!