Black August has its origins in the "Black Movement" behind California prison walls in the ‘60s, which was led by George Jackson, W.L. Nolen, James Carr, Hugo Pinell, Kumasi, Howard Tole, Warren Wells and many other conscious, standup brothers who ultimately made it safe for a brotha to walk the yards of California's racist gulags. It was first organized to honor our fallen freedom fighters, Jonathan and George Jackson, Khatari Gaulden, James McClain, William Christmas and the sole survivor of the Aug. 7, 1970, courthouse slave rebellion, Ruchell Cinque Magee. The OGs (original guerrillas) who initiated this annual tribute to our fallen comrades became known as the Black August Organizing Committee, many of whom are still active today.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by prison guards. Evidence subsequently suggested a setup designed by prison officials to eliminate Jackson once and for all, as they had tried to do numerous times. However, they didn't count on losing any of their own in the process. On that fateful day, three notoriously racist prison guards and two inmate trustees were also killed. According to an eyewitness, after Jackson was shot while running in the yard, he got up instantly and dove in the direction of some bushes. He was subsequently murdered while lying on the ground wounded.
Six Black prisoners were put on trial - wearing 30 pounds of chains from head to toe - in Marin County Courthouse. Charged with murder and assault were Fleeta Drumgo, David Johnson, Hugo Pinell, Luis Talamantez, Johnny Spain and Willie Sundiata Tate. Their trial again revealed the sham of the system called justice in this country. Only one - Johnny Spain - was convicted of murder. The remaining five were either acquitted or convicted of assault.

Pinell is the only one still in prison; all the others were released years ago. Pinell, who is known as "Yogi Bear" to his friends, has suffered prolonged torture in lockups since 1969, the last 17 in the infamous Pelican Bay Security Housing Unit (SHU).
Pinell came to the United States as a young teenager with his family from Nicaragua, during the Somoza period, and settled in the Mission District of San Francisco. He has been incarcerated in California torture chambers - San Quentin, Folsom, Tehachapi, Corcoran and Pelican Bay - since the age of 19. It was during his time in Soledad that he met his mentors, W.L. Nolen, William Christmas, James McClain and George Jackson. They transformed his criminal mentality into a revolutionary one. He has remained loyal to their teachings and to the people ever since.

For those of you who are not aware of the level of torture endured by prisoners in Pelican Bay SHU, here are a few details. The prison is located in northwestern California on the Oregon border in pristine, redwood territory. The prison is solid gray concrete, and the SHU is completely windowless with only doors for entrance. It looks like a large tomb.
It's hi-tech with automatic doors and gates, only artificial light, and even the so-called yard is nothing more than a "dog run" or outdoor concrete closet with walls that are 20 feet high and are covered on top by Plexiglas. SHU prisoners are locked down 24/7 except for a possible hour on the dog run where they can exercise alone with no equipment whatsoever, not even a ball.
They are permitted no arts and crafts and only a very limited number of books and other property. They are chained hand and foot whenever they leave their cells and escorted by two prison guards. They have no contact visits and never touch another human being. It is sensory deprivation in the extreme.
Visits are limited to weekends and holidays and now, because of the overcrowding, no more than 45 minutes. All SHU visits are conducted in a "phone booth."

Yogi cannot make or receive phone calls. His mother has been visiting him since his incarceration and has not been able to hug her son in over 30 years. Can you imagine, for years on end, not feeling the sun or seeing the moon or stars, being in nature, holding a baby or playing with children?

Despite these inhumane conditions, which constitute torture, Yogi remains amazingly strong and revolutionary, positive and upbeat. He has a ready smile, remains in tip top condition by maintaining a constant work-out schedule. He is a strict vegetarian, although the prison refuses to give him a vegetarian diet.
Yogi says that he refuses to submit to the criminal injustice system or to the power of the state, both of which continue to punish him relentlessly. Yogi has been denied parole two to five years every time he's gone to the Board. He finished his maximum sentence over 18 years ago, and has had no write-ups for over 24 years.

This past year, Pelican Bay state torture chamber initiated a new process to embarrass and frustrate the prisoners, their families and loved ones. They stamp "PELICAN BAY STATE PRISON, SECURITY HOUSING UNIT, UNIT D-3" on the envelope and on each page of the letter that prisoners send out, often obscuring the script.

As we face the reality of an expanding global war, here and throughout the world, let us heed these words of wisdom, written by Comrade George Jackson in "Blood in My Eye" (1972):

"It is the ‘role of the living,' of all the innocent, to discover unitary practice and conduct and move against the institutions that close on the oppressed.

"Those who have more regard for their own egos or self-interest than they have for building a united progressive left, and those who abandon community altogether in favor of petty interests, are in direct opposition to our real interests. They are attempting a new form of escapism. They're fleeing the objective conditions of their real life and will eventually reach the ultimate contradiction of facing their father or brother, or old classmate, comrade, or wife, over the barrel of a gun. Or they will find themselves in no man's land, cast out by the people ...

"Settle your quarrels, come together, understand the reality of our situation, understand that fascism is already here, that people are already dying who could be saved, that generations more will live poor butchered half-lives if you fail to act. Do what must be done, discover your humanity and your love in revolution."

The time is now. Hugo Pinell, the SF 8, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Imam Jalil Al-Amin, Mutulu Shakur, Russell Maroon Shoatz, Eddie Conway, Romaine Chip Fitzgerald, Ruchel Cinque Magee, Sundiata Acoli, Albert Woodfox, Herman Wallace, the MOVE 9, Marilyn Buck, Leonard Peltier, the Cuban 5 and countless more remain political prisoners. Let's free ‘em all!

Donna Wallach can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Kiilu Nyasha's email is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , but she is currently without a computer because her laptop was stolen from a repair shop.

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