Black August Is More Important Than Ever
As we pay tribute to the political prisoners and revolutionaries of the past, this month is a reminder that Black resistance to white supremacy and oppression is still very necessary.
With hints of Juneteenth, Kwanzaa and Black History Month, but also something very different, Black August is a time to honor Black political prisoners, freedom fighters, radicals and revolutionaries past and present, and commemorate the struggle against racist oppression, colonialism and imperialism. The fight for Black freedom and resistance to state violence and repression is ongoing, and we live in a time when liberation should be on our minds—all the time.
In Mississippi, the suspicious deaths of Nolan Xavier Wells and Tasia Fortune, who was recently found hanging from a tree, are a reminder that Black people are neither safe nor free. From the #BlackLivesMatter response to Mike Brown in Ferguson, George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville and many others, to the Montgomery Riverfront Brawl and the mobilization against ICE, Cop City and the Gaza genocide, Black resistance is in full view.
Black August originated in the American gulags, specifically San Quentin State Prison in California. In 1979, the Black Guerilla Family—a group of Black Power revolutionaries imprisoned in San Quentin—started Black August to commemorate and honor fallen comrades such as George Jackson, Jonathan Jackson, William Christmas, Khatari Gaulden, James McClain, W.L. Nolan and other prison revolutionaries who were assassinated by the state.
During the month of Black August, participants engage in the principles of “study, fast, train, fight.” People may consider fasting and exercise, activism, organizing and strengthening community ties, education and political study.
“This month is a time to reflect and learn about the legacies of Black revolutionaries, while we rededicate ourselves to the protracted struggles against white supremacy, colonialism, capitalism, and imperialism. We study, plan, and pledge to continue the work and fight for Black liberation,” said Monifa Bandele of MomsRising.
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