BLACK AUGUST
STUDY, TRAIN, FIGHT, FAST.
STUDY
Black August is a revolutionary holiday created in the 1970s to celebrate the life of George Jackson who was killed August 21, 1971 in San Quentin penitentiary. Since then, the movement has grown to include many revolutionary figures who all seem to have a connection with August, whether it’s birth, death, a milestone, or an action.
This Black August we’ve decided to make the connection between America’s foundational enslavement practice to its modern day counterpart, the prison industrial complex.
AUGUST 21, 1831
A revolt was launched under the leadership of Nat Turner which lasted four days and resulted in over fifty enslavers and their families being subjected to revolutionary people’s justice. This is the largest recorded enslaved rebellion in the United States history, however there were many more.
Turner was inspired to action by what he considered to be a sign from God, a solar eclipse in February 1831. He claimed that he saw the hand of a black man blocking out the sun.
“I had a vision - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams - and I heard a voice saying, 'Such is your luck, such are you called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bear it.’” - Nat Turner
In 1865, following the end of the Civil War along with the pressures of rising rebellion among oppressed peoples, the 13th amendment was passed. This amendment would effectively abolish enslavement-- except for punishment for a crime.
Enslavement never ended, forced labor just gained a new name and arena for “justified” profit. Today, the U.S. has 2M+ incarcerated people, many working for cents per hour. Agribusiness benefits heavily from incarcerated labor, echoing plantation economics.
GEORGE L. JACKSON
George L. Jackson was an American author, and revolutionary. Incarcerated for armed robbery in 1960, George Jackson was sentenced 1 year to life for stealing $71. He served 11 years in prison before his Death in 1971. During his time incarcerated, Jackson followed the path of ideological transformation and involved himself in revolutionary activity.
"I met Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Engels, and Mao when I entered prison and they redeemed me."
In 1970, he was one of three prisoners charged with the murder at Soledad Prison of corrections officer John V. Mills, allegedly in retaliation for the shooting deaths of three black inmates by a white prison guard several days prior. These men would become known as the Soledad Brothers.
AUGUST 21, 1971
Jackson was killed by prison guards during an alleged escape attempt at San Quentin State Prison, in which three guards and two inmates were killed. Jackson never went to trial for the Mills murder.
Black August is a time for studying, training, fasting, and fighting. A time to learn how to best resist the forces against us and the CONNECTIONS of their history up to now.
We encourage you to reflect on ways you can divest from companies and institutions that exploit prison labor. Be conscious of where you spend your dollars.
SHOP THE COLLECTION
SHOP THE COLLECTION
SHOP THE COLLECTION AND SUPPORT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE SYSTEM.
All orders come with a SIXTH DEGREE branded bookmark and resource guide and profits will be directed to Books Beyond Bars NY in order to support efforts to provide books for incarcerated people.
“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”
- Frederick Douglass