Why do we observe Black August? As amerikkkan citizens in the belly of the beast of the imperial hegemonic authoritarian empire, we believe it is our duty to study the works of the revolutionaries before us and honor their traditions.
As a space for queer people which promotes queer liberation, Palestinian liberation and liberation for all marginalized and oppressed peoples throughout the world, as well as being in the very location where the Jackson brothers were murdered in cold blood by fascist pigs (and where the Black Panthers began!), we strongly believe that learning and honoring the words and traditions of the revolutionaries who were born and who struggled here is a part of our mission as people of conscience.
“Black August is a call for reflection, study, and action to promote Black liberation. Its roots go back to California prisons in the 1970s, during a period of sustained struggle and resistance against racialized violence against Black imprisoned people, especially those calling for Black liberation and challenging state power. Ignited by the deaths of Jonathan and George Jackson in August 1970 and August 1971, and honoring others who gave their lives including Khatari Gualden, William Christmas and James McClain, a group of imprisoned people came together to develop a means of honoring that sacrifice and promoting Black liberation.
While August is significant because of the deaths of the Jackson brothers, it is also a month with many other significant moments in Black history in the United States including the formation of the Underground Railroad, Nat Turner’s rebellion, the March on Washington, the Haitian Revolution, the Fugitive Slave Law Convention, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the births of Marcus Garvey, Russell Maroon Shoatz, and Fred Hampton to the death of W.E.B du Bois.
So there was an idea that this could be a time that imprisoned people in the California prison system could use for reflection, study, and to think about how to strengthen their struggles. During the month, people wouldn’t use radios or television, would fast between sun up and sun down, and practice other measures of self-discipline.”
Excerpt from Black Liberation and the Abolition of the Prison Industrial Complex: An Interview with Rachel Herzing (NoNameBooks.com) For more book recommendations and explanations of Black August, check out this substack post from Traci Thomas: The Nonfiction Files 6: Black August.
We are excited to announce that we will be offering The Black Panther Newspaper as free reading materials in the store (wanna take one home? A few bucks in our tips jar or a donation to our Mazlo campaign would be appreciated!) – you can sign up for your own newspaper and support them here: thebpp.us/newspaper
Additionally, please consider starting your monthly or annual Shuumi Land Tax to the Sogorea Te Land Trust, which you can calculate and donate here.
Many of these books (and more!) can be found on our shelves and any of them regardless of if we have them in-stock will count towards our Summer Reading Challenge which will continue throughout August.
We are working on the September Zine (issue 4!) and if you are interested, please get us your submission by mid-August so we can get them formatted and printed by Sept. 1. Guidelines and info at this page here.
SCHEDULE & NOTES:
Please take note we will be returning to the relaxed schedule and we will be CLOSED on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
I will be out of town from August 4th – August 12th, so while I will be able to get comics on the shelf and collect people’s pulls, I will not be able to host the first Babes Who Book that would normally be scheduled for the second Monday. Please also note that August’s Flying Over Walls is cancelled- but you can check out their website and events page, and sign up for their newsletter to find other ways to support!
Saturday, August 1st @ 2-4pm: Maya’s Magic Brunch! Tarot & Tea with Maya Songbird! Sliding scale $15-30 for a tarot reading and candle color consultation.
Tuesday, August 18 @ 7pm: Manga Book Club for An Invitation From a Crab
Monday, August 24 @ 6:30pm: Babes Who Book! This is the only August meeting. Babes Who Book is an informal book club where we will share what we have been reading lately. Please make an effort to be on-time if you’d like to share your reading activity so that you can sign up and be on the list to speak. Sharing is optional and you are more than welcome to hang out and listen to get recommendations. Attendees receive 10% off all books, graphic novels and manga.
Wednesday, August 26 @ 5-8pm: GAY GUNDAM NIGHT! BYOG (Bring Your Own Gunpla.) You can RSVP here.
It is a light month this time around – read a book, organize with your comrades, write, create and be unapologetically and radically authentic.