Soledad
other

art One

: George
¥ ]ackson
out by Chicago Anarchist Black Cross, 2018,
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SOLEDAD

BROTHER
LPart One

GEORGE JACKSON
To THE MAN-CHILD, TALL, EVIL, GRACEFUL, BRIGHT-
EYED, BLACK MAN-CHILD — JONATHAN PETER JACKSON
— WHO DIED ON AUGUST 7, 1970, COURAGE IN ONE
HAND, ASSAULT RIFLE IN THE OTHER; MY BROTHER,
COMRADE, FRIEND — THE TRUE REVOLUTIONARY, THE
BLACK COMMUNIST GUERRILLA I\

\ THE HIGHEST STATE
OF DEVELOPMENT, HE DIED ON THE TRIGGER, SCOURGE
OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS, SOLDIER OF THE PEOPLE; TO
THIS TERRIBLE MAN-CHILD AND HIS WONDERFUL
MOTHER GEORGIA BEA, TO ANGELA Y. Davis, My
TENDER EXPERIENCE, | DEDICATE THIS COLLECTION
OF LETTERS; TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR ENEMIES
I DEDICATE MY LIFE.

Contents
September 23, 1941—Augun 21,1971
George Jackson

Foreword
Jonathan Jackson, Jr.

Recent Letters and an Autobiography
George Jackson

Letters: (1964 - 1968)

20
September 23, 1941 — August 21, 1971
George L. Jackson

In 1960, at the age of eighteen, George Jackson was accused of seealing
$70 from a gas station in Los Angeles. Though there was evidence of
his innocence, his court-appointed lawyer maintained that because
Jackson had a record (two previous instances of ety crime), he should
plead guily in exchange for alight sentence in the couney jail. He did,
and received an indeterminate sentence of one year to life. Jackson
spent the next ten years in Soledad Prison, seven and a half of them in
solitary confinement. Instead of succumbing to the dehumanization of
prison existence, he transformed himself inco the leading theoretician
of the prison movement and a brilline writer Soledad Brother, which
coneains the letces that he wrote from 1964 to 1970, is his testament.

I his ewenty-eighth year,Jackson and two other lack inmates — Fleeta
Drumgo and John Cluchette — were falely accused of murdering
a white prison guard. The guard was beaten to death on January 16,
1969, a few days afier another white guard shot and killed three black
inmates by firing from a tower into the courtyard. The accused men
were brought in chains and shackles to two secret hearings in Salinas
Couney. A third hearing was sbout to take place when John Cluchetee
managed to smuggle a note to his mother: “Help, I'm in trouble”
With the aid of a state senator, his mother contacted a lawyer, and so
commenced one of the most extensive legal defenses in US. history
According to their attorneys, Jackson, Drumgo, and Clutcheete were
charged with murder not because there was any substantial evidence
of their guilt, but because they had been previously identified as black
militanes by the prison authorities. If convicted, they would face 3
mandatory death penaley under the California penal code. Within
wecks, the case of the Soledad Brothers emerged as a policical cause
edlébre for all sores of people demanding change at a time when every
American instiution was shaken by Black rebellions in more than one
hundred cites and the mass movement against the Vietnam War.

Auguse 7, 1970, justa few days afeer George Jackson was transferred to
San Quentin, the case was catapulted to the forefront of national news
when his brother, Jonathan, a seventeen-year-old high school student
in Pasadena, staged a raid on the Marin County courthouse with 3
satchelful of handguns, an assault rifle, and a shotgun hidden under

6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
his coar. Educated into a policieal revolutionary by George, Jonathan
invaded the coure during a hearing for theee black San Quentin
inmates, not including his brother, and handed them weapons. As he
lefe with the inmates and five hostages, including the judge, Jonachan
demanded that the Soledad Brothers b released within thirty minutes
In the shootout that ensucd, Jonathan was gunned down. Of Jonathan,
George wrote, “He was free for a while. I guess that's more than most
ofus can expect”

Soledad Brother, which is dedicated to Jonathan Jackson, was released
o critcal acelaimin France and the United States with an introduction
by the renowned French dramaist Jean Genee, in the fall of 1970.
Less than a year later and just ewo days before the opening of his erial,
George Jackson was shot to death by a tower guard inside San Quentin
Prison in a purpored escape aztempt. “No Black person.” wrote James
Baldwin, "will ever believe thae George Jackson died the way they ell
us he did”

Soledad Brother went on to become a classic of Black literature and
politcal philosophy. slling more than 400,000 copies before it went
out of print ewenty years ago. Lawrence Hill Books i pleased o reissue
this book and to add to it a Foreword by the author’s nephew Jonathan
Jackson, Jr. who is writer lving in California

PARTONE 7
Foreword
Jonathan Jackson.

Twas born cight and 2 half months after my father, Jonachan Jackson,
was shot down on August 7, 1970, at the Marin County Courchouse,
when he tried to gain the release of the Soledad Brothers by taking
hostages. Before and especially afeer char day, Uncle George kept
in constant contact with my mother by writing from his cell in San
Quentin. (The Department of Corrections wouldnt put her on the
visicors lise) During George's numerous trial appearances for the
Soledad Brothers case, Mom would lfe me above the crowd so he could
see me. Consiseently, we would receive a leteer & few days later. For a
single mother with son, alone and in the middle of both controversy
and not a litde unwarranted trouble with the authorities, those
messages of strengeh were no doube instrumental in helping her carry
‘on. No matcer how oppressive his situation beeame, George ahways had
time to lend his spirt to the people he cared for.

Ayearand two weeksafeer the revolutionary takeover in Marin, George
was ruthlessly murdered by prison guards at San Quentin. Both he and
my father left me a great deal: pride. history, an unmistakable name.
My expericnce has been at once wonderful and ineredibly difficule. My
life s not consumed by the Jackson legacy, but my charge is an accepred
and cherished pice of my existence. It is out of my responsibility to
my legacy that have come to write his Foreword to my uncle’s prison
wiitings.

Today I read my inhericed letters often — those writeen from George
to my mother with a dull pencil on prison stationery. They are things
of beauty, my mose valuble possessions. pasionate pieces of writing
that have few rivals in the modern era. They will remain unpublished
However, the leteers of Soledad Brother demonstrate the same
insight and eloquence — the way George's writings make his personal
expericnce universal isthe mainstay of his brilliance.

When this collection of letcers was frst released in 1969, it brought
4 young revolutionary to the forcfrone of a tempest, 3 tempest
characterized by the Black Power, ree speech, and antiwar movements,
accompanicd by a dissatisfaction with the starus quo throughout the
United States. With unflinching dircetness, George Jackson conveyed

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
an intelligent yet accessible message with his trademark seyle, rational
rage. He illuminated previously hidden viewpoines and feclings that
disenfranchised segments of the population were unable to articulate
the poor, the vietimized, the imprisoned, the disillusioned. George
spoke in a revolutionary voice that they had no idea existed. He was
the prominent figure of erue radical thought and practice during the
period, and when he was assassinated, much of the movement died
along with him. Bue George Jackson cannot and will not ever leave.
His life and choughes serve as the message — George himself is the
revolution.

The reissue of Soledad Brother ac this point in time is essential. It
appears that e nineries are going to be a elling decade in US. history
The signposts of systemic breakdown are as glaringly obvious as they
were in the sixeies: unrest manifesting ieself in inner-city turmoil,
widespread rise of violence in the culture, and international oppression
o legitimize a state in erisis. The face that imprisonments in California
have more than eripled over the lase decade, supporced by the public,
is merely one sign of societal decomposition. That systemic change
occurred during the sixties is 2 mych. The United States in the ninetics
faces serikingly analogous problems. George spoke to the issues of his
day, but conditions now are so similar that this work could have been
written lase month. It i imperative that George be heard, whether
by the angey but un-channeled young or by the eynical and worldly
mature, The message muse b carried archer than where he bravely left
itin August of 1971

Over the past eweney-five years, why has George Jackson not been
an integral part of mainstream consciousness? He has been and
sill is underexposed, reduced to simplistic terms, and ultimately
misunderstood. Racial and conspiracy theory aside, there are rational
reasons for his exclusion. They stem nor only from the hard-line
revolutionary aspeets of George’ philosophy, but more importantly
from the nacure of the political syscem that he existed in and under.

Howard Zinn has pointed out in A People’ History of the United
States that “the history of any country, presented as the history of a
family,conceals erce conflicts of interese (sometimes exploding, most
often represed) between conquerors and conquered, masters and
slaves, capitalises and workers, dominators and dominated.” US. history
is essentially that type of hidden history. Without denying important
mitigating factors, the United States of today s strongly linked to the

PARTONE 9
values and premises on which it was founded. That s, it is a seteler
colony founded primarily on ewo basic pillas, upheld by the Judeo
Christian tradition: genocide of indigenous peoples and slave labor in
support of & capitalist infrastructure. Although the Bible repeatedly
exalts mass slaugheer and oppression, Judeo-Christian morality is
publicly held to be inconsiscent with them. This dissonance, evident
wichin the nation’s seructure from the beginning, informs the state’s
firse funcion: to oversimplify and minimize immoral events in order
o legitimize history and the state’s very existence simuleaneously.

Tronically, raditional Judeo-Christian morality is a perfect vehicle for
genocide, slavery, and tersitorial expansion. As a logical progression
from biblical example, expansion and imperialism culminated in the
United States with the concep of Manifest Destiny, which held that
it was the colonises inherent right to expand and conquer. Further it
was a duty, the “white man' burden.” to save the “natives? to attempt
to convert all heathens encountered. Proestant Calvinism provided 3
set ofethics thatfit perfecely with the colonises conguests. Max Weber,
in his definitive study on religion, The Sociology of Religion, wrore,
“Calvinism held chat the unscarchable God possessed good reasons
for having distributed the gifes of forcune unevenly” i “represented as
Gods wil [the Calvinises | domination over the sinful world. Clearly
this and other features of Protestantism, such as is rational
the existence of lower class,' were not only the bases for the formation
of the United States, bueseill prominently exist today. “One must go to
the evhics of ascetic Protestantism,” Weber assers, “to find any echical
sanction for economic rationalism and for the enteeprencur” When a
nation can'e adit to the process through which it builds hegemony.
how can anyching bue delusion be a reality? “The monopoly of truth,
including hiscoricaltruch. stated Daniel inger n alecture at Evergreen
State College (Washington) in 1987, “s implicd in the monopoly of
power”

fon of

Clearly, objective history is an impossibiley. This understood. the
significant problem les in how the general population defines the
erms history implies that truch i being told. It is an unforeunate fact
that hiscory is unfailingly written by the victors, which in the case of

1 Calld boorstrup ideology,chis ence holdschaeall th paor need o do s “pull
themsclves up by cheir boorseraps” o be materially succesful. Accordingly those
who do not do so deserveco be i cher stuaron snd are considered unworthy:

0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
the United Statesare notonly the orginal imperialiss, but he majority
of the “founding fachers? dedicated to uniting and strengthening the
existing mercantile class among disjointed colonies. There can be no
doub that from the ereation of this young nation, history as a ereated
and perceived entity moved further and furcher away from the objective
ideal. Genocide, necessary for “the development of the modern
capiealist cconomy_” according to Howard Zinn, was eationalized as a
reaction to the fear of Indian savages. Slavery was similarly construed.

The personalization of history, the process by which we construct
heroes and pariahs, is a consequence of ies dialectical nacure. Without
fuil, an odd paradox is created around someone who, by virtue of his
or her actions, becomes prominent enough to warrant the designation
“historical figure There is a leap on the pare of the general public,
sparked by the media, to another mindsce. Sensational deeds are
glorified, horeible acts reviled. A few poines are selected as defining
characteristies. The media, conforming to_their restrctions of
concision (which make accuracy nearly impossible to avain), reiterate
these poines over and over. Schools and textbooks not only teach these
poines but drill hem into young minds. Howard Zinn comments that
“this learned sense of moral proportion, coming from the apparent
objectivity of the scholar, is accepted more easily than when it comes
from politicians at press conferences. It i therefore more deadly”

A few didbits, faceual or not, incomplete and selective, are used to
describe the entirety of a persons existence. They become part of
mainstream consciousness. We therefore know that Lincoln freed the
slaves, Maleolm X wasablack xtremist,and Hitlerwas solely responsible
for World War 11 and the Holocause. All half-ruths go unexplained,
all fallacies go unchallenged, as they appear to make perfect sense to
the everyday, non-eritically thinking American. The paradox has been
ereated: The more famous 1 person becomes, the more misunderstood
he o she is. This accepted occurrence is incredibly counterintuitive
the public should know more, not less, about a noteworchy individual
and the sociopolitical dynamics surrounding him ot her

This historical mychicization is nor, for the mose pare, 2 consciously
ereated phenomenon. The media don't go out of their way to mislead
the public by constructing false heroes and emphasizing the mundane.
Fewer “dimly lic conferences” take place than conspiracy theorists
believe. It is the existing policical system that s responsible for the
information that reaches the general public. The state’s control of

PARTONE n
information created the system, and it continually re-creates it
Propagated by schooling and the media, information that reaches the
public s subject o three chief mechanisms of state control: denial,
self-censorship, and imprisonment.

Denial is the casiest conerol mechanism, and therefore the most
common. If events do not follow the sate’s agenda or its ccumenical
ideology and might bring unrest, they are denied. Examples are
plentiful: prewar stae terrorism against the people of Norch and South
Vietnam and laterthe bombing of Cambodia: government funding and
military aid to the Nicaraguan Contras; and suppore of UNITA and
South Africain the virtual destruction of Angola, among many others.

Denial goes hand in hand with self-censorship. The media emphasize
certain personal characteristics and events and de-emphasize others, in
a pattern that supports US. hegemony. The information that reached
the public after the US. invasion of Panama in 1989 is telling. It was
not unil much later, after the heat of controversy, that the average
citizen had access to the scope of the devastation. The effectiveness
of self.censorship i this case was maximized, as the full details of the
Panama invasion were patchwork for years.

While we may assume that the media have an obligation to aceurately
convey such an event to the public, the media in fact perpetuate the
government’s position by engaging in their own self-censorship. Noam
Chomsky points out in Deterring Democracy, “With a fringe of
exceptions — mostly wel afier the tasks had been accomplished — the
media rallied around the flag with due picty and enthusiasm, funneling
the most absurd White House tales to the public while scrupulously
refraining from asking the obvious questions, or secing the obvious
faces”

Denial and selfcensorship create a comfore zone for the U, citizenry,
generally uneritical and willing to. accept digestible versions of
historical personalities and world events. The reasoning behind denial
and self-censorship: do not make the public uncomfortable, even if that
means diluting, sensationalizing, or lying about the truch, Ulkimately,
when denial and self-censorship may not be sufficient for control of
information, the state resorts to imprisonment. All imprisonment is
politicaland as such all imprisonments carry equal weight. Society does,
however, distinguish wo categories of imprisonment: one for breaking
alaw, the other for political reasons. A difference is clear: American

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Indian Movement leader Leonard Peltir,serving a federal sentence for
his supposed role ax Wounded Knee, is considered a different type of
prisoner than an armed robber serving & five-to-seven-year sentence.

Sue policy refleces inseicutional needs. When the stace as an
inseicution canno tolerate an outside threat, real or perceived, from
an individual of group, the consequences at s command include
isolation, persecution, and policical imprisonment. All may occur in
greater or lesser form, depending on the degree of threac.

Politieal incarceration removes threats to the political and economic
hegemony of the United States. Even though in 1959 George Jackson
initially went to prison as an “everyday lawbreaker” with a one-year
to-life sentence, it was his political consciousness thae kepe him
incarcerated for cleven years. In 1970 George wrote:

Inernational capitalism cannot be destroyed without the extremes
of struggle. The entire colonial world is watching the blacks inside
the US., wondering and waiting for us to come to our senses. Their
problems and struggles with the Amerikan monster are much more
difficule than they would be if we actively aided them. We are on the
inside. We are the only ones (besides the very small white minority
lefe) who can get at the monster's heart without subjecting the world to
nuclear fire. We have a momentous hisorical role to act out if we will
The whole world for all ime in the fueure will love us and remember us
asthe righteous people who made it posible for the world to live on. If
we fail through fear and lack of aggressive imagination, then the slaves
of the furure will curse us, 2 we sometimes curse those of yesterday. |
don't want to die and leave a few sad songs and a hump in the ground as
my only monument. I wan to leave a world that is liberated from trash,
pollution, racism, nation-states, nation-seate wars and armies, from
pomp, bigotry. parochialism, a thousand different brands of untruth,

and licentious usurious economics.

Nothingis more dangerous 0. syscem that depends on misinformation
than a voice that obeys its own dictates and has the courage to speak
out. George Jackson's imprisonment and further isolation within the
prison system were clearly a funtion of the state’s response to his
outspoken opposition to the capitalise seructure

Political incarceration is a tangible form of state control. Unlike
denial and self-censorship, imprisonment is publicly serutinized. Yet

PARTONE 13
public reaction to political incarceration has been minimal. The US.
governmene claims it holds no policical prisoners (denial), while any
notice given to protests focused on political prisoners invariably takes
the form of a human inerest story (sclf-censorship).

incarceration in the United States cannot be

The efficacy of politi
denied. Prison serves notonly s a physical barrier, buea communication
restraine. Prisoners are completely oseracized from society, with
lieele or no chance to break through. Those few outside who might
be sympathetic are always hesitant to communicae or protest past a
certain poin, fearing their own persecution or imprisonment. Also,
deep down most people believe tha all prisonees, regardless of their
individual situations, really did do something *wrong” Added to that
prejudice, society lacks a distinction beeween a prisoner’s actions and
his or her personal worth; a bad act equals a bad person. The boetom
line is that the majoricy of people simply will ot believe that the stace
openly or covertly oppresses without eriminal cause. As Daniel Singer
asked a the Evergreen conference in 1987, *Is it possible for class
which exterminates the native peoples of the Americas, replaces them
by raping Afica for humans it then denigrates and dehumanizes as
slaves, while cheapening and degrading its own working class — is it
possible for such a class o create a democracy, equality and o advance
the cause of human freedom? The implicie answer is, *No, of course
How does a person — inside or outside prison — confront the culeural
mindsees, the layers of misinformation propagated by the capivalist
system? Sooner or later, what can be called the “radical dilemma”
surfaces for the few wanting to enter into a struceural arcack/analysis
of the United States. Culeurally, educationally. and politically, all of
us are similarly limited by these layers of misinformation; we are all
produces of the system. None of us functions from a clean slate when
considering or debaing any issue, especially history as it percains to
the United States. George Jackson struggled against the constraines
of denial and self-censorship, to say nothing of his physical and
communicative distance from society. Political prisoners are inherently
vulnerable to an cither/or situation: isolating silence or elimination.

For George, his vociferous revolutionary attitude was eicher futile or
self-exterminaring. He was well aware of his sicuation. In Blood in My
Eye,his political reacise, he wrore:

1 SOLEDAD BROTHER
T'm in a unique political position. | have a very nearly closed furure,
and since T have always been inclined to get disturbed over organized
injustice or terrorist practice against the innocents — wherever — |
can now say juse sbout what I wane (I've always done just about that).
without fear ofself-exposure. I can only be exceuted once.

George was equally aware that revolutionary change happens only
when an entire society is seady. No amount of action, preaching, or
eaching will spark revolution if social conditions do not warrant e, My
father’s case, unforeunately i an appropriate indicator. He ateempred
a revolutionary ace duringa reactionary time; elimination was the only
posible consequence. The challenge for aradical in today's world is to
balance reformist tendencies (political iberalism) and revolutionary
action ideology (radicalism). While reformism encails a legitimarion
of the status quo as a search for changes within the system, radicalism
posits a change of system. Because revolutionaries are particularly
Vulnerable, a certain degree of reformism is necessary to create space,
space needed to begin the laborious task of making revolution.

George'sstatement *Combat Liberalism’” and the general reaction to it
eypify che gulf berween the two philosophies. George was universally
misunderstood by the lefe and the righe alike. As is the case with
mose modern political prisonees, nearly all of his support came from
reformises with liberal leanings. le seems that they acted in spice of,
racher than because of, the core of his message.

The lefe’s atitude toward COINTELPRO is a usefol illustration.
COINTELPRO, the covert government progeam used to dismantle
the Black Pancher Party, and later the American Indian Movement,
is typically cited by many lefeiscs as a damning example of the
government’s conspiratorial nature. Declasified documents and ex
agents’ testimonies have shown COINTELPRO to be one of the
mose unlawful, insidious cells of government in che nations history
COINTELPRO, however, was really a symptomatic, expendable
entity; a small police force within a larger one (FBI), within a branch
of government (executive), within the government iuself (liberal
democracy), within the economic system (capiealism). Reformises in
radicals’ lothing unknowingly argued against symptoms, racher than
the roots, of the entrenched system. Doing away with COINTELPRO
or even the FBI would not alter the structure that produces the
surveillance /climination apparatus.

PARTONE 15
In George's day, others who considered themselves lefe of center, or
even revolutionary, concerned themselves with. inner-city. reform
issues, mostly black ghettos. The problem of and debate about inner
cites seill exiss. However, recognition of a problem and analysis of
that problem are two very different challenges. The demand to becter
only predominantly black inner-city conditions is unrealiseic at best. In
the capiralise seructure, there must be an upper, middle, and especially
a lower class. Improving black neighborhoods is the equivalent of
ghettoizing some other segment of the population — poor whites,
Hispanics, Asians, ece. Nothing intrinsic to the system would change,
only superficial aleerations that would mollify the liberal public. As
Chomsky asseresin Turning the Tide:

Determined opposition to_the latese lunacies and atrocities must
continue, for the sake of the vietims as well as our own ulimate survival
But it should be understood as poor substitute for a challenge to the
deeper causes,a challenge that we are, unforeunately, in no postion to
mount at the present though the groundwork can and must be lid
Failure to understand the radical, encompassing viewpoine in the
sistes led to reformism. In effect, the majority of the lefe complecely
deserted any attempr at the radical balance required of the policically
conscious leaving only liberalism and its narrow vision to flourish.

Nobody comprehended the radical dilemma more fully than George
Jackson. Indeed, he developed his philosophy not out of mere
happenstance, bue with a very conscious eye upon maintaining his
revolutionary ideology. He writes in Blood in My Eye:

Reformism isan old story in Amerika. There have been depressions and
socio-cconomic political erises throughout the period that marked the
formation of the present upper-classruling circle, and their controlling
elies. Bue the parties of the left were too committed to reformism to
exploit their revolutionary porential

George's involvement with the prison reform movement should
therefore be seen as 2 mater of survival. Unlike the reformist lefe,
prison oppression was directly affecting him. His balanced reform
activities — improving prisoners’ righs while speaking out against
prison a5 an entity — were required to make living conditions rolersble
enough for him to continue on his revolutionary pah. Simply, he did
what he had to do to survive — created space while simultaneously
pursuing his radical theory.

16 SOLEDAD BROTHER
The reform George Jackson did accomplish was and sell s inredible,
eransforming the prison environment from unlivable to livable hell,
from encampments that he called reminiscen of Nazi Germany to at
leasea saled-down version of thelike. With hisinfluence, these changes
oceurred not only in California, but throughou the nation. Only now
is his influence beginning to slip, with reactionary politics bringing
about coreure and sensory deprivation fciliies such as Pelican Bay
State Prison in California, as well s the reineroduction for adopion of
the one-to-lfe indeterminate sentence. This type of sentence i fereile
ground for state oppression, as it is up to a parole board to decide if
an inmate is evr to be et go. A prison can easily and effeetively ereate
situations chat ransform 2 one-tolife into a lfe sentence. (Tellingly.
the indeterminate sentence is being promoted not by the right, but by a
California senator formerly associated with mainstrcam liberal causes.)

Politically, George Jackson provided us all with radical education, 2
viable alternative to viewing not only the United States bue the world
as political entity. He gave the disenfranchised a lens through which
they could clearly sce thei situation and become more conscious about
it. He wrote in April 1970

Teall alsineo place.Isee the whole thing much clearer now, howw fascism
has taken possession of chiscounry,the interlocking dictatorship from
county level on up to the Grand Dragon in Washingeon, D.C.

Cracially, George’s treatment is a concrete, undeniable example of
political oppression. Race s more times than not the casy answer to
problem. Among people of color in the United States, the quick fix,
“blameiton whitey” mentality has become so prevalent that it shoreeues
thinking. Conversely, stercotypes of minoriies act as simple-minded
tools of divisiveness and oppression. George addressed these ssues in
prison, seeting a model for the outside as well: “T'm always telling the
brothers some of those whites are willing to work with us against the
pigs. Al they got to do is stop ralking honky. When the races stare
fighting, all you have is one maniac group against another” On the
surface, race has been and isseill being put forth as an overriding issue
that needs to be addressed as 2 prerequisice for social change. In fact,
although it seems to loom a5 large problem, race as an issue is again
4 symptom of capitalism. Of course, on a paliry level and among the
elatively powerless, race does play a part in social structure (the racist
cop. the bigoted landlord, etc.), pitting segments of the population
against each other. But revolutionary change requires class analyss that

PARTONE 7
drives appropriate actions and eliminates race 25 a mitigating factor
Knowing these sociocconomic dynamics, George Jackson was first
and foremost a people’srevolutionary, and he acted as such

withous compromise. His writings clearly reflece his belief in class

ltimes

based revolutionary change.

Considering the many seructural elements affecting him, it s easy to
see why George and his message have been misinterpreted. The quick
takes on him are abundant: ics assumed that he was imprisoned and
oppressed because he was black, because he had publicized ties with
the Black Panther Party and was a well-known organizer within
the prison reform movement. Although George became a “prison
celebrity” a seatus that cereainly didn't help him in teems of acquittal
and release, ignorance of the actual forces responsible for his prolonged
imprisonment is incxcusable. The radical viewpoine is absolutely
indispensable when regarding both George’s lfe circumstance and
philosophy. His lfe serves not as a mere individual example of prison
erueley, bue as 2 scalding indictment of the very nature of capicalism.

In these times, there are two very different ways o be born into
privilege. First and most obvious in the system of capital s o be
born ino wealth. Second, and not precluding the fies, is to have an
inellectual, politically conscious base from which to grow as a person
philosophically and spiricually. Radical figures in modern society —
Lenin, Troesky, Ché Guevara, my facher, Jonathan Jackson, and my
uncle George Jackson — have the capability of providing this base
through their examples and writings.

Those not born into privilege can achieve a policically conscious base
in different ways. No veil separate the lower class from the realicies of
everyday life. They have been given the gift of disillusion. Bourgeois
lifeseyle,although perhaps soughe after is in most cases not arcainable.
Daily survival is the primary goal, as it was with George. OF course,
when it finally becomes more ateractive for one to fight, and perhaps
dic, than to live in a survival mode, revolution stares to become a
possibiliy. Not a rioe, not a governmen takeover by one or another
group, but a people’s revoluion led by the policicall conscious.

This consciousness doesn’e simply appear. Individuals muse grow and
work into it but s an invaluable gift to have insight into and access to
an alternative to the fruseration, a goal on the horizon.

15 SOLEDAD BROTHER
‘The nineties are an unconscious era. The unimporeant s allimportan,
the essential neglected. What system than capitalism, what time period
than now, i better suited to naturally create the seape-goat,the seldom.
heard political prisoner, misunderstood in his cult-of personality
seacus, held back in a choke hold from socicty? I is not only our ight,
but our duy. eo listen to and comprehend George Jackson’s message.
To not do so s to turn our backs on one of the brilliane minds of the
ewentieth century, an individual passionately involved with liberating
not only himself, but all of s,

Setle your quarrels, come ogether, understand che reality of our
sieuation, underseand that fascism s already here, that people are
dying who could be saved, that generations more wil die or live
poor butchered halFlivs if you fai to act. Do what muse be done,
discover your humanity and your love in revolution. Pass on the
torch. Join us, give up your life for the people.

—George Jackson
Jonathan Jackson, Jr.

San Francisco

June 1994

PARTONE 19
Recent Letters and Autobiography
George Jackson

JUNE, 1970 10

1 probably didt work haed enough on chis but I'm pressed for time
— all the time.

T could play the eriminal aspecs of my life down some but then it
wouldn'e be me. That was the pertinent pare, che thing at school and
home [was constantly reecting in process

All my lfe 1 pretended with my folks, it was the thing in the strect
that was real. | was cereainly juse pretending with the nuns and priests,
1 served mass so that | could be in a position o seeal altar wine, sang
in the choir because they made me. When we went on tour of the
rich white catholic schools we were always treated very well — fed —
rewarded with gifts. Old Father Brown hated me but always put me
down frone when we were on display. I can' say exactly why, | was the
ugliese, skinniese leele misfi in the group.

Black men boen in the US. and foreunate enough to live past the age of
eighteen are conditioned to accepe the inevitability of prison. For most
of s, it simply looms as the next phase in a sequence of humiliations
Being born a slave in a captive socicty and never experiencing any
objective basis for expectation had the effect of preparing me for the
progressively raumatic misforcunes that lead so many black men to the
prison gate. 1 was prepared for prison. It required only minor psychic
adjustments.

I always seares with Mama, mine loved me. As testimony of her love,
and her fear for the faee of the man-child all slave mothers hold, she
actempted to press, hide, push, capeure me in the womb. The conflicts
and coneradictions thae willfollow me to the tomb started right there
in the womb. The fecling of being captured . . . this slave can never
adjus to e, i’s ching that juse don’e favor, then, now, never

T've been asked o explain myself, “briefly” before the world has done
with me. Ieis difficule because | don't recognize uniqueness, not as s

2The edicorwho asked for the auchor’ auobiogeaphy:

0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
applied o individualism, because it is too tightly tied into decadent
capitalse culture. Rather I've aways strained o see the indivisible hing
cutting across the artificial barricades which have been erccted to an
older setion of our brains, back to the mind of the primitive commune
that exises in all blacks. Bue then how can I explain the runaway slave
in terms chat do not imply uniqueness? I was eaptured and brought to
prison when I was 18 years old because I couldn't adjuse. The record
that the state has compiled on my activities reads like the record of en
men. Ie labels me brigand, thief, burglar, gambler, hobo, drug addict,
gunman, escape artise, Communist revolutionary, and murderer.

Twas born as the Great Depression was ending. It was ending because
the second great war for colonial markees was beginning in the US. 1
pushed out of the womb againse my mother’s srength September 23,
1941 — L fele free

My mother was a country girl from Harrisburg, Ilinois. My facher was
born in Ease Se. Louis, Ilinois. They met in Chicago, and were living
on Lake Street near Racine when [ was born. It was in one of the oldest
sections of Chicago, part ghetto residenial, part factory. The el rain
passed a few yards from our frone windows (the only windows really)
There were factories across the sercet and garage shops on the boetom
level of ou fla. 1 fel right in che middle of hings.

Our firse move up the social scale was around the corner to 211 North
Racine Street, away from the el wrain. | remember every detail of
preschool days. I have a siser 15 months older than myself, Delora,
4 beautiful child and now # beautiful woman. We were sometimes
allowed o venture out into the world, which at the time meant no
further than fenced-off roof area adjoining our litele three-room
apartment buile over a tavern. We were allowed out there only afte the
city made s ieregular garbage pickups. The roof area was behind the
tavern and over an area where people deposited their garbage. But, of
course, Lwent out when I pleased.

Superman was several years old about then, 1 didn' really confuse
myself with him bue 1 did develop a decp suspicion hat I might be
Suppernigger (ewenty-three years ahead of my time). I tied a tablecloth
around my neck, climbed the roof’ fence, and againse my sister’seears
would have leaped to my death, down among the garbage bareels, had
she no grabbed me, tablecloth and all, and kicked my lcele ass.

PARTONE 2
Secing the white boys up close in kindergarten was @ traumatic event.
T must have seen some before in magazines or books but never in the
flesh. L approached one,felt his hair, scratched ac his check, he hit me
in the head with a baseball bat. They found me crumpled in # heap just
outside the school-yard fence.

After that, my mother sent me to St. Malachy catholic mission school
T was sieing righe in the heare of the ghetto area, Washington and
Oakley serects. All of the nuns were white: of the prieses (there were
five in the parish) [ think one was near black, or near white whichever
you prefer. The school ran from kindergaren to 12¢h grade. attended
for nine years (ten counting kindergarten). This small group of
missionaries with cheir silly costumes and barbaric rituals offered
the full range of Western propaganda to all ages and all comers. Sex
was never mentioned except with whispers or grimaces to convey
something nasey. You could get away with anything (they were anxious
to make saints) bue gering caughe with your hand up a dress. Holy
ghosts, confessions, and racism,

St. Malachy’s was really ewo schools. There was another school across
the street that was more private than ours. “We” played and fought
on the corner sidewalks bordering the school. “They” had a large
grass-and-trec-seudded garden with an cightfoot wrought.iron fence
bordering it (to keep us out, since it never scemed to keep any of them
in when they chose toleave). “They” were all white. “They” were driven
0 and from school in large private buses or their parents’ cars. “We”
on the black side walked, or when we could afford it used the public
buses or sercetcars. The white seudents”yard was equipped with picnic
tables for spring lunches, swings,slides, and other more sophisticated
gadgees intended to please older childen. For years we had only the
very crowded sidewalks and alley behind the school. Years laer a small
gym was buile but it juse stood there, locked. It was only allowed to be
used for an occasional basketball game between our school and one of
the others like it from across the city’s various ghetto areas.

Delora and I ook the Lake Stree strcetcar to school each morning,
and also on Sundays when we were forced to ateend 3 religious
function. | muse have fallen from that thing a hundred times while it
was in motion. Each time Delora would hang on to me, erying to save
me, bue | was just too determined and we would roll down Lake Street,
books and all, miraculously avoiding the pasing cars. The other black
children who wene to public school laughed at us. The girls had to wear

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
& uniform, the boys wore white shires. T imagined that the nuns and
pricsts were laughing too every time they told one of those fantastic
lies. T know now that the most damaging thing a people in a colonial
sieuation can do is to allow their children to attend any educaional
faciliey organized by the dominant enemy culeure.

Before the winter of my frst-grade year, my facher, Lester, prepared a
ifey-gallon seeel drum to store oil for our litele stove. As I watched,
he cleaned the inside with gasoline. When he retreated from his work
temporarily for a cigaretee he explained to me about the danger of the
gas fumes, Later when he had completed work on the barel, sneaked
back out to the roof with my sister Delora railing me lke a St Bernard
Thad macches and the idea of an explosion was irresisible. As soon 2
my sister realized what [ was going to do, she turned her big sad eyes
on me and starced erying, it a match as | moved closer and closer to
the barrel. The I lie the whole book of matches. By now Delora was
convinced that death was imminent for us both. She made 2 lase brave
effort to stop me but I was too determined. threw the matches across
the last few feet. Delora shiclded my eyes with her hand as the explosion
went off. She sillcarries her burns from that day’s experiences. | was
injured around the lower face but carry no sign of i Our clothes were
burned and ripped away. I would probably be blind if not for thissiscer

My parents had ewo more children while we were hanging on there at
North Racine, Frances and Penelope. Six of us in the liele walk-up.
The only ching that Ican think of that was even sighely pleasant sbout
the place was the light. We had plenty of windows and nothing higher
about us o block offthe sun. In ‘49 we moved to a place in the rear on
Warren near Western that was the end of the sun. We had no windows
that opened directly on the sreet, even the one that faced the alley was
blocked by a garage. It was a larger place but the neighborhood around
the place was so vicious that my mother never, never allowed me to go
out of the house or the small yard excepe to get something from one of
the supermarkets or stores on Madison and recurn immediately. When
Twanted to leave I would either go by a window, or throw my coat out
the window and volunteer to take out the garbage. There was only one
door. It was in the kitchen and always well guarded.

1 spent most of the summers of those school years in southern Ulinois
with my geandmother and aunt,Irene and Juaniea. My mother, Georgia,
called it removing me from harms way. This was where my mother
grew up and she truseed her sister Juanita, whose care | came under,

PARTONE B
compleeely. T was the only man-child and I was the only one to get
special protection from my mother. The rips to the countey were good
for me in spite of the morive. I learned how to shoor rifles, shotguns,
pistols. | learned about fishing. T learned to identify some of the food
planes chat grow wild in most areas of the US. T could leave the house,
the yard, the town, without having to sneak out of a window

Almost everyone in the black scctor of Harrisburg s a rlative of mine.
‘Aloyal righteous people; L could raise a small rmy from their numbers.
T had use of any eype of rifle or pistol on those trips downseate and
everyone owned a weapon. My disposition toward guns and explosions
is responsible for my firse thefe. Poverey made ammunition scarce and
S0 Lconfess with some guiltthat iked o shoot small animals,birds
rabbics, squirrels, anyching that offered itslf as a targer. T was a liele
skinny guy; scourge of the woods, predatory man. After the summer
T wen back up norch for school and snowball (sometimes icc-block)
fights with the white kids across the stret.

Tdon't remember exacely when I met Joe Adams, it was during the early
years, bue I do recall the circumseances. Three or four of the brothers
were in the process of taking my lunch when Joc joined them. The bag
was toen, and the contents spilled onto the sidewalk. Joc scrambled for
the food and got all of ie. But after the others lefe laughing, he recurned
and seuffed i allinco my pockets. We were great friends from then on it
that childish way. He was older by a couple of years (ewo or three years
means 2 lot at that tender age). and could beat me doing everything,
T watched him and listened with John and Kenny Fox, Junior, Sonny.
and others sometimes. We almost put the block’s businessmen into
bankeuptey. My mother and facher will never admit it now, I'm sure,
bue [ was hungry and so were we all. Our activties went from stolen
food to other things [ wanted, gloves for my hands (which were alwvays
cold), which I was always wearing out, marbles for the slingshots,
games and gadgets for outdoorsmen from the dime store. Downtown,
we phundered at will. The city was helpless to defend against us. Buc I
coulde keep up with Joe. Jonathan, my older brother, was boen sbout
this ime.

My grandfacher, George “Papa” Davis, stands out of those carly years
more than any other figure in my total environment. He was separated
from his wife by the system. Work for men was impossible to find in
Harrisburg, He was living and working in Chicago — sending his wage
back to the people downstate. He was an exeremely aggressive man,

u SOLEDAD BROTHER
and since aggression on the part of the slave means erime, he was in
jail now and then. T loved him. He tried to direce my great energy into
the proper form of protest. He invented long simple allegorics that
always pictured the white policicians as animals (jackasses,oads, goats,
vermin in general). He scorned the police with special enmity. He and
my mother went to geeat pains to impress on me that it was the worst
form of niggerism to hook and jab, cut and seab at other blacks.

Papacook me to his litle place on Lake and fed me, walked me through
the wildest of the nation’ jungles, pointing up the foibles of black
response to crisis existence. | loved him. He died alone in southern
linois che fifeh year that I was in San Quentin, on pension thac after
rent allowed for a diet of litele more than sardines and erackers.

After Racine Sereet we moved into the Troop Street projects, which
in 1958 were the scenes of the city’ worst riows. (The cats in those
projects fell out against the pig with heavy machine guns, 305 and 505
that were equipped with tracer ammunition.)

My troubles began when we were in the projects. [ was caught once or
ewice for mugging but the pig never went much further than o pop
me behind the car with the “oak stick” several times and send for my
mortified father to carry me home.

My family knew very lieele of my real lfe. In effece, lived two lives,
the one with my mama and sisters, and the thing on the streee. Now
and then Id gee caughe at something, or with something thae [ wasn't
supposed to have and my mama would fall all over me. lefe home a
thousand times, never to return. We hoboed up and down the seate. |
did what T waned (all my lfe I've done juse that). When i¢ came time
o explain, Tlied

1 had a giel from Ackansas, finest at the mission, bue the nuns had
convinced her that love — touching fingertips, mouths, belles, legs
— was nasty. Most of my time and money went to the other very
loose and lovely girls I met on the seairwells of the projects’ 15-story
buildings. That was our hangout, and most of the time that’s where
we acted out the ritual. Jonathan, my new comrade, just a baby then,
was the only real reason thae I would come home at all 2 brother to
help me plunder the white world, a facher to be proud of the deed — I
was a fanciful litle cae. But my brother was too young of course. He's
only seventeen now while I'm twenty-nine this year. Any my father, he

PARTONE 5
was always morcified. T stopped attending school regularly. and starced
getting “picked up” by che pigs more often. The pig station, a lecture,
and oakstick therapeutics. These pickups were mainly for “suspicion
of or because [ was in the wrong part of town. Excepe for once or
ewice 1 was never aceually caughe breaking any laws. There juse wasn't
any possibility of a policeman beating me in a footrace. A target that's
eally moving with evasive tactics is almost impossible to hit with 2
short barreled revolver. Through a ganguway with a gate that only a few
can operate with speed (it dark even in the day) up a stairway through
a door. Actoss roofs with seven- to ten-foot jumps in beeween (the pig
is working mainly for money, bear in mind, I am running for my lfe).
There wasn'e a pig n the ciey who could “follow the leader” of even the
most timid ghetco gang,

My father sensed a need to remove me from the Chicago environment
50'in 1956 he transerred his post-office job to the Los Angeles area.
He bought an old *49 Hudson, threw me inco it, and the two of us
came Wese with plans o send for the rest of the family later that year. I
knew nothing of cars. It was the firs car our family had ever owned. |
wacched my facher with great interest as he pushed the Hudson across
the two thousand miles from Chicago to Los Angeles in ewo days. I was
certain that | could handle the standard gearshift and pedals. 1 asked
him 0 let me ery upon our arrival in Los Angeles that firse day. He
dismissed me with an “Ah — crazy nigger lay dead” look. We were to
seay with his cousin Johnny Jones in Wates until the rest of the family
could be senc for. He wene off with Johnny to visit other relaives, |
seayed behind with the keys and the car. | made one corner, down one
sereet, waited for a traffic lighe, firmed my jaw, dry-swallowed — took
off around the next comer, and ended the turn inside the plate.
window and frone door of the neighborhood barbershop. Those cats
in the shop (Watts) had become so immune to excitement that no one
hardly looked up. I wied to apologize. The brother that owned the shop
allowed my father to do the repair work himself. No pigs were called to
seeele thisaffai between brothers. One showed up by chance, however.
1 had co answer a coure summons later that year. But the brother
sensed that my father was poor, like himself, with a teribly mindless.
displaced, irresponsible child on his hands, probably like his own, and
did’c insist upon having the gun-slinging pig from the outside enemy
culture arbitrate the problems we must handle ourselves.

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
My father fixed the brother’s shop with his own hands, afeer buying
the materials. No charges were brought against me for the damages.
My father straightened out the motor bed. plugged the holes in the
radiator, hammered out some of the denes and folds from the fender,
boughea new light, and eaped it ineo place on the fender. He drove that
car to and from work, to the supermarkets with my mother, to church
wich my siscers, for four years! It was all he could afford and he wasn'e
the least bie ashamed of the fact. And he never said 2 word to me about
it T guess he was convinced by then that words wouldn't help me. I've
been fool — often.

Serious things started to happen after our seceling in LA but chis
guy never abandoned me. He felt shame in having to bail me out of
encounters with the law but he would always be there. I did several
months in Paso Rables for allegedly breaking into a large deparement
store (Golds on Central) and ateempring a hijack. I was 15, and full
grown (I haven' grown an inch since then). A cop shot me six times
poine-blank on that job, 25 I was standing with my hands in the air
After the second shot, when [ was certain that he was trying to murder
me, Lcharged him. His gun was empey and he had only hic me twice by
the time I had closed with him — “Oh, get this wild nigger off me” My
mother fell away from the phone in a dead faint when they informed
her that [ had been shot by the police in a hijack attempr. 1 had ewo
comrades with me on that job. They both gor away because of the
exchange beeween the pigs and me

Since all black are thought of as rats, the third degree started before I
was taken to the hospital. Medical ereatment was offered as a reward
for cooperation. At fiese they didn't know I had been hit, but as soon
as they saw the blood running from my slceve, the questions began.
A bullet had passed through my forearm, another had sliced my leg, I
sat in the back of the pig car and bled for two hours before they were
convinced that lockjaw must have set in already. They took me to that
liele clinic at the Maxwell Street Station. A black nurse or doctor
actended. She was young, full of sympathy and advice. She suggested,
since I had strong-looking legs, that instead of warring with the enemy
culeure Ishould getinterested in football or sports. L old her that if she
could manage to turn the pig n the hall for a second I could escape and
perhaps make a new stare somewhere with a football. A month before
this thing happened a guy had sold me a motoreycle and provided a
pink slip that proved to be forged or changed around in some way. The

PARTONE 2
bike was hot and I was caughe with i Taken together these two things
were enough to send me to wha California calls Youth Authority
Corrections. I went to Paso Robles

The very fiese time, it was like dying. Just to exist e all in the cage calls
for some heavy psychic readjusements. Being captured was the first
of my fears. It may have been inborn. It may have been an acquired
characteristic bule up over the centuries of black bondage. It is the
thing 've been running from all my life. When it caught up to me in
1957 1 was fiftcen years old and not very well-equipped to deal with
sudden changes. The Youth Authority joints are places that demand
complete capitulation: one must cease to resist altogecher or else

‘The employees are the same general types found lounging ac all prison
faciliies. They need a job — any job the state needs goons. Chino
was almost new at the time. The regular housing units were arranged
5o that aeall imes one could sce the lockup unic, It chink they called
it "X, We existed from day to day to avoid it. How much we ate was
sereely controlled, s0 was the amount of rest. After lights wene out,
10 one could move from his bed without a flash of the pigs’ hand.
lighe. During the day the bed couldn't be touched. There were so many
compulsories that very few of us could manage to stay out of trouble
even with our best effores. Everything was progeammed righe down
o the precise spoonful. We were made to march in military fashion
everywhere we went — to the gym, to the mess hall, to compulsory
prayer meetings. And then we just mached. [ precended that I couldn't
hear well or understand anyehing but the simplese directions so I was
never given anyching but the simplest work. I'was lucky: always when
my mind failed me Pve had great luck to carry me through.

Allmylife Pve done exacely whae I wanted to do juse when I wanted, no
more, perhaps less sometimes, but never any more, which explains why
Thad to be jailed. “Man was boen free. But everywhere he is in chains”
T never adjusted. | haven't adjusted even yet, with half my lfe already
spentin prison. [ can'e ruchfully say prison s any lesspainful now than
during that fiese experience. In my early prison years | read all of Rafacl
Sabatini, particularly The Lion's Skin. “There once was a man who sold
the lion's skin, while the beast still lived, and was killed while hunting
him” This seory fascinated me. It made me smile even under the lash
The hunter bested, the hunted stalking the hunter. The most predatory
animal on earch turning on its oppressor and killing ic. At the time,
this ideal existed in me just above the conscious level I helped me to

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
define myself, but it would take me several more years o isolate my real
enemy. T read Jack London’s, “raw and naked, wild and free’ milicary
novels and dreamed of smashing my enemies entirely, overwhelming,
vanquishing, crushing them complecely, sinking my fangs ino the
hunter's neck and never, never leting go

Captare, imprisonment, i the closest o being dead that one i ikely to
expericnce in chis lfe. There were no beatings (for me at least) in chis
youth joine and the food wasn' too bad. I came through it. When told
to do someching [ simply played the idiot, and spene my time reading,
‘The absentminded bookworm, I was in full revole by the time seven
months were up. T went to school in Paso Robles and covered the work
required for 10th-year seudents in the California school system, and
entered Manual Ares for the 11¢h year upon my release. After I gor
out I sopped in Bakersfield, where I planned to stay no more than
2 week or ewo. I met 3 woman who felt almost as unimpressed with
life as T did. We sinned, T stayed. | was 16 then, juse starting to get
my hefe, but this wonderful sister, 50 round and wild, fiem and supple,
matue ... in one month she reduced my healeh so that I had to take
o the bed permancnely. Lwas il for eleven days with fevers and chest
pains (something in the lungs). When I pulled out of it I was broke. Id
collected a few friends by chat time. Two of them would try anything.
Ma and Obe. We taked, borrowed a car, and wen off.

A few days later we were all three in couny jail (Kern County) on
suspicion of committing a number of robberics. Since the opposition
cleans up the books when they find the right type of vietim, they
accused us of a number of obberies we knew nothing about. Since they
had already identified me for one, I copped out to another and cleared
Mat and Obe on that count. They “allowed” Obe to plead guilty to
one robbery instead of the three others they threatened him with
They eleared Mat altogether. Too months after our arrese Mat lefe the
county jail free of charges.

Twas in the “time tank” instead of the felony tank because they had
only two felony tanks (¢hat was the old county jal) and they wanted
o keep the three of us separated. After Mat left a brother came inco
the time tank to serve 2 days. The morning he was scheduled to leave
Twene back to his cell with a couple of sheets and asked him if he
would aid me i an escape actempt. He dismissed me with one of those
looks and a wave of the hand. I started tearing the sheet in stripes, he
watched. When I was finished he asked me, “What are you doin’ with

PARTONE 2
that sheee?” Lreplied, “T'm tearing it inco these srips.” “Why you doin”
that?” “U'm making rope.” *What-chew gonna do with ah rope” “Oh
— I'm goingto tie you up with ie”

When they called him to be released that morning, I went out in his
place. Pve learned one very significant thing for our seruggle here in the
US: all blacks do look alike to certain types of white people. White
people tend to grossly underestimate all blacks, out of habie. Blacks
have been overestimating whites in a conditioned reflex. Lacer, when
T was aceused of robbing a gas station of seventy dollars, T accepred a
deal — 1 ageed to confess and spare the county court costs in return
for a light county il sentence. I confessed but when time came for
sentencing, they tossed me ino the penitentiary with one to life
Thac was in 1960. T was 18 years old. I've been here ever since. I met
Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Engels, and Mao when | entered prison and they
redecmed me. For the first four years | studicd nothing but economics
and milicary ideas. | mee black guerrillas, George "Big Jake"Lewis,
and James Carr, W.L. Nolen, Bill Christmas, Torry Gibson and many,
many others. We attempred to transform the black criminal mentality
ineo a black revolutionary mentality. As a resule, each of us has been
subjected to years of the most vicious reactionary violence by the seate
Our mortality race is almost what you would expect to find in a history
of Dachau. Three of us were murdered several months ago by a pig
shooting from 30 feet above thei heads with & military eifl.

1 am being wied in coure right now with two other brothers, John
Clutchette and Fleeta Drumgo, for the alleged slaying of a prison
guard. This charge carries an automatic death penaley for me. [ can't
get life. L already have it. When I rerurned to S
week from a year in Soledad Prison where the crime [ am charged with
took place, a brother who had resisted the logic of prolecarian-people’s
revolutionary socialism for the black man in America sent me these
lines in a note:

:n Quentin Prison last

“Without the cold and desolation of winter there could not be the
warmeh and splendor of spring! Calamity has hardened my mind, and
turned it o seeel?t Power to the People”

George

30 SOLEDAD BROTHER
APRIL, 1970

Dear Fay'
On the oceasion of your and Senator Dymally’ tour and investigacion
ineo the affairs here at Soledad, I detected in the queseions posed by
your team a desire to isolate some rationale that would explain why
facism exists ac the prison with “particular prominence.” OF course
the subject was really too large to be deale with in one tour and in
the short time they allowed you, but it was a brave scene. My small
but mighty mouthpicee, and the black establishmen senator and his
team, invading the state’s maximum security row in the worst of its
concentration camps. | chink you are the first woman o be allowed to
inspect these facilities. Thanks from all. The question was too large,
however Ies tied into the question of why all these California prisons
vary in character and flavor in general. I'stied into the larger question
ofwhy racism exise n this whole society with “particular prominence”
tied into history. Out of it comes another question. Why do California
joints produce more Bunchy Carters and Eldridge Cleavers than those
over the rest of the country?

Tundeestand your atemp to isolate the see of ocalized circumstances
that give o this particular prison’s problems of race is based on a desire
0 aid us right now, in the presene crisis. There are some changes that
could be made right now that would alleviate some of the pressuresinside
this and other prisons. But to get at the causes, you know, one would be
forced to deal with questions at the very center of Amerikan political
and cconomic lie, at the core of the Amerikan historical experience.
This prison didn't come o exist where it does just by happenstance
Those who inhabit it and feed offis existence are hisorical producs
The great majority of Soledad pigs are southern migrants who do not
wane to work in the fields and farms of the area, who couldn' sll cars
or insurance, and who couldn’ tolerace the discipline of the army
And of course prisons ateract sadists. After one concedes that eacism is
seamped unalterably into the present nature of Amerikan sociopolicical
and economic life in general (the definition of fascism is: 4 police
state wherein the political ascendancy is tied into and protects the
incerests of the upper class — characterized by militarism, racism, and
imperialism), and concedes furcher that criminals and crime arise from
material, cconomic, sociopolitieal causes, we can then burn al of the

3 Mrs. Fay Scender,the author'sawyer.

PARTONE 31
eriminology and penology libraries and dircet our actention where it
will do some good.

‘The logical place to begin any investigation into the problems of
California prisons is with our “pigs are beautiful” Governor Reagan,
radical reformer turned reactionary. For a real understanding of the
failure of prison policies,itissenseless to continue to seudy the criminal.
Al of those who can afford to be honest know that che realvietim, that
poor. uneducated, disorganized man who finds himself a convicted
criminal, is simply the end result of a long chain of corruption and
mismanagement that stares with people like Reagan and s political
appointees in Sacramento. After one investigates Reagan's character
(what makes a turncoat) the next logical seep in the inquiey would be a
look into che biggest political prize of the state — the directorship of
the Deparement of Correction.

Al other lines of inquiry would be like walking backward. You'l
never sce where you're going. You must begin with directors, assistant
dircetors, adul authority boards, oving boards, supervisors, wardens,
captains, and guards. You have to examine these people from dircctor
down to guard before you can logieally examine their produce. Add to
this some concrete and seeel, barbed wire, ifls,pistols,clubs, the tear
gas that killed Brother Bllingslea in San Quentin in February 1970,
while he was locked in his cell and the pick handles of Folsom, San
Quentin, and Soledad.

To determine how men will behave once they enter the prison it is
of first importance to know that prison. Men are brutalized by their
environment — not the reverse.

1 gave you 2 good example of this when 1 saw you last. Where [ am
presently being held, they never allow us to leave our cell withou firse
handeuffing us and belting or chaining the cuffs to our waists. This
is preceded always by a very thorough skin search. A force of a dozen
or more pigs can be expected to invade the row at any time searching
and destroying personal effects. The artitude of the staff tovard
the convices is both defensive and hostile. Uncil the conviee gives in
compleeely it will continue to be so. By giving in, | mean prostrating
oneself at their fect. Only then does their artitude aleer iself to one
of pateenalistic condescension. Most convics don'e dig this kind of
elationship (though there are some who do love it) with a group of
individuals demonstrably inferior to the rest of the society in regard to

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
education, culeure, and sensitiviey. Our cells are so far from the regular
dining arca that our food is ahvays cold before we get . Some days
there is only one meal that can be called cooked. We never get anyehing
but cold-cut sandwiches for lunch. There is no varicty to the menu.
The same things week afer week. One s confined o his cell 234 hours
2 day. Overe racism exises unchecked. It is not a case of the pigs trying
o stop the many racist atacks; they actively encourage them.

They are fighting upstais right now. I¢s 11:10 A M. June 11. Noblack
is supposed to be on the tier upstairs with anyone but other blacks but
— miseakes eake place — and one or two blacks end up on the tier with
9 or 10 white conviets fruserated by the living conditions or openly
working with the pigs. The whole eiling s trembling, In hand-to-hand
combat we always win: we lose sometimes i the pigs give them knives
o zip guns. Lunch will be delayed today, the tear gas or whatever it is
drifts down to sting my nose and eyes. Someone is hurt bad. [ hear the
meat wagon from the hospital being broughe up. Pigs probably gave
them some weapons. But I muse be fair, Sometimes (not more often
than necessary) they l st up one of the Mexican or white convices
He'll be one who has not been sufficiently racist in his ateitudes. After
the brothers (enraged by previous attacks) kick on this white convier
whom the officials have set up, he'l fall right into line with the rest.

Twas saying that the great majority of the people who lve in this area
ofthe state and seck their employment from this institution have overt
racism a5 2 raditional aspeet of their characters. The only stops that
regulate how far chey will carry this thing come from the fear of losing
employment here as a resul of the outside pressures to control the
violence. That is O Wing, Max (Maximum Scuricy) Row Soledad —
in pare anyway.

Take an individual who has been in the general prison population for
atime. Picture him as an average conviee with the average twelve-year.
old mentaliey,the nacion's norm. He wants out, he wanes a woman and
a beer. Let' say this average conviet is white and has just been caught
actempring to escape. They may put him on Max Row. This is the worst
thing that will ever happen to him. In the general population facility
there are no chains and cuffs. TVs, radios, record players, civilian
sweaters, keys to his own cellfor daytime use, serve to keep his mind off
his real problems. There is also a recreation yard with all sores of balls
and instrumens to srike or thruse e, There s a gym. There are movies
and a library well stocked with light fiction. And of course there is

PARTONE 3
work, where for 2 or 3 cents an hour conviets here at Soledad make
paper produces, furniture, and clothing. Some people aceually like chis
work since it does provide some money for the small things and helps
them to get through their day —without thinking about cheir real
problems.

Take an innocent con out of this general population secting (because a
pig “thought” he may have seen him attempting 2 lock). Bring him to
any part of O Wing (the worst part of the adjustment center of which
Max Rowis a part). He will be cuffed, chained, beleed, pressured by the
police who think that every conviet should be an informer. He will be
pressured by the white cons to join their racist brand of policics (they
all go under the nickname “Hidler’s Helpers"). I he s predisposed to
help black he will be pushed away — by black. Three weeksis enough.
The strongest hold out no more than a couple of weeks. There has been
one white many only to go through this O Wing experience without
losing his balance, without allowing himself to suceumb to the madness
of ribald, protrusive racism.

T destroys the logical processes of the mind, a man's thoughes become
compleeely disorganized. The noise, madness streaming from every
throat, frusteaced sounds from the bars, metallic sounds from the walls,
the seeel trays, theiron beds bolted to the wall,the hollow sounds from
a castiron sink or toiet.

The smell,the human waste thrown at s, unwashed bodies, the roreen
food. When a white con leaves here he's ruined for life. No black leaves
Max Row walking. Eicher he leaves on the meat wagon or he leaves
erawling licking a the pig’ feee.Ironic, because one cannor geta parole
to the oueside prison directly from O Wing, Max Row. Iés posicively
not done. The parole board won'e even consider the Max Row case. So
2 man licks at the feet of the pig not for a release to the outside world
but for the privilege of going upstairs to O Wing adjustment center
There the licking process muse continue if a parole is the object. You
can count on one hand the number of people who have been paroled
o the streets from O Wing proper in all the years that the prison has
existed. No one goes from O Wing, Max Row seraight to the general
prison population. To go from here to he outside world is unthinkable
A man must go from Max Row to the regular adjustment center faciliy
upstairs. Then from there to the general prison population. Only then
can he entertain thoughts of eventual release to the ourside world.

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
One can understand the depression fee by an inmate on Max Row. He's

fallen as fa as he can inco the social trap, elie s so distan that is very
easy for him o loe his holds. In two weeks that lede average man who
may have ended up on Max Row for suspicion of attempred escape i so
brutalized. so completely without holds, that he will never heal again.
Ies worse than Viemam. He's dodging lead. He may be forced o fight a
duel to the death with knives. Ifhe doesn't sound and act more zealous
than everyone else he will be challenged for not being loyal to his race
and its policis, fascism. Some of these cons suppor the pigs racism
without shame, the others support i inadercently by their own racism.
The former are white, thelacte black. But in here as on the seret black

racism i a forced reaction. A survival adapeation.

The pcture that [ have painted of Soledad’s general population facility
may have made it sound not too bad at all. That mistaken impression
would resule from the absence in my description of one more very
importane feature of the main line — terrorism. A frighening,
peifying diffusion of violence and intimidation is emitced from the
offices of the warden and capeain. How else could a small group of
armed men be expected to hold and rule another much larger group
excep through fear?

We have a gym (inducement to throw away our energies with 2 ball
inseead of revolution). But if you walk inco this gym with a cigaretee
burning, youre probably in trouble, There is a pig waiting to trap you
There’ a sign “No Smoking” I you miss the sign, trouble. I you drop
the cigarette to comply, trouble. The floor s regarded s someching
of a fire hazard (I'm not certain what the pretexe is). There are no
receptacles. The pig will pounce. You'l be told in no uncertain terms
o serape the cigarette from the floor with your hands. e builds from
there. You have 2 gym but only certain things may be done and in
specified ways. Since the rules change with the pigs' mood, it s really
safer for a man to seay in his cel,

You have work with emoluments thae range from nothing to three
cents an hour! But once you accepe the pay job i the prison's industrial
sector you cannot get out without going through the bad conduct
process. When workers are needed, it isn't case of accepting a job in
this area. You take thejob or you're automaticall refusing to work, even
if you clearly stated that you would cooperate in other employment.
The same atmosphere prevails on the receation yard where any type
of minor mistake could resule not in merely 2 bad conduct report and

PARTONE 35
placement in adjusement center, but death. A fistfight, a temporary,
sriviallossof temper will bring a fusillade of bullees down on the darker
of the two men fighting,

You can't begin to measure the bad fecling caused by the existence of
one TV see shared by 140 men. Think! One TV, 140 men. If there is
more than one channel, what's going to occur In Soledad’s TV rooms
there has been murder, mayhem, and destruction of many TV sets

‘The blacks occupy one side of the room and the whites and Mexicans
the other. (ls't i significant in some way that our numbers in prison
are suffcient to justify the claiming of halfof all these facilities?)

We have aside, they have a side. What does your imagination envisage
outof a hypotherical situation where Nina Simone sings, Angela Davis
speaks, and Jim Brown “splits” on one channel, while Merle Haggard
yodels and begs for an ass kicking on another. The fight will follow
immediately after some brother, who is less democratic than he is
starved for beauey (we did vote bue they're 60 to our 40), turns the
seation o see Angela Davis. What lines do you think the fighting will
be along? Won't it be Angela and me againse Merle Haggard?

But thissicuation is tolerable at least up to a poine. It was worse. When
Tentered the joine on this offense, they had half and we had half, bu
out half was in the back.

In a case like the one just mentioned, the white conviets wil stare
passing the word among themselves that all whites should be in the
TV room to vote in the “Cadillac cowboy” The two groups polarize
out of a situation created by whom? s just like the outside. Nothing
ac all complicated abou . When people walk on each other, when
disharmony s he norm, when organisms stare falling aparti isthe faule
of these whose responsibility it is to govern. They're doing somehing
wrong They shouldn't have been trusted with the responsibiliy. And
long-range policical ativiey isnt going to help that man who will die
tomorrow or tonight. The apologists recognize that these places are
controlled by absolute terror, but they justify the pig’ excesses with
the argument that we exist outside the practice of any civilized codes
of conduct. Since we are conviets racher than men, a bullet through
the heat, summary exceution for fist-fighting or stepping across a line
is not extreme or unsound at all. An official is allowed full range in
violknt means because a conviet can be handled no other way.

36 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Fay. have you ever considered what type of man is capable of handling
absolute power. | mean how many would not abuse it? Is there any
way of isolating or clasifying generally who can be trusted with a gun
and absolute discretion as to who he will kill I've already mentioned
that most of them are KKK types. The rese, all the rest, in general,
are s0 stupid that they shoulda'e be allowed to run cheir own bath. A
responsible seate government would have found a means of weeding
out most of the savage types that are drawn to gunslinger jobs long ago.
How did al these pigs get through?! Men who can barely read, write,
o reason. How did they get chrough!t? You may as well give a baboon
a gun and set him loose on s! Ies the same in here as on the streets
out there. Who has loosed this thing on an already suffering people?
‘The Reagans, Nixons, the men who have, who own. Investigate them!
There are no qualifications asked. no experience necessary. Any fool
who falls in here and can sign his name mighe shoot me tomorrow from
a position 30 feet above my head with an automaric military rifle! He
could be dead drunk. Tt could really be an acciden (x million o one
it won'e be, however), but he'l be protected still. He won'e even miss
aday’s wages

The textbooks on criminology like to advance the idea that prisonersare
mentally defective. There is only the merest suggeseion that the syscem
insel i at faule. Penologiss regard prisons as asylums. Most policy is
formulaced in a bureau that operates under the heading Deparement
of Corrections. Bu what can we say about these asylums since none
of the inmates are ever cured. Since in every instance they are sen out
of the prison more damaged physically and mentally than when they
entered. Because that is the reality. Do you continue to investigate
the inmate? Where docs administrative responsibility begin? Perhaps
the administration of the prison cannot be held accountable for every
individual act of their charges, but when things fly apare along racial
lines, when the breakdown can be traced so clearly to circumstances
even beyond the control of the guards and administration, investigation
ofanything outside the tenets of the fascis syseem ieself is futie.

Nothing has improved, nothing has changed in the weeks since your
team was here. We're on the same course, the blacks are fast losing the
last of their restraints. Growing numbers of blacks are openly passed
over when paroles are considered. They have become aware that
their only hope lis in resistance. They have learned chat resistance is
actually posible. The holds are beginning o slip away. Very few men

PARTONE 3
imprisoned for economic crimes or even crimes of passion againse the
oppressor feel that they are really guilty. Most of oday’s black convicts
have come to understand thac they are the most abused victims of an
unrighteous order. Up until now, the prospet of parole has kept us
from confronting our capors with any real decermination. But now
with the living conditions of these places deteriorating, and with
the sure knowledge that we are slated for destruction, we have been
transformed into an implacable army of liberation. The shift co the
revolutionary antiestablishment position that Huey Newton, Eldridge
Cleaver, and Bobby Seale projected a3 a solution to the problems of
Amerika's black colonies has taken firm hold of these brothers’ minds
They are now showing great interest in the thoughes of Mao Tae
tung, Nkrumah, Lenin, Marx, and the achievements of men like Che
Guevara, Giap, and Uncle Ho.

Some people are going o et killed out of thissicuation that i geowing.
Thacis not & warning (or wishful thinking). I sce i as an “unavoidable
consequence” of placing and leaving conerol of our lives in the hands
of men like Reagan.

These prisons have always borne a certain resemblance to Dachau and
Buchenwald, places for the bad niggers, Mexicans, and poor whites.
But the last ten years have brough an increase in the percentage of
blacks for crimes that can clearly be traced to political-cconomic
causes. There are stil some blacks here who consider themselves
eriminals — but not many. Believe me, my friend, with the time and
incentive that these brothers have to read, study, and think, you will
find no class or category more aware, more embitered, desperate, or
dedicated to the ultimate remedy — revolution. The most dedicated,
the best of our kind — you'l ind them in the Folsoms, San Quentins,
and Soledads. They live like there was no tomorrow. And for most of
them there isn’

Somewhere along the line they sensed this. Life on the
installment plan, chree years of prison, three months on parole; then
back o sare al over again, sometimes in the same cell. Parole officers
have sent brothers back to the joint for selling newspapers (the Black
Panther paper). Their offical reason is *Failure to Mainain Gainful
Employmen” etc

We're something like 40 to 42 percent of the prison population.
Perhaps more, since I'm relying on material published by the media
The leadership of the black prison population now definicely dentifies
with Huey, Bobby, Angela, Eldridge, and anifascism. The savage

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
represion of blacks which can be estimated by reading the obituary
columns of the nacion’s dailies, Fred Hampron, eec., has not faled to
register on the black inmates. The holds are fase being broken. Men
who read Lenin, Fanon, and Che don't rio, “they mass? “they rage”
they dig geaves

When John Clutcheree was firse accused of this murder he was
proud, conscious, aware of his own worth but uncommitted to any
specific remedial action. Review the process that they e sending this
beautiful brother through now. It comes ac the end of a long train of
similar incidents in his prison life. Add to this al of the things he has
witnessed happening to others of our group here. Comrade Fleeta
spent eleven months here in O Wing for possessing photography
aken from a newsweekly. I is such hings that explain why California
prisons produce more than their share of Bunchy Carters and Eldridge
Cleavers.

Fay, chere are only ewo types of blacks ever released from these places,
the Carters and the broken men.

The broken men are so damaged that they will never again be suitable
members of any sort of social unit. Everything that was sill good when
they entered the joint, anyching inside of them that may have escaped
the ruinous effects of black colonial existence, anyehing that may have
been redeemable when they frst entered the joint — is gone when they

This camp brings out the vry best in brothers or destroys them encirely
But none are unaffected. None who leave here are normal. I I leave
here alive, Illeave nothing behind. They ll never count me among the
broken men, but I can'e say thae [ am normal cither. I've been hungey
0o long, I've gotten angry oo often. I'e been lied to and insulted too
many times. They've pushed me over the line from which there can be
no retseat. | know that they will noe be sacisfied uneil chey've pushed
me out of this existence altogether. I've been the vietim of so many
racise actacks that I could never relax again. My reflexes will never be
normal again. I'm like 2 dog that has gone through the K — 9 process

Thisis not the fieseatcempt the insticution (camp) has made to murder
me. It is the mose determined awtempe, but not the frse. I look ino
myself at the close of every one of these precrial days for any changes
that may have taken place. I can scill smile now, after ten years of

PARTONE B
blocking knife thruses and pick handles, of anticipating and faceless
sadistic pigs, reacting for ten years, seven of them in Solitary. T can seill
smill sometimes, but by the ime this thing is over I may not be a nice
person. And I just lie my seventy-seventh cigarette of this 21-hour day
T'm going to lay down for ewo or three hours, perhaps I'llsleep

Seize the Time.

JUNE, 1970 12

Youknow I had avisi yesterday from an old friend, Joan. They told her
she couldn'e come back again, an cconomy move. I costs the stte too
much to supervisc my half-hour visits, so [l be held incommunicado
it scems. They turned my sster away today. Someone is going to have
to come up with some gurs. These fools muse be stopped. Absolute
power in the hands of dioes! It makes me think of Rome and England
Do you know where the barbarians and guerrills are going to come
from to destroy Imperial Amerika, from the black colonies and these
concentration camps. The three of us are the only convietsin this joint
who have to accepe half-hour visies, with a special guard, handeuffed
and chained. Now it seems we won' even gee thae. My sister, my
brother can' visit me in what could be the lase days of my life! Well,
‘one good thing comes from this experience; no question remainsin the
minds of any member of my family 25 to where their energies would
best bespent. My father will have a whole den of Panthers there o feed.

With cach atcempt the pigs made on my life in San Quentin, I would
send an SOS out o my family. They would always respond by liscening
and writing letters o the joine pigs and Sacramento rats, but they didn't
entirely accepe that | was tellingthem the teuth abou che pig mentalicy
Twould gee dubious stares whe I told them the lieutenants and the
others who propositioned some of the most vicious white convicts in
the state: *Kill Jackson, we'll do you some good.” You understand, my
father wanted to know why. And all I could tel him was that I relaced
t0 Mao and couldn't kowtow: His mind couldn't deal with ic. would
use every device, every historical and current example [ could reach to
explain to him that chere were no-good pigs. But the task was too big.
Twas fighting his mind first, and his fear of admitting the existence
of an identifiable enemy clement chat was oppresing us because that
would cither commit him to attack that enemy or force him to admit
his cowardice. I was also fighing the eseablishmene’s public relations

) SOLEDAD BROTHER
and propaganda machine. The prisons all use the clean, sraigh faces,
o the old, harmless-looking pigs o work in areas where they must
come in contact with free people. And these pigs are never allowed
0 use their tusks. Regarding the racism, my father would remind me
that there were black pigs too. But, of course, that means nothing a all.
They simply work around the blacks when necessary. One guard or two
guards working together is all thar's needed to murder any con in the
joine. Bue it isn’ really necessary to work around the black pigs. They'll
all cooperate or turn their heads.

The black cop could be a large factor in preventing our genocide.
But no help can be expected from that quarter. The same stupidity
and desperation chat brough him to the gates prevents him from
incerceding. The job. the wage means too much to him. Often he
fels compelled to prove himself, prove chat he i loyal to the force,
prove that he is not prejudiced in favor of us, prove that he is honest.
His honesty prevents him from dealing in contraband as every white
pig does. Look, [ was in San Quentin for seven straight years. | knew
everything that was brought in and by whom. The white pig actually
considers it his privilege to supplement his income by bringing in and
selling narcortics, weapons, and, of course, pornography. The black pig
is afiaid, too unsure of his position to be dishonest.

This same fear will cause him to show more zeal in the “club cherapy”
sessions than even the whites manage. If che vietim is black, he’s going
0 get so mad that the white pigs will have to stand back and let him
swing, I they don't have murder planned for that session, they'll have
o pull tha nigger offof you. A pig — isa pg. lall fallsinco place. [sce
the whole thing much clearer now, how fascism has taken possession of
this country. the interlocking dictatorship from country level on up to
the Grand Dragon in Washington, D.C.

The solidarity becween the prison here and the coure in Salinas,
beeween the judge and geand jury, the judge and the D.A. and other
ity officials. The insticution has efectively cut me off from any relic.
The unmeck have taken over this whole county, the state, the entire
country. They work together, to the same end, effective control

T knew of these links before this, long before this, but sceing it in
operation is pretey frightening. What force binds them togecher? I'm
efering to the intermediary, the physical thing, not the ideal. What
is it that really ties that fa rat with a chain of deparemen stores to 3

PARTONE 2
uniformed pig? The fat rat wanes the counery and world policed, made
safe for his business eo expand. But how does he sellthe ideal to the man
who muse do the policing? Money is the bond I think. They're in it for
the money, these pigs and skinny rats. The fascist ideal doesn'e really
take hold unil one gees into the upper levels of the power pyramid.
Then any ideal that preseves becomes artractive

People’s government would decentralize this power that they hold over
us — these men must be stopped.

Pover to the People
George

JUNE, 1970 13

Dear Fay,
No one here knows about the scheduled court hearing, They say we'ee
not going. The prison doesn'e like moving us, so somehow they have
managed to arrange with the judge to leave us out of our own rialt Or
preteial. Can they try us n absentia (i that the term?2)? Some bull (pig
Tmean) juse said that the judge under no circumseances wants us in his
court. In that case they shouldn't mind dropping the whole thing or
sending us to another county for trial. Berkeley perhaps. But as you've
said more than likely il be Orange County:

Why do we accept this sore of thing? We have numerical superiority —
but they have guns and money. And then the righteous don't ke to cut
throats so we languish in misery.

When you finally get me out of this mess, you'll have to send me avay
somewhere for a while, somewhere like Cuba or China or Tanzania, so
that I can reorient myself. My understanding had been serained to the

JUNE, 1970 14

1 don'e think we can afford to be nice much longer, che very lase of
our protection i eroding from under us. There will be no means of
detceting when that lase sight is gone. You'll only know when they stare
shooting you. The process must be checked somewhere becween now
and then, o we'l be fighting from a position of weakness with our

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
backs against che wall (I hink we sell have the advaneage now) We
of the black colony know about that kind of action, fighting offof the
wall. Ies not che best way to get down.

s gereing tighter here, they'ee taking our visits. It looks as if they're
stopping our court appearances. They also made 2 mistake concerning
our “money draw” this month. This means we'll be withoue the licele
things even.

You may never read this leeter cither, our mail is being held back,
recurned, thrown away somewhere. Nice people aren't they? They richly
deserve anyehing we can do to them. This man who just passed my cell
counting, he'll never lsten to reason. His mind isnt constructed that
way. While we reason with him in ideals and ideas, he isn'e listening.
He is thinking sbout which rule he'll quote to dismiss us. When he
walks away, you'll see the litle code book protruding from his ass
pockee. That's where he carries his mind. in his ass pocket. When we
aetack the problem with intellectualism we give away the advanage we
have in numbers.

T'm with Bobby! We are going to hav to kick him where he keeps his
brain,in the region of the as

Pover
George

PARTONE 2
Letters: 1964 — 1968

JUNE, 1964

Dear Mother,
Are you well: I think of you often and would write more regularly than
1o if I could bue find the time. The things that I am working on
demand a great deal of time. | guess this i so because it is my lot to have
no one to help me.

Mama, and 1 mention this withoue vanity, I have made some giant
steps toward acquiring the things that | personally will need if [ am
o be successful in my plans; aside from the factual macerial acquired
from books and obscrvations there s, as you know, a cerain quality
of character needed to perform the thing that | have in mind. |
have completely repressed all emotion; have learned to see myself in
perspective, in true relation with other men and the world. I have
enlarged myvision so that I may be able o think on basis encompassing
not just myself, my family, my neighborhood, but the world. I have
compleeely arrested the susceptibility to think in theoretical terms, or
give credence to religious, supernatural, or other shallow unnecessary
things of this nature that lock the mind and hinder thinking,

When a man does something o possesses something that is
complementary to his character, it is vietually impossible for him to
hide this thing, keep it to himself, keep from telling it to those he
wishes to impress; this is natural egoism, the need for attention and
fartery asserting ieself. | have quicely removed this need: neglece and
loneliness have no effect whatever on me anymore. I feel no pain of
mind or body, and the harder it gets the beteer [ like it. | must rid
myself of al sentiment and remove all possibility of love. Though 1
owe allegiance to no one other than myself clearly understand that my
fuure reses with the black people of the world, L am trying in every way
posible to adjust my thinking habits so that theie ways of ife won't
seem asstrange and alien to me as these people over here would have
it After 1 am finished with myself, an observer who could read my

4 All previouslssers were accidentaly descroped. They were described by the
author as extremely bitter”

w“ SOLEDAD BROTHER
thoughts and watch my actions would never believe that [ was rased in
the United Seate
lowest class, the black seracum of slave mencality.”

ind much less would he believe that I came from the

Thave been meaningto ask you how Delora was doing with her husband
in jail | sincerely hope she is not finding it too hard, but life on the
ereadmill can be expeted to be hard: i you will send me her address
and ask her if she wants to write me., will send the necessary forms to
her. Hang on, I'm going to make everything ll righ.

Your son,
George

SEPTEMBER, 1964

Dear Mother,
T went up yesterday and Pl have to say chat it does not look too
hopeful. I chink my black brother crossed me, the one you met when
you were here ast. They made mention of my going to school. One of
them cold me in so many words to bring back a diploma. Maybe this
was his meaning, maybe nor. [ will not know for sure unel my offcial
resules come in on Friday of his week. Il write you again then,

Lavera® came to see me this weekend, and said she will come again
next weekend. I will tell her Saturday whae I got at the board; she can
coneact you. Bue there is no need for thae much disquiet: if should
get an immediate release there would seill be weeks of formaliies to
go through

‘Wehave birchdays this week. Though L have lostall of my sentimentalicy.
T know you people scil cling to the old, so I'll observe the social
amenities by wishing you health on your birehday: Really chough, i it
notsilly, the leele pac phrases, Merey Christmas, Happy New Year, eec.*
They (the Europeans) have reduced all life to a very dull formula. All
natural feelings have been lost.

5 Dauring his carly years i prison, the author exphined eo th edicorthathe
had complerely lose i in American blacks and thei abilcy to become a cruly
revolionary forc. The anly thing he wanted was o gt ouc of prison and ight
for Roberta in Angols or Lumumba inthe Congo.

6 The author’s mother nicce

PARTONE 5
Thave work here in my cell o do, see you soon.

Love,
George

DECEMBER, 1964

Dear Father,
1 guess you are right in what you say about Mother’s postion. If she
wishes to occupy the corner set aside for usin thissocicty and be happy
wich such then let e be. I merely speak of better and different chings
in a society greater (in my humble opinion) and more conducive to
advancement for people of my kind. Always bear in mind that though
T may sound intolerane and pressing at times, all I say is by way of
discourse and nothing by way of advice. You see I understand you
people clearly. You are afflicted by the same set of principles that has
always governed black people’sideas and habits here in the US. I know
also how we arrived at this appalling stae of decadence. You see, my
father, we have been “educated” into an acceptance of our positions
as national seapegraces. Our acceptance of the lc is consciously based
on the supposition that peace can and must be preserved ac any price
Blacks here in the US. apparently do not care how well they live, but
are only concerned with how long they are able to live. This is odd
indeed when considering that it is possible for us all o live well, but
within the reach of no man o live long! My decpest and most sincerely
fele sympathies go ou to all of you who are not able to resolve your
problems because of this fundamental lack of spirit. The morass of
illusionment has claimed your souls completely. do not care about
the other millions of blacks here in the land of tears, their fate is of
their own choosing; but because you and the others of our family have
always been close to me whatever successes [ wring from the eternal foe
you will share. Until I do this [ know it is expecting too much for you
o be impressed with the ideals | put forward. Ies always been this way
Timagine. One has to be shown the fruits and feel the rewards of new
o differen ching before perceiving s meries.

In the airmail letcer you sent it is noe altogether clear to me what you
were erying to say, s0 | won't eap to any conclusions but let me state
that T have a singular incapabilicy, which is my strongest point, my first
principle. T could never in this existence betray my kind. Love of self
and kind is the first Law of nature, my facher. What N. did to me in

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
1958 Lean never forgive.” I can understand why she betrayed me to the
whites and can even explain why she thought herself right in doing so.
bue I can'e forgive her because she has not made any effore to change
her completely backward sympathies. It is the same thing today with
her as it was yesterday. She would betray me a second time i [ allowed
it. You know that [ove my mother dearly for many reasons,she always
(chrough your labor of course) provided for me materially the best
she knew how, bu she failed me bitcerly in mateers of the mind and
spirie. My education she putin the hands of the arch-foes of my kind
This is a betrayal of the worst kind, beeause of this I've had to learn
everything I now know on my own by trial and error. I have almost
arrived but look at the cost. I would not be in prison now if she hadn't
been reading lfe through those rose-colored glasses of hers, or f you
would have had time and the wisdom to tell me of my enemics, and
how to get the things | necded without falling into their traps. She
Kept tlling me how wrong I was and making me ecl guilty. All o this
now understand, but again cannot forgive because she s still doing this
same sort of ching!t

1 gor the nuts and cake today thanks, socks and handkerchicfs also.

Take care.
Son

DECEMBER, 1964

Dear Father,
Everything was in order, concerning the package that is. They brought
ic right in frone of he cell and opened i

Mama sene me a card with a pictue of some white people on the front
of it T guess she just can't perceive that | don't wane anything to do
with her white god.

I 1958 L cscaped from Kern Councy Jil and fought e pigs,all th vy back
o the midswescern areaof my birch, 45 smokeless n hand. o hem alcogech-
erin Chicago. The pigs gave up on me afer bout hree months. | ended up in
Harrisbugg o awai th rerum of my mother’ alfbrocher, Amide Walkes. L was
hoping chat he would help me gec oue ofche countey, While L was waiing for
hien, my aune discovesed chrongh my family in Californa cha L was on the run
from the lv: She turned in my name and | was recaprured.”

PARTONE a7
T am seill confined to ehis cell It is nine by four. [ have lefe it only
ewice in the month I've been here for ten minutes cach time, in which
Twas allowed to shower. Did I tell you? They have assured me that |
have not been given a bad-conduct repore. It i juse that they felt T was
about to do some wrong, I¢s always suspicions. What I was supposed to
have done or was about to do, never, never what they caught me doing
as it should be. The lase time I was in a cell like ehis three months,
from February to May (1964) for reasons that are no alcogecher clear
yee! |have had no serious infraction in almost three years now. You
Know [had at least $125 on me when [ was arrested in 1960 and they
ook it | assume it was to cover the $70 that was missing as the result
of the robbery. So I'm thinking that I shouldn't owe them too much
more. You know in fact I'm fast awakening to the idea that I may not
owe anyone anything and hat they even might owe me. I have given
four-and-a-half years of life during which I have had to accept the
unaceeptable, for $70 thar I didn't ke — I protest. I protest

I you knew how much I protested, how seriously I fele abou the
matter, you and Mother and anyone who has a nacural affiniey wich me
would surely be trying to convince me that you were on my side.

The events of the Congo, Viewam, Malaya, Korea, and here in the US.
are taking place all for the same reason. The commotion, the violence,
the struggles in all these areas and many more spring from one source,
the evil and malign, possessive and greedy Europeans. Their bsteact
theories, developed over centurics of long sage, concerning economics
and sociology take the form that they do because they suffer under the
mistaken belief thae a man can sccure himself in this insecure world
best by ownership of great personal, privae wealth. They attempt to
impose their theories on the world for obvious reasons of self-gain.
Their philosophy concerning government and economies has an
underlying tone of slfishness, possessiveness, and greediness because
their character is made up of these things. They can' see the merit in
socialism and communism because they do not possess the qualities
of rational thoughe, generosiy, and magnanimity necessary to be part
of the human race, part of a social order, pare of a system. They can
not understand that “From each according to his abilities, to cach
according to his needs” i the only way men can live togecher without
haos. There is a species of fly chatlives only four hours. Ifone of these
flies (June fly believe they are called), if one of these fles was born at
ewelve o'clock midnight in darkness and gloom, there would be no way

8 SOLEDAD BROTHER
possible for him in his lifetime to ever understand the concept of day
and lighe. This is the case with the Europeans

They are small men with their peety inerigues and prejudices. “In
shallow men the fish of small thoughts cause much commotion, in
magnanimous oceanic minds the whales of inspiration cause hardly 3
ruffle” (Mao Tee-tung)

George

FEBRUARY, 1965

Dear Mother,
T promised myself that I would'e wrice you again from here. T only
take pen in hand when feeling moves me to do so. My fecling seems
to be wasted on you. You know beyond question what my feclings
are, | never think of anyehing erite o inconsequential anymore. I've
forgotten the fecling of joy. I've long since had my last smile wrung
unceremoniously from my hollow soul. I write home to you people,
my people, the closest of my kind for understanding and advice. 1
actempe to advise you in areas of which experience has made me becter
informed. I get no understanding. 1f 1 followed the adviee I receive it
would only seeve to enslave me furcher to this madness of our times
My advice falls upon deaf ears!

This is my reason for not wanting to write. What can [ say further? It
is clear you don'tlove me when you refuse to aid me the only way you
can,the only way I expect! By elling me Lam right and that I have your
blessings. You see [ am being frank: though I care about your felings.
T care more for your well-being. There ae things brewing now that
could ruin you completely if, when they break, you are in sympachy
with wrong, Robert is the same way, he pretends or he may carnestly
no feel the effects of the circumstances I atcempe to explain. He is
sympahetic to wrong. Bu [ can overlook him more readily because
of his almost complete lack of mental training, His pase experiences
have been very limited regarding the stimulus of academic learning,
he is innocent. But not so with you. though your exposure was not all
that e should have been, you are equipped with the basic fundamentals
needed to guide one to the truth, should i be eruch one favors, When
T consider my own experience boughe at the cost of these terrible
years, supplemented in love and concern by your own experience and

PARTONE 2
learning, what am 1 to chink bue that something is radically wrong,
that I am being betrayed and have been betrayed. The question is one
of grave proportions to me. | cannot sress this poine too clearly. I mean
to make sure this doesnt happen to me again or to my seed. Ifa person
doesn'tstand with me, he stands against me to my way of thinking.

1 feel that you have filed me Mama. 1 know that you have failed me.
T also know that Robert has never held an opinion of his own. You
have influenced his every thought ever since you have known him. You
have always had the running of things. You have done him a disservice
You are doing Jon a disservice now. You are a woman, you think like
4 bourgeois woman. This is a predatory man's world. The real world
calls for a predatory man’s brand of thinking, Your way of viewing the
world i necessarily bourgeois and feminine. How could I, Robere,Jon,
or any of the men of our kind aceomplish what we must as men if we
think like bourgeois women, or let our women think for us. This is
what's happening al over this pare of the world! Rober should have
been seronger, should have had more time and frcedom of movement.
So should Grandfather, and Grear-Grandfacher. But they didn'e and
it isne their faule. The cruclest and most suppressive treaement has
always fallen to the males because they have not that tender defense
the woman is born with. So understand me once and for all speak no
further on the macter. You conceived and Robert sired a man. Nothing
can curn me from my resolve. Make no further atcemprs. | am going
o give my all to this thing, and if the victory i to fall to me, you and
people ke you must stand beside me, not lean or lic on me.

Robert eells me you are sick. I am writing to ask about the nature of
your illness. | know 2 hope will not aid you any, but by whatever gods
there be I hope and wish you well. There is much sickness and tears
to come, some will fll to me also [ guess, bue my condition can only
improve from where I stand now.

Fare you well
Son

FEBRUARY, 1965 25

Dear Mother,
Your letter reached me late for some unknown reason. Has your health
improved? I think you should relas; all has not been said or done yet.
You are a litele confused now for understandable reasons; things will

s0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
be made clear before long, T should be out of here this year. I have
complicd with all of their demands: group counseling, school, clean
conduet record. I go to board next time they meet. You could stare
writing lecters to the Adult Authority now, the more the becter. You
Know what to say: that I was young then and you see a vast change in
my character now. Also say that you can and will help me with a place
toscay.

T asked Robert to send me some shoes. Check with him on it. They
have to be sent from Sears by the salesman, cost no more than $25, have
the price or sales slip in the bos, and in the way of type and size | want
some old folks’ comfores with high tops, 9 — B. Nothing else, my fect
need therapy in the worst way. Soon as you can on this, [ wan to get rid
of these corns and sores before I get out.

T'mglad you weren't a singer or dancer. Pop was wisc in that. The image
held ofthe blacks in this part of he world is that we are proficient in but
one or two areas only, the service trades or the physical entereainment
fields (singers, dancers, bosers, baseball players).

Would you like to support the theory that we are good for nothing
but co serve o entertain our caprors? In the socicty of our fathers and
in the civilized world today, women feel it their obligaion to be ever
yielding and obedient to cheir men. Life i purposely made simple for
them because of their nature, and they are happy. When the women
outnumber the men in the black socicties, the men take as many wives
as they can afford, and care for them all equally. In the white for
some nebulous reason the men can take only one ... the rest are lefe
to become prosicutes, nuns, or lesbians. In the civilized socicties the
women do light work, bear children, and lend purpose to the man's
existence. They train children in the ways of wisdom that history has
shown to be correet. Their job i to tran the children in their carly ife
0 be men or women, not confused psychorics! This s abigiob, co train
and propagate the race1! Is this not enough? The resti eft o the men.

government administration, the providing of means of subsiscence, and

defense, or maintenance of life and property against any who would
deprive us of it,as the barbarian has and is sl acrempting to do. The
white theory of “the emancipated woman” is a fase idea. You wil find
it,as they are finding i, the Fctor in the breakdown of the family unit.
Mama, all ehis seruggle is unnecessary. Let’s not create an atmosphere
of competition among ourselves as they have done. Lif is t0o shor.
There is too much for us to restore to its proper order and we are too

PARTONE 51
wise. Whae do you chink made the white guy write thac lie is 2 tale
told by an idior, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” — he felt
frustrated and seupid.

Son

MARCH, 1965 12

Dear Mama,
The things you speak of are uppermost in my mind and my heare. Lam
not too manly or sophisticated to say that I love you and all the rest
with 2 devotion and dedication that wil continue to grow until I pass
from this existence. Anyehing that will please you, and that falls within
human accomplishmene, I will carry out. I say this with confidence
because of my cereainty thae you would never ask me to please you by
surrendering my mental liberty and self-respect; | wouldn'e wan to live
were these, my las two real possessions, to be lose

Any confidence you putin me, Mama, will be well placed. This is not
mere talk, my ego is nowhere involved. If we are to surmount these
bartiers standing beeween us, and finally work things around to our
advantage, on a few points we must be agreed. You muse lsten to me.
T've been trying to say something, Stop closing my voice off from your
mind! My hair has staeed to eurn gray and I'm beginning to look like
an old man. My best efforts up to now have all fallen far shore of their
incended goals. | know, however,just as sure as day follows night that
Till win the lase round. That is the one I always win, the important
one. I feel that you understand the situation better than most who live
on your level. From your ast leteer, I know you are intelligent cnough
to understand. 1 have it before me now and I glean much to indicate
that thisis so. But chere is much that has escaped your understanding,
and i is quite reasonable that this b true. You have no way of learning
and beetering. However, if you will honor my humble voice, I would
very much like to pass on to you just a thought or ewo I have had. All
that Lask is chat you hear me, and think about what [ say. Do not just
read over the lines. Think of what [ say in relation to things past, and
the vague possibility that is our future. I'm not juse another convier
or “Negro” 'm one who really loves you and who has been observing
with practiced eye and an almost photographic memory. But firs let
me clear up one other incidencal thing, Robert has never said anyehing
unaseractive or beliteling about you. Each of his leteers expresses almost

52 SOLEDAD BROTHER
total grief for the condition of your health. He blames me even, then
himself, bue never che right people. He feels he has failed you, me, and
all the others, and he keeps trying to learn if Lalso blame him, Of course
1do not blame him or you, or mysel. I place the blame for the social
ills chat have caused us discomfort and unhappiness squarely upon the
shoulders of those responsible: the people in controlt!

Ieis mainly on ehis subjeet chat | am going tospeak now. To get i across
Tam going to write two leeers,this one and another sheet also tonight.
This should be read firs for the idea to follow in logical order. I am
going to do exactly as you say concerning the show of good conduct
here. have never raised my hand againse any man, since I've been an
adule that i, except in selfdefense, but there has been an element of
aggressiveness n the way that [ have handled these incidens. Tl have
0 alvays defend my person, but I promise you that unless there is 3
dirce threat to my existence | will never have another bie of trouble
here. Understand though chat you do not live in the real rip-and-tear
world. You have escaped it by surrendering your self-decermination
and freedom of thought in a tranquilizing conformity to the wishes
of whoever may hold the srings. Consequently you do not know how
hard it to live in peace even for a shore period with people who defy
violence, and vilify peace and harmony.

George

MARCH, 1965 12

Dear Mama,
Tl ey what you advised. T know it o be the best way at ehis point in
the litele game. Butshould ail you are not to say,"George is no good.”
Youmust try to understand that now just asin the past,there are other
considerations and influences that enter into the course of events that
turn our lives one way or the other. Have you ever wondered how you
and L and all our kind lost their identity so fast? The lase blacks were
brought inco this countey only 75 to 80 years ago, chree generations at
mose. This s too shore a time for us to have lost as much as we have.
No other people have completely been divorced from their own as we
have in such a shore period. I don't even know my name. Have you

8 Califoria prison regularions limic ch lngeh o convic leters o both sdes of
onestandard 8% by 11 ruled shece.

PARTONE 5
ever wondered about this? The answer is found in the fact that we lost
control of the circumstances surrounding ou lives. We were alienated
from our sources, isolated, and remolded to fit in certain forms, to
ill 2 specific purpose. No consideration was or has ever been given
0 our being anything other than what we were originally intended to
b (L ask for electronics or drafting and I'm told to be practical). You
muse realize, understand fully, that we have litele o no control over
our lives. You must then stop giving yourself pain by fecling that you
iled, by history
and events, and people over whom you had no control. Only afeer you
understand chis can you then go on to make the necessary alterations
that will bring some purpose and value to you life; you muse gain some
conerol! T have said this to Robert hundred times but it makes no

filed somewhere. You have not failed. You have been

impression at al. He writes back in the same vein as he did the time
before I said anyehing. He juse docsn’ have the mental equipment. Will
youlook deeper and think on the matter and then explain to him? I was
born knowing exactly nothing, 1 had no one, no one, o teach me the
things of real value. The school systems are gauged to teach youth what
o think, not how to think. Robere never had the time to say even hello,
and neither of you really knew anyehing to give my anyway, because
your parents knew nothing. Do you sce where the cycle brings us, to
the real source of the trouble,the alienation and the abandonment, e
pressure from withou, the system and ies supporeers? 1 didn'e know
cither. So we must look to the people whose responsibiliy it is to see o
it that the benefies of society pass down to all concerned for an answer.
1fa good god exises then they are the ones who muse make an appeal
o him for forgiveness: forgiveness for relinquishment and dercliction
of duty! T don' need god, religion, belie, tc. I need control, control
of the determining factors relating to the unquestioning support and
loyaley of my mother, father, brothers, sisters. You need Robert and
I need him and he needs you. We all need each other. The standards
and emotions we have used in the past to regulace our relations defy
all nature and run conerary to all known precedent. When did blood
cease to be thicker than and more binding than all else? We must look
o each other and destroy the barriers placed becween s with truse,
and love. | am commitced and I will do all that I have to. T am equal to
anyehing that s required. Help me when you can, che only way you can,
by trying co understand.

L don't want a package this year: save the moneys save all you can. 1
am living very badly now and just o seay aliv is an ordeal, bue I see

st SOLEDAD BROTHER
something becter It is vague, and is a possibiliy at best, bue I know a
place,a refuge where people love and live.

George

MARCH, 1965 16

Dear Father,
T been going through final examinations at school. Had to use all of
my available time in seudy and have not been able to writelike I should,
but forgive me. They are over now and I did well. I go before the board
next week. I didn'e know about L husband. That s too bad. She seems
o be extremely unlucky in that area. She told me that the last husband
she had was worse. Since that i the case I can feel nothing against her,
but as you said, she should have explained. People are odd indeed.,
about money that is. The best method of testing 2 person's character
is through money. The shocks and strains of this money-mad society
are enough to ruin the purest of minds. Men are so deeply engaged in
making 2 living that their very existence is shaped and dominated by
the system of production. I'm throughly tired already, Pop. When 1
obtain what [ need to work with, nothing could stop me from going
‘home. That is where I will invese my money, resources, and talenes. My
labor shall be expanded where ic will be appreciated. My taxes will go
0 an order and system of government thac will in turn proteet me and
myinterests. Ishall not,as long as L call myselfa man, compromise with
eyranny. There are a few things that mean more to me than lfe. Though
I muse hink of and plan for tomorrow, I cannot, | must not surrender
for comorrow all that I possess today. I can repais thisloss, chis morbid
depression that owns alitle more of my mind each day that passes. The
paleand almost indistinguishable glow ofthe future may yet materialize
o disperse the gloomy stupor that has encompassed me complecely.
have been purposely kept ignoranc, [ have been taught what to dhink,
instead of how to think. I have been subjected to the ordeal of hunger,
thirst, name-calling, and other uncountable indignities. Danger comes
even from those of my own kind. Their ack of response and unyielding
adherence to ineffeceual thoughe and action is an obstacle to my plans.
T may yee surmount ic, but only if I follow my call. I must obey the
dictates of my mind.

Give my regards to all.
Son

PARTONE 55
MARCH, 1965 30

Dear Father,
Thaven'eread anythingor studied in a week now. I have been devortingall
my time to thoughe. | trust you are allin health, T hink of my personal
past quite often. This is uncomforeable sometimes but necessary
Tury not to let my past mistakes bother me t00 much, though some
seem almost unpardonable. it were not for the few intermised letle
victories, my confidence in my ability would b irreparably shaken.

Though I know Lam a vietim of socia injustice and economic pressure
and though [ understand the forces that work to drive so many of our
kind to places like this and to mental insticutions, 1 can't help but
know ehat I proceeded wrong somewhere. I could have done a lot
worse. You know our people react in different ways to this neoslavery.
some juse give in completely and join the other side. They join some
christian cule and cry out for integeation. These are the ones who
doub chemselves most. They are the weakest and hardest o reach with
the new doctrine. Some become inveterate drinkers and narcortic users
in an atempe to gain some mental solace for the physical depravity
they suffer I've heard them say,“There's no hope without dope.” Some
hire on as a janitor, bellboy, redeap, cook, elevaor boy, singer, boxer,
bascball player, or maybe a freak at some sideshow and pretend that
all s as well as is possible. They chink since ic’s always been this way
it must alvays remain this way; these are the fatalses, chey serve and
entertain and rationalize

Then there are those who resist and rebel but do not know what,
who, why, or how exactly they should go abou this. They are aware
bu confused. They are the least fortunate, for they end where [ have
ended. By using half measures and filing dismally to effect any real
improvement in their condition, they fall victim to the full fury and
migh of the systems repressive agencies. Believe me, every dirty trick
of deception and brutality is employed without shame, without honor,
without humaniey, without reservation o cither convert or destroy a
ebellious arm. Believe me, when I say that I begin to weary of the sun.
Tam by nature a genele man, 1 love the simple things of life, good food,
good wine, an expressive book, music, pretty black women. I used to
find enjoyment in a walk in the rain, summer evenings in 2 place like
Harrisburg, Remember how [ used to love Harrisburg. All of this is
gone from me, all the gentle, shy characeerisecs of the black men have
been wrung unceremoniously from my soul. The buffecs and blows of

s6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
this have and have-not socicey have engendered in me a flame chat will
live, will live to geow, unil it cither destroys my tormentor o myself
You don'e understand this bue | musesay it. Maybe when you remember
this en or twenty years from now you'll comprehend. I don'e hink of
life i the same sense that you or mose black men of your generation
think of it it is not important to me how long | lve, I think only of
how Live, how well, how nobly. We ehink if we are to be men again we
must seop working for nothing, competing againse each ocher for the
lieele they allow us to possess, stop seling our women or allowing them
o be used and handled against their will,stop letting our children be
educated by the barbarian, using their language, dres, and cuscoms,
and mose asuredly stop turning our cheeks.

George

APRIL, 1965 18

Dear Father,
Did you gee my leteer of April 11, last Sunday? [ fear you may not have
gotten that leteer since therein I set down some imporeant matters in
an almost 100 direct manner” [ did so thinking that if it was allowed
t0 go through, you would have in your possession knowledge of the
singular events that seem to rush upon me menacing and evil from all
dircetions at once. You would have this information in as complece a
form as the space of that single page allows, or if they had senc it back
o destroyed it,nothing. This was logical in that | wanted you to know
immediately. It s best to have such matters done, and relaced, and over
with. Here in my position you know I'm not supposed to be critical,
nor am I supposed o attempt to convey what goes on in here. So please
acknowledge my letter. | have from you only the letters you wrote on
April 1 and April 2. Have you sent others?

They are sending me to Folsom soon, so they told me. The assaule
charge was referred to the diserict actorney. He will in turn refer it to
the grand jury, which will then bring what they call legal proceedings
against me. Let me say here that all of this is 2 well-thought-oue effore
o frighten me and maybe even do me whatever harm they can without

9 Al ofJcksonscorrespondence had o pass chrongh the rigorsof prson censor-
ship. Much of it was complecely destroyed or muilscd. Only his s ecers o his
Iawyer passed through uncensorcd.

PARTONE 57
alarmingor shocking those around me, you included, too much. T guess
they wane to show me and those around me here how powerless I am
in their hands. But they must do chis without giving rise to feelings of
total insecurity on the pare of the liele people which could serve as
stimulus o some act which would lead toward changing conditions
o circumstances that threaten not just our well-being bue our very
existence. Thus if Lor any of my kind should suffer the final hure, it
would be by accident, heart arack instead of poisoning, malnutition
inseead of beating, suicide by hanging instead of being sho, or legal
proceedings instead of foul play:

But I have much to say about any matter that concerns me in spite of
their wishes. Fear, the emotion that stiffens and inhibits the minds of
most men, causing them to be incapable of acting in their defense at
the momene o ria, i toealy lacking in me. I could look upon my total
ruin with as decached an unconcern as Llook upon theirs. The payment
for life s death. 1 have writcen many a page in the book of i in spite
of my limited years, and I intend to write many more. [l come out
of this as [ have everything else. Ill see Ghana yee. Folsom is a beeter
prison than this. There will be found many older inmates who are more
seable and less inclined o mind others’busines. I can also obain a
parole faster there or a transfer to some minimum security camp. On
the assaule charge I don'e think they will conviet me. Maybe won't even
ery me. The D.A. has to accept the case, and then the geand jury must
be convinced to accept what evidence they may concoct againse me.

Give Mother my regards,

Fare you well
Son

MAY, 19652

Dear Mother and Facher,
Tam sell i isolation. Nothing has changed since I wrote you last,
Robert.” You have a semarkable method for relieving yourself of
unpleasant or weighty problems that can almost be admired, were it just
alitle lesschancy and not soslow. You seem to just ignore the matcer or
pretend it docsn' exist, hoping maybe others with more time or brains

10 The suchor's fucher' name is Robese Lester Jackson. The aushor addesses him
cither as Robert or Lestr depending on mood o crcumstance.

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
o perhaps more to lose will work something out. I have tried several
times over the last few years to adop this means of rationalization for
my own relicf. | tied it ac the stare of this lase aack upon my well
being. Like you, I go to bed each night hoping that the morrow will
bring about the needed change. I simply force all my awareness, all my
many and monumental problems, from my remembrance. Without
plans or forethought, without 2 hine of uneasiness, I go to bed each
night, hoping, trying to aver the storm that is now coming on. I find
each morning, as [ found ehis one, freighted with possibiliies of my
own disaster. sell see the poverty among plenty, feel the curse of cotal
insccuriey | stllfeel ramped within this cloud of gnorance which has
been placed about me purposely to make me act against my interests
My bed is just as hard as it was when I went to sleep, my clothing just
as coarse and inadequate. Here in the isolation el the pirfully light
breakfases are juse the same. | wen supperless to bed the nighe before
Each morning if I can find ot beg a piece of soap [ wash myself. This
is indeed counted as good fortune. But I musta'e complain. It is un.
American to do so. Like the rest of you I should be completely lacking
in feling for myself. 1 should smile and sing. Perhaps I should thank
the lord in spite of the face that I have had not one moment's meneal
grarification in all my eweney-theee years. | find no relef in bascball
and baskerball games on the TV. The charges they bring against me
now could cost me my lie, the las of my possessions, the only ching
they have heretofore lefe me wich. But now thac I think of it, | have
always been forced to fear for my lfe, so thisis nothing new. It merely
more dircet.

One of you send me ewenty-five dollars a soon a5 you can afee reading
his. Twill gee out of isolation next week and be locked up in segregarion
(slighly better than this because we can draw money or articles from
the prison store). T want o buy some envelopes, and books thae I will
be needing, Imporeane because I have nothing. Have lost everything, IF
you can get it here soon enough I will be allowed o draw it this month.

Well, 've heard it said that the dakest hour falls juse before dawn, so
T brace myself to my tasks, never doubting in my ability to seruggle
on. 1feel no defeat could overcome me, and fear no evil but fear eself

perhaps. T have removed this emotion from my mind completely, and I
languish in misery, waiting. This is big pare of the bactle: waiting for
the corect moment and then having the courage and wit to move when
the time s right. The living condition, though bad, have no effect upon

PARTONE El
me physically Bue how much longer will this lase for me in and out
of prison, for you in and out of debr, for the others of our kind who
suffer jail, meneal inseicutions, and the ike. How long will we be forced
o lve this lfe, where every meal is an accomplishment, where every
movie or pair of shoes is a fulfllment, where circumstance never allows
our children to develop pas a mental age of sixteen. I'e been pacien,
but where I'm concerned patience has s limits. Take i too far, and ic’s
cowardice.

George

JUNE, 19659

Dear Father,

We can spend ewenty-five dollars a month here a¢ the canteen for toilet
artcles, 3 few dry goods, and food. Bue we can spend any amount
through the mail on such things s books, ypewicers,correspondence
coursesin all the liberal ares. [ spend what you have sent me on books.
Many that are of interest and value to me cannot be obtained here in
the lbrary.

Anyehing that you send me in the way of finances is a good investmen,
the recurns will be fortheoming after the suceessful conclusion of the

Mao Tae-tung, leader of the Chinese Communist pasey, has writeen
many works on policics and war Please ascertain the exact tels of his
works and who they are published by and how much each costs. Also
the price of the Encyelopedia Africana by William Du Bois. How many
Volumes are there in the see? Who publishes them? It is very important
that I have the publisher's name and address, because if I come by the
money to purchase these books I need the exact titles and publishers.
To read and seudy the major works of these ewo authors would be the
elimax ofmy education, and education in iself. Du Bois was a mere fool
in his arlier days; but right ac che close of his eventful ife he gave up
this life of toil, deprivation, and tears to join his own kind. He left the
United Seates, went to Ghana, and wrote the Eneyelopedia Africana.

Ieis difficule, very difficlt to get any facts concerning our history
and our way of ife. The lies, half.truhs, and propaganda have won
total sway over the facts. We have no knowledge of our heritage. Our

& SOLEDAD BROTHER
economic status has reduced our minds to astate of complete oblivion.
The young black who comes out of college or the university is as
ignorant and unlearned asthe white laborer. For all practical purposes
he is worse off than when he went in, for he has learned only the
actitudes and ways of the snake, and a few well-worded lis. The ruling
culeure refuses to let us know how much we did to advance civilization
in our lands long ago. It refuses to recognize and appreciate our craft
and strengh and allow us some of the fruits of our labor. All this has
left an emptiness in our lives, a void, a vacuum that muse soon b illed
by hostilities. | am most certainly committed, until the day I'm sent to
the warrior' rest. By the ruling culture’s acts of greed and barbarism
the uncommitted will soon learn that compromise with such an enemy
is impossible. Our two fortunes move along a collision course. I'm
prepared in every aspece, | have nothing, I can lose nothing!

George

JUNE, 1965

Dear Mother,
Even though [ have plenty of time now, I don't write more regularly
because of my seudies. | get involved in some aspect of the subjects that
incerest me and before I can extract myself the lights are going off and
it i twelve oclock. You know the last thing we discussed juse before
you people lefe me when you were up here last, well P've decided to go

My life here is slowly becoming one of complete alienacion. I talk
o fewer conviets every day. Juse one lieutenant here has eried to do
anyehing for me. He got me out of segregation ewice lastyear. The die
is cast now though, I guess, thumbs down on me. My future s about as
sound as a thee-dollar bill | thank whatever forces there are working
for me thae Im seill able to write you. 'm joking of course, it isnt that

Nothing will help me now though but patience and I have developed
plenty. There is nothing lefe to me now bue to awaie whatever may
come. I go back o the board October or is it December. Nine months
from March would be December. Yes! Perhaps the fog will lfe and
Lwill s some ray of hope by then. You know the thing which they
have locked me up for now could mean spending my next few years in

PARTONE 6
confinement here. It would be merely a light from realiy to chink that
Tcould get a date this year. T would be happy though to just know how
long L will be held, even if it was 10 years. Id feel beeter knowing.

Take care of yourslf

Son
JUNE, 1965
Dear Father,

One of those tall ultra-brighe electrieal fixtures used to illuminate the
walls and susrounding arca a¢ nighe cases a direce beam of light in my
cell a nighe. (1 moved to a different cell lase week). Consequenely T
have enough light, even afeer the usual twelve oclock lights-out, to
read or seudy by. I don'e really have to sleep now if I choose not to.
The early hours of morning are the only time of the day that one can
find any respite from the pandemonium caused by these the most
uncultured of San Quentin inmates. I don't let the noise bother me
even in the evenings when it rises to maddening inensity, because |
ery to understand my surroundings. I've asked myself, as | do about
all the other aspects of life, why — why do white cons act and react
as if they were animals of a lower order than we black men (some
blacks get foolish also bue we don'e refer to them as "men”)? Why juse
because they look like shaved monkeys muse they also act like them?
s frayed nerves, caused by the harsh terms that defeat brought when
they went against the system, the same system thae runs ehis place. |
must ask myself why did they go against the system and why are the
terms so harsh? Could ie be that a man will most always pursue his
incerests, system or no? But why should so many people’s intereses lie
outside the system? Why doesn't the system encompass the needs and
requirements of all or to be realistic, the majority. We now come to
the part of the question around which the whole contention pivors:
Why are the terms so harsh, the price of defeat so high? What s it
that causes 2 man to become power-mad, to deify exploitation and
mendacity and vilfy the compatible, harmonious things of nature,
how many times have you heard that "everyone should help fight the
evils of communism? cte.?

George

@ SOLEDAD BROTHER
JULY, 1965
Lester,

Twrite ehis letter to inform you that the people who hold me here read
that leteer sent them. They read it and smiled with satisfaction and
eriumph. You are under a grave illusion, [ must now admit. You didn't
think they would inform me of t, did you? But you are i serious rror.
They let me read it. Apparcntly every petey official in the prison has
read it all to my embarrassment. For it sounded like something out of
Stowe’s Unele Tom's Cabin.

e didn'e juse cause me embarrassment. It also has caused me to be put
ina cell that has the lock welded closed. Can it posibly be? Is it within
the scope of feasibility that you did not know that o eell these people I
was "bent on self.destruction” (zo use your reference) would cause me
harm? Are you so feeble of mind as to "repore after 2 visit with me,
that Tam bent on violen self-destruction and ehink it would eause me
no harm!

T have always respected and loved you people, and hated mysel, ried
bitter tears of remorse, when, because of circumstances and conditions,
which I didt understand, T let you down. Even afcer I discovered the
erue cause of my ills, when I found that this social order had ereated,
through ies inadequacies and its abandonment of our interest, the basis
for my frustrations, | forgave you for not preparing me; for not warning
me, for pretending that this was the best ofall possible worlds. I forgave
you for misleading me. I forgave that catholic school thing. 1 tried
to understand your defeat comples and your loyalty to institutions
conerary to the blacks' interest.

T've traveled widely over this country and some in Mexico. I've met
and have had exchanges with hundreds of thousands of people. I've
read excensively in the fields of social-cconomic and political theory
and development, all of this done againse serious resistance from all
sides. Bue because I knew one day chat | would find what I'm afeer,
and answer some of the questions that beset my mind with confusion
and unrese and fear | pushed ahead in spite of the foolish conformity
that Tsaw in you people. Now | have arrived at a state of awareness that
(because of the education system) few Negroes reach in the US. In my
concern for you, I try to share the benfits of my experience and my
observations, but am rewarded by being called madman. Thank you

PARTONE &
for the vote of confidence you displayed in that letter to the warden
Tl never forgee ie! All my younger lfe you betrayed me. Like I sad,
1 could forgive. At first you may not have known any better, but over
the last owo years I've informed you of many things. I've given you my
best and you have rejected me for my enemies. With this st act, you
have betrayed my bosom inerest, even though [ warned you not to say
anyehingat al. L will never forgive you this. Should we live forever Ill
never trust you again. Your mind has faled you complecely. To take
sides against your son! You did it in ‘58 and now again. There will not
be a chird time. The cost to me is too grear. Father againse son, and
brother againse brother. Thisis eruly detestable. You are a sick man.

George

JULY, 1965

Dear Father,
Tam perplexed and hard pressed in finding 2 solution o reason that
will adequately explain why we are so eager to follow Charlic. Why
we are so impressed with his apparent know-how. A glance at his
history shows that it has been one long continuous war. At no time in
European history has there been a period of peace and harmony. Every
moment of his past has been spen in the breakdown of civilization by
causing war, disruption, discase, and arcifcial famine. You send me a
date from the moment he emerged from his cave-dwelling days and Il
ell you which of his tribes were at war, cither on us or on themselves.
The whole of the Western European’s existence here in the US. has
been the same one long war with different peoples. This is the only
thing they understand, the only thing they respeee — the only thing
they can do with any dexterity. Do you accepe this miscreant as the
architcet of the patcerns that must guide your future life! I so, we
muse pare company, and it is best we do so now, before the trouble
begins. But please stop and think so that you can turn yourself around
in time, so that the developments to come won't shock you so badly
Thave not wasted my time these lase theee or four years. 1 speak with
some authority and people are lstening. People like me are going to be
shaping your tomorrows. o just st back, open your mind, and watch,
since you can't marshal the fundamentals to help me.

Yes, my friend, T remember everything, the reason that Delora and
T had to spend that summer and wineer in Harrisburg is known and

o SOLEDAD BROTHER
remembered by me. | remember the garbage right under the side and
back of our place on Racine. Mama having to wash and wring clothes
by hand, careying Penny and Jon while some fae redheaded mama sat
on her behind. I remember how serange people looked to me when I
finally had to be sent to Skinner School. You never knew why [ was
almose killed the firs day I wene, but I do. I remember how the rent
and clothes for us children kepe you broke and ragged. All of us hungey.
if not for food — the other things that make life bearable. After you
and Mama seceled down you had o recreational outlers whatever:
And everyone on Warren Blvd. knows how you would beat me all the
way home from our bascball games in the alley. Robere, can you see
how absurd you sound to me when you speak on “the good life” or
something about being free adule? [ know you have never been frec.
know thae few blacks over here have ever been free. The forms of slavery
merely changed ae the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation from
chattel slavery to economic slavery. If you could see and talk to some
of the blacks T meet in here you would immediately understand what
T mean, and sce chat I'm right. They are all average, all with the same
backgrounds, and in for the same thing, some form of food gerting.
About 70 to 80 percent of all erime in the US. is perpecrated by blacks,
“the sole season for this s that 98 percent of our number live below the
poverey levelin bitter and abject misery”t You muse take off your rose.
colored glasses and seop pretending. We have suffered an unmitigated
wrong! How do you think I fele when I saw you come home each day
alitele more depressed than the day before? How do you think I felt
when I ooked in your face and saw the clouds forming, when I saw you
look around and see your best effores go for nothing — nothing. I can
count the times on my hands that you managed to work up a smile

George

JULY, 1965

Dear Father,
Well I guess you know that I'm aware that ehis is not the bese of all
posible lives. You also know that I thank you for trying to cushion
the shocks and strains that history has made it ou lot to have to
endure. But the make-believe game has ended now. I dont think it
necessary for me to burden myself with listing serains we've endured.
You are intelligent enough to know. At each phase of this long train of
eyrannies, we have conducted ourselvs in a very meck and civilized

PARTONE &
manner, with only polite please for justice and moderation, all to no
avail. We have shown 2 noble indisposicion to react with the passion
that cach new oppression engenders. But any fool should be able
o see that this cannoe be allowed to continue. Any fool should be
able o see that narure allows no such imbalances as this to exist for
long. We have petitioned for judicial redress. We have remonstrated,
supplicated, demonstrated, and prostrated ourselves before the fect
of our self-appointed administrators. We have done al that we can do
o circumvent the eruption that now comes on apace. The poin of
o recurn in our relationship has long been passed. | know what must
and willtake place so [ follow my ends through to their most glorious
conclusion. Dont make me waste my time and energy winning you to
a position that you should already suppor with all your sympathies.
The same forces that have made your life miserable, the same forces
that have made your life senseless and unrewarding, threaten me and
all our posterity. 1 know the way out. If you cannot help, sic back and
listen, watch. You are charged with the responsibility of acknowledging
the truch, my friend, and supporting i with whatever means, no matter
how humble, are in your power. I am charged to right the wrong, life
the burden from the backs of future generations. | will not shrink from
my duties. 1 will never faer or waver before the task, bue we will go
forward — to resolve this conlict once and forever. OF al the ewenty
thousand known years of advanced civilization, the years that are now
coming on will be the most momentous.

George

AUGUST, 1965

Dear Father,
Although Um sell between the ife-death cycle, feel a lot better, How
is the teeth sicuation with you?

T know you seay pretey busy and have a very bad memory, but try to
remember to answer this question in your next lcter, You told me once
when T was at home there never to sleep more than six hours a day
You said tha four was really enough. Why did you say this? On what
authority? Experience or just something you read? What would be the
effects of geting too much sleep?

T've been careying out some very interesting experiments with myself
in here. I quite definitely do no believe in a serct regimen. By strict

& BLOOD IN MY EYE
I mean absolute patterns for thinking and living. But I canno help
feling there s a judicious mean somewhere. T have been forced to seck
the judicious mean, due to the circumstances that hiseory has thrown
meino here — now. You see it isntas simple as you implied. “Thinking
and reading” won't fll 2 ewenty-four-houe day: I have something real
deep running through me. a burning thing of the mind. | have observed
myself pass into a state of anger over something that happened as far
away as Rhodesia or the Union of South Africa. And I didn't seep for
ewo days when chose children and women were being murdered down
there in your part of the world st weck. I've told myself uncountable
times that anger is an emotion, & degenerative emotion, unnecessary
and controllable, but I couldn't control it until a few days ago when |
observed myselfbeing consumed by the force of my own weigh. So, my
friend, I stareed condcting these experiments with myself.

Why can't I rid myself of the sorrow and emotion that awareness
has broughe me? I get rid of the self-destructive force of error and
ignorance only to be torn and miserable by what I discover. It happened
that I knew all along that some imbalance did exise, or Ill say a fesw
imbalances existed, that disallowed me from progressing furcher in my
development. T put my head in my hands and wondered why do | make
myselfsick, why can't L overcome this, maybe I'm juse human afeer all
Tbelieve that is what got it! Lam what I am, and that’ all L am. 1 knew
this morbid depression must have some human explainable cause, an
imbalance somewhere. The mind and body cannot be separated, 2
physical imbalance can precipitace efcs that could eventually lead
t0 some mental imbalance. Too much slecp, too litel, the wrong kind
of faod, too much, too leele, too much reading in the wrong position.,
t00 much study, or 100 long an application to one subject, resules in
imbalances, conflcts, seruggles. was looking for 2 solution from one
dircetion only, when no event, no cffect in nacure, has a single cause
Ies a collection of causes! So | look at myself and I discover new ways
of knowing myself, secing and placing myself in the vast scheme.
The struggle is almose over, my friend, complete and harmonious
development can be mine, everyone’. Only one-fourch of the sorrow
in cach man’ life s caused by outside uncontrollable elements, the rest
is self-imposed by failing to analyze and ace with calmness

George

PARTONE &
AUGUST, 1965

Dear Father,
T'vebeen on five hours sleep a day and one-and-one-half hours exrcise.
The rest of my time is divided proportionally becween my work and
wha litele pleasue I can make for myselfin here. This isn't too much to
speak of, a litle ligh fiction, or the radio. The experiment seems to be
bringing me some benefits: the tenseness that brings about emorional
unrest has lefe

Thope you are not too uncomfortable with you teeth being worked on.
Twill have to have mine worked on also when leave here. The longer |
wear these shoes you sent me the more comfortable they become. You
should ery some. Of course L haven't too far to walk in here, but | make
the best of what [ have. Tdo my best thinking on my fect,so I walk ehis
liele e e | have racher diligently sometimes.

Tvas just chinking yesterday how fa T have fallen from glory, how very
much of my “physical” freedom they have taken from me (1 still have
menal freedom). | sealized how few of the pleasures oflife | have tasted.
Trouble,difficulties and sorrow have pervaded these twenty-four years.
Tiwenty-four years without one moment’s meneal ratification. For us it
is always tomorrow; tomorrow we'll have enough money to eat beeter
tomorrow we'll be able to buy this necessary article of clothing, to pay
that debe. Tomorrow, it never really gets here. “To every one who has
will more be given .. but from him who has not, even what he has
will be taken away” like this life, T can never reconcile myself to i, or
racionalize the fact that | have been basely used, hated, and repressed s
ifit were the narural order of hings. Life is at best a nebulous shadow,
a vague contingeney, the merest of possibilties o begin with. But men
in general (myself most emphatically included), being ac bese complete
and abjeet fools, have rendered even what small possibilicies there were
o love and learn null and void? But I refse to excite myself sboue my
past, o our fueuse. T have simply taken up a task and [ am preparing
myself for ies execution. | absolutely refuse to give way to emotional
involvement or any undisciplined or dogmatic belich. Life is too
uncertain, and dogmas and beliefs are the product ofthis sick man who
now transgeesses against us and the world. If L can bend circumstances
to my will Lsuceeed. If not — I'm off the cycle

Youknow that the US. power eite,the 7 percent who own and run his
country and influence the policics of the rest of the European world,

6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
wane o artack and destroy China in the nexe four or five years. China
has become too strong and i i influencing the rest of the Afro-Asian
world too heavily with anti-Western philosophy (self-decermination
and economic independence). All that stands in the way of the power
elite is few dissenting factions which are daily being won over, and
having their opinions molded for them by the communications media,
and, second, the domestic unest and near-revolutionary atmosphere
in the black slums of allthe large U cities. Do you add well2 Can you
see what may be in the making? They cannot ateack China unless the
blacks here in the US. support their war effore. What if some black
voice denounced the war? Many blacks would go for this, What would
happen iflarge numbers of blacks refused to fight or make weapons, or
even say attempred to subvere the US. war effore? Remember the Jews
of Germany! From what I observe in here, where they don'e have to
hide their contempt, we're moving toward this evencualicy

George

SEPTEMBER, 1965 6

Dear Father,

This is about six leeters ve written in two weeks. Did you get my
answer to your last one? In the furure I will put the exact date on them
and double-check with you on them. You say you got none of these
recent leters? When they stop them, they usually send them back to
me. 1 can'e say exactly what happened, but I guess these things are to
be expected

I mentioned in one of those other leeters that I wene before one of
these commitcees last month made up of the top officials here. They
informed me that I “can forgee sbout the board transfer or the main
populacion facilities here in the prison” These were their words. So.
my friend, Ll be i his leele cellfor a while yet. I hope you note that
all dhis is done without any proof, and without allowing me to face my
accuser. But I guess these things are to be expected.

Twant you to send me a poreable eypewiter and of course the carrying
case. We can have them here, and I can use one to build my spelling and
vocabulary. It will give me something to do in here. Send 2 lesson book
also. A used one will be all right. Although they sll ribbons here you
will have to send a couple of roll because | have no way of buying any

PARTONE &
T've had to secure permission to send out for the typevier, of course
e took over a month to have it approved, so send it a soon as you are
able

They just turned the lights oue. I¢s 12:15 (A.M., Tuesday). Take it easy

George

SEPTEMBER, 1965 12

Dear Mama,
Robert tells me that you are not well. 'm sorey to hear this, but I guess
we're all lucky o have lived as long as we have. The many years you
spent without proper clothing for the cold wet weather back East, with
improper food. not enough food. and lack of expert medical attention,
is cnough misfortune to leave the strongest person ill.

You need to see a specialis. If we were not blacks and consequently
poor. you would be able to enjoy the benefies of science. But you are
probably secing some disinterested, half-trained parasice who knows
o more about your ailment or the curing of it han I do. Robere docsn'
make enough in ewo years o allow you to get the best attention (that
is, here in our present surroundings). His scope doesn't extend any.
farther than the boundaries of the UL, Those lies and the propaganda
he reads in Life, Reader’s Digest, and Look, have completely undressed
his mind. I feel very sorey for all of you. I'm locked in a cell 24 hours a
day,but [still know my potenial, 1 sell feel my serengeh, el thumb
my nose at the caveman. Because my mind is scill my own, no one can
lie to me anymore. | know where my interestlics.

For now though, I'm going to be a good boy, as Robere and most of the
blacks we see around us are all good boys. I'm going to smile, and I'm
going to pretend to accept the small compensations they hand out in
reeurn for our soul and our freedom. I'm going to be 2 good boy and
et whatis put before me. I'm going to do this so that 'l say aive long
enough to take care of you. You deserve lot better than you have had
and more than you will have. You don't know it but there i a becter
life, regardless of what the Reader’s Diges says. Belicve me there is 3
better lfe

Take care of yourslf
George

£ SOLEDAD BROTHER
OCTOBER, 1965 3

Dear Robert,
Ihave the typewriter in my possession here, so all is well. They didn't,
however, produce the inseruction book or paper. They let me have
the two extra ribbons. | can get an instruction book. Paper isnt too
much of a problem. Al things considered, it turned out very well. You
ean take a chance if you care to on the shorthand book. Put it in an
envelope like you say. but also write a lette stating right in the fron,
in the firse lines, that it s a shorthand book. Mail the lecter and the
book together. fthey don't chink it some kind of cryptogram we have
going it may be allowed or overlooked, but you can't jus leave it up to
them to figure out whac it is. That would be asking for too much, Just
read in the Monicor that *6 pares of insccticide to one billion pares of
water will kil most all marine animals in salt water or fresh’t Be sure to
look into the course on speed reading. I costs sixey cents. L know it is 2
great help. I would be nice for me to have someone to talk to.

Take care, and keep your eyes open,
George

NOVEMBER, 1965 7

Dear Robert,
Nothing has changed. Im seill losing. 'm alive though, so there’s sill
the possibiliey...How is Georgia? Don't tell her anyehing aboue my
condition." It isn' necessary for you to reveal to her all that I tell you.
She doesn't need to know. It can only worey her needlessly. 1 hope you
are well.

George

NOVEMBER, 1965 13

Dear Mother,
Tam alive and well, and am ac present working my way through the
adjustmen center here. It is an overall improvement in my condiion.
The prospects of gerting out or gerting a transfer to a more habieable
prison are now better

11 The auchor had been puc i soltion aeer being charged by the prison authori-
ies wich assaul wich a deadly wespon,

PARTONE n
Tl relish the transfer pare. All of ehe officers here have preconceived
notions about my pacterns of behavior now. Consequently it is
somewhat hard for me to avoid flling under suspicion for almost every
misdeed perpeerated by a black. But no matter,if | do have to stay here
Tam determined to circumvent the licl eraps.

Lsinerely hope your health is improving, or atLeast becoming no worse.
1 feel awful disconcerced that I am unable to render any assistance.
However, I feel this inabiliey s only temporary. I intend to surge back
with a tenacity uncontainable i itsrelentlessness.

Fortune must soon smile on me because sincere effort s always
rewarded. Nature allows no such imbalances as ths. | am assured and
completely self-possessed in the knowledge that all contradictions and
conflicts must one day be resolved. Give my love to all the women
there, please take care of yourself.

Love,
George

DECEMBER, 1965 23

Dear Mother,
T got the food you sent me today it was very nice, and flls a real need.
Talmose didiv get it though. You see we are supposed to send out a slip
o the correspondent when we wish someone to send us something and
you are supposed to send the package with this slip you get from me
as proof that you are an authorized corsespondent. 1 didn' send a lip
out this year because of the trouble it might involve for you, and the
money could possibly have been better placed. | hope your healdh is
improving. 1 am doing quite well in that respece, al things considered.
You may not know me when you next see me. I find a few new geay
haies every time L look in the mirror. I live to be thirey, 1 guess it will
beall white

Tl seare writing Jon a couple ofleters a week. If you would like me to,
let me know. [ would eell him as much of che eruth as is advisable in one
of these leteers, but i you don'e feel that whac I represent s correct for
him, chen [l refrain. How old i he now?

1 guess Tl be geeting a transier, or going out to the main populacion
so0n. A couple of months more of this and I think they will ket up on

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
me. About parole, ean'esay, but Lam not alone, I don'efeel o distressed
when I look around me and sce others like myself expericncing the
same thing. The uniformity of our condition seems to lend support
to cach of us. 1 don' think the administracors fully understand. |
have the strangest feeling that they may not understand how chis
aemaosphere they foseer nuseures a mindless, hopeless mass. leis suicidal
incomperence. The serong can afford to be incompetent or wrong
sometimes without loss of face. Even the mightiest and most capable
of men ae only human. But he who actibutes to himself omnipotence
must never be wrong. For once a weakness is found, no mater how
small, in one who claims omnipotence he is completely exposed. The
fall from omnipotence ends only with insignificance. May this New
Year coming be your year,our year. Take care.

Love,
George

DECEMBER, 1965 29

Dear Robert,
The photographs were nice. Penny sent me one of her baby also. I
thought him very beautiful. Send me her address, also send Deloras.
Delora looks well. Tell her I love her and that the baby looks juse like
her.She has two babies now hasn't she? P'm an uncle three times.

Jon should be ¢he main concern now. By now you should have scen
enough o know how to proceed with his development. He doesn't
look too healthy to me. He looks thin, pale, and soft. Those weights
would improve his circulation and make his veins stand ou. If he
works out in the backyard in the sun every evening in a year, he could
be a paragon. He needs that and he needs to be told the truth. He can
get these things only from you. That school won'e teach him anyehing
excepe possibly a few Latin prayers, but if you haven't caught on yet,
nothing can say in this leeeer il help. Don't forget I've becn over the
road he is straining on now. Maybe i s a liele different now with him,
You can afford to give him bikes and baseball gloves, bue the loose.
living thing s going to scem awfully exciting to him in a few years when
he compares it against the areificial world of those catholics. 'm doing
all right here T guess. You take it casy

George

PARTONE 7
JANUARY, 1966 1

Dear Robert,
received your graifying leccer, Was it an expression of your love, an
indication of your gracious sympathy for the position we were both
bornineo, and that L am presently fecling the cramping convlsions of
Tgoe the money. IF1 feellke a burden to you, it i best that we suspend
exchanges until I've seruggled on back to my feet. You probably don't
fel that you owe me anything, and I guess you don't since you have
accepred the values and customs of these people we live among. In that
ligh, L owe to you the unquestionable honor of my seruggle within this
American dream.

What can I say to you, my friend? Pve been wondering if it would be
best o lie €0 you and hide myself, say only what [ know so well that
you like to hear. T hesitate to do this because you have been lied to
o much already. To add to this may be my last and greatest and most
unpardonable crime against you. You ar the older of the two of us. You
are 2 man in your way and there is much merit in the manner you have
conducted yourselfthese last 25 years. To have lived through the period
of your carly youth s in iself a qualifier for respect. The following
shocks and strains were surely enough to drive the strongest man to
distraction. Al the honor that you are due | freely give. However,
we, the humble representatives of the furure generations, have at our
disposal all the aceumulaced knowledge and experiences of all past
generations to build our thoughts. 1 have made no mark as yee to be
Sure, but why is it that we cannot communicate? What i it that bars
our effores to exchange thoughes and ideas? The faule could li in my
presentation. If so, I will make every effort to corect my deficiency
because it i to the incerest of us both that we meet on the same level
Can you understand that a meeting of the minds will have to precede
any advancement of our combined fortunes? The question is whether
wewill be able to overcome the malicious efforts and forces that divide
us and be able to put group interests before personal peety prejudice
and preconceived notions. Or will we all end by urning our backs on
each other and going our way in anger?

T'mtired, my friend, real tired. I've got a pain decp in my stomach and
T'm tired precending that the obvious docsnt exist and that this is the
bestof all possiblelives. It i not, and ifa concentrated effort isnt made
o finally learn and use the lessons set forth in history, unthinkable
chaos will resule!

i SOLEDAD BROTHER
Tknow that it probably will not come erue, but may this be your year,
our year to realize the promise that being born a man brings.

George

FEBRUARY, 1966 23

Dear Mama,
Thave been hopingthat you would write and acknowledge my las eteer
Thope it doesn’t worry you too much that I will noe be considered for
release for some time yet. It worsies me enough. 1 hope your health
gets no worse at least. Ill be with you as soon s I can. I've got some
clean time in now already and plan to do as wellfor the restof this year
5o that in December they will et me go. They have promised me his
anyweay. I don'e put any confidence whatever in what they say, but the
hope remains.

Tam in the main population now. I was released from the adjusement
center lockup today (because of good conduct) and have a good
progeam set up for me, one conducive to parole consideration. I have
learned something by the expericnce: never again to look for mercy.
never again to expect or hope for justice, never to look for quarter
without strings being artached. The las illusion has been shattered: I
Know the way from here: ask no quarcer of fate and give none.

Thac thing you mentioned concerning Frances has had me perturbed
for a week. Some just are not going to make it, some of us have just
slipped too far to ever get back. This guy. [ promise you, will be sorry
a long, long time. Right here at this juncture of time we as 2 people
have nothing, absolutely nothing but each other, some fresh air, the
blue and gold of day and slver at nighe, a clean conscience, and the
promise of cloudless days to come. But some do not enjoy these things
enough, don't understand the nature of our circumstances and commit
unpardonable crimes, unnatural crimes that must in the end bar
them from partaking in the benefits of the liberation that is planned
for tomorrow. In the end a requiem will be sung over the whole vast
complex of disorder.

Please inform me of any new developments there. Help Jon o become
aman. Fare you well

George

PARTONE s
MARCH, 1966 3

Dear Mama,
Always good 1o hear from you, though it makes me sad to know that
you are not well Just hold on though and cireumstances will take a
definite tuen for the better, no ifs or ands about this. The way lies open
for us. I'm no just talking or hoping. 1 know there s a beeter lfe for
us. Tknow what there is to be had and ofall there is to be had I plan to
claim for us the lion’ share

You are right of course in what you contend. The black woman has in
the past few hundred years been the only force holding us together and
holding us up. She has absorbed the biggest pare of the many shocks
and serains of existence under slave order. The men can think of
nothing more effective than pimping, gambling, or peey thefe. I've
heard men brag about being pimps of black women and taking money
from black women who are on relief. Things like this I find odious,
disgusting — you are right, the black men have proven themselves to
be ueeerly derestable and repulsive in the pase. Before I would succumb
o such subterfuge [ would scrach my living from the ground on hands
and knees, or die in a hail of bullers! My hat gocs off to every one of
you, you have my profoundest respect. 1 have sureendered all hope
‘of happiness for myself in this life to the prospect of eficcting some
improvement in ou circumstances as a whole. I have 4 plan, L will give,
and give, and give of myself uncil it proves our making or my end. The
men of our group have developed as a result of iving under ruthless
system a set of mannerisms hat numb the soul. We have been made the
floor mat of the world, but the world has e o see what can be done
by men of our nature, by men who have waiked the pach of disparity, of
regression, of abortion, and yet come out whole. There will be special
page in the book of lfe for the men who have crawled back from the
grave. This page will tellof utee defeat,ruin, pasivity, and subjection
in one breach, and in the next, overwhelming victory and fulfillment.

So take care of yourself, and hold on

Love,
George

k3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
MARCH, 1966 20

Dear Mama,
We have to order books from 2 bookstore owned by one of the staff
here. Itis contary to insticution policy for someone to send us books
from outside. This is the rule, the law. so T guess it cannot be helped.

Sicuations of his type are what this country is built on, the wonderful
system tha made it great

T've read as much St, Augustine as | could stomach. If you don'e know
about him and Jerome, Leibniz, and the rest of that lunarie fringe yer,
my love, you are hurting. Why do you say things like that to me? You
know how I feel about those people. You know that I am complecely
aware of all of them. I can never be deceived again by them. I know their
awesome capacity for evil, 'm vietim of it now. That Pope Pius XI1, the
guy you et s pray for, gave Mussolini his blessing as he was aboue to
embark upon his misadventure in Ethiopia. I could give you thousands
ofexamples of this eype. | have explained my fecling to you many, many
times,so | won't go any fuether with this. I children being blown out of
this existence while attending church services, men being lynched for
a gesture, colonialism, the inquisition, and H-bombs haven't affccted
you, nothing I say here can help you. If you could live my lfe one week
and see the things I see, feel the pain I feel, and die a lirle bit each day
as 1 do, all your ilusions and apparitions would vanish. You talk to me
like T was born yesterday, like I'was sl aleel boy. All my lie now you
have told me about European gods and European christians who were
supposed to be knowledgeable. When do you plan to say something
that will help me? You may not know any better If or, I am weong in
saying what Lhave, but I find it hard to admit that my mother could be
so insensitive to the truh! You disrespect me, Mama, when you talk to
me like that. I¢s like you saying to me, *George, you'e a fool. You do
not have eyes o see,ears o hear, and a brain to incerpree,so Il eell you
any kind of outrageous story” Ordinary people, the medioere, need to
feel or believe in something greater chan themselves. It gives them false
security and it makes them feel that help may be forthcoming. This is
self-delusion in the exereme. I cannot parcake in any foolishness. Do
you want me to be mediocre like the rest of the herd! When I need
Serengeh, Mama, I reach down within myself. [ draw out of the reserves
T've buile — the necessary endurance to face down my opposiion. |
call on myself, T have faich in myself. This s where it muse always come
from in the end — yourself. | place no one and nothing above myself

PARTONE 7
What any man has done before me I can do. If thre is a god, Mama,
he hates me and 1l have to resise what he or it is doing to us. All my
life, Mama, I've had to work things out for myself. Pve had help from
o quareer. I've been alone now for a long eime. This s why I've had so
much pain and erouble. Robert gave me nothing. You gave me god and
that horrible church. Even god managed to take something away from
me. L have nothing lefe bue myself.

Love,

George

APRIL, 1966 17

Dear Mama,
Ireceived, your card, nice of you to think of me on Easter. Getting that
card sure made me feel a lot better. You know how important Easter is
o me. Are you any better? Have you resolved the insurance problem?
Do’ worry too much about these things: solutions cause new and
Sometimes even worse problems to spring up. All of oue difficuleis will
never be worked out. I guess perhaps this existence is merely a constant
choosing of the lesser evi,

Penny came to see me lase week I recall a time when all she waned
was o get away from the family group, but now that she's on her own,
she didn't want to talk about anything else but you and the pase. She is
devored to you. She is a swee, well-balanced, and wonderful woman,
deserving of much more than this life here offers us

But the weather s fine here, leney of sun lcely. I exercise in the sun an
hour every day, I'm geeting very big and very black.

Fare you well
George

MAY, 19668

Dear Mama,
Allis well here, I going to night school again, and have encountered
no trouble of late.

Are you well? They say thac today is Mother’s Day: I can’t make much
sense out of it though. [ love mine every day. But these guys around me

7 SOLEDAD BROTHER
here seem to like being told when to celebrate this and hat, so should
youalso feel his way. let me acknowledge the cuseom and wish you as
pleasant a Mother's Day as i possible under our circumstances

Take care of yourself
Love,
George

SEPTEMBER, 19669

Dear Mama,
Hope you are better; the typewicer is being repaired so this comes by
hand

We are in agreement on many things. All is as well a it is possible to
e beeween two who are human and subject to human error. You have
done much for me and I am sincerely in your debe; your reeurns will be
so0n forthcoming. Thae which you didn'e do I never expected, for you
are afer all a woman and think as 2 woman should. The atitudes and
methods that I have developed on my own have no reflection on you,
buton the nacure of ur life circumstances and sicuational pressures.

I Jon in health ? | have some pictures of you on your tip back East. You
suely look well and unchanged.

Igo to the board in December and as I have stated before | have mee all
of their terms. My release is almose assured.

What is Penny’s new address? [ wil send her a lester on her birthday
and discuss things as they are said o be, and as they eally are. She
must be having @ precey bad time; that gy seems to be preety Anglo.
Americanized.

Take care of yourself
Love,
George

SEPTEMBER, 1966 16

Dear Mama,
Twish you many happy returns in the birthday department. It sounds
pretey empey I know bue that’s all 1 have co offer right now, a wishs

PARTONE £
T have broad plans for the future though. A large vill for you in the
Maldive Islands, with an extra-deep bomb shelter. All s the same here.
Each day that comes and goes s like the one before; being 2 good boy.
going to church, reading about the saints, and getting good ratings on
my job for the proper atticudes.

Are you well, are you getting any of the pleasan things that life
in these United States offers? That reminds me of a thing | read
recently concerning China. One of the top political leaders came to
an clementary school to lecture (they take education precty seriously).
He told the children to put their heads on the desk and pray o god
for ice cream. Afer ffteen minutes of serious and sincere effort all the
children lostinterest and grew resive. He then told them to pray to him
and the parey for ice cream, whereupon a few minutes ater they raised
their heads from their desks and found, guess what, ce cream. v that
disgusting, Mama, to distore the thinking of children like that..... Now
how is Jon? How much does he weigh? You don't say much aboue the
folks in the Midwest,are they well2 Take care of yourslf

Love,
George

SEPTEMBER, 196625

Dear Robert,
What has happened to Penny? Is she having troubles with her man?
You were going to send me her address, have you forgoteen? I have
been trimmi
getting ready for December. | dor'e want o stand ou. I muse i in with
the rest of the herd and look as ordinary as possible. I wane my system

down my weight some, more exercise and less food, I'm

o grow accustomed to lieele or no food a all without it causing me the
normal distress that i causes others. You would be surprised how licle
food an adule really needs. I wenc for ewo weeks on nothing but three
sices of bread and "one” tumbler of water a day without noriceable loss
mentally or physically

Are you well, my friend? Glad to hear you are becoming interested in
things of the mind. The school idea is truly out of the ordinary. Most
others of your caste and peer group have given up. There are two or
thrce things thar I would like to take, but cannot take them here in
prison: language (Chinese and Arabic), electronics, and chemicals

50 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Maybe Ill gee out nexe year and if sl fel the inclination I'll buy a
few courses. Take care of yourself

George

OCTOBER, 1966 20

Dear Robert,
Jusereceived your leeter of October 15, good to hear that Jon s well, and
that your studies are comingalong. T wanted to exhaust the possibilities
of getting that free course in drafting here. I wanted to know if I was
going to remain here in chis prison a least uneil board before | asked
you to put yourself out in sending ie. Wl it is conclusive chat 1 will
not be able to take it here. The school is carrying the course but there
is no room for folks like me, jus right now, maybe next year. | have
found conclusively thae I will not be eransfered cicher. So, my friend.
if you will, and whenever you ean, send the course from LaSalle. Twill
be able o finish much sooner than you think. My math s excellent and
Thave nothing but cime. Il suspend my other endeavors in deference
o the speedy and satisfactory completion of this course. Upon closer
examination ofal the facts involved in my doing something like chis in
here T also find that plastic tools are not necessary: [ can have and use
anything necessary for the course. LaSalle sends all of these tools right
along with the course, s0 things are not as complicated as I thought
them at fies to be

Very likely 1 will be given a parole dace this year. I so, or perhaps to
increase the possbility, I should have a job offe here on record. You
could correspond with some machine shops o the like right now
and tell them that I have completed or am just about to complete an
aceredited course in drafting, and 1 need a statement from them on
record here to be released. Don't worry about me not being prepared
by then. 1 have thought everyehing out. But any offer from almost any
area will suffice to get me ou. If you are no able to get someone to
send me in ajob offer then there should be a lengehy statement here on
record that you are willing to support me while I go to school. I hope
you underseand what T am saying. | have to have something on record
for the board to gain the impression all is secure financially for my
reease. Te may be less difficule juse o state offcialy chat I am going to

PARTONE 51
school and that you plan to pay my way completely through it upon my
release. We must decide now what will be said for their benefie upon
this matter now. Lee me know in your next leter which will be easier
for you to do. Get me a job offer or sate that our plans include school
with you ful backing. Send it to the Deparement of Corrections in
Sacramento.

Take eare of yourself
George

DECEMBER, 19662

Dear Robert,
The typewriter is being repaired again. Never buy a plasic typewricer
Though good for some things, plastic i too flexible for that eype of
machinery. Ie keeps the pats out of trim. I received your leteer and
nothing that develops from this mess will surprise me. T have taken all
possibilities into account,in advance. [ have nothing going for me and
any good or favorable eurn of event will be only luck, good foreune.

You don't really think that I mind no being liked by them, do you?
sincerely feel ehat it s a wribute to my character that they do nor. |
said what 1 did only to help you understand my position, and in turn
understand any fueure action I may undertake. Bue I don't wane you
to trouble your mind, or lose any sleep about the seriousness of my
position cither. When things become too hard for everyone elc, thar's
when I stare enjoying mysclf. Just understand in the light of future
events that I am guided by necessity and that my needs are different
than yours. The board meets during the lase few days of the moneh.

Take care of yourself, my friend,
George

DECEMBER, 19663

Dear Robert,
Tam worsied about Penny. Does she still write you? Have you let her
know that should she need a refuge or a strong arm she can find them
in her father. Women need to know these things. It is tormenting to
them to know that they are alone, can look to no quarer for sering

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
free aid. I Penny fele that she had no choice in the macter, no help,she
would accept lltreatment forever. But then an offer of help must seem
freely and honestly given to be of value. Are you well, my friend? The
elimate here is terible, and I am not talking about the weather, each
day s a eral. T stay close to my cell these days, reading, working on my
book. Take care of yoursel.

George

JANUARY, 19673

Dear Mama,
T have at lease another foureeen or eighteen months to do. OF course
T could do the rest of my life here, not eaking into account a possible
change in the system of governmene and cconomics, a change of
hands, that is. They gave me no consideration at the board, the same
people thae gave me cheir promise last year. I was not surprised, I was
compleeely prepared for this.

Take care of yourself
George

JANUARY, 1967 12

Dear Mama,
Your letcer was well receiveds it lefe me fecling becter than [ have fele
for years. | have never fel as close to any human s [ do to you now
Your thoughes mirror mine exactly. Why have you lefe me alone to my
seruggle so long? 1 know the answer to cthis must be that we hesiate
o reveal or acknowledge the existence of ugliness o the ones we love,

even though the knowledge of such may betcer equip them to resise the
effects of evil

Lam goinginto my seventh year here. have learned as much as possibly
could in chis time: | have seudied myself closel, have studied people.
human and inhuman, wanting to know and understand. [ am given to
understand thatit s the strong who rule the weak bu, in turn, che wise
rule over the strong. So you sce that I recognize the value of what you
have stated concerning faich and wisdom. What is happening to me
here, what has happened, what will happen, can never surprise or upsct
me again. My nerves have been fracured, my sensibilities outraged. for

PARTONE 5
the lase time. I¢s all a matter of course to me now. My outlook is clear
and the future holds no more terrors for me. Juse existing, life without
oy, withoue real meaning does not appeal to me ac all. | am very tired
of waking up each morning wondering if will be worked for nothing
again today, or wondering if L will be insulted, humiliated, injured, or
even done to death today. There are a few things that [ must be decisive
about, a few things that [ know to be so, then there are things which
my faich tells me could possibly be so. [ have faich in the face that we,
the majority of peoples (5 to 1) on earth, can live with and complement
each other’ existence if we rid the earch of the barbarous influence
spread by this inhuman, unnatural minority! My faith i life holds sill
to the principle that we men of color will soon make a harmonious
world out of this chaoric travesty of fact. But frst we must destroy the
malefactor and root oue all of his ideals, moralities, and inseicutions.
e to chis end thae [ have long since dedicated myself, o extinguish
forever the lights of a perverted science in any way that I can, by any
and all means. To accomplish this we can no longer woo false gods or
invoke half measures. Please understand that though I would miss you
and all the others, though I love you dearly, I do not want to lve in this
world as it is. 1 do not think of myself as one small person among so
many. Lknow what I an do, [ know I can build and can cause things to
happen, bue Lalso can be hure.

L. is my closest consore, a true riend, the most truseworthy man I have
ever met. This is saying a lot, believe me, erust i a difficule thing to

build beeween men broughe up under Anglo-American o Western

cultures. 1 learned much from him. He i also tired of sceing himself

through the eyes of others on Amos '’ Andy and I Spy. This individual

comes to you with my highest recommendation. He will help me. You
y hig p

help him to help me. Hisintelligence and character are unquestionable

George

JANUARY, 196723

Dear Robert,
Teried to writeseveral times these last couple of weeks but my leeters all
came back with a note attached explaining what can and cannot say.

Have you been well? How old are you now, pop? Where were you and
what were you doing when you were my age, twenty-five? Il bet you

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
were noe doing too much beter than | am now. You probably were not
in prison. Well, [ know you were not, bue was your standing socially
and economically speaking any better than mine? I guess it was, since
youat least had limited freedom of movement. I have none here

Although I would very much like to get out of hre in order to develop
a few ideas chat have oceurred to me — although T would nort like
o leave my bones here on the hill i it is a choice beween that and
surrendering the things that make me & man, the things that allow me
0 hold my head erect and unbowed, chen the hill can have my bones.
Many times in the history of our past — I speak of the African here in
the US. — many times we were presented with ehis choice, too many
times, too many of us choose to live the crippled existence of the near.
man, the half-man. Well, | don'e care how long I live. Over this I have
o control, bue I do eare about what kind of lie live, and I can contol
this. | may noe live but another five minutes, but it il be five minutes
definitely on my terms.

George

JANUARY, 1967 31

Sorry to have neglected you for so long things are very complicated for
me here. I stay very busy,all of the time. I never have enough time to
do the things that I mus. have made inroads inco policical economy,
geography. forms of government, anthropology. archacology and the
basies of three languages, and when I can get hold of them some of
the works on urban guerrilla warfare. I can use some asistance on the
language aspect, though. Next time you pass a bookstore ask about 2
book dealing with Swahili, self-ceaching Swahili book. Get the proper
title and the publisher’s name and also & good self-teaching book on
Arsbic

Last year Mama suggested that a lawyer could possibly help me get out
of here, by sitting in and representing me at the board. I wish 1 had
gone along with ie. A couple of people have gotten out like that. There
is a lady lawyer up here in San Francisco who specializes in that. She
says a grand in her hand, several months before the board, s all thacis
required to gee adate, if a person has his minimum in. My minimum is
one year, so I've got seven times more than necessary: Talk to Robere

PARTONE s
about ehis. If she doesn'e gee a client out, she rerurns his money. If
Robert borrowed it and got me out I would of course return i, If
don't et a new sentence for the seuff 1 am locked up for now, that is
what we must do. Jusediscuss it with Robert for now. Ill et you know
ina few months if you should take definice seeps in that direction. First
T muse ascertain whether or not they plan to fix me with the blame for
these recent events

Imuse now seart doing all chatis humanly possible to gee out of prison
Tean see grea illforecast for me if I don' find some way to extract
myself from these people’s control. “IF we muse die let it not be like
hogs, hunted and pinned in an inglorious spor, while around us bark
the mad and hungry dogs making their mock at our accursed lot; if
we must die then lee us nobly dic, so that our precious blood may not
e shed in vain. Then even the monsters we defy shall be conserained
to honor us though dead. We kinsmen must meet the common foe,
though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, and for their thousand
blows, deal one death blow. What though before us lies the open grave,
like men we'll face the murderous pack. pressed to the wall,dying, but
fighting back.” I don't mind dying but Id like to have the opporeunity
o fight back. Take care.

George

FEBRUARY, 1967 1

Dear Mother,
Things are normal here, the usual wwrmoil. 1 hope you are well. T
hope you are doing enough light exercise each day to work up some
perspiration and not eating the wrong things — pork, sugar, white
bread. ete. I'm very carcful in this respect and enjoy almost perfect
health and great rescrves of energy and strengeh in spite of my
circumstances. Bue [ do heavy exercises, maybe two hours worch 2 day.
every day. In close confinement where I cannot get to any workout
faciliies, a5 now, | work out somewhat differently. | ake neat piles of
books and magazines tied together and exercise with them. For you |
imagine some deep knee bends, touch your toes, and say some push.
ups would be fine. You would do five sets of en of each exercise. For
example, start by doing ten push-ups, rest minute or ewo, do ten more,
rest a few minutes, eec. until you get to five sets, then go to the next
exercise. Stay young and firm that way. Resistance to bodily disorders
seays high or builds up.

5 SOLEDAD BROTHER
‘You know when they locked me up this time all my personal property
came up missing. Ull have to replace everything — two personal chess
sets, oilet areicles, the black swea shires. | had four of these but saved
only the one I had on. Even the plastic tumblers | used to drink with in
the cell, everything is gone. I'm not sure about the typewrier, I can't
getany information on . L know that I dont have it here; whether it is
safe somewhere else I don't know. Then, too, several of us blacks were
locked up ac the same time for juse abou the same thing. They go to
the small adjustment center yard each day for two hours; Lam forced to
remain in my cell, o fresh air, o sun, ewenty-four hours a day in here.
Iedoesn'e bother me, though. I've rained myself ot to be disorganized
by any measure they take against me. | exercise in here, and pursue my
seudies. That fills my day out nicly: Since I know that I am the original
man and will soon inherie this carch, I am conent to just prepare
myselfand wait, nothingcan stop me now! But I do sometimes wonder
just exarly how they got the way they ae. | know beyond question
the extent of the evil that lurks in their heares; I see the insane passion,
inherent in their characters, to dominate all chat they come in contact
with. What aggressive psychosis impels a man to want his dessert and
mine oo, to want to feast at every table, to want to case his shadow
over every land? I don know what they are; some folks call them devils
(doers of evil). I donit know if this s an adequate description. I goes
much deeper. From their footprints | see that they are descendants of
Pithecanthropus ercetus like ourselves, but here the similarity ends. 1
refuse to compare myself with a man who for one eruth will el ninery.
nine lies: with a vampire who cannot stand in the sun and do a day’s
work: and with someone who thrives upon the blood, sweat, and tears
of any who fall within his power. Bue doomsday is dawning: on chis
most awesome day al imbalances and contradictions muse be resolved,
and it wil be some of us who wil be lefi to rebuild ehis world and
people these lands with civil men.

George

MARCH, 1967

Dear Mother,
T guess Robert told you what happened to me here. My comsades have
prevailed upon me to desist for a ime, bue [ muse decide for myself. In
any event [ wonrt lose my head. This i a terrible price to pay just o stay
alive, or I should say just o exise; [ have never really lived

PARTONE &
You know I have grown very. very tired of talking, and listening to
talk. King and his kind have betrayed our bosom interests with their
demagogic delirium. The poor fool knows nothing of the antagonise’s
erue nature and has not the perception to read and learn by history
and past evenes. In 2 nonviolent movemene chere muse be a laent
thrcat of eruption, 2 dormane possibility of sudden and violen action
if concessions are to be won, respect gained, and the established order
alered. That nonviolen theory i practicable n civilized lands among
civilized people, the Asians and Africans, but a look at European
history shows thae anyehing of greae value that ever changed hands was
taken by force of arms.

T cannot lee my feelings become involved. I muse not fall vietim t0 3
play of emotions, because it would limit my abiliy to actin my defense

You know the world. The depressed peoples of the world are very
shordly going to grow tired of being wooed and lulled into passivity
and quiet endurance by chromium and neon lighes. The soft music
from the many well-placed public-address loudspeakers and car radios
will no longer seeve as balm to the thwareed hopes, defeated aims, and
brutal suppression of needed change. They ll come out of their coma
with 2 bloodlust and juseified indignation for social injuseice that will
sweep the asphalt right from under the empire builders. This is the
only reason [ hang on. [ want to be in the vanguard

My cell partner puts ie chis way: “Every sickness ain't death, every
‘good-bye ain't gone, and every big man ain't strong.” I say: “Let Rome
in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the ranged empire fall” and “The
jungle s sell che jungle be it composed of erees or skyserapers, and the
Taw of ehe jungle i bite or be bieten”

Take care.
Son

MARCH, 1967 26
Dear Mama,

Papa® has had the “true rlease, and at last the clasp of peace” For him
o have received this at such a greac age and without violence is no

12 George Davis,che ushor's grandfacher.

58 SOLEDAD BROTHER
small consolation. Iloved him dearly and thoughe of him as one of our
most practical and level-headed kin. You probably don't remember the
long walks and talks Papa and I used o take,or the long visits when he
lived on Lake Street and we lived on Warren. But | remember. He used
0 say things, probably juse thinking aloud. sure thae I wasn'e listening
or would not comprehend. But 1 did, and I chink I knew him beeter
than most. Do you remember how I used to answer “What to every
question put to me, and how Papa would deride me for this? He later
in the course of our exchanges taught me to answer questions with
“Why” instead of *What” Another of our games helped me greatly
with my powers of observation. When we would walk, he told me to
always look at the large signboards as decply as possible and afcer we
had passed one, he would make me recite all chat was on it. I would
never temember as much detail as he, but I did win a kind word or two
on occasion. We played this same game at his house with pictures and
objects spread out on the table or bed.

Twish he could have survived to see and enjoy the new world we plan
o create from this chaos. I could have gotten out of here last year he
would never have gone out on sardines and crackers. don't know how
anyone else views the matcer and don't care, but now for me his is one
more voice added to the already thunderous chorus that ery from their
unmarked and unhallowed graves for vindication.

Do wait for me to change or modify my atieudes in the least. |
cannot understand, as you put t,or as you would have me understand
Tama man, you are woman. Beinga woman, you may expect to be and
enjoy being eyrannized. Perhaps you aceually ke walking at che hel
of another, or otherwise placing yourself beneath another, but for me
this is despicable. I refuse to even attempt to understand why I should
debase myself or concede or compromise any part, the smallese pare,
of anything on earch to anyone who is not of my kind in thought and
form.

Tlove you, Mama, but I must be frank. Why did Papa dic alone and
hungry? Why did you chink me insane for wanting 2 new bieycle
inseead of the old one I sole piece by piece and put togeher? Why
did you allow us to worship at a white altar? Why even now, following
eragedy after tragedy, eriis after criis, do you seill send Jon to that
school where he is taught to feelinferior, and why do you continue to
send me Easter cards? This is the height of disrespect you show me.
You never wanted me to be a man nor Jon cither. You don'e wane us

PARTONE s
o resst and defeat our enemies. What is wrong with you, Mama? No
other mama in history has acted the way you act under sress sicuations
Twon'e be a good boy ever.

Love,
George

MARCH, 1967 26

Dear Robert,
Why, my friend, did Papa go out alone and hungry. Did Frances and
Mamaever alk to you of his condition when they recurned from Ilinois
lase year, Was it ever pu to him that he could stay with you people and
eat when you ate and fase when you fasted. I wondee? “When poverty
comes in at the door, love flies oue of the window.”

Can you see the division among us and i effect? This is our greatest
obstacle. T sometimes wonder how this wil turn out. Before we can
ever effectively face down the foc, we must have had long since learned
o share, trust, communicate, and live harmoniously with cach other.
Our new state governor has deereed that the daily food allowance
for each conviet be cut exactly in half. We get almost no “geade one”
procein now. Seuff like eggs, meae, and milk produces s seldom seen
now: So my experiments in self-discipline are now paying off. Everyone
elseis hungry now, while I feel nothing. And thisis jus the beginning:
the reactionary,repressive forces presently at work will bring things to
such a crisis soon that Baldwin's warning of “The fre next time” must
so0n be borne out with all its snister accompaniments,

Take care of yourself, Pop. Comfore Mom as well as you can and tell
her I all ighe, healchy, happy. contene. Of course, this s a i, but she
likes to be lied to.

George

MARCH, 1967 27

Dear Mama,
Please don'e ake what [ expressed in my last lcter too seriously. was
feeling excremely bad. Try o relax; the mental depression you are
presently gripped by comes from a very common cause, particularly

%0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
amongus lacks here n the US. Asadefense, we look at life through our
rose-colored glasses, raionalizing and pretending that things are not so
bad after all, bue then day after day — tragedy after tragedy srikes and
confuses us, and our pretense fils to aid or dispel the nagging feeling
that we cannot have security in an insecure society, especially when
one belongs to an insecure caste within this larger society. I believe
sincerely that you will be a very unhappy and perplexed woman for as
long as you try to pretend that you have anything in common with this
culture, or better, that this culeue has anything in common with you,
and as long as you pretend that there is no difference between men,
and as long as you try to be more English than the English, while the
English ignore your atcempts and use your humiliy to their advaneage.
Tsuggest noaction, no physical action that s, or [ know you have never
been woman of action, but 1 do suggest that you purge your mind
liele by litle of some of your Western notions. Direce your nervous
animosity at the right people and their syscem, and stop, for your
own sake please stop blaming yourself. If you were, right now, walking
toward your kitchen with the whole family’ ife savings in your hand,
let’s say. and | sneaked up behind you and pulled the rug from under
youand you fell and broke your acm, leg, nose, and the money flew into
the burning fireplace, would you get up blaming me for pulling the rug,
or would you just lay there and blame yourself and precend that you
dide really fall, or that the whole thing made no difference anyway?
The analogy is perfect.

Do you know who I blame for what has happened to me the lase 25
years, and before to my ancestors? [ would be narrow-minded indeed
i 1 blamed any of you, my folks. T don't blame you for not teaching
me how to get what I wanted without geeting put in jail, nor do |
blame myself. 1 was born knowing nothing and am a product of my
total surcoundings. I blame the capicalisic dog, the imperialistic,
cave-diwelling brute that kidnapped us, pulled the rug from under us,
made us a casee within his society with no vertical economic mobilicy
s soon as all this became clear to me and I developed the nerve to
admit it o myself, that we were defeaed in war and are now caprives,
slaves or actually that we inherited a neoslave existence, immediately
became relased, always expecting the worst, and started working on
the remedy. Can you play chess? I relaxes, builds foresight, alereness,
concentration, and judgment. Learn, so we can play next year

George

PARTONE o1
MAY, 19679

Dear Robert,
That's grea bout the classes. You passed the exams pretey casy,didn't
you? Ik wonderful to have a pop with brains. I was approved for a
eransfer, bue it is not official yet. When it is I'll inform you of the
deils

T've been gerting a lot of work done lately. My mind is fast becoming
clear and T am slowly harnessing my emotions, I can go days without
speaking a word. With the pursuit of food and shelter relegated to the
staee, Lhave been able to channel all my thoughes to importan things.
significant things, So T attempt to bend this experience to our benefit
racher than let chem weaken and destroy me, as they would like. You
are aware chat these places, this one in pasticular, il cicher bring out
the best in an individual or ruin him entirely. Wherever they send
me, Robere, [ will ey as hard as my character will allow to avoid all
involvement in those sicuations that lead to erouble. But I can promise
nothing, the furure holds no surprises for me. | expet anyehing,
including trouble, especially trouble, considering the times. 1 have
adopred, these last several months, new artieude, however, chat will
limit the scope of my troubles

Take care of yourslf
George

MAY, 1967 16

Dear Robert,
Tha is good reasoning concerning the school issue. It was 2 wise
decision in every way you look at it. The other way (catholic school)
you pay more for less education, plus they make emotional pansies of
the boys with that sanctimonious dogma. Dear Pop, I'm not just alking
for the sake of talking. | am deply concerned for Jon and you all. Much
thought goes inco all | arcempt to convey. Whenever man builds an
image of himself and of his surroundings that he cannot live up o and
that does not conform to the de facto situation, the end resule must
be confusion and emotional breakdown. If my inseructor tells me that
the world and ies affars are run as well as they possibly can be, that
Tam governed by wise and judicious men, thae I am free and should
be happy. and if when @ leave the instructor’s presence and encounter

92 SOLEDAD BROTHER
the exace opposie, if L actually sense or see confusion, war, inflacion,
recession, depression, death, and decay, is it not reasonable that 1
should become perplexed? If my insteuctor ells me thae sex s evil,bad.
base, and [happen to ke sex,is i not reasonable to assume thae [ will
develop mixed emotions concerningsex’ Ifthis instructor relates to me
that sex is bad, thinking of i is luseful, and lust is a sign of my moral
decay, what opinion will I have of myself? This is what they wil do
o Jon at thac catholic school. But that is juse pare of it. He will also
learn that ].C. was white, which i alie. That the Egypeians were white,
which s alic. That the people of India are white under their black skin.
Thae Chinese are yellow, when they range from brown to the blackest
black. He will get a lot of this misinformation in public school too,
but not nearly as much. Wich s leee effore after school from you chis
can be corrected. Tell him that these men don' alvays tell the truch
Make him read histories by Ronald Segal, Du Bois,etc. Make him read
the pro-Eastern writers, so that he will have a good cross section of
all there is to be heard. Show him how o masturbate, and explain to
him that making love with 3 woman s the most natural ching on earch
Explain how he can do so without geeting the girl pregnanc. Tell him
that “there s no hell, no heaven, and no immortaliey,and that all things
are permissible” as long as the next man's feelings are considered

None of those at home who contest you in your judgment know nearly
as much about lfe as you. So you must be firm and decisive. None of
the Western European cultures know anything about philosophy (love
of knowledge). They know nothing of the proper way that men should
carry on cheir reations with other men. Proofof this — who originated
the passpore laws, taiff aws, atom bomb, compeitive enterprise, ctc..
etc. They only excel in one area, technology. So let Jon learn chemistey
ac school. You give him his cconomics, hisory, and philosophy at
homett

George

MAY, 196721

Dear Robert,
Penny was here again last weck. She has taught dhe leele guy how to
say Uncle George. So *Uncle George” was ringing the lengeh of the
visting hall for a couple of hours. However, [ was less chan pleased. T
tried to get him to change it to “Comrade George? but he did't scem

PARTONE 9
to understand. Uncle George is t00 much like Uncle Tom and Uncle
Ben (ofrice-box fame) for comfore!

Teruse you are well. | am holding offthe ll effeces of the concentration
camp as best [ can. I seems losing baete, however. I've had to take to
wearing glasses of considerable strengeh due to falure of my eyesigh.
Living in chis constant half-ligh, I guess. When you told me a while
back of Francesserious eye problem, I resolved upon my release to have
one of mine transplanted into her head. But this will no longer be any
bargain for her.

Thave been having trouble with my eyes for a year. When I finally was
able to maneuver an eye test, | was surprised at the amount of money
they took from my account (money that you have sene me that | have
not used yee). | was even more surprised when I finally got the glasses
ewo monehs later with their serengeh and how much they improved my

Speaking of money and accounts, Pop. I'm flush for now, by flush I
mean [ have stocked up on envelopes and toothpaste, I've come to
realize that I don't need much to eat to seay alive and I don'e smoke.
Tcan gee far on what the average man may starve on. So the money
you have been sending me can be put to use ac home there, your
books, or perhaps something for Jon, he also needs supplementary
reading material. [am soery that you and Mama don'e make each other
happy: European-Anglo-American brainwashing is at the bottom of
it. Those empry pseudo-middle-class ideas that we have adopted from
the opposition make us unhappy in the same way the middle class
iuself is unhappy. Then too when poverey comes in at the door, loves
leaves by the window. We all know who has caused our poverty. have
experienced the same thing with women and men. All the women
T've had tried to use me, erid to secure through me a sofe spor in this
cuethroat system for themselves. All they ever wanted was clothes and
money and to be taken out to lash these things. I no longer have time
for such small ideas or small people. Blacks thae I've met here who
exhibit such characeristics [ disdain and ignore. The same with any
woman I may have when I gee out. She must let me reerain her mind
orno deal.

George

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
MAY, 1967 28

Dear Robert,
T've been a good boy lately, kind, polite, forgiving. Don't know if it
will do any good though since people invariably miseake kindness for
weakness. I really cannot imagine how anyone can seay detached and
complacen for any period of time and still maineain social contaces
on any level. It no longer surprises me, but 1 sell find the general
acceprance and widespread practice of the more deranged produces of
Western culeure disturbing, Peying, nosy. schizophrenic, domincering.
psychoneuroic people press you from all sides. They remain in a
continual sate of agitation, always on the brink of doing something
maniacal! Capitalism, 1 believe, the capiealizing on the nese man's
labor, on the nexe man's weakness, has contributed greatly to the
development ofthe anomalous *Western man’ capicalism, comperitive
enterprise, man competing againse man for the necessary things, for
seacus symbols, for power to repress his competitors and secure his
personal well-being o exercise his ego, his fancy. I just cannot get used
of the idea of some pery, stereotyped, bureaucearic offcial, patently
suffering from some mental disorder, asking me queseions, calling on
me o explain myself. tis dd, and ironical,the erickery and turnabout
that has gone down these st few generations.

Chew on ehis a few momenes: a colonizer, a usurer, the original thief,
a murderer for personal gain, a kidnapper-slaver, a maker of cannon,
‘bombs, and poison gas, an egocentric parasice,the original fork tongue.,
the odd man is trying to convey to us that we must adjust ourselves to
his warp, tha we muse leamn to be more like him, that because we're
not we're backwvard, underdeveloped, unsophiseicated! This is stange
and contradiceory.

1 am deeply sorry thae | ever told a lie, scole anyehing robbed and
cheated at anything — mainly because it is so much like conforming
to Western ways. To all appearances they are upset with me for doing
these things. That privilege s supposed to be reserved for them I guess.
So what do they mean by saying that we muse gee in wih them, be
like them, adopt capitalism, clothe ourselves in Western ways? This
is a serange and contradictory thing. If we the colored and black of
the world adope capitalism where would we have to seek our colonies,
Europe, the US.21 Who would we capitalize on if we used theis history
as 2 patcern? Them | should say!t Who would we kidnap, murder,
lynch, enslave, and then neglect!! So what do they mean by saying, “Do

PARTONE o
as1do”? L don'echink, well T know that they are not serious, no sincere.
1 ehink they are employing another tick, 2 ploy to further confuse us
and use us, T chink what they mean is not “Do s | do” bue “Do as |
say"t I the 1770s the Europeans over here waned to pull avay from
the Europeans of England. They called i a freedom fight. Now we men
of color here in the ULS. want to pull away from these Europeans and
they call it subversion, irresponsibiliy,ecc. 1 don'e even speak to them
anymore. I go my way and hope to be lefe lone.

George

JULY, 1967 13

Dear Robert,
T'm in regular adjustment center — segregation again. They have let
me have my personal property, books, toilet articles, envelopes, that is
minus 90 percent of it It happens every time I transfer from one part
of the prison to another or go to isolation, my seuff gecs ripped off. I
gt robbed. I'm sure it wasn'ethe officials. They are such nice, efficient
people, o T won't complain here with my pencil. 'l need a ew dollars
o replace the necessary things (envelopes, dictionary, ete), when you

can afford it

Your physical appearance hasn'e changed at all over the years, Pop.
Clean living has presered you marvelously. Do you ever drink any
alcoholic beverages? I have never known you to, but that doesn't mean
that you don't. How much slecp do you average a day? Perhaps [ won't
live to be as old as you are, but if do T won't look as good. The loose
skin on my face i already starting to weinkle, and serange as it seems,
1 tend toward obesiey i 1 eat cereain foods. | must have picked that up
from Mama. Howisshe? Tell her I'm going to be a good boy from now
until Lean get out of here.

T worry about Penny, docs she know chat she can come home if the
circumstance make it necessary? She respects you for what you have
done forus andaceepes you asyouare. Sodo, Pop. I recall that you never
had more than one suit or o pairs of shoes all throughout the early
years. | never remember you having a moment’s personal gratification
during those years. No one believes me when I tell them you never
went o a nightelub or finger-poppers’ party during the ewenty years
that I remember. | don'e think any other man in the US. would have

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
reacted as you did concerning that incident with the Hudson cas, fxing
it with your hands and driving ic for five years in tha condition. False
pride would have forced anyone else into radical and unceonomic acts
T fel real bad about thar, bue [ didnt understand lfe then as 1 do now
T'm deeply sorey for the weak, slly transgessions of my past, and I'm
sorry that [ won't be able to conduct my relations with the world as
you would have me condut chem. I sce the big picture where you may
never have. [ think I see the larger hiscorical concepe in s ful detail
‘The obligation you felt toward us, I feel toward history. I must follow
my call. It is of great importance to me chat you understand this and
give me your blessings. | don'ecare about anyone else. don'e feel I muse
explain myself or be understood by anyone else on earch,

George

JULY, 1967 15

My Friend,
T goe your lecter of June 5. 1 have it here before me. 1 told Les to
cooperate with your effores for me. I sure do need some of the benefies
of togetherness now. As I explained I am in adjustment center here for
an undefined amount of time.

Les speaks of me coming home with optimism, but I would benefic
largely from a transfer. No one, among the offcials that s, ever calls
me out of my cell anymore to speak with me of my progeess or my
fure. I'm just locked down and forgotten. Can a lawyer do anyehing
about getting me # ransfe? He would hav to go through Sacramento.
The jusification for such action is obvious: I cannot adjuse here, the
officials have preconceived notions about my behavioral patterns
and consequently look for the worst in me. The atmosphere here is
aggressive, and I'm too far away from home. I canno get regular visits
and thus miss the beneficialinflucnce of you and my paents.

My friend, my thinking has changed somewhat since I saw you last.
Thac fellow who sent pictures of his Cadillae auto up here can explain
some of the workings and progress of my thoughes. | hope he doesn't
betray himself with hat fase living I hear he s doing. Seems he has
learned nothing from biteer experience!! [ have trained avay, pressed
out forever the last of my Western habits. You remember 1 never got
incoxicated or spent any money or time on tifles but i the passing

PARTONE o7
of these last couple of years, T have completely reteained myself and
my thinking to the poine now that I think and dream of one thing
only, 24 hours of each day: I have no habits, no ego, no name, no face.
feel 0 love, no tenderness, for anyone who does not think as I do.
There can be no ties of blood or kinship strong enough to move me
from my course. Il never, never trade my slf-determination for a car,
cheap mass-produced clothes, clapboard house, or a couple of nights a
week at the go-go. Control over the circumstances that surround my
existence s ofthe first importance o me. Without this control, o with
conerol in someone else’s hands, [ am forever insccure, subjece at all
times to the whim and caprice of the man in control, and you and |
know how whimsical some men can be. Well, Pop, Ill be going oueside
o court the seventh of August to testify for friend. Ill gec a glimpse
of the world at large, if you can call San Rafael the world ac large.

Thope you are doing well. 1 would have written before now but I was in
isolation up until the eleventh o this moneh, as you know:

Do you have time to read? Pl suggest some books if so, next leteer
Take care

George

JULY, 1967 19

Dear Robert,
Twrote youa letter about two weeks ago. It was returned to me today. It
never got out of the insitution. Received your leteer of the 15th today.
no change here. I have that address 1 asked you for. I got it through
other channels. 1 was spelling and pronouncing the name wrong, Tell
A-A. to get busy and make my woman seare writing. A visit every now
and then would be nice also. Tell him to send me her new address that
Tmay send her a correspondence form. You don't know her, but he will

Penny has not been up to see me since you came, no letee cither, hope
sheis allrighe. Locked up 24 hours a day now: I¢s all righe, though —
gives me plenty of time at my work. My cell faces north, and there is a
window in front of it. Plenty of fresh air comes ino my cell.

George

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
JULY, 196723

Dear Robert,
1 feel relieved to know that you are taking Jon out of catholic school.
Man, falling under the conservative influence of those admen and fakes
was the worse thing that ever happened to me. How could you have
ever allowed it. It was Mama's idea bue you should never have let her
selitto you.

1 remember Chicago al right, in face [ remember too much. Twas very
much confused and dissatisfied during chose years. They had much
to do with the development of my character. I've had to unlearn and
reexamine all that I experienced in those years. But what you were
eally referring o was how it stayed hot al nigh, with people sleeping

on the beaches and such.

I remember the garage roof where T was vircually held prisoner
sometimes, there at North Racine Streee. It is criminal to do that to a
child. And no parks near enough to go to, no yard front or back to play
with the neighbors’ kids, no neighbors really except the ones on Lake
Strcer. [ remember glimpses of our place over there on Lake also. This
is 2 dogs lfe, Pop. you had nothing then. You have worked hard, hard,
and obeyed the laws of ous masters bue you seill have nothing. Isic idle
dreaming for me to wane an end to something ike this?

T wrote Mama three leteers three months ago. She didsr answer or
acknowledge any. Towe her loyaley just for being my mother, but she is
adult and I never baby adules. She resents me because | won't aceept her
views on mechod and means of geeting by in this at race. She once told
me that [ had a complex that made me view the world as do. In o many
words she was telling me that I shouldn'e be complexed sbout being of
the lowest social clas or in our case caste. She was saying that I should
be indifferent about being used and abused like a goat o milk cow or
something, I understand her and all black women over here. Women
like to be dominaed, love being strong-armed, need an overseer to
supplement their weakness. So how could she really underseand my
feelings on self-decermination. For this reason we should never allow
Women to express any opinions on the subject, but juse to it listen to
us, and attempt to underseand. I is for them to obey and aid us, not to
actempe to chink.

George

PARTONE 9
JULY, 1967 28

For me, the word “soul” has yet to be properly defined. I have scen or
fele no evidence of its existence. | have heard the word and listened to
the theory conneeted with it, bue it s abstract and academic at best.
The theory of an existing and benevolent god simply docsn't make
sense to anyone who is rational. A benevolent and omnipotent god
would never allow such imbalances as [ see to exist for one second. IF
by chance [ am wrong, however, | must then assume that being born
black called for some automatic punishmen for sins I know nothing
about, and being innocen it behooves me to defy god. I seriously fl
o understand when someone speaks of my soul, but I do know what
my body needs. I know what my mind incessandy craves. Grarification
ofthese is what I must pursue. As a woman [ can understand yous being
nacurally disposed to servitude. I ean underseand your feelings but what
Tean'e underseand is why you would have me feelthe same, considering
that am a man. Why have you always atcempred to implant womanly
ideas into my character. Of course it is your option to do as you please,
but please don'e feelthat [love you less simply because I fail o respond.
o feel thae Ilove you any less because I do not have time to explain
myself.

Love has never urned aside the boot, blade, or bullet. Neicher has it
ever satsfied my hunger of body or mind. The author of my hunger,the
architeet of the circumstantial pressures which are the sole cause of my
ill wil find no peace, in this existence or the next,or the one following
that; never, never. Ill dog his erail to infinity: | hope I never will fecl
Tvelove forthe thing that causes insufferable pain. What I do feel s the
urge to resise, resist, and never stop resisting or even think of stopping
my resstance until vietory flls to me. Exereme, perhaps, but involved
is my self-decermination, and control of the environment upon which
my existence depends, and the existence of my father, mother, Delora's
and Penny’s sons, and all chat I feel tied to. We are in an extreme
sieuation. I didn't ereate this impasse. I had nothing to do with the
arrival of matcers at this destructive end, as you infer, Did | colonize,
kidnap, make war on myself, destroy my own insticutions, enslave
myself, use myself, and neglect myself, seeal my identity and then,
being reduced to nothing, invent a compeitive economy knowing that
T cannot compete? Sounds very foolish, but this is what you propose
when you place the blame on me or on "us. It was a fool who ereated

100 SOLEDAD BROTHER
this monster, one unaceustomed to power and its use, a foolish man
grown heady with power and made drunk, dizzy drunk from the hot
air that inflacs his ego. | am his vietim, born innocent,a toeal product
of my surroundings. Everyching that [ am, I developed into because of
circumstantial and sicuational pressures. [ was born knowing nothing;
necessity and environment formed me, and everyone like me. Please
accord me at leas the social morality that springs from its contoreed
brain center. I'm through with weakness and cowardice. I've trained it
out. Let come what comes. [ can never delude myselfinto thinking that
Tlove my enemies. I can hardly do any worse than I am doing now: if
worst comes to worst that’s allrighe, Illjus continue the figh in hell

George

AUGUST, 1967 10

Dear Robert,
Things are looking up, I have & promise on my injured leg, should be
seeing about it anytime now: I'm in pretey good shape and ic won' kill
me. Good move you made on yous way ou. I could never say anyehing
like that for myself. No one would believe me. Doing good, minding
my business, won't let you down. Delora s quite handsome, you know
that was the firse time d seen her in seven years. There are three ways
to enforce and build discipline in a child: through terror, through
guile and through shame. The frst principle i the worse and involves
Keeping the child in constant fear of beating or harsh reprimand. This
is not conducive to all-round adjustment. Either the child becomes a
confirmed coward or ac best unseable and erratic. A child with feelings
of insecurity (lack of confidence) may later on try to prove himself
by deliberately doing things against what he has been taugh is right.
Think on that a moment! Then the guile concep: it finds expression
in convincing the child that he will suffer god's wrath (religion) or be
looked upon as 2 fool, knucklehead, buffoon, or evil and maligned
person by the rese of mankind. This is not good in thac it causes the
child to be too dependent. He cannot develop or become creative for
fear of disapproval from on high. Then, what man can live up to the
expectations of god. Then there are those amongus who canno live up
o the expectations of other men, socicty. Wht happens to the child
who cannot live up to god or mans expectations, the child trained or
disciplined through guile feclings. His confidence i forever destroyed
and he becomes the ubiquitous temporizer,the lisless apathetic

PARTONE 101
The lase principle s the only one worthy of intelligent parens: shame.
1 a child does not seact in the proper way and carry out his duties
toward parents and peers he should be taught to feel shame or lose
face asthe Easeern people call ie, The child fels that he haslet himself
down when he fais to do the proper thing. Only constant and calm,
rational reproof can cause this feeling in a kid. In other words, it takes
brains and persistence on the pare of the parent to shape the childs
thinking. It should be clear that becoming frantic and beside oneself,
beating and cussing is going to give the child a new experience and
leave an impression that may not be wholesome. Felix Greene wrore
that in all the time he spent in a certain country in the East he never
saw a child throw a tantrum,. He asked one of the social workers there
about it, describing the features of a childish tantrum. The Eastern
social worker' shocked expression and complece ignorance of any such
things happening to the children caused Greene to investigate further
and deduce that they don't go through emotional breakdowns “because
they have no precedents from their parents” Take care

George

AUGUST, 1967 26

Dear Robert,
The paper started one week ago, Saturday. Everyching s al right. I1]
do as you say about the pacience. Perhaps I expect too much from
people. Hospital and X rays any day now. I expect help from certain
people only, bue I'll ke your advice and look no more. OF course chis
doesn't mean that [ am going to stop helping others as much as | can.
Tl continue to give as good an example of how we should treat each
other as I can, but as you indicate I shouldn't expect this to influence
anyone else to reat me similarly.

Take care of yourslf
George
SEPTEMBER, 1967 1

Dear Robert,
Jon i aboue the same age as [ was when we first moved out here. |
remember well my attitudes and confusion at that time. He can't be too

102 SOLEDAD BROTHER
much different since our development was forced along similar lines.
OF course he has had a slightly better chance or atmosphere to build
the things necessary for the changeover from man-child to man. That
school Mama was sending him o did him great harm bue ot irreparable
harmsince in his case you were on the job afee school sowing pride and
knowledge of self and kind, and explaining the promise and problems
in acquiring self-deermination and control over all the circumstances
surrounding our existence. OF course you have been explaining that
this control must never be allowed to remain in the hands of strangers
orincompetents,etc. So | hope he is not as awed and confused as [ was
then. Give him my regards. Tell him 1 said he is charged to take good
care of his mother and siscers,chat since he has grown so big and strong
50 s00n, he should brace himself o his duties carly. Tell him that I said
that lfe is serious and we must be careful, one misstep can cause us
“years of egeet and gricf, and sorrow without eelict”

Take care of yourslf
George

SEPTEMBER, 1967 12

Dear Robert,
Tam doing well, no new problems. Please say nothing else about the
leg to anyone. You could cause me trouble. Illlive. I seay in reasonably
good condition juse for oceasions like this. I can see about it if | get
out nexe year. You should know about protesting wich the mouth
I never avails us anyehing bue grief. 1 no longer do so in any form,
for it indicates naiveté. It means that subconsciously one may seill be
looking for justice or humaniey from places that we have ample proof
of it nor existing, [ worry about Penny and I would like to see her there
with you. [ have not seen or heard from her since you were here last
Perhaps she fecls she doesn’ need or wane any of us. Have you heard
from her? Perhaps ies my fault. I push people away by expecting too
much of them. 1 probably used the wrong presentation with her and
frightened her. O she may not care to hear about clean living and
high ideals. People tend to run like hell a the mention of sacrfice and
responsibiliey. Give everyone my regards and take care of yourself.

George

PARTONE 103
SEPTEMBER, 1967 14

Dear Mama,
T hope this year’s birthday finds you well. T would like o be able to
give you things, and take you places, but I've been unforcunate, and
Slow learning. But I have learned well. Perhaps next year Ill be able to
give you a villa in Tanzania. I'm fine: my work progresses well Seems
that al I've predicted is now coming true, though, much sooner than |
thoughe, [ must admit.

Take care of yourself
George

SEPTEMBER, 1967 24

Dear Robert,
Received your leteer. All is well here. You have everyone back there
with you excepe Delora now: That s good in a way. You have another
chance to teach them how to live, arrange their values and atitudes
50 that they correspond with ou situation, our aspirations, our newly
reestablished identiy. Penny expressed the though to me that since
you do noe have much to say around there, you don't care much bout
them and their litele problems. She expressed the feclings of all those
there who do not understand you in saying ehis. Women and children
enjoy and need a strong hand poised above them,. They need direction
and someone to show concern for them and you may have to make your
presence fele there, 4 litele anyway. OF course I'm not talking sbout
beinga eyeanc, but just some racional, moderate, but persistent pressure
o the lefe. | imagine [l really be able to gee down to fighting weight
now. I told you whae happened to the noon meal. I really don't miss it
though.

Take care of yourself
George

SEPTEMBER, 1967 30

Dear Robert,
Gertingplenty of work done. Howis yous scholastc project going? Are
you still ateending the nighe classes? [ choughe that was a wonderful
idea. Speed reading and voeabulary power are foremostin elevating the

104 SOLEDAD BROTHER
mind. They can be worked on in spare time, ten or ewenty minutes 3
day. I consistently work on both: especially vocabulary, out of small
paperback pocketbookssold i the canteen and in the prison bookstore.
But since [ have much more study time than you, I go one hour or so
on each daily. There are dozens of these litele books published today
Every time | see adifferent one | try to make it pare of my collection.

Are you well, my friend? I am geeting thin as a rail, feel all right,
however. Give my regards to Jon and Penny.

Take care of yourslf
George

OCTOBER, 19673

A thankeyou note for money and lecter. I can always use money, but
discharge your obligations at home firse. I can do withou. If [ were
you, [would treat Pop a lete beeter. He has been pretey good to usal,
when one considers the shocks and strains he has had to live with. As
4 woman, you just do no (and I guess never will) understand what it
means to be a man in this particular situation here in the US. Women
juse don'e suffer the mental mortification of defeat and emaseulation
that we men do. Robere has lived with it for many years, trying to
racionalize it justify it pretend that it does not affect him, but it has
affccted him very deeply. Imagine how he muse fecl when his woman
won't even let him run the house. For you to just outright countermand
his wishes on a matter concerning the education of his son must be a
bicter dose for him to swallow indeed. After what he must accept from
the outside world everyday of his lif, to come to his home and also be
made to carry water and eut wood and take orders is adding insult to
injury

Though you may not see much evidence of it, Robert seill harbors
the desire to be a man and assere himself. He is not completely dead
inside. The years and years of regret and grief, discomfore, and defeat
he has endured since the depression years of his childhood, all the
forgeeting and pretending and check-rurning he has had to do, cannot
be denied. Ie lives with him, seill jammed back in the dak corners
of his mind. T've scen it, Georgia, believe me, I've seen it in him and
in many others of his generation. One day in the near future these

PARTONE 105
felings of mass discontent must beak thei bounds. s just as nacural
and predictable as the sunrise. | am ready now. When they are ready.
nothing, nothing will be able to countervail our march to viceory. In
Jon's case it i simply a matter of what we need most and how can he be
st equipped to survive the crisis that now grips us. [ think we need
tough, well-informed, and loyal additions to the tribe. Can he develop
these chaacteristies at this terrible place you advocate? You have been
livingin the big ity now for 25 years. It i almose unbelievable that you
have not discovered that the guys who will be eraining him there are 90
percent sex deviates (homosexuals, ecc.) and 10 percent free-loading
incompetents who couldn'eget food and shelter any other way. I would
never make a charge like this unless T had firsthand evidence. [ hope
that you were merely ignorant of these things. | hope that you have
not intentionally sold ot Jon's bosom inerests. Robert has sheleered
youfrom the world to some extent. You have not come in contact with
things he sees daily. o let him have some say

George

OCTOBER, 1967 11

Dear Robert,
Ireceived the leecer with the money in it ll righe, thank you. I'm going
pretey good here, no problems, no new ones anyway. I went before a
formal two-man review committee here recently. They gave me at least
four more months to do here in the adjustment center. T guess we can
call ehis improvement of a sort since 'm usually told nothing, You say
Jon is having trouble wich math. And that you feel it just a mateer of
his seeeling down to his work. I wondered when you mentioned this juse
what it was that i keeping him from hisstudies. How does he spend his
time? Is there anyone there to help him with his seudies? Ofcourse, you
are right that all he has to do is apply himself o his work. At this seage
of the schooling structure, nothing is really dificule. Math is never
difficule, since ies laws are positive. All that needs o be done i take the
necessary time and learn the formulas and principles. OF course, if too
much time is spent in class on religious matcers, the teacher is at fault,
not the seuden. In fact if any time is spent on religious matcers during
the school hours the seudent s being cheated

Take care of yourslf
George

106 SOLEDAD BROTHER
OCTOBER, 196717

Dear Robert,
The time slips away from me. I'm surrounded here by fools, degenerates,
and phonies. I suffer a constant bombardment of nonsense from all
sides. There is no rest from it even at nighe. Twenty-four hours a day
all my senses must endure the shock of this attack from the lunatic
fringe. So | insert my carplugs, and bury myself in my thoughes and
my work. The days, even the weeks lapse one into the other, endlessly
into one another, Each day that comes and goes is exacely like the one
that went before. €] am lax in my duties toward you, Forgive me. | am
living under strain. 1 am sorry to hear about your friend. The same
has happened to some of mine here. 1 think 1 know how you feel
however, I try to chink of those things as releases. How was my lecter
o Jon received? Mama may have torn it up. If Jon wants to go to the
trouble of framing those pares that trouble him into a lecter, | have 3
fair underseanding of math. No new problems here. Juse waiting i out.
Time is on my side. m twenty-six now, and I'll be eweney-six when [
leave here. Be it 40 years from today.

Take care.
George

OCTOBER, 1967 18

Dear Robert,
How s Penny and the letl guy? I guess I miss them quite a bie. What
adifference their presence makes here. My language studies are coming
along well. | guess f [ don'tgee out before January — and ie’s not very
likely that [ will — 'l go into Arabic next. With four languages plus
English Lll be able to communicate with three-fourths of the people
on carth. I am presently working on Spanish and Swahili Spanish is
spoken by most peoples from Mexico to Chile in what is the faseest
growing popularion area n the world. Swahiliis spoken by ll of easeern
Aftica. I may find communication with these peoples important in my
work. All that remains is for me to learn Arabic and Chinese. Perhaps
Tl start on these two next year, Ive done well with the Spanish.

T truse you are well. Don'e work yourself t00 hard. You cannot get
rich on wages. | have had no response from Jon to my last two lecters.
What's happening? Has he forgoren his brother: it has been a long

PARTONE 107
time. He was just a baby when frse I came here to the concentration
camp. I been seven years, one month now:

Take care of yourself
George

OCTOBER, 196724

Dear Robert,
Tl be considered for transfer again this week, they ll probably approve
Folsom for me chis time. It is a maximum sccuriey prison like this, so
there will be no change in my foreunes. One prison is like the other,
except perhaps the minimum security places in the southern part of the
staee where they have a less aggressive atmosphere where i one can get
around the local constabulary,the chances for parole are greater. That
is part of the reason that the guy who was arrested with me went home
four years ago and I am sell here. Right before I was forced into that
sieuation in Soledad and sent here, he was sent to Chino. Bu his folks
had money to pass around.

No new problems here, the same old chings. 'm getting pleny of work
done with my time. | am not erying to lose weighe, P not cating as [
should, but we discussed that before. You forgee things too fase. But
maybe that is good. I'm not sure. Perhaps if I could forger, I could
have some peace of mind. But I don't forge anyehing, wounds scar my
mind much worse than they scar my body: Bue [ don't let such hings 2s
food, warmeh, comfore, and lack of material things cause me any great
distress. I'm doing as well as T can expet to, because I don'e expect
anyehing. Anyehing good, thac i,

Take care of yourself
George

OCTOBER, 196726

Dear Robert,
Jon tells me they have him studying Latin. 1 find this very depressing
No one has spoken Latin in fificen hundsed years! They are teaching
the poor kid a dead language! Wasting his precious time! His precious
aent! A greac blunder is again being made regarding your offspring,
Rober.

108 SOLEDAD BROTHER
People only learn Latin these days o that they can read chat thing they
call the bible in the Latin and sound mysterious. ¢ a lot of European
sieual, a lot of hoeus-pocus from the dark ages of Europe. The time he
puts into that cotally useless pursuit could be spent on math or science!

Take care.
George

NOVEMBER, 19672

Dear Robert,
Ireceived both your leeters oday dated the ewenty-ninth and dhistieth,
True I may forgee myself sometimes and Ill have to redouble my cffores
o control this. | know it is wrong and [ know the proper method. It is
the application of method that sometimes causes me trouble. Bue Il
redouble my effort to get over this. Emotion has much o do with it
Allof my paselfe has been victimized by my emotions. | have struggled
mighily with myself these lst couple of yearsin an actempr to erase all
emotion. The only method chat can succeed is the clinical approach,
the analytical technique of treaing our problems. It i said and with
some justification that the greatest batel i with oneself,so f | ean gain
a victory here the real work shouldn'tbe too hard.

On the subject of injury, there is the real and the imagined. You have
made several references to the subject in the last month o two and |
have let them pass. By telling me that Jon has no chip on his shoulder,
you attempted to make me el alone and isolated in my ateicudes. But
You are wrong in erying to second-guess me, because [ have no chip on
my shoulder. T know the simplest way to handle an injury whether real
o fancied is to forgee . | bear no one on easth any il wil. have fele
the sting of the knout and I live in the shadow of the ovens. I am the
object of the severest ridicule (coon, monkey. shoe, shoe is something
o be walked on incidenally, buck, savage, and child), but even in the
face of all this T have not one chip on my shoulder. Aren'e I 2 truly
marvelous and forgiving person? Almose every day 1 have something
o forgive and forgee. Perhaps most of this is fanciful and illusionary.
but every day T have the opportunity to practice this almost godlike
facility have buileinto myself. But then to be honese with mysclf, it is
not merely or solely due to serength of character that I am able to call
up juse aliele more forgiveness, I also have this ching going with myself
about not wanting to get killed. T don't know about that gerting.killed

PARTONE 109
thing. Now it would be a geeat los to me, but el that I could forgive
that too. Now [ say this at the risk of seeming immodese but to further
illuserate my healehy outlook on the matter i question, let me remind
you chat in spice of all Lam human and I have myself done things that
require forgiveness from others — I have transgressed against my
fellows in moments of weakness and madness. I¢s hard, my friend
Because of my temperament ics even harder. | hope I can make ic.

Take care of yourslf
George

NOVEMBER, 1967 6

Dear Robert,
Are you well2 The changes are as slow as ever here. No new problems,
however,excepe perhaps with my health. It may be failing. Headaches
all the time and a skin condition that stareed some time back. Lok
ac that picture | sent you of me taken upon my graduation. You may
be able to see the discolored spots in my face. Well, the condition is
growingworse — itsall over my face now huge discolored spors. ook
like a leper. If you have a connection who is 1 dermatologist perhaps
you could pass me on some information o it. It is only on my face
now, bu it is progressive. It is spreading. Id like to know what to do
about it and what may be the cause. The cause, however, may be most
important. I've been thinking that it s probably the food. Quality and
quantity. My knee has gone down some and is not too sore anymore. I
hope everyone there is well. Give my special regards to Penny and Jon.

Take care of yourslf
George

NOVEMBER, 1967

Dear Robert,
This lase word from you in Jon's presence convinces me that we can
never reconcile our differences. I never realized that I was 2 source of
embarrassment to you, I thoughe most blacks, especially those of our
economi level, understood, vaguely ac least, thae these places were
buile wieh us in mind, juse as were the project houses, unemployment
offices, and bible schools

110 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Perhaps lcer f we both live o sec the outcome of all ehis, I will be able
o explain myself beeter, bue for now you surely don't need me and |
have never needed anyone. L has failed me. People I have had a righ
o expeet something of, in the past, have failed me. And I fail myself
almost every day. But I suffer no lastingeffects from any of ehis because
I derive my force and energy from no ouside quarter, Your inabiliey to
understand and suppore me puts me at a loss, bue [ cannot allow this
o influence my course. | muse follow my mind. There is no turning
back from awareness. I were to alter my step now [ would always hate
myself. T would grow old feeling that had failed in the obligacory duty
that is ours once we become aware. | would di as most of us blacks
have died over the last few centuries, without having lived.

You have misjudged the depth of my feclings on these matters
They mean everything to me. If we could have found grounds for
compatibilicy within the feamework of my ideals the purcly meneal
aspect of my job could have been less difficule. I anticipated falure
in this from the seart, so | am not shocked or surprised now that the
lase has been said and we find ourselves poles apare. I'll be all right
from here, Robere. I have the nervous equipment and Ill spend my
remaining time here checking my emotions and developing the clinical
approach. You owe me noching. Anyhing you may think you owe
me I absolve you of entirely. Because we look 2 lot alike, because the
same blood flows in our veins, I thought we could peehaps pool our
resources, plan great things, produce some remarkable changes and
conclusions, and write a few pages of hiscory. But I cannot see myself
as well as other people see me and perhaps you are justified in fecling
ashamed of me. The most importane abuement of our relation has
disappeared; perhaps it never existed. This is certainly my loss but [
cannot see any reason for us to communicate with each other again
from this day until such time as [ can demonsteate the usefulness of my
ideals and methods. Please take care of yourself.

Respectfuly,
George
DECEMBER, 1967 1

Dear Robert,
1 guess there is something to be said for a person who does as he is
old, lives by the routine set up by his self-appointed bosses, ece. And

PARTONE 1
of course we must learn to fight our own bactles. This way we can die
alone, one aea time. This is a very old and proven idea. It has worked
wonderfully up to now and that is why 1967 finds us allso secure and
well placed. My erouble is that [ have expected too much of you. You're
already doing your bese: what you feelis right. How can [ expece more?

George

DECEMBER, 1967

Dear Robert,
Tmall right; no change here. They gave me a ltel job in here where I
am locked up but took it back right away, I think to get a reaction. It
has searted o rain almost every day up here now and it s ather cool. It
is serange bue L ehink I prefer cool weather to warm.

Have you heard anyehing from my friend? I don't erust many people
very far bu I have very strong feclings that this guy will not abandon
me or our deas. Things must be very difficult for him or he would have
had a lawyer up here for me by now, or done something long thatline
OF course, we never really get to know anyone to an absolute degree,
bue [ saw chis guy in many differene sicvations and he never showed
the slightest weakness or reservation or selfinterest. We need people
like that. When we cannot even pu confidence in chem we're through.

Take care of yourslf
George

DECEMBER, 1967 13

Dear Robert,
Hope you are well. I received your note and all i normal here. No new
problems. P've goesix months clean now, since June 8. That is not much
and surely not enough to satisfy my warders but by June of next year it
willbe twelve months clean. Truet

Ho is Penny doing on the job? Post office isn' iez Tell her I miss
her and the child. Is that guy she mareied honoring his financial

12 SOLEDAD BROTHER
And Frances, are you keeping up with the movements of the guy she
tied up with. I'll be wanting to sce him fiest thing upon my arrival
there. I¢s cold up here this vear but since I don't go oue direedly in it
oo very often it doesn't bother me much.

Frances s supposed to b angry with me because I wouldn'tlec her gt in
any of her silly cliches lase ime you brought her up here. 1 did't make
things any betcer eicher when she wrote two months later decrying my
supposed rudeness. When Lexplained to her that she was not supposed
o hold any opinions other than those of her menfolk, she stopped
writing. Tell her thae I feel no ill will coward her, bue when she hears
us debating method and policy,she is supposed to be silent, lisen, and
ey to learn something. Penny will it and listen and ery to understand.
When she docsn’t understand she asks intelligene questions. T've
‘bummed across this county three times, seen everyhing cigh times,
now what am [ going to do with some advice from 2 twenty-three-year.
old gil who has been sheltered from the real world all her ife.

s cerrible chat we have all been so divided. The social order is set up
50 25 to encourage this, the powers that be don't wane any loyal loving
groups forming up. So they discourage it in a thousand subtle ways.
And as it is sad, when poverey comes in the door, love leaves by the
window! Too bad! I give up! Blood is not thicker than water. I was
wrong ever to let my thoughts pass my lips. From now on you people’s
reactionary ideals are your own. | never want to discuss anyehing
serious with you again, and if you don't hear from me here too regularly
icis because T have nothing o say

Take care of yourslf
George

DECEMBER, 1967 19

Dear Robert,
T wene to the bosrd yesterday: they told me that if | kepe this nex
year clean and clear of disciplinary infractions T would have cighteen
months clean next time | saw them. OF course I have not scen the
official results yee (maybe Friday I will) but it was precty clear that [
got another year to do.

PARTONE s
Pllwrite again when | get he final word. Penclope wrote me aletee last
weck stating that you and Mama sent a bo of seuff up here to me afeer
all, i spite of my asking you not to bother. appreciate the sentiment
but you should not have done ic. probably will not be allowed to have
it. You should know thae have to send a formal request from here, cec
They won'tsend it back cither — they will keep i. Things will be much
better beeween us when you seare eaking me seriously.

Take eare of yourself. You'lbe able to ecire when | get out in 69,

George

DECEMBER, 196723

Dear Robert,
Thisis Sacurday: there is so much noise on the tie that even my carplugs
are useless. Grown men are acting like high-school gils. The guards
have some kind of sports on the radio. Everyone is happy, emotion
filled crics of joy come from every cell. They're trying to forget their
problems or precend that they have none. It is easier that way, easicr
than grabbing the bull by the horns. Music and spors. Their whole
life, peshaps a letl pimping or gambling. I got my official notice on
the board meeting

They denied me another year, | go back nexe December It will be cight
years then

Take care of yourslf
George

JANUARY, 1968 1

Dear Robert,
165 5:40 AM. Al the noisemakers are asleeps they've worn themselves
out through the night making merry, laughing, singing, precending, It
is strange indecd that a man can find anything to laugh about in here.
But everyone in here is locked up 24 hours a day. They have no past,
o future, no goal other than the next meal. They're afraid, confused
and confounded by a world they know that they did not make, that
they feel they cannot change, so they make these loud noises so they
won't hear whac their mind is trying to tell them. They laugh to assure
themselves and those around them that they are noe afraid, sort of like

14 SOLEDAD BROTHER
the superstitious individual who will whistle or sing happy number as
he pases the graveyard.

Confinementin this small area al day causes a buildup of tension. The
unavoidable consequence is seupidity, a recurn to childish behavior,
overreaction. I refuse to let myself be punished wih seuff like this
Locked in jail within a jail, my mind is sell free. I refuse ever to allow
myself to be forced by living conditions into a response that is not
commensurate with intelligence and my final objective

This will apply even more on the other side of the wall, out there
where you are. What if there was nothing on earth that could be taken
from me which would result in my discomfore. What if a person was
5o oriented that the loss of no material thing could cause him mental
disorganization? This is the free agent. He is nameless, faceless,
emotionless, loveless. He is without habit, without the weaknesses of
the flesh. He travels light and only in the company of those who like
himself prize self-decermination above baseball and becr. Only the free
agent can win for us the necessary control over the direction of our
unrewardinglives

You should know that T only do what I think is bese, and most
approprate. 'm a man with few alternatives

George

JANUARY, 1968 6

Dear Robert,
Thope you are i health, Have you been bothered by the sickness, flu,
Asian flu they call . Everyone on the tier, everyone in the building
eally, has had i, or scill has i, excepe me. I have been lucky. T hope I do
not catch it. We have no medicines

Thave both of your letters here; 1 did not send the forms requesting 3
package because | didn't wan you spending any money on unnecessary
things. L had money I would never buy anything like thac for myself.
T am completely indifferent about pleasure, temporary amenities: *a
eruse of bread and a corner to sleep in, a moment to laugh and an hour
o weep in” — well, | don’t even want the moment. If thatis all that |
have coming I don’e wan it. I don't know who you have been talking
o about my condition here. Whoever they are, stop wasting your time.

PARTONE s
They are only leading you on. I hope you have lost no money, but I
warned you about this before. It is clear thae | must handle this ching
myselfthe bese way that I can.

Take care of yourslf
George

JANUARY, 1968 16

Dear Robert,
Nothing new to repore, sume siuation here. No progress. Wen before
a couple of persons responsible for the administration of this unic last
week. They changed the rules to jusefy keeping me locked up another
six months until June at least. There s a rule that reads: “IFan inmace is
involved in an assault upon another inmate and a weapon is asociated
in the incident the inmate responsible muse do ac east one year locked
up in close confinement” Well, 've done my year for the thing that
happened in January '67. Now I muse do another for the affair in June
67 where the only weapons involved were those used against me!
1 chink perhaps the time has come to gee legal help for me. We can
discuss it when you come up next time. These things are not being
handled properly. Or fairly. L am the only one stll suffering the effeces
of those wo occurrences. Everyone else has been transferred o other
inseicutions and isin the main population there. And I'm the only one
who didn't write a writ at the time the thing took place. I eried to just
shrug it off, bue I see thar that does not work. They have accused me
of leading something when all the evidence points to the contrary. |
was the only one to cross the picket line during the srike or one of the
few In June I never raised my hand against an official.In face,in all the
seven years I've been in the prison here I have never artacked an official
I have difficuley leading myself, directing my own affars. At the very
lease I need a ransfr. | cannot get

¢ treatment other s,
Take care of yourslf

George

JANUARY, 1968 31

Dear Robert,
1 seriously believe that you have incurable middle-class actitudes, but
nonetheless you may be right. Regarding the blacks *not leceing me,

116 SOLEDAD BROTHER
that is” Il have to wait and eake the situation in for myself, though
1f you happen o be correct sbour that, P buying me liele sailboat
and heading for the Indian Ocean area; be a bum, no wife, no kids, no
competition, bananas, coconuts, pincapples ish, and sunshine. I could
never bear what you have bone. I hope you arrived home without

incident. | heard the weather was precty bad.

Talmost got sucked into some more foolishness yesterday. All he blacks
tilting at windmills again. Mindless, emotional, childish abandon,
without a thought of winning. Just an ateempt to prove their manhood
to themsclves, to any who may be watching. The resule, further
humiliation and a moneh in 2 dark hole. I'm scll in my cell. T had to
turn my back on them when they would'e lsten. Never, never will
Tuake part in any foolishness. They have me locked up with a bunch
of 20-year-old cretins who don't know anything about the ways of the
world, hate books, can' think, and won' liscen. Things are nor geteing
any beteer. They are, if anyching, gerting worse. Bitter expericnce
seems to be bringing out the worse in us instead of our best. Instead
of growing thoughtful and decermined, they get more emotional and
mindless. You swallow 2 camel and gag on a nut; you aceept a certain
condition and treatment with apparent ease, but balk at the suggestion
of retumning the same.

e doesne matter a great deal to me eithe way: On an individual basi,
will always make out. I see this world juse as it is, the whole thing, and
most importan I sce myself in relation to it. So I will be able to spring
in any dirceeion in which my mind tells me the rewards are geeater

T'm going to frame a letter soon o you discussing the social contract,
and where the individual seands in relation to the state. None of it
will be original. It will be the accepted dialectis of all those past and
present who are in 2 position to know. You don' seem to know why you
pay taxes and what you should expect in the way of reeurns. It should
be clear that when one contributes to any enterprise, he has a return
coming, and itis equally clear that when I place or allow an individual
or group of individuals to administrate and regulate affairs thac involve
my bosom interest, these affairs must be handled in a judicious manner.
When they are not, it is my right to replace these individuals any way
that T can.

Take care of yourslf
George

PARTONE n7
FEBRUARY, 1968 §

Dear Robert,
1 ehink you have goteen scuck in the mud somewhere down the road.
There has never been any question as to whether or not we will be
allowed to work. There has never been any question in my mind about
the folly of one of us attempring to make himself acceptable to the
established standard so that he will be tolerated.

Am 1 for sale and at such a price? Can true self-determination be won
working for wages and salaries? What are the chances of the employee
‘one day owning the manufacturing plane?1! What do I lose by allowing
myselfto be programmed. regimented, and assimilaced. Has any people
ever been independent chat owned neither land nor tool? Isn what
you are calling for, you and the people who wroe the article, more of
the same, the hewing of wood and the carrying of water?! Do I want to
identify with aloser and a fool? Can I help myself by helping one who
is ooked upon as the wretched of the carth? This i the question. Dot
gt sidetracked by specious argument.

Tknow the answer to all the above questions, but I plan to keep it to
myself for now. And of course we are talking about groups of people.
our mases (not to be confused in any way with my personal chances
for success. 1 know how to look out for me s an individual).

Tagree with what you say about brains, nothing could be clearer. Every
mass movement in hiscory has been led by one person or a small geoup
of people. Although everyone is boen with a beain only a few choose
to use ie. The difference between successful and unsuceessful mass
movements is in the people who lead them. Successful ones are led
by persons gifted with a delicate balance of both meneal and physical
forcefulness. Brains are useless without the nervous cquipment and the
muscle required to exccute their orders

Talso agree with what you say about the Chinese. They are poor. They
went through the same thing we went through for the same reason (a
skin problem), and they suffered it at the hands of the same wretched
force. It may be a while yee before they gee over the lase hundred
years, but, and | know you agree, they are wonderful and aggressive,
indusrious people. They will make out. What I like most sbout them

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
is their willingness o always help their brothers in Africa and Asia
They understand the need and power of ethnic solidaricy. When they
look in the mirror they sce themselves, when they look at us they sce
their fachers and brothers. Brother, brother, is the way we'll call i

Jon is well 1 hope. Can you imagine how foolish a stranger would be
erying to turn me againse Jon | have no love for strangers, regardless of
the face that they own the sweatshop I am forced to labor in.

George

FEBRUARY, 1968 12

Dear Robert,
Congrarulations on the birthday. I may not be so lucky, bue my values
are a liele different from yours. | am concerned with living fully, living
well, racher thanliving long. And since | have a measure of control over
the former, and none whatever over the laete, this makes sense to me.

Ty been to Mesico. T have also been all over the US. I've spen several
days in the neighborhood where you were boen. .. That neighborhood
is far poorer than anyehing I saw in Mexico. But since Mexico is 2
colony of the US. also (just as our communities are), all | can make of
this face that blacks here are worse off than Mexican nationals in that
the US. colonial masters think more of Mexicans

So your taxes do al the things you say including some you omitted.,
such as school-educational matters, prisons, police wages, armies,
Hebombs, spy ships. gas chambers, Tuckers farms, eec. But it s very
curious to note who beneits by it all. Which sercets get lighted best?
Which child goes to school half a day in a trailer or to a school that
is 50 crowded and understaffed that he mighe as well not go for all the
actention he gets? The police stopped me 5 times (5 different cars) in
the space of 3 blocks in Los Angeles once. All the brush wars the US.
has foughe in the lase 20 years were against men of color around the
world!! 1 could go on all week about how your tax money i being used.
butlet e suffce for me to say i is ot being used o help you or yous.

You are gerting no reurn on your investmene. This is what taxes are
supposed to be allabout, an investment in the community, the society,a
pooling ofcach individual’ resources so that the administration can be
financed, so that the administration can peeform the jobs which must
be done to ensure public welfare, and the jobs which no individual can

PARTONE i
do well alone. Now it follows that if everyone pays, everyone should
gt proper returns. The sercetlights should be the same in Wates and
Bel A I scems that some dereliction of duty has indeed taken place.

George

FEBRUARY, 1968 19

Dear Robert,
Too bad about Jon; 1 suggested upon your lase vsie that he may be
getting too much TV. Anyway, you are absolutely correct in that these
are his crisis years. You had better give him something good in the
way of puspose, dentity, and method. It should be taken for granted
that he is gecting nothing along chis ine in school: if anything, chese
things are being trained out. . so that he will be a good Negro, an
individual, 2 nonperson, an intellectusl dependent. I you do not know
the definition of “purpose? “identity.” and “method it is already too
e for Jon. T do not wan to be addressed as George any longer. You
willplease respect my wishes enough to use my middle name from chis
day on. | won't respond to any other. My work goes well here. I am in
healeh. [ hope you are well,

Take care of yourself
Lester

MARCH, 1968 6

Dear Robert,
Ireceived the money today. Thanks. I got the forms off too. I hope you
told them about the lfe thing. I nor, please do it right away. I hope
also my age was pased along as a reminder. People would look a you
and ehink that I would have to be in my teens.

Afiica is a most wonderful continent. They have everything n the way
of human and nacural resources. Ol in Egype, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria,
and Nigeria. Copper, diamonds, cobale, and gold in Zambia. There are
laege deposies of iron ore in Liberia, a whole mountain of it in fa. You
nameit, and i is found in some part of Africa. In the savanna rea south
of the Sahara Desere and all the way south to the Cape, you find the
mose ferele farmland in the world. Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania are
all juse lke a big park. The temperature never fluctuates more than 5

120 SOLEDAD BROTHER
degees the whole year around, Every evening during the winter months
there is a light rain to setle the dust. Eighey to 85 the whole year. The
five oldest cties in the world are located in Africa. The oldest language
is one spoken in Africa: Mande. The oldest relic of mans prehistoric
existence was found in Africa, 25 million years old. You find all kinds
of black types: with wide noses, thin noses, aquiline noses; all types of
haies all shades of skin from the lightest ivory to blue black. You should
be more specific about what you want to know because it would take
2 month, and a lecer the size of a telephone book, to delineate all the
resources of Africa

Speakingjuse for me [ would like Tanzania on the East coast f L had o
choose aspor o sectle. Julius Nyerere is an enlightened and incelligent
leader who identifies with the Eastern world. The country i developing
fase, and has unlimited potential in mining, agriculture, and light
indusry. s problem, as with all the African sates, is the absence of
capital to expand the economy at a rate which will realize the rising
expectations of the people and close the gap with the Western world
Tanzania has invited the Easeeen societies to help them instead of the
US. and Western Europe, so they will be better off. China charges no
incerest on loans, When the Chinese set up a factory,chey hire Africans
and erain Aftican managers and leave. The US. is moivated by the
profit-and-loss thing. They leave US. managers and claim 90 percent
of the gross as their just share of the profits. They say it their reward
for helping to develop the county. Some African leaders go for this
Julius does nor. Does it scem stupid of China to lend without incerest,
and build without taking over or eapitalizing? Must be love

Lester

PARTONE 121
Letters: 1964 — 1968

MARCH, 1968 28

Dear Robert,
Tstay very busy these days. I have aceepted a job on the ter (our loor)
passing out food and cleaning up. Good for my record and keeps me
active. What do you think of Jomo? He was on his job during those
years. He ranks among the top three or four guerrilla tacticians in the
world. T speak of this new face that war has taken on, the war of the
poor man. He was in the vanguard of the Afro-Asian liberation effore
onee. It is regrettable, however, that today we have to repore that he
no longer cooperates with the general movement to which he owes
his success. He has gone on record as saying he wants no pare of any
more revolutions. What can we think of a man who withdraws before
the bacle is fully won? This man has abandoned his old comrades and
lefe the les fortunae to fend for themselves. The peoples of southern
Afiica, Southeast Asia, and Latin America could use his cooperation,
his suppore, just as he once was in need of suppore. Faint hearts never
win decisive battles. Take care of yourself.

Lester

APRIL, 1968 11

Dear Robert,
M.LK. organized his thoughts much in the same manner as you have
organized yours. If you really knew and fully understood his platform
you would never have expressed such sentiments as you did in your last
letter.Lam sure you are acquainted with the fct that he was opposed to
violence and war; he was indeed a devout pacifise. It s very odd, almost
unbelievable, that so violent and tumuleuous @ scting as his can sl
produce such men. He was out of place, out of season, too naive, too
innocent, too cultured, too civil for these times. That is why his end
was so predictable. Violence in its various forms he opposed, bue chis
does not mean that he was passive. He knew thae naeure allows no such
imbalances to exist o long, He was percepive enough to sec that the
men of color across the world were on the march and their example

6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
would soon influence those in the US. to also stand up and stop
trembling So he attempred to diect the emotions and the movement in
generalalong lines that he thought best suited to our unique situation:
nonviolent civl disobedience, political and cconomic in character
T was beginning to warm somewhat to him because of his new ideas
concerning US. foreign wars against colored peoples. | am cereain that
he was sincere in his stated purpose to “feed the hungey, clothe the
naked, comfort those in prisons, and trying to love somebody.” I rally
never disliked him as 2 man. As a man | accorded him the respect that
his sincerity deserved.

T i juse as a leader of black thoughe that T disagreed with him. The
concept of nonviolence is a false deal. I presupposes the existence of
compassion and a sense of juseice on the part of one’ adversary. When
this adversary has everything to lose and nothing to gain by exercising
justice and compassion, his reaction can only be negarive.

The symbol of the male here in North America has always been the
gun, the knife, the club. Violence is extolled at every exchange: the TV,
the motion pictures, the bestseller lses. The newspapers that sel best
are those that carey the boldest, bloodiest headlines and most sports
coverage. To die for king and country is to die 2 hero.

The Kings, Wilkinses, and Youngs eshore us in King’s words to “put
away your knives, put away your arms and clothe yourselves in the
breaseplate of rightcousness” and “eurn the other check to prove our
capacity to endure, o love? Well, that is good for them perhaps but I
most certainly need both sides of my head.

George

APRIL, 1968 22

Dear Robert,
Tewas good secing you, a bit exasperating, bueseill good o see you.

Reexamine this poin: ifa government truly reflcted the wishes of the
people, if it truly represented a fair cross section of the populace, it
would follow hat if the means of production and diseribution were
placed in the hands of the governmen they would be controlled by
the people. The ceneral point is that the governmene muse be truly
representative. All importane positions must be elective, and a man's

PART ONE 7
position within the governing body muse be solely dependent upon
meriorious conduct of the sate’s usiness

Nacionalization is the only answer to the problems of the modern
indusrial sete.

Take care of yourslf
George

APRIL, 1968 26

Dear Mother,
Twas looking for you lase weekend: Robere had said he was going to
bring you. 1 hope you are well. Robert indicates that you two very
seldom sec anyehing in the same light anymore. He also indicates that
he doesne underseand why.

He comes here thinking to give me solace and purpose (purpose |
have, solace I don'e require), but appears to be more upset with the
staee of his domestic affairs than I am with my problems here. This
is not to say that I do not enjoy his visits — it is good to have a liele
elief from chis cell — but i seems to me that Robere may be coming
apart and I hate o wieness it. He has atcempred 2 breakout recently
from long years of repression and backwardness, bu the combination
of noncooperation from you and his daughters, and the plain face that
he doesn't understand the changes that are taking place around him,
has placed serain on his nervous equipment that may soon prove to
be too much for him.

He doesn't have much confidence in himself or in us as a people
yee. His whole mentaliey. all of his attitudes are buile around the
eransparent letle platitudes and eite clichés that one reads and hears
on the mass news media and other thought-conerol facilicies. H stazed
in the presence of some of his black coworkers that *he was glad that
troublemaker King go killed” He almost had to fighe the guys. Now
wha black would say something like that? It sounds like something
that one of the white knights of the KKK would say. Years ago Robert
would have said nothing and had no opinion whatever to offer. But
now that he has broken out and is trying to get inco the mainstream
with an opinion, he is all mixed up. | can understand that after such
an experience on the job with his peers he would cereainly not want to

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
et bullied by his women when he got home. 1 did agree with any of
King’ tactics but he cerainly caused no one any trouble, other than a
few whites perhaps, and I don'e think I mind that too much. Robert
will change, adape, in time, if we help him along, and are subtle with
our eriticism and advice and respeet his wish to be the dominant male

He has thae coming: it hard working for those folks. T heard about
your work on the kitchen. Thae's heavy work. Take care chat you don't
Serain or break yourself. Why isn'e Jon doing that for you?

Take care of yourslf
George

APRIL, 1968 30

Dear Robert,
Everything is normal here, so far. The transfer s off. Ul be here for a
whileyet. They wanted to send me to Soledad Adjustment Center but
asked them no to. There are more aimless adolescent eypes there than
here. I wouldn't mind going to California Men's Colony. or someplace
like that, but I have never been offered anything that would be an
improvement over this place. Well, anything would be an improvement
but not enough to matcer.

Al reading material s coming right on time except Rampares and
Avane Garde. No Rampares for April yer. | belicve the government may
have smashed them.

Mayend up on thaeltele boatafteral. feel myselfbecoming impatient
with people in general.

Take care of yourslf
George

MAY, 1968 4

Dear Mother,
You are correet in all that you say about the problem of men and
responsibiliey, and about the hangers-on, and the foot draggers, the
failures and the fuling, the myopic tendencies o squander time and
energy in counterproductive efforts. At times I become so depressed
seeing it thae | feel justified deciding to release mysclf from my

PARTTWO 9
responsibiliey and just eake off (when I get home) with you people in
tow to some other part of the world where blacks have already come
ineo their own, with an ocean o ewo between us and chis place.

But thisfeeling never lasts long, mainly because I understand why many
ofus react as we do, and I said react. Our responsesto the social stimuli
(and in our case in this counery,hey assert themselves as a challenge)
must necessarily be negative when we consider that blacks in the U,
have been subjected to the most thorough brainwashing of any people
in history. solated s we were, or are, from our land. our roots and
our institutions, no group of men have been so thoroughly terrorized.,
dehumanized., and divested of those things that from birth make men
serong,

Regarding this domesti isue, must b the first o admie that | see that
the black family unicis in ruins. It is our firse and basic weakness. This
face may contribute much to our difficuley in uniting as a people. But
for every effect there is a cause. I we are to understand and heal these
effects we must understand the causes. To say that the black family unit
isslowly eroding because of ressures from wichoue (poverty and social
injustice), and from within (negative response to erisis sicuation) s to
compleeely mistake the depth of the issue. There are three historical
factors that have produced the present state of chaos on the family
level of our black society. First, the family unit was destroyed during
chattel slavery. Men had the sense of family responsibilicy trained out
of them. Second, our culture insticutions, and customs, upon which
unity depends and without which cohesiveness can never exist, were
destroyed and never replaced. The best we could do was ape the ofay.
and cling t0 2 kind of subeulture that manifescs itslf today in the
hideous notion that if we educate ourselves properly, think the right
thoughes read the righe books, say the righe things, and do exacely that
which is expected of us — we can then be as good a5 white people
Third, our change in status from an article of movable property to
untrained misfies on the labor market was not as most think a change
o freedom from slavery bue merely to a different kind of slavery

Take care of yourslf
George

0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
MAY, 1968 15

Dear Robert,
It is good that you can afford a new ear. Since you have taken up the
responsibiliey of managing the household expenditures, T sce you have
alitele more to spend on what yankees call “discretionary spending.”
money above wht is needed to provide the basic survival materials.

Tam doing well and wish the same for you.

‘You sound like high-school ivies textbook with that ehing abou free
speech and free press. You couldn'e believe seuff like that. “Freedom
of the pres is for those who own one” Even they are kept in line by
economic pressure from sbove. Very litele of the repression is done
overtly, my friend. You eannot see a tree’s cotsall the time, but because
one canno sce them docs not mean that they do not exist. The tree
coulde stand without them, Take care of yourself.

George
MAY, 1968 16

Dear Robert,
The silent treatment is counterproductive. Guile, craft, and gentle
persuasion are what's happening. When guile fails, then force must be
used. Guile only fails when the person one is dealing with is smarter
Men must ither be cajoled or crushed depending on the cireumstances.
But with women I can'e see any reason why craft should’e always
suffice

These inseicutional committees are srictly local and inconsequential
They have no fixed number of seats, no fixed personnel. They are
governed by caprice, all decisions are arbitrary. I have never received
the benefit of the doube. I never get abreak as you well know from the
fact of these 8 years. Bue don'elet me seare complaining. As a defense
I never expect anyehing, never form atcachmenes for material chings,
and efuse to be punished or allow my thoughs o be disorganized
by anyehing that happens to me here. So you can uncross your fingers
and put your fears for me on that score to rese. Nothing can upset the
logical processes of my mind. no amount of hunger, neglect, cold, pain,
discomfort, or terrorism.

Well, take care of yourself.
George

PARTTWO n
JUNE, 1968 6

Dear Robert,
e was good to see you folks. T hope you got back safely. You know
they cut our visiting time short .. | snapped to it when I got back to
my cellblock and noted how early it was. It was not erowded in there
cither, from what I can recal.

Tescems acfrst sight that Georgia has adjusted her acticudes o conform
somewhat more closely with reality; that is wonderful. It i surely pase
time for all of us to stand up and scop trembling, grab the bull by the
horns, and ride him ull his neck snaps. The events of the last two days
have lefe me in a most exuberant frame of mind. I haven felt so good
since the firs of the year, and the time of the Tet offensive.

Jon i an admirable man-child. You sired a man without question. Ljust
Know that you are raining him eo be a benefie and a credit to his kind.
and to act out his historical, obligatory duty. | know you are teaching
him to love just us, and proteeting him from his alien ideology. I am
certain that you are doing this since you remember clearly the failure
of your facher, and his father, and so on as far back as it goes. Take care
of yourslf.

George

JUNE, 1968 14

Dear Mother,
Tiy to remember how you fele at the most depressing moment of
your life, the moment of your deepest dejection. You no doubt have
had many. That is how I feel all the time, no matcer what my level of
consciousness may be, aslecp, awake, in becween. The thing is there
and it keeps me moving, pins my eye to the ball up tigh eweny-four
hours a day. Our general situation and mine at present especially the
inadequate response, the absence of genuine remedial thought and

action, these are why L am as L am,

Thad a letter from Robere this morning professing a hearcfel sorrow
ac the passing of one of our strongest enemies, 3 slick-tongued,
opportunistic, demagogie falificr. What a prodigal waste of affection!
Especially when we consider that Robere felt only relicf at the time
of the last political kill (M.L. King). I can't reach Robert, he has a

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
nacural slave mentaliy like so many other black men of his generation.
T understand why the mindless pursue the favor and affection of an
insensitive and implacable opponent, bue I cannot underseand why
they insist on planting those ideals in the minds of their sons. They go
through life discovering tha this enemy cannot be appeased. that he
is relentless, calloused beyond repair, dedicated to personal financial
success, heedless to its cost in human suffering. Yer when the son
comes along, instead of acting upon these discoveries in a positive
way, they lie, precend, defend their inaction and collaboration, head
down, shoulders bent, nose stained brown. I tolerate Robere because
he seuck with us or you pretty faichfully (no small qualifier when one
looks around at other familics in the black community), but he has to
g0 through many a change before I can really accept him. It may be too
late for usto establish a elationship conducive to the remedying of our
physical and material problems. T hope not. As T have staed before you
can help us both. Just as those regressive ideals were sneaked into his
consciousness 50 we can sneak some progressive ones in. Propaganda
works both ways, but one must be suble. He is sensitive about being
bossed (by blacks anyway).

Thave wanted to write this leteer for two weeks now, but I have been
preoccupied. I wanted to enlarge upon some of the things we discussed
when youwere here. Firse, all men wane toown things,to possess material
goods to make themselves comfortable today, and to secure themselves
against the unpredictable tomorrows. This s self-preservation, 3
nacural thing found in all animals. It is only lacent in some men but it
is seill there all ¢he same. When this instint works on a man without
his full underscanding, he does radical chings. Now read carcfully,
Georgia. When the peasant revolts, the student demonstrates, the slam
dweller iots, the robber robs, he i reacting to a fecling of insceurity,
an aravistic throwback to the territorial imperacive, 4 reaction o the
face that he has lost control of the circumstances surrounding his
life, Whether he knows it or not, it is all the same. This system, its
economies, it politics, was formed around an age that is pase. It was
inadequate even then. Men can no longer stake out land or section off
a parc ofthe earch and say to themselves, I will use this as a guarantee?
mainly because of the monopolistic stranglehold of those who have
already eseablished themselves and who pretend to know what is best
for the rest of the world. Wealth is land. By having only labor without
land and its potential products, we lose independence. We must sel
our labor. Then because of today’ specialization and complicated

PARTTWO 13
division of Labor, it follows that the only way man's natural urges and
the modern industrial society can be brought into agreement is by
all people possessing everything in common through a representative
government. Only in this way can all men satisfy the ungovernable urge
o secure things and control their existence.

George

JUNE, 1968 29

Tl be oue of here soon, perhaps in cight or nine months. Tl have
cighteen months clean when I go to the board in December. You know
that L have my time in. Tha' what they want,time and clean conduce. It
is always a job gerting along with our friends and relatives. Establishing
lasting and mutually rewarding relationships always call for delicacy.
sensitivity, and, mainly, suppression of the ego. One simply cannot say
the firse thing tht comes to mind with no regard for the next person’s
ego problem. IF | constantly say or do things chat make the next person
feelas €1 am challenging his person, his capacity o reason, his standing
as an individual, how can T ever hope to relate to him

People the world over are not the same but those that we meet here
in the US. are generally of a single type. By and large they are all
fools, intellectual nonpersons, emotional halfwies. Status symbols,
supervisory positions, and pety power motivate their every act.
Personal, individual, inancial success at any price is their social chic,
the only real standard upon which their conduct i buile

For us blacks in paeicular this is nightmare proposicion. When this
seandard, this criterion for the measurement of individual merit and
worch in this society s applied to us, measured againse our standing
or holdings, we cannot help but come out with a very low opinion of
ourselves. From the womb to the tomb this plays in our minds. We are
not worth more than the amount of capital we can raise. That is why
yousee blacks precendingto be doing all ighe. That s why a black man
will buy a new car (status symbol) before he will buy food for his child
o clothes for his wife

And again with blacks this whole thing goes even decper. No man or
group of men have been more denuded of their selfrespece, none in

1 SOLEDAD BROTHER
history have been more tercorized, suppressed, repressed, and denied
male expression than the US. black. This is what you are up against
in relating to Robere. As Isaid before, he is going through a breakout.
He is trying to get back. He wanes to express himself after years of
beinga vegeable. As with most of the men of our community, he i just
searting to feel his strengeh now. But soon this will build into a rage,
“and when I rage I age unbounding ™ Dor't interfere with tha hing.
You should have never objected to the social club! You caused him to
eransfer just a bit more of the subeonscious diseegard he has for our

Jon's real problems can be solved only through community action: a
massive, total, mutual effort. We are no surviving and canno survive
as individuals o as family unics; we muse gee togecher. And then too,
wha can Robere give Jon in his present state of mental development?
He can only benefit from contace with people he migh learn from. He
muse fies earn what to give and how to give i to Jon before he can help
him. Juse spending some time wich him is nothing, I don' think you
handled that right, you should have offered to help his organization.
perhaps even participate to some extent. Don't be backward.

George

AUGUST, 19689

Dear Mother,
Tewas good for me to see you again. | also have your letter here before
me. T commented to Robere last week that you seem to have gone
through many changes these las few years. Thae's what lfe isall about,
groweh and change. You will a least listen. Few people ae so endowed

1 feel much becter as the result of your visie. Please try o come more
often, or at least when Robere comes. | understand that you people
have never had any exposure to these things that interest me and |
know that everyone cannot be alike, but I also know that if we are to
elate to each other, work togecher, build togecher on the basic things
we must ageee. | agree wich many of the hings you say. I concur with
any rational and constructive judgmen or assessment you may make, 25
long as it is intended to forward “our thing.”

PARTTWO 15
No transfer for me; they turned it down. No relicf in my ordeal, 24
hours a day in this cell. I've been in here for over 18 months nows in
prison § years nexe moneh. I've forgoteen what it was that earned me
his.

George

AUGUST, 1968 17

Dear Mother,
Tecan all be reduced to the simple fact that we wane you to be yourself,
secure within your ceality. Why should my woman have to follow
someone elses criterion of right and wrong, beauty and ugliness?
Please believe me, Mama, the truly ugly thing isthe pretending, faking
it imitating — monkey see, monkey do — adoration of the repulsive.

On close examination, what you are saying s that black women standing
naked and nacural are ugly or less than beautiful. From this nakedness
and natural poseure the only way for her to remorely resemble anyching
beautiflis to bleach and straighten her hair, and hang her limbs with
clothing designed in Paris, London, the US. and other pares of the
barbarian world. For you there is only this one standard of beauty, the
‘Western seandard. | revolt againse chis absurdicy. Tunderstand that chis
is all you have ever known, Lallow for this, but you muse be able to see
by now that this model of perfection you have subscribed to in the past
is no longer the fad. Black is back. I'm going to fulfll my role as the
man, even if it kills me. | will provide the material goods and proect
my family with every ounce of energy and resource that I can call up.
The woman's role though will go unfulfilled because you folks don't
seem to be able to change,or reeseablish the values and euleural entities
of our antecedens.

Realiey is the key. In order for you to be intelligent, a5 you state it,
you muse like Western music, clothes, food, architceture, Western
education, religious superstition, pseudo-philosophy, and Western
ideals. St. Augustine!! What kind of example is thae? The realiy is
that we are a casee ar the boetom of a class sociery,the only group that
has builtin factors (physical characteristcs) that prohibit any form
of sociocconomic mobility. We are the torally disenfranchised, the
whipping boy, the scapegoat, the floor mat of the nation. I am not so
foolish thac I cannot detcet che face that I am hated, especially when it

16 SOLEDAD BROTHER
s obvious. At least the abvious docs not escape me.

To clarify, however, lee me state that some blacks are liked. | see that
every day, but I am no of this kith. They hate me. I don'e find chis at
all uncomforeable because I have some prerogaties. I would be doing
something wrong if they liked me. Do you understand? I don' want
anyone to aceept me. As an individual, | don' worry about my future.
Tknow my ideals will prevail, so I don't worey about that. They can't
harm me, because the reality is that I have nothing to lose but my
chains! It s clear that they are not going to give me a chance. You were
vighe, that is exacly what they fear Juse because I want to be my black
self, mentally healthy, and because I look anyone who addresses e in
the eye, they feel that I may start a riot anytime. Pve stopped more
trouble here than any other black in the system.

George

DECEMBER, 1968 3

Dear Mother,
T'm supposed to be going to Soledad again anytime now. It is a much
better place than this. Remember when you came to see me while Iwas
there before; we sat around a table in easy chairs by ourselves

How have you been? Healthy and wise, L hope.

No noriceable change here, excepe for the prospect of my transfer and
2 cold that has me doubled over all day coughing.

Penelope asked me to send her my package approval form so she could
take care of me. I sent it and told her that she must send the stuff right
away so that I will ge it on the very fist day packages are allowed, to
avoid any posible mix-up due to the transfer. Remember in 1962 when
T transferred here in December? There was such a mix-up that I got
nothing you sent

T can't say juse wha the problem is. We all seem to be in the grip of
some tersible quandary. Our enemies have so confused us that we
seem 1o have been rendered incapable of the smallest responsibilcy
1 sec this same irresponsibility in every exchange with my kinsmen
here, irsesponsibiley, or mediocrity at best, disloyaley, self hatred.,

PARTTWO 7
cowardice, competition between themselves, resenement of any who
may have excelled in anything, heads bowed, knees bent to some man
or some stupid idea of 2 god. ve stopped saying anything ac all |
haven't uetered a word in two months, refuse to even acknowledge a
greeting with anyehing larger or longer than a rasing of the head. One
step forward and three backward. Where are we going?

George

DECEMBER, 196822

Dear Mother,
1 probably won't leave here unil next month. They are sending me to
the board here. It meets che thireiech and ehirey-fist of December and
the third of January:

T'm doing all right, and have some very eficient carplugs to help me
preserve my sanity: Have you any theories why blacks talk so much and
50 loud? A Chinaman told me once that blacks were the oldest and
finest people on earch *but one thing wrong, ealkie-talkie-talkic. ..~
Wish the bese for you, the best of everything this year. May be in a
position to help work someching out before this one’s gone.

Take care.
George

APRIL, 1969 14

Dear Jon,
Black culture s 2 monumental subject that covers countless years. The
fiese man and consequently the firs culeure was black. You can expect
much coverage of so large a subject in nine thousand words. I will
however write an essay that starts with the beginnings and touches on
all thae i important, with a brief resumé on the black subeuleure of the
present-day United States.

‘You can make your own bench cheap. Buy or find or take from someone
4.6 157 board, rather thick and heavy, say 2 ac east. Tack on some
old surplus army blankets and that’s . You then simply lay your board
on top of three wooden horses,old wooden milk crates, or any strong

15 SOLEDAD BROTHER
o reinforced wood boses, or strcch it beeween two chairs, Leave it
unattached, however, because that way you can use it for incline presses
by leaning it againse che wall or lecting i rest one end on the ground.
one on your box or chair

Tl get stareed on the other thing now. Why did Georgia take your
books? Sounds pretey bad for her. I gather she wasn'e serious about the
things she said when she was here las

George

JUNE, 1969 12

Dear Mother,
Final results: Denied, one year, go back to board next June 1970

George

JUNE, 1969 28

Dear Jon,
Ies good in many ways that you will now be able o drive. Perhaps you'll
be able to get up here to see me more often.

Tam well, and working hard: four hours a day on exercises.

Mix your theoretical reading with some practical technology. That
aspect of chemisery that will be useful to us. Perhaps electronics as well

Be careful and learn fast, how to handle the automobile. Robere is
most impressed i you remain calm. If you don't let him think you are
excitable under the strain of heavy traffic you will be able to convince
him that you are ready to go out on your own sooner. Driving that ‘69
should be casy

Take it casy.
George

PARTTWO 19
AUGUST, 1969 17

Dear Jon,
The usual here. Each day comes and goes like the one before. This lietle
joke isn'e funny any longer

Ladd five words to my voeabulary each day, five new ones, right after
breakfast each morning when I have forty-five minutes to kill Ies not
enough time for anyehing clse and since I don't want to waste any time.,
Twork on words It s by words that we convey our thoughts, and bend
people to our will.

1F you must have a job, though I can see why you want to work for
someone if you don't absolutely have to, try this. Go to some business
concern where the guy who runs it doesn'e employ too many people
and watches all of them closely. Then just start working for nothing,
Do say anything to anyone but the boss. Tell him what yous name
is and that you need a job. Then stare working in spite of his reply. OF
course you work hard. Do you get it? In two days, three at the most,
you'll have bene him to your will. You may have to work for nothing
the firse day or ewo. In fact, it i best to refuse the fiese day’s offering
if he breaks chat soon. You have to be sure, sure of yourself I mean. In
order to pressure a man you must be a becter man that he. You can'elet
embarrassment or shyness stand in your way. These wo things muse
be thoroughly and completely removed from your character. Loading
erucks in 2 junkyard where the work is hard, garages, warehouses, ctc
— these are places to consider. Don'e try anything that requires skiled
labor. Youll mess up someone’ stock.

How are your eyes? Have you had them checked? We all have bad eyes.
mine seem to be gerting worse. | hope nor. I can see very well at a
distance, but cannot focus well on close objects withou the glasses.

Find out for me if Georgia sent the shoes and ocher seuff. If she did 1
dide get them for some reason and will inveseigate. Give her my love.
Send me a sexy picture of the lady thar you met like I told you last
week. Let her oldest kid take the pictre with you and her in it. [want
visual proof that you did eake care of business. When I was sixteen |
had one chat was weney-cight and a mother four times. 1 was good to
hers no beatings like her other men had done. I wouldn't acecpt any
money from her or eat her kids food. I took her to places where she
could show me off, mose o the time to places that cost nothing. 1 had

0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
money but Iooked so young thae | couldn’ get into places thae adules

Take care of yourslf
George

SEPTEMBER, 19699

Dear Jon,
Doing no good here. Iis looking no better, bu aelease [ have developed
no new problems. What do you think of your old man? Were you
liseening when he told me that the guys (chose guys) on his job call
him everything under the sun! He pretends tha he is proud of his
self-control. T believe he aceually has ewisted his thinking to consider
himselfa betcer man, "Now that he can take t” A loe of us colored folk
arelike chat, in face he is the majority. Thatis why we are the floor mac
ofthe world, because we can take i

Robertis a good brother on an individual, personal, brother-to-brother
basis, but you must st his philosophy: the credo of the slave, the self
destrucrive, self-perpetuaing doctrine of the menial, the woodeutter,
the water-boy, the groom, the employee, the flunky's lunky, the abased.
However, the rejection should be a silene one. There is no chance of
changing Robert,so he must be accepted as i, and protected as much as
is posible. There are those among us, we must admit, who cannot eake
any sizable amount of freedom. They are in the majority! You cannot
elate to them with ideals. They have fallen beyond caring about ideals.
The only thing that will make them move is a push, no explanation,
juse a shove. You are concerned about working, having money, living
better, ce. have given you several leads but i seems that none fie your
character and disposition. | hope that you at leas tied. That lase hing
I mentioned to you last Monday may be juse the ticket. See a brother
named E. He can help you gee hat kind of work. You have your driver's
license now, so there should be no problems. But if there are you should
be old enough and prepared to handle them now. If I am wrong then
you will never be ready.

Well take eare of yourself, and write me like I asked you to.

George

PARTTWO 2
SEPTEMBER, 1969 15

DearJon,
Got your lecte today:

On the job thing, it is up to you. I think you made a wise choice,
however,if you ean stk with ie. There will be plenty of lures ac the
school, soff, warm, smooth lures. When do you stare back, and what
year are you in? This should be you ase year, isn't ic2 I'm juse drifeing
now, doing a ot of reading, waiting for my shoulder to get togecher. It
is a liele better. Things are awful tight here, everyone tense, I'm just

watching them and waiting,

Take care.
George

SEPTEMBER, 196925

Dear Jon,
Robert cold me that you were driving the new automobile to school. If
that' righ, you're not doing too bad. Do you use it at school and drive
home too? But e also mentioned that if you did'eshow improvements
in things of a scholastic nacure, he would be very disappointed. T am
thinking tha he feels a lot for you. He really does, T know. He simply
doesn't know how o relate to you.

When [ was young, I fele that Robert didn’e care for me very much
because he wouldn' take me anywhere or even talk to me in anything
less chan 2 shout. Mama used to talk him into beating me up just
for leaving the house to play ball or talk with my peers. I mean real
beating, beles, table legs, fises, ete. Bue what 1 didn'e notice was that
he was feeding me and that whenever I go ino a bind with the local
representatives of the oppressors (police), he would always be there to
help me. Always, no matcer wha I had done or how much he hated
what I'd done.

Life has been one long string of dissppointments for Robere. It
wouldn'e be good to just take lighely his wishes o see you become
more aggressive in your development. It isnt necessary to disappoint
him. You can satisfy him, help yoursel, and serve the cause of black
self-decermination by picking yourself up and taking Chairman Mao's
Great Leap Forward.

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
T hope you are involved in the academic program at your school, but
knowing what I know about this country’s schooling methods, they
are not eally directing you to any specialized line of study. They have
not ered to ascertain whac fits your character and disposition and to
dircet you accordingly. So you must do this yourself. Decide now what
you would like to specialize in, one thing that you will drive at. Do
You gee it? Decide now. There are several things that we a3 a group,
4 revolutionary group, need badly: chemists, clectronic engineers,
surgeons, eee. Choose one and give it special actention at a certain time
each day. Establish a cercain time to give over to your specialey and
let Robert know indirectly what you are doing. Then it only remains
for you to get your A’ on the lile simple unnecessary subjects that
the school requires. This is no real problem. It can be accomplished
wich juse a lieele ateention and seudy. But you must now start on your
specialey che thing that you plan to carry through ehis war of ife. You
muse specialize in something, Jus et it be someching that il help the
war effore.

George

OCTOBER, 1969 17

Dear Mother,
Thope that all s normal there with you. Jon told me about the h — —
deal. 1 didn't know it was that bad. How will we ever make it back from
here? We all scem to have fallen from glory in the uttermose way. I'm
sure we willsimply have to redouble our effores o forgive, understand.,
o rebuild the bridges between us; we must attempt to comprehend
fully juse how these bridges eame to be destroyed. There is no other
recourse. We must, of ourselves, by ourselves, recognize the roots of
our llness, and do allthat we can to extricate ourselves from this mess

Tell Penny that ove her no matcer what. We'll aree on the essentials
anyway. Tell her thae T may not be able to write for a while. Explain
this to Robere too. A lieele trouble here for me, and this may be the
lase envelope and the lase time that I'll be able to borrow a pencil, for
a while anyway. Bue Ill aecempe o stay in touch. I've done nothing,
e may work out all right but then I have no way of knowing for sure.
They sweep in and sweep me away to litle closed celln a closed wing
of the prison without any explanation. I don't have any of my personal

property

PARTTWO B
Forget the phonograph and records. I won't be allowed to have chem. I
didn’t really want them anyway. P going to send the typeweiter home
firse chance | get also.

What's happening now is what I tried to explain to you several months
ago. They know that in a year, the year between board appearances,
anyehing can be made to happen. Butac least L am alone in here. I don't
have o be bothered with anyone, and someone who knew me before
somewhere lse has sent me something to read. I have books and toilet

paper, 'l be all right

Tl wrice again when I can. Relay to Penny that no ffort toward self
determination is furile: i i one of the things that men just cannot do
withous. Without it lfe loss s value.

Love,
George

NOVEMBER, 19697

DearJon,
L know wht happened concerning your lecee. e was tao thick. You
sent too much. That s all righ, however. I gee what | want one way
o the other and do what 1 want in the end. The fools are awfally
presumptuous to think they can dictate my every action.

Tha i good aboue the chemistry. I an't report too much progeess. 'm
holding on, however.

How are the honeymooners getting along these days? You know that
they are much t0o old to relate the way they do.

Take care.

George

NOVEMBER, 1969 13

Dear Jon,
T'm sending you these ewo package sips because you can explain to the
folks there and sce that i s taken care of better than anyone clse.

u SOLEDAD BROTHER
First [ wane chem sent the very firse day of December. They are special
Christmas packages, the only kind I can receive, and I don't wane to
wait for them unil Christmas. You understand. So that means that
you must explain to them to get the seuff together now and put it into
ewo packages and use the reverse side of the slip as an address form. It
should be glued to the outside of the package and addressed to me here,
as soon as December 1 gers here.

The important items are: cigarcetes — I wane three cartons in each
box; four pounds of nuts i each box, walnuts and Brazil nues only; the
full quota of cigars — 150 in each box; and finally the salami — two
pounds, one in cach box. It must be the type that will keep without
efiigeration for a whil, the rest of that stuff i unimportant, Impress
upon them now not to delay past December 1. It should be mailed: you
underscand, [ hope.

George

NOVEMBER, 196927

Dear Jon,
T'm doing allright here, guess, hanging on

Heard you were going to medical school. What happened to the
chemistry? They called me up to classification last week. Said they
were considering sending me back to San Quenin. They are supposed
0 need the space here for something, and I wasn' doing wel enough.
They said if L improved a greac deal, it is posible that in four or five
years L mighe be considered for Chino — the prison for honor inmates.

Let me know now and chen how you are. Take care.

George

DECEMBER, 19695

Dear Mother,
The packages came in all right. They were opened in my presence so
there was no chance for foul play. Thanks, you'e a good giel, couldn't

PARTTWO 5
posibly gee along without you folks. hope I can justfy you faith in
me in some big way before long. Jon is a wonderful man-child, you
should be quite conent with him. The apathy is not permanent. [love
him, love him, love him. He is a grear deal ahead of the average black
his age, a lot smarter than [ was. | hope he can avoid the many eraps
they have set up for him

Send me some photos of everyone — you know, when you get together
over the holidays.

Take care.

Love,
George

DECEMBER, 196921

Dear Jon,
Marcia is a sweee sensitive sister. | want you to see her and represent
me in my absence. You know what that means: show no weakness of
any kind, present che strong, unapproachable, serious, intelligent,
big-brother side of your character, the new black man, in his highest
revolutionary form

You know, look out for her. Try to stabilize her. She is confused. She is
the sister of one of my best friends. So bust your heare for her I she has
personal enemies, smash them. Call her in the evening and read to her
from Mao or Fanon.

George

DECEMBER, 196921

Dear Jon,
Juse goe your leer. Good to hear from you, and hope you are sellalive
For the 357¢h time lee me advise you to take all threars seriousy. If
you would firmly grasp the depth of the sickness caused in some men's
minds by this environment, I would never have to relate this to you
but once. When asucker gets so foolish as to warn you in advance that
he is going to kill you, the next sound he utters should come through
swollen lps.

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
Tiwo people Twant you to see for me. It important. See Guy and find
out i he got a regular insticution correspondence form to fill out and
reeurn with the lecter | sent him. [ have reason to believe that these
people did not send him the form so that he can become a regular on
my mailing lis. Alio dress yourself up and see Marcia, one evening or
weekend. She works in the daytime. Also ask her if she got the form to
ill out and reeurn when she got my leteer. Ask her if she recurned i e,
and explain that we will not be allowed to exchange leteers if she has
not recurned the form. [ chink these people neglected to even send one,
since they want to keep me isolated. Tell Marcia that I got her lecter
of December 15 and [ wil try to answer. If she docsit hear from me.,
it will be due to the hang-up in gerting those forms out of here to her
and back from her. Tell her that Tony s doing well. You can phone first
o tell her you are coming or make an appoinement, bue Id racher you
see her in person to relate the messages. Do this right away and let me
know what's happening.

1 donfe know what to tell you about that school thing. I know it is
boring, listening to those idioes and falsifiers seven or cight hours a
day, but s best o seay with it until you are ready to revole Juse don't
mistake any of the les for the truth. Rober will li to you if he thinks
i will help you to survive. He has been surviving on one for half 2
century.

Take care.
George

DECEMBER, 196925

Dear Mother,
T well, warm, fed, gee plenty of rese, plenty of excecise. I really can't
complain, especially since I don'e expeet any more.

Everyone got packages from home and we shared everyehing. Te was
juselike down on the commune. I have gained ten pounds a leas.

Hope you are feeling bercer, and 1 hope also that this nexe year will
bring you some solace. I wish you the bese, Mama. Take care of yourself.

George

PARTTWO B
DECEMBER, 196928

Dear Jon,
Received your lcter. You said nothing about Marcia. See if you can do
anything for her — when [ was your age, boy, | had a couple of women
her age, and with ewo and three children each. But you treat her good
You're supposed to be representing me, meaning that you are to be
serong, ntellectual, watchful, serious, unapproachable

Thike her and she is the sister of one of my best fricnds. I'm supposed to
be geteing out anytime now, she thinks

Twanted her o see you, the man-child, so that she would have a becter
idea of what the “man’ is ke

Forget that Westernized backward stuff about god. I curse god., the
whole idea of a benevolent supeme being i the product of a toreured.,
demented mind. It is a labored, mindless atcempe to explain away
ignorance, a tool to keep people of low mentality and no means
of production in line. How could there be a benevolent superman
controlling a world like this. He would have to be malevolent, not
benevolent. Look around you, evil rules supreme. God would be
my enemy. The theory of a good, just god is a fale idea. ching for
imbeciles and old women and, of course, Negroes. s arelic of the past
when men made words and mindless defenses for such things as sea
serpents, magic, and fla earchs,

Strengeh comes from knowledge, knowing who you are, where you
wan to go, what you want, knowing and aceeping that you are alone
on this spinning, tumbling world. No one can crawl into your mind
and help you out. ' your brother and I'm with you, come what may.
and against anyehing or anybody in the universe that is against you
Youll meee women and they will say they are with you, but you'll il
be alone, with your pain, discomfort, illness, elation, courage, pride,
death. You don’t wane anyone to crawl into your head with you, do
you? Ifthere were a god or anyone else reading some of my thoughes [
would be uncomforeable in the extreme.

Strengeh is being able to control yourself and your total environment
— yourselffest, however

Take care of yourslf
George

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
FEBRUARY, 1970 13

Mss, Fay Stender
Arcorney at Law

Dear Mes. Stender,
Thisis to confirm your lcter of February 1.1 had just heard of Judge
Wollenberg’s move. The next time you come to see me., push the idea
of removing my restraints. Ie will be interesting to note theie reaction.
You know those things are placed upon me whenever I leave my cell
area. He reaches through the bars to place them upon me. The animal
farm effect is complete.

Sunday. the day after tomortow, I am supposed to be released from
isolation. No one is supposed to do more than twenty-nine days down
here. Tl then be able to read my newspapers and weekly periodicals,
smoke, and sleep in a bed. However I will remain separated from the
general populacion (in jail, within the jail), probably on maximum
security. This does not bother me any longer. OF the ten years [ have
done, seven of them have been in close confinement; I read, exercise,
and write. Sometimes Ull daydream.

1 said that ie docsw' bother me any longer — bue whae [ meant is that
since T am in jail, which pare of the jail I'm in doesn’t matter. Your
wishes of cheer and hope are well received. Hope and I are old friends.
Thanks, and let me know if you can do anyehing with the novel idea

Sincerely,
George L. Jackson

FEBRUARY, 197026

Dear Fay,
Youare aware that [ want to read the transeript of grand.jury testimony;
Al three of us would like to go over it. Since we are living so close
together down here, one copy would be enough for all three of u. I had
a chance to read only pares of it on the ewenty-fourch,

Do you have any trouble reading my writing? I is the best I can do.
1 you are having trouble, however, Tl prine. I warm, I never have
liked to eat 100 much, so all is well with me here. I won't complain.
T've never had much of & problem with the purely physical things, the

PARTTWO 2
weaknesses of the flesh. | gee fat on what the average individual would
searve on. Clothing? I prefer something dry and clean if ic is readily
available. T feel guiley when I sleep more than three hours aday. Where
Tam presenly the nighe |
wiite 2 lace s T wish.

in front of my cell allows me to read or

The eruclest aspect in the loss of one’s freedom of movement is of
course the necessiy to repress the sex urge, but afee ten years I have
even learned to control my response to that stimulus (one thousand
fingertip push-ups a day). I probably have the world's record on push.
ups completed. So, if they would reach me now, across my many
barricades, it muse be with a bullet and ie muse be fnal.

The lash affects me for sure. I it failed to affect me at all [ would be
gy of using the toreured logic of my father’s ewisted mind. ie., that
this is the best of all possible worlds, or that this is the only country
that provides flush toilets for all Ie affects me, but not my physical
pares Te shocks me somewhere behind the eyes, serains my inseinee to
survive.. Tknow you are a busy woman and it probably isn’ proper for
me to seeal your attention with my ramblings. Take care, You have my

Sincerely,
George L. Jackson

MARCH, 19702

Dear Fay,
We received a copy of the transcripe today through the mail. It was
John Clutchetce who actually received it

Talso had a lecter from my facher. It was a long lecter, considering that
he normally writes only a few lines. I seems that he is now prepared
0 accepe the validity of the many charges [ have long made against
certain forms of organization and specificaly certain elements within
the forms. [ suspect that Georgia may have had something to do with
i, Just to make me feel becter. Either way, it denotes the ficcts that
erauma has on people, especially people who are affected by livee else
Tam convineed that black people can never be influenced by ideology
alone. The men have been too conditioned against it by violence and
they are afraid. The women think of themselves as too practical, they

30 SOLEDAD BROTHER
can be moved by one thing only: “Money honey.” However, L love them
all just the same. I reason that with a continuous stream of shocks and
the promise of spoils they can eventually be induced to reach beyond
their immediate surroundings. A guard said something nasey to one of
my sisters last Tuesday, this may have been the catalyst with my facher.
He's astranger to me, almose

Ljust go che leecer and the book you wane me to read. see that you
posted it on the twenty-sixch. Thanks, Ul ge right on it

You have my regard, please give my furcher regards to our friends.

Sincerely,
George L. Jackson

MARCH, 19705

Dear Friend, Fay,
Thave sarted thisthree times. This firs i in the way of an apology. For
Ifecl one i due you. Ae the close of today’s proceedings, | left without
as much as a ook in your and John's direction. I am afraid that you may
mistake such behavior as the unfeeling and calloused disregard of the
slave. I hope I have trained all of the slave ou of me. Neither would
T have you feel for even a second that I could make any (any ae all)
mental associations beeween you and your people, and those who seand
in my way, simply because of the external resemblance or let me say any
external resemblance. I never have, even in the really bad moments,lost
the abiliey to evaluate people one at a time and never will. The only
way I can explain the lieele thing chat occurred chis evening is with an
explanation of that pain or shock that strikes me at times just behind
the eyes. | don't understand it entirely myself. From carly this morning
T carry the metal around. That vehicle they tanspore us in and in
which we ace lunch (hands to side) i very eramped, and then and most
important the artcude of the pig in the jury room when he came to
take me back. I believe it first searted bothering me then, the thing in
my head, Campbellagain, ruling on ... You see, someone failed before
me, trembled and failed, my facher, his father, leaving Campbell in 2
position to rule me oue. L have very bad moments when I think of that,

1 The frsejudge assigned e che case. He lcer withdrew afer che defense accused
himnof blasane expresions o racil prejodice.

PARTTWO 31
and of course it follows that [ muse think of my own failings — can you
understand that being a helpless type affects me decply. You are a very
ineeligent, sensiive, and wonderful person and the image you form,
wedged becween me and who knows what fae, elates me in one sense
and infuriates me in another. Why should I have to relate and exchange
from such a position of weakness. e comes down on me a times. [ am
tortured by the vision of someone like myself sanding at the bars of his

cell two hundred years from now cursing me — dereliction!! So let me
apologize for today, because it bothers me. Let me take this oceasion to
apologize in advance for the seemingly crude responses you may detect
from time to time. My sensibilities may be somewhat damaged. You
can help me with this over the years to come. The tape* lefe me feeling

better chan L have flt for ten, perhaps fiftcen years

Igot che eranseripe and your lecter upon my recurn this evening. When
will L see you again?

George

MARCH, 19709

Dear Fay,
Juse heard something of Campbells imminent recirement. It could
‘oceur at any time. Did you, by the way, take note of hs statement in
court the other day to the effcct that he "was also once an atcorney and
had defended — unpopular — causes His words exactly!

Tdon't know if it means anything or not bu the coure reporter seated
on his page that he recorded 1-48 pages of estimony, and we have only
146 pages.

Tguess you have learned by now that my mother loves to talk. She also
ac times will say what she is chinking without considering the effect it
may have on the listener. She gets so carried away at times that [ have
been led to suspect that she may be affected with — well she may be a
mild hysteric, not the sexual eype but the simple nervous type. She is,
however, a sweet woman with plenty of gues. We have alvays related
well

2 A pessonal message from Huey P.Neweon.

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Lam seill among the living, so I guess m doing all ighe. The dentist
denied me medical attention for the tenth time today. this morning
thatis. We may have to discipline him soon. He apparently hasn'e heard
of my small but mighey mouthpiece

Please take care of yourself, you have my regard

George
P, T would like to know in advance when I will see you again.

MARCH, 1970 12

Dear Fay,

1 received the copies of the motions, I think day before yesterday, the
enth. Thave been slow to confirm. Sorey, it may scem strange bue I find
my time (ewenty-one hours awake) inadequate to meet al the needs.
My metabolism is such that I need four hours of exercise to feel normal
(relaxed). This may juse be che result of years of being in places like
this, repressing things. You know we aren't even allowed to gee angey
They took away my showering action (¢he half hour on the tier we
were gerting each day) on Monday as a resule of that contact with the
dentist. No problem, however. There is sink in my cell

Then I have my vocational work to do. Il gee lost in that for hours
sometimes. OId slave trying to deal with his environment. In chis
connection you may have to help me as you said you did with my friend
They are purposcly making ie difficult for me to get what I require. We
can discuss it when | see you. Georgia was up to see me yesterday. The
thrce mothers and one aunt all came together on the bus. I have your
letter of the tenth here before me now, thanks. You have my sincere

George

MARCH, 1970 22
My Friend,

‘The thought just occurred to me that you could challenge that guy B —
— on his theory or statements concerning the possibilicis of his secret

PARTTWO 3
witnesses being done in, if he allows discovery." You sce every time a
rae does gee put away, the prison authoriies abvays release a different
reason for the attack, never that he was an informer. Their puspose for
always withholding the cruch is hat they don't wane o discourage other
potential rats and the teuth would aid the conviet in the psychological
war — con against cop. For it is their purpose to always keep us divided
and fearful of trusting the next con. You are aware that its always the
goal of oppressive authority (those who govern withou the consent
of the governed) to keep their wards divided. They can maineain their
control in o other way:

Divide and rule in its simplest form is sandard police procedure. They
must always display theis raes, boase of knowing all that goes on among
us. When it more than one person on some crime, they will be splic
up and each told that the other has confessed and implicated him,
ete. You know the line Inside the joint it is the same only much more
incense. A sense of terror, betrayal and insecurity prevails ac all times.
T flows outward from the captain's office — divide and rule, divide
and rule. An lealian in the Syndicace at one time killed a Mexican in
Folsom because the Mex suddenly started telling everyone not to erust
someone, who was supposed o be a rat. The pigs wanted o put him
out of busines (importing dope into the joint) and wanted to get the
Mex killed. So they called the Mex into their office and showed him
some phony papers indicating that the guy was a at. The Mex went for
it and gor killed. The guy was out of business in 44 for four years (44
is Folsom's adjustmen center).

Terrible conflict going on al the time. At issue is who will run the joine,
cops o cons. So it is never rleased that a police informer was klled for
his mistake. I'm chinking that B. will be at a los co cite some cases in
support of his fears that his witnesses will be harmed. We could state
that he is playing on some concept of prison conditions thac existed in
1920 bue that do not exist today:

Monday, March 23, 1970
T'mlooking forward to a good Friday. Never had one. I don't think Los
Angeles i a good place for the trial. Fifteen floors above the ground

3 At che prosccution’srequese,the judge nically denicd the defens ch righ of
discovery on the grounds tht it would jeopardize chelivs o the inmate winess-

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
One million pigs!!

T was pushing you, rushing you, encircling you — recall — it
oceasioned the remark from you that "I don't know you that well.
Lok, I do plead gy but with chis explanation, that I hope you'll

accept the past months a5, say. the equivalent of five or more years”
acquaintance. I encircle the people that 1 dig, there are only ewo types
of people inhabiting my closct, friends and focs, the ones T aceepr, the
ones I reject. | aceepted you from the onset, and in spice of the bitcer
experience of these years | stll ind it easy to trust people. I sensed
from the seart that we were of kindred spiries. | rejected others as you
recall, because there was no kinship of spirit there. To me lengeh of
acquaintance mateers very litle. P've been living in the trenches where
ie’s understood that s us againse them, hide and seck. They're always
it and gereing caught means geting duseed. There never are many of us,
5o when I've met one in the past i’ been my method to encircle and
push. Bue *push” isn' a good term, It implies that I've put someone in
frone of me and there can never be any room in front of me. Let me say
encirele and pull

You can never fully understand. It is an exiscential impossibility for you
to know how ie’s been with me. My character and disposition are such
that my response to 4 eisis sicuation always leads to a sivuacion more
desperate than the one which provoked it. But thar's the way 1 like i,
and believe me, Fay, I probably wouldn't be alive now if it weren' my
habit to overreact, and look forward for the trouble that 1 know is
coming.

T probably didi' have to be this way for me. Other blacks have faced
the same sicuations and have not been hurt too badly. I could’ cake it
Tl never be able to take i, a knife in the back, the nightstck, the gas
chamber, death over a slow fire noewithstanding

And things just keep escalating from one desperate sicu
situation more desperate, and | scize the bull by the horns. Ul ride him
cill his neck breaks or until he pins me to the wall — conflct, seruggle.
and preparation for more struggle. You can't understand how it is to
have to watch everyone who gets within armis reach, or when under the
gun to have o seay close to something to crawl under. When you came

t0 see me in February my heart was cold as Antarerica.

PARTTWO 35
Tuesday, March 24, 1970 (early morning)
T'm convinced that it i the psychopathic personaliey that searches out
2 uniform. There' ltele doube of what's going on in that mans head
who will voluntarily don any uniform.

Did you know that in these prisons there is a very fieree competition
beeween the pig who wears a uniform and the pig who works in civilian
dress? The uniformed pigs call themselves the Cuseody Departmen,
while the others go under the heading of Care and Treatment. It i the
function of the uniform to hold a man here. This means they do the
key work, the searching, beating, killing. The individual with the tie
and white shire (seally just another type of uniform) determines what
well eat, what bullshit academic and make-work progeams we'll have
He presides over the sily geoup therapy games that always end in fights
orsnitch contests. Oh, and he also makes out board repors.

These two types of cops have been vying for conerol of the joints ever
since the counselor breed came on the grounds. It was intended of
course that these two groups of cops work together against the con,
the rationale being, the more cons broken, the fewer will have o be
killed, consequently less bad publicity for Department of Corrections
political appointees and the political machine that appoineed them.

We killed that off by playing them against one another. If 2 uniform
denied some small request, we would eake it to the counselor. If he
granted i, well you can eake it from there, bue we would purposely ask
the uniform (and in 2 way that made ie certain he would refuse) for
things we were sure the counselor would approve. Everyone connceted
with the power comples has made the outcome reasonably predictable,
chaos. You have a picture of them trying to divide us, manage us,
denude us of individualiey. When chis mancuver fails,they arrange for
one unmanageable to murder anocher unmanageable. At the same time
they can't agree among themselves on anyehing. Cretins with guns. You
couldn count the personality conflicts beween cop + cop, cop + con.
con + con (usually fomented by some cop or some unnecessarly harsh
living condition). You couldn’ count these conflices with an IBM. And
Tmean the ones that ranspire openly in say, one houe’s cme.

To be certain that you dig what I'm saying, [ll here admit that most
of the people who come through these places are genuinely sick in one
way o the other, monscers, otally disorganized, tisted, disguscing
epitomes of the parent monster. Those who arent so upon their

36 SOLEDAD BROTHER
arrival will surely be so when they leave. No one escapes unscathed.
An individual leaves his individualiey and any pride he may have had
behind these walls. When you first enter Chino you're required to
write a confession that will be placed right in the front of your jacket*
under your picture and number. Failure to write this confession means
you go to the board. It means chat you haven't taken the first seep
toward rehabilication. Al this is carefully explained to you in Chino.
“No confession, no parole” No one walks into the board room with his
head up. This justisn’tdone! Guysli to each other, bueif man gets a
parole from these prisons, Fay it means that he crawled into that room.
Plus it means that he adopred the philosophical atitude toward shit in
the face several times since his last board. OF the billions of conflicts
and negative exchanges that take place in # year, the pigs choose which
ones to pass over. The gy who earns a parole surrendered some face in
the course of his stay here prior to board. He walked away from some
situation to save his body — at the cost of some part of his face (read
mind. or pride, or principle). No black will leave chis place if he has
any violence in his past, unel they see that thing in his eyes. And you
can' fake it — resignation, defea — it muse be stamped clearly across
the face

I seen it, eyes in black heads, on the yard in San Quentin, Tracy.
here. When ©hit the yard in December ‘62 the brothers were lining up
in the rain, ourside the proteetion of the shed that covers half of the
upper yard. The Mexicans and whites had oceupied all the lines under
the shed. They would save long seetches of space for fiends who never
showed. So I had a picture on my first day there of the old slave, wet
and erembling while these other people relaxed with plenty of room
under the shed. The brothers were mainly concerned with avoiding
any erouble, since the pig invariably will shoot at the black face in 3
black and white altereation. Then it seems that blacks are much more
concerned with establishing records that willlead to parole than whites
or browns. I can't underseand this, since they have so much less to go
home o

Earlier that same year, right here in Soledad. & white (nameless and
faceless now) stabbed a brother with my surname because another
brother called Butch beat him in one of those childish hand-to-hand
disputes in the third-tier shower (the place for seccling all disputes).

4 Convicesrecord foldes,log of all obscsvarins made by prison authoriics.

PARTTWO 3
The white inmae ran to his cell and asked for police proreetion. Two
hundred blacks went after him with the intention of taking him from
the police. Before it was over there were only four of us againse all the
police in the county. A — —. A. was there with me then, and two
others, all the others — well, it starced with a trembling of the lips.
then a flaring of the nose, then that thing in the eyes

They sent us to San Quentin lockup for a month. Then .C. and I
were sent to Tracy, being the youngest of the four. In Tracy | did six
months in adjustment center and was released to ) Unit, the une for
unmanageables. Actually they put me in this unit so chat I would be
elose to some old enemies. A Mexican go killed in Soledad the year
before. J.C. was picked up for it bue later released. No one was ever
convieted. In an honest case of mistaken identity, the Mexicans were
supposed to be out o get me for i

T don't know where you gor the tale of me atcempring to integeate 3
movie area. Itis abit off, bu i could have come from the events of that
week I spentin ] Unit. The blacks had to sitin the rear of the TV room
on hard, armless, backless benches while the Mexicans and whites sat
up front on cushioned chairs and benches with backresest!t Now check
this, if one of those punks was in his cell or the shower, no one could
sitin his seat and ceraainly no black dared sit there, I'm serioust!t All
of this taking place in front of a uniform and a lrge, bold-print sign in
English and Spanish thac read “No Saving of Seats Allowed"11!

The firse three nights [ went i o catch the news I stood in the front,
looking down the room at the old slave for some sign of suppore. Old
slave ignored me, eyes darting. He wants to go home, so do I, bue I
don't wan to leave anything behind. Since my facher dida't bequeath
me much to begin with, any further losss leave me with nothing I sat
sight in the fron the fourch night but I couldn’t watch TV. I had to
watch my back. The cop walked up and looked at me like I had lost my
mind. The cons tolerated me (215 pounds and apparently a lunatic)
for thee days. On the fourth (or seventh day our) night of siteing,
they attacked me. They locked me up afterward, and sent me back to
San Quentin to stay. The 115" was so clearly racit thac I think they
removed it in San Quentin. Ifyou ever get the chance, see what reason
they have in my jacket for the 1962 transfer to San Quentin from Tracy

5 Bad conduct repore form.

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Somostoftheseinmates e sick, my friend, bue who created the monster
in them? They all stand right now as products of their environment.
Butin my humble opinion the inmates of these places are nor quite a5
— well they aren' nearly as psychologically disturbed s the guy who
calls himselfa guard. They really could change roles without noticeable
alceration in the qualicative factor of administracions. Any alteration
would be posicie.

United Seates prisons are the lase refuge of the brainless. If the inmates
are failures,at least they were reaching — most in very small ways, but
some reach is certainly preferable to no reach at all. The cop, as 've
staced before, s a guy who can do no other eype of work, who can feed
himself only by feeding upon this garbage dump.

What am I doing here, Fay? 1 fell into this garbage can in a narcotic
stupor and they just closed the lid for good. Someone is going to be
hure, my friend, when it’s over someone’ going to be hurting, bad, and
it won'e be us. It won't b you. Be assured that your safeey will always
enter any defense move | make, your safeey fiest, abways. [ was supposed
o be gone from this place years ago, free, wrecking worlds, destroying
the unrighteous, dying on my feet.

Pigs come here to feed on the garbage heap for two reasons really, he
firse half because they can do no other work, frustrated men soon to
develop sadistic mannerisms: and the second half, sadists out fron,
suffering under the reseraints placed upon them by an equally sadistic
vindictive society. The sadise knows that to practice his religion
upon the society at large will bring down upon his head their sadistic
reaction. Killing is great fun, bue nor at the sk of geeting killed (nore
how they squeak and pull out their hair over losing even one).

But the restranes come off when they walk through the compound
gates. Their whole posture goes through a toeal metamorphosis. Iflice
pain, satisfy the power complex, and get a check.

Howe can the sick administer to the sick,

In the well-ordered socicty prisons would not exist as such. If a man
is il he should be placed in a hospital, staffed by the very best of
technicians. Men would never be separated from women. These places
would be surfeited with equipment and meaningful progeams, cven if
it meant diverting funds from another, o even from all other sectors of

PARTTWO B
the economy. I¢s socially self-destructive to create a monster and loose
him upon the world.

But we can't cure with diagnoses, Comrade Stender — and 1 dig
speaking with you like this. You can only lisen, no back talk.

Breakfast is here. Power to the People

Tuesday, March 24, 1970 (evening)

This monster — the monster they've engendered in me will recurn to
torment its maker, from the grave, the pt,the profoundest pit. Hurl me
ineo the next existence, the descent into hell won't curn me. Il crawl
back to dog s erail orever. They won' defeat my revenge, never,never.
T'm part of a rightous people who anger slowly, but rage undammed
Well gather at his door in such a number that the rumbling of our fect
will make the carth tremble. I'm going to charge them for this, twenty-
eighe years withou ratification. I'm going to charge them reparations
in blood. I'm going to charge them like 2 maddened, wounded, rogue
male clephant, ears flared, trunk saised, erumpet blaring. Ill do my
dance i his chest, and the only thing he'll ever se in my eyes s a dagger
o pirce hiscruel heare. This s one nigger who i postively displeased.
Tl never forgive, Il never forger, and if I'm guilty of anyehing ac all ies
of not leaning on them hard enough. War without terms

Wednesday, March 25, 1970 (early morning)

Ijust reread the above paragraph, foul mood lase nighe. Iés nor light
out ye, so I guess | can say tonighe, bue I've been asleep. There's a
Hawaiian on the tier who wanes a transfer to Vacavile. He is playing
erazy. His dementia takes the form of “nigger baiting.” especially when
the bull s on the ter (who by the way enjoys the shit out of it) — none
of the brothers say a word, however. This licle boy blows the whole
line. The ocher liele boys laugh, the pig grins. T don'e get oo upset
ac the liele boy. He is & minnow — the upsetting point is that this
Hawaiian has very large purple ips,skin tones darkce than mine, and 3
very large wide nose. His hair is very nearly like my sisters: This clown
is talking aboue killing all the niggers. The piriful jackass would die
vight beside me. I chink what may be most biter in a thinglike that is
the knowledge that my enemies have turned the entire world against
me. The shibboleths that defame me are now universal. Anyone who
learns them is in (or ot — depending).

) SOLEDAD BROTHER
How do you deal with the perverted, discase-bearing, voracious baseard
who wanes o cast his image over all things,exc from every plate at every
table, police the world with racist shibboleths and a dying doctrine of
markeeplaces peopled by monopolies, top-heavy burcaus, and scum.

swilling pigs to gun down any who would object’

The concepe of nonviolene protest, whatever policical forms it may
take, presumes ewo chings about the imperialst establishment that
are so obviously historically unrealistc, so logically unsound, that the
espousal of any purely nonviolent anti-establishment moan reduces
one automatically to the absurd, and any strong espousal of the purely
nonviolent anti-eseablishmene policy reduces one automatically to 3
corpse.

The frst presumpeion s mercy: It presumes the possible existence of
merey on the pare of a breed whose heart is as cold as the snows. It
presumes existence of a restraine mechanism that in other breeds and
other animals precludes the harming of one’s kind unless placed under
the most exereme compulsions of self-preservation. But history shows
no justification for so wild a presupposicion. I refer you to Leopold
1T Congo, the Indian wars of the last century, the Union of South
Aftica, Shaspsville, the Philippines ac the turn of the century. I refer
you to Germany during the depression and war years. | refer you to
Vietnam! Jus a cursory reading of hisory and just a glance aboue me
now would show — that I could expect more mercy from a pack of
Bengal tigers. Any claims that nonviolent, purely nonviolent political
agitation has served to force back the legions of capicalis expansion
are false. The theory of nonviolence is a false ideal. The Hindus filed
because of this moral aspece in thei characters precluding any large.
scale organized violence. The forms of slavery merely changed for
them. OF what value is quasi-political control if the capivalies are
allowed to hold on to the people’s whole means of subsistence?! And
in the case of India and foreign capicalits, have any of the people’s
needs been met? Do they stll have race riots,do they seill sleep in the
strects? These people were betrayed by fase leaders with false ideals
Compare India with China. They were both supposedly liberated at
the same time, India may have had a year or more of what i loosely
termed “political self-determination”. China’s problems in the lace
forties were ten times more severe, but today there is no one hungry in
China. For the fist time ies population is united and organized under
a government as decentralized and representarive as a huge modern

PARTTWO 2
indusrial based society can be. China, land of the coolic, lave labor,
open-door policies, loor mat of the West — they're vying for ies place
in every important cconomie sector today. Remember the 1839 Opium
War, the Boser Rebellion. A erial of combac with China today would
be Russan roulette with a fully loaded 45 automaric, scl
suicide.

destruction,

Al of the third world poliical movements that are forcing the retreat
of colonialism have learned to deal with the expeditionary armies of
colonialism. There is no case of successfulliberation without violence.
How could you neutralize an army without violence?

‘The people of the US. are held in the throes of 4 form of colonialism.
Control of their subsistence and nearly every aspect of the
circumstances surrounding their existence has passed into the hands of
aclearly distinc and alienated oligarchy. today’s young revolutionary
vanguard are not merely entertaining themselves with & new kind of
“chicken, a political form of bumper tag, if they seriously intend to
seep out front and take the monster to task, they should understand
from the outset that the monster is meriless

The second presumption contained in the concepe of nonviolent
political agitation is inherent in the statement of chis policy, as it
stands alone. The mere urterance of nonviolent policy statements
implics chat it s possible for one to take the opposice course and pursue
violence. But in our case this has not been proved. In al cases, there
is 2 contradiction and a dangerous presumption in the statement and
pursuic of nonviolent politcal policy,especially when the opposition is
not so committed. The danger derives from the very realistic fact that
the statement and pursuic of nonviolent tactics will ahvays be miseaken
for weakness, as these tacties stand alone. The contradiction is then
revealed, in that power is expected to surrender to weakness

Pure nonviolence as a political ideal, then, is absurd: Polities is
violence. It may serve our purpose to claim nonviolence, but we must
never delude ourselves inco chinking that we can seize power from 3
position of weakness, with half measures, polite programs, righteous
indignation, loud entreaties. If this agication that we like to term 2
nonviolent is o have any meaning at all we muse force the fascist
to taste the bitterness of our wrath. Nonviolence must constantly
demonsteace the effects ofits implicd opposice. The dialectic becween
Narodnik and Nihilist should never break down. One should not st

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
without the concomitant esistence of the other — Breakfast s here, —
Long live the guerrillst

Wednesday, March 25, 1970 (lace)
T suspece that the pigs have stopped the correspondence form that |
sent to your friend.

The four or five people who attacked the pigs last week — recall they
had weapons (2), took the keys — they're ou of the hole (isolation)
already over here with us. 1 don't, however, suspect foul play too
serongly. The Mexican was beaten preety badly. Just le che forey-first

The punks throw stuff a us chrough the bars when they are let out for
showers. I mean foul seuff oo, We each gec a half hour a day, six days of
the week, to shower or exercisc i the limited space i front of our cells.
The walks are segregated. Blacks are never allowed to walk or shower or
even to come out of the cells atall when the whites are outof their cells
The more perverse of *Hidler’ Litle Helpers” save their excretions
o throw in our cells a they walk back and forh to their shower and
exercise. The shit lterally flies at us almose very day: The blacks don't
even consider throwing excrement. We recaliate by shooting at them
with litle, crudely-made zip guns and powerful slingshots fashioned
from the elastic on our shorts. f the pigs were interested in stopping
s slly shit, they would integrate the shower walks. If they fear they
would lose control that way, they could segregae the whole building.
No whites or Mexicans on this loor at all

To seize power for the people and eelegate fascism to the history books
the vanguard must change the basic patcerns of thought. We are going
0 have to seudy the principles of people's movements. We are going to
have to seudy them where they took place and interpret the to fit our
sieuation here. We have yet to discover the meaning of people’s war,
people’s army. The rightcous people of the world who are seruggling
with the monster on the only terms that he can be fought must have
many reservations concerning us, especially those of us who are black.
What are the fierce and wonderful people of Victnam thinking of us?
Where is the reallef wing? What has been done to us, that makes us
il o resise?

The successes of China, Cuba, Vietam, and pares of Afica cannot

PARTTWO 2
be aetributed to any innate, singular quality in the characeers of their
people. Men are social creacures, herd animals. We follow leaders
The success or failure of mass movements depends on their eadership
and the method of their leaders. We must take our lessons from these
people, reorganize our values, decide whether it is our personal desire
tolive long or to chance living igh.

People’swar,clas seruggle, war ofliberation means armed seruggle. Men
like Hoover, Reagan, Hunt, Agnew, Johnson, Helms, Westmoreland,
Abrams, Campbell,
are the rightful Fshrers of all the world' people. They must be dealt
with now. Can men like these be converted? Will they allow anyone
o maneuver them out of thei posicions of power while they il live?
‘Would Nixon aceep a people’s government, a people’ cconomy? How
€an we deal with these men who have so much at stake, so much to
defend. Honesty forces us to the conclusion that the only men who
willsuccessfull deal with the Hoovers, Helmses and Abramses will be
armed men. I¢s obvious to me that nothing of any consequence can be
achieved while these men rule. Class seruggle means the suppression of
the opposinglass, and suppression of the Amerikan General Staff, and
‘The Corporate Elite. The moment this three-headed monster detecs
the danger contained in our ideas and ideals, he will reace violently
against us Juse the whisper of revole excites in him a swift and eerrible
eflex, so swift we won'teven know how we died.

Carswell are dangerous men who believe that they

Thursday, March 26, 1970

So. my friend, the terms have been established. That is the only way I
willaceepe any more time in this lfe. | don't wan o live any other way
Twane my food and drink from the people’s stzsh. [ want to hide, run,
and look over my shoulder. The only woman thae I could ever accept is
one who would be willing tolive out of a light bag, sleep in a oal car,
eat milkweed. bloodroor, wild greens, dandelions, a rabbit, a handful
of rice. She would have to be willing to run and work all night and
watch all day. She would bathe when we could, change clothes when
we could. She would own nothing, not solly because she loved me, but
because she loved the principle, the revolution, the people.

1 dont think this roteen socicey has produced any such wonderful
ereatures. There is a Cuban brother here on the tier. His folks left but
he suppores the revolution. He can run some beautiful chings about
the people of Cuba when he'l talk and when I can understand him

w“ SOLEDAD BROTHER
The thing thae fixes me best is how the revolution is gauged to operate
on the family plan — children with a role, women in the same roles as
men, education standardized.

I remembered that those people had been some of the mose corrupt
in the Western world. Remember when the US. was in control, it was
jse like one of the Mexican border towns. The revolution brought all
of those wonderful new people into existence. It will be the same here
— right on — to the most beauriful conclusion. Power to the People

Ifehey try to read this it will explain my somewhat damaged condition

You are my favorite person, Fay Stender, take care of yourself

George

MARCH, 1970 30

Dear Fay,

Tm well — no new problems. You can, however, when time allows,
wiite Dr. Boone of the medical staff here and tell him to provide me
with medication for my sinus condition so that we will not be forced
ineo the imposition of going through the coures for it. Also let it be
known that you are aware of the APC and brown-sugar-pill put-off
Do you underseand? When | ask for medication, the MTA gives me
an APC or two and some candy pills (brown). This doesn'e help me.
They have becter seuffchati reserved for the other cons. They're sbout
o sereech me to my limit with this racse seoff. 'm eired of hearing it,
seeing it, and I tired of smelling ic. | know they read these lecters
Thae's good, because I want them to know that the first time they let
one of these punks throw someching on me we're going to all blow like
a thermonuclear bomb. I'm just not going to understand!!

The blacks on this floor never engage in any form of name-calling,
never defy the lockups, never ask the offiials for anything other than
the state issue. Very seldom do any of the brothers ask the officials to
pass things down the tier. We do the passing. When we come out for
showers, we never even talk to the other inmates o offcials, bue still
we'e been actacked in every way conceivable (considering that there
are always a set of bars becween us and them). Tt doesn'e have to be this
way. Since the officals are segregating anyway, they could do it in such

PARTTWO 5
a way that there would never be any contact between blacks and whites.
They could give us this side of the firse floor and them the other side
o the reverse. They could even give people achoice as to whether they
wane to be segregated. I'm puteing you on noice, Moody, the firs time
1 g shit thrown at me the wholc countey will know how it displease

Ho idiculous can animals ger. The whites get angey with me for just
existing. But they seem to get on well with the people who are holding
them here, the people responsible for the living conditions that cause
their frustracion

For the People’s Licben —
George

MARCH, 1970 31

Dear Fay,
T've finished the legal book you sent me.” Do you wan it back the next
time [ see you, or am | free to let a couple of other brothers read it?

e pereains to all of us [ believe. I read your section several times. Did
you put it together by yourself? Ies very heavy! P thinking that if
the Coure of Appeals passes favorably on it, and other attomneys
incorporate it into their defenses, we could come up with a detaining
or delaying tool a leas. I¢s good! Id stake my lifc on you any time.

We have a situation then where dull, heavy-handed, desperate types
ke myself run afoul of the law from time to time. Then we have the
gracious, sensitive, brainy types, of whom you are the quintessence, to
hold the legal pigs to the strictest interpreeation of the Constieution
possible. The cynic in me, although it allows for the short.cerm
benefits, sees another situation building down the road, 2 situation
where chey will simply hold court at the scene,there in the strect

Milestiba for the People —
George

6 One ofthe caprain a Soledad.

7 An FaganGingen, Miimizing Raci in Juny Tl The Vi Die Condcs-
by Churles R Gureyin Papleof Calfrni 1 Hicy P Newton (The Naioral
LaversGaid, 1969)

3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
APRIL, 1970

Dear Fay,
Ijuse got your letter with the writ article in it. You are posicively
my favorite person. We must take time to get acquainted. You have
mentioned yourself and your ocher life only once. Please don't
misunderstand, [ simply wish to know you beeter. [ haven'e had much
contace with anyone outside my family and the people who have
come through these prisons i the last decade or so. And I dig people.
rightcous people. I always have found it hard to really hate anyone. I
loved people. I understood from the beginning that the end purpose of
life was simply to live, experience, contribue, connect, to gratify the
body and mind. I began o hace when I discovered that the mystification
was inerjected intentionally. | can' say where it started. | can’ trace
i, bue I believe it goes back eo my carlest years, | mean the feeling that
what everyone else around me aceepted as right wasn't necessarily so.
The family, the nuns, the pigs, I resisted them all | know my mother
ikes eo ell everyone that I'was a good boy, but that isn'etrue, I've been
a brigand all my lfe. It was these years in prison with the time and
opportunity available to me for research and thought that morivated a
desire to remold my character. I chink that if I had been on the srect
from age cighteen to ewenty-four, | would probably be a dope fiend or
a small-sakes gambler, or 3 hump in the ground

Power to the People,
George

APRIL, 19704,

Dear Fay,
For very obvious reasons it pains me to dwell on the past. As an
individual, and as the male of our order I have only the proud flesh* of
very recent years to hold up as proof that I did not die in the sickbed
in which I lay for so long. I've taken my lesson from the past and
actempred to close it off.

T've drunk deeply from the cisterns of gall, swam againse the current
in Blood Alley, Urban Fascise Amerika, experienced the nose rub in

8 Proud flesis a medical rem o h abnormal growth of esh hat someianes
forms acound a healing wound.

PARTTWO a7
shit, armed myself with a monumental hatred and tried to forget and
pretend. A standard black male defense mechanism.

T hasn'e worked. e may juse be me, bue I suspect that it part of the
pitiful black condition that the really bad moments record themselves
50 clearly and permanently in the mind, while the few brief flashes of
grarification are lost immediacely, nightmare overhanging darkly.

My recall i nearly perfect, tme has faded nothing, 1 recall the very firse
Kidnap. T've lived through the passage, died on the passage, lain in the
unmarked, shallow graves of the millions who fetilzed the Amerikan
soil with their corpses: cotton and corn growing out of my ches, “unto
the third and fourth generation. the tench, the hundredeh. My mind
ranges back and forth through the uncounted generations, and 1 feelall
that they ever fele, but double. can't help i; there are too many things
o remind me of the 234% hours that I'm in this cll. Not ten minutes
pass without aseminder. In beeween, I'mleft o speculate on what form
the reminder will take.

Down here we hear relaxed, matter-of-fact conversations centering
around how best to killall the nation's niggers and in what order, Ies
not the face that they consider killing me that upsets. They've been
“killing all the niggers” for nearly half & millennium now, bue | am
sill alive. | migh be the mos resilient dead man in the universe. The
upserting thing s that they never take into consideration the fact thae
am going to resise. No they honestly believe that shit. They do! Thats
what they think of us. That they have beaten and conditioned all the
defense and ateack reflexes from us. That the region of the mind that
stores the principles upon which men base their rationale to resis is
missingin us. Don'e ey talk of concentration camps?. Don't they state
that it couldn'e happen in the US. because the fascists here are nice
fascits. Not because its imposible to incarcerate 30 million resisters,
butbecause they are humane imperialists, enlightened fascises.

Well, they've made a terrible mistake. T recall the day I was born,
the first day of my generation. It was during the second (and most

destructive) capitalist world war for colonial privilege, carly on a rainy
Wednesday morning, ate September, Chicago. It happened to me in
it fold-into-the-wall bed, in a liele half-flac on Racine and Lake.
Dr. Rogers actended. The ¢l train thae rateled by within fifecen feet
of our frone windows (¢he only two windows) screamed in a¢ me like
the banshee, portentous of pain, deaeh, threatening and imminent. The

8 SOLEDAD BROTHER
firse motion that my eyes focused on was this pink hand swinging in 2
wide arc in the general dircetion of my black ass. I stopped that hand.
the lef downward block, and countered the right needle finger to the
eye.was born with my defense reflexes well developed.

s going to be *Kill me if you can? fool, not *Kill me i you please.”

But e them make their plans on the supposition, “like slave, like son”
T'm not going for it, though, and they've made my defense casier. A
cop gives the keys to.a group of right-wing cons. They're going to open
our cells — one ac a time — all over the building. They dont want
o escape, or deal with the men who hold them here. They can solve
their problems only if they kil all of us — think about tha — these
guys live a ew cells from me. None of them have ever lived, most are
state-raised in insticutions like this one. They have nothing coming,.
nothing at al, chey have nothing at stake in this order of things. In
defending right-wing ideals and the status quo they're saying in cffect
that ninety-nine years and a dark day in prison is their idea of fun. Most
are in and out, and mosely in, all of cheir life. The periods that they
pass on the outside are considered runs. Simply stated, they consider
the periods spent in the joine more natural, more in kecping with their
tastes. Well, T understand their condition, and 1 know how they got
that way. I could honestly sympahize with them if they were not so
wrong, so stupid as to let the pigs use them. Sounds like Geemany
of the thirties and fories to me. I¢s the same on the outside there

Tl venture to say that there’s not one picce of stock, not one bond
owned by anyone in any of the familics of the pigs who murdered Fred
Hampton. They organize marches around the country, marches and
demonsteacions in suppor of total immediate destruction of Vietnam,
and afterward no one is able to pick up the tab. The fascists, it seems,
have a seandard M.O. for dealing with the lower classes. Actually
oppressive power throughout hiscory has used it. They turn a man
against himself — chink of all the innocen things that make us fecl
good. bue that make some of us also feel guilty. Think of how the
people of the lower classes weigh themselves against the men who rule
Consider the con going through the courts on a capital offense who
supports capital punishment. T swear I heard someching just like that
today. Look how long Hershey ran Selccrive Service. Blacks embrace
capiealism, the most unnatural and outstanding example of man against
himself that history can offer. After the Civil War, the form of slavery
changed from chattel to cconomie slavery, and we were thrown onto

PARTTWO 2
the labor market to compete at a disadvantage with poor whites. Ever
since that time, our principal enemy must be isolated and idenified as
capitalism. The slavr was and isthe factory owner, the businessman of
capitalise Amerika, the man responsible for employment, wages, prices,
control of the nation’ instieutions and culture. It was the capitalist
infrasteucture of Europe and the US. which was responsible for the
fape of Africa and Asia. Capitalism murdered chose 30 million in
the Congo. Believe me, the European and Anglo-Amerikan capivalist
would never have wasted the ball and powder were it not for the profic
principle. The men, all the men who went into Africa and Asia, the
fleas who climbed on that elephant’s back with rape on their minds,
richly deserve all that they are called. Every one of them deserved to
dic for their crimes. So do the ones who are seill in Viewam, Angola,
Union of South Africa (ULS.A.11). But we must not allow the emotional
aspects of these ssues, the scum at the surface, to obstruct our view of
the big picture, the whole roteen hunk. It was capitalism that armed
the ships, free enterprise that launched them, privae ownership of
property chat fed the troops. Imperialism ook up where the slave
trade lefe off. It wasn'e unil after the slave trade ended tha Amerika,
England, France, and the Netherlands invaded and seceled in on Afro.

Asian soil in carnest. As the European industrial revolution took hold,
new economie attractions replaced the older ones; chattel lavery was
replaced by neoslavery. Capitalism, “free” enterprise,private ownership
of public property armed and launched the ships and fed the troops: it
should be clear that it was the profie motive tht kept them there.

e was the profit motive that buile the tenement house and the city
project. Profie and loss prevenes repairs and maintenance. Free
enterprise brought the monopolistic chain store into the neighborhood
The concepe of private ownership of facilties that the people need
to exist brought the legions of hip-shooting, brainless pigs down
upon our heads, our homes, our sereces. They're there to protect the
entreprencurt! His chain store, and his properey that you are renting,
his bank. IF the entrepreneur decides thae he no longer wants to sell
you food, lets say, because the Yankee dollar that we value so dearly
has suddenly lost ies lase thirey cents of purchasing power, private
ownership means that che only way many of the people will eat s to
break the law. Fat Rae Daley has ordered all looters shor.

Black capitalism, black againstiself The silliese contradietion in along
train of spineless, mindless contradictions. Another painless, ultimate

s0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
remedy: be a beeter fascise than the fascise. Bill Cosby, acting out the
establishment agent — what message was this soul brother conveying
0 our children? [ Spy was cercainly progeammed to a child’s mentaliey
This running dog in the company of a fascist with 2 cause, a flunky's
Alunky, was transmitting the credo of the slave to our youth, the mod
version of the old house nigger. We can never learn to erust as long as
we have them. They are as much a pare of the repression, more even
than the real live, ratinformer-pig. Aren't they telling ous kids that
it is romantic to be 2 running dog? The kids are so hungry to see the
black male do some shooting and throw some hands that they can't
help chemselves from identifying wich the quislings. So frst they turn
us against ourselves, precluding all possibility of truse, then fascism
takes any latent divisible forces and develops them into divisions in
face: racism, nationalism, eligions.

You have Spic, Dago, Jew, Jap, Chink, Gook, Pincapple, and the
‘omnibus nigger to represent the nations of Affica, The poin being that
itis casier to persuade that litele man who joined the army to see the
world and who has never murdered before to murder a Gook. Well ic’s
not quite like murdering a man. Polack, Frog, Keaur, tc.

Thewheelsjuse fell offaltogether in the thirtes. Peopl in certain circles
like to forgetit, and any reference o the period draws from these crcles
such defensive epithets as “old-fashioned.” “simple old-seyle socialism.”
and "out of date” But fashion docsnt concern me, I'm after the faces.
The faces are that no one, absolutely no one in the Western world, and
very few anywhere else (this includes even those who may have been
born yesterday),is unaffected by those years when capiealism’ roulerce
wheel locked in depression. It affected every nation-state on carth, OF
course Russia had no stock market and consequently no business cycle,
but e was afected by the war that grew out of the effores to resare the
machines and by the effect it had on other nations with which Russia
has had to deal. Relativism enters. Since international capitalism was
ac the time in its ourward peak of expansion, there were no African,
Asian, or Latin lands organized along nation.-state ines that were not
adversely affected. Every socicty in the world that lived by a money
economy was part of the depression. Although Russia had abandoned
the forms and vacillations of capitalism, i t00 was damaged due to the
principles of rlativism,

I there is any question whether those years have any effect on, or
relevance to now, just consider the effect on today’s meneality. Had

PARTTWO 51
the worlds people been struck with hereditary cretinism all at once,
instead of Adam Smiths “invisible hand the analogy couldn’t be more
perfece. | mean cretinism in ies liceral, medical sense: a congenital
deficiency in the sccretions of the thyroid gland resulting in deformity
and idiocy:. Causation links that depression with World War IL. The
sise to power of Europe’s Nazis can be auributed to the depression. The
WASP fascists of Amerika secretly desired a war with Japan to stimulate
demand and control unemploymen. The syllogism is perfect

So question and analyze the state of being of Europe’s Jews who
survive. Do the same with the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But
we don't have o isolate groups. Causation and relaivism link everyone
inescapably with the past. None of the rightcous people would even be
alive had their parents dicd of the underconsumption of that period or
the desperate fascise chicanery aimed at diverting the lower classes from
the economie reality of clas seruggle. The Nazis aceually suceeeded in
foisting upon the lower-class Germans and some of the other European
national groups the notion that their economic plight was due not to
bad economic principles but caused by the existence of Jews within
the system and the shortage of markets (colonies). The obvious intent
being to put lower.class, depressed German against lower-class Jew,
instead of exploited lower-class German against privileged upper-class

The Amerikan fascise used 2 thousand similar devises, delaying
mancuvers, to prevent the people from questioning the validiey of
the principles upon which capitalism is founded, to turn the people
againse themselves, people againse people, people against other
groups of people. Always they will promote compecition (while they
cooperate), division, miserust, 3 sense of isolation. The antipodes of
love. The M.O. of the fascist arrangement is alvays to protect the
capiealse class by destroying the consciousness, the teust, the unity
of the lower classes. My fachee i in his forties today; thirty-five years
ago he was lving through his most formative years. He was a child of
the Great Depression. | want you to notice for later reference that |
emphasize and differentiate Great Depression. There were many more
incernational, national, and regional depressions during the period in
history relevan o this comment.

There are millions of blacks of my father’s generation now living.
They are al produces of a totally depressed environmene. All of the
males have lived all of their lives in terrible quandary: none were

52 SOLEDAD BROTHER
able to grasp that & morbid economic deprivation, an outrageous and
enormous abrasion, formed the basis of their character. My facher
developed his character, convention, convictions, his traits, his life
style, out of a sicuation that began with his mother running out. She
lefe him and his oldest brother on the corner of one of the canyons in
East St. Louis. They raised themselves,in the streets, then on a farm
somewhere in Louisiana, then in CCC camps. This brother, my facher,
had no formal education at all. He taughe himself the essenials lacer
on. Alone, in the most hoseile jungle on earch, ruled over by the king
of beasesin the fese throes of a bloody and protracted death. Alone, in
the most savage moment of history, without arms, and burdened by 3
black face that he's been hiding ever since.

Tove ehis brother, my father, and when I use the word *love” I am not
making an attempe at chetoric. | am attempting to express a efulgent,
unrestrained emanation from the decpese, most durable region of my
soul,an unshakable thing that I have never questioned. But no one can
come through his ordeal without suffering the penaley of psychosis
e was the price of survival. I would venture that there are no healthy
brothers of his generation, none acall.

The brother has reached the prime of his life without ever showing in
my presence or anywhere, to my knowledge, an overt manifestation of
real sensitiviey, afection, or sentiment. He has lived his entire lfe in 3
seate of shock. Nothing can couch him now, his calm is complete, his
immunity to pain s total. When I can fix his s, which is not often
since when they aren't closed they are shaded, I see staring back at me
the expressionless mask of the zombie.

But he must have loved us, of chis | am cereain, Pare of the eredo of the
neoslave, the laeter-day slave, who is free to move from place to place
if he can come by the means, is to shuffle away from any situation that
becomes too difficult. He seayed with us, worked sixteen hours 1 day.
after which he would eat, bache and sleep — period. He never owned
more than two pairs of shoes in his life and in the time [ was living
wieh him never more than one suit, never took a drink, never went to
a nightelub, expressed no feclings about such things, and never once
reminded any one of us, or so it seemed, never expeeted any notice of
the fact that he was giving to us all of e life force and activey that the
monster-machine had lefe to him. The pare that the machine sized,
that deach of the spiric visited upon him by a world that he never
influenced, was mourned by us, and most certainly by me, but no one

PARTTWO 5
ever made a rea effort to give him solace. How do you console 2 man
who is unapproachable?

He came to visit me when [ was in San Quentin. He was in his forties
then to0, an age in men when they have grow full. I had decided to
reach for my father, to force him with my revolutionary dialectic to
question some of the meneal barricades hed thrown up to protect his
body from what to him was an undefinable and omnipresent enemy: An
enemy chat would searve his body, expose it to the elements, chain his
body.jail e, club it rip it, hang e, lecerify it, and poison-gasi. I would
have him understand that although he had saved his body he had done
50 at a tersible cost to his mind. | fele chat if I could superimpose the
explosive doctrine of selfdetermination through people’s government
and revolutionary culture upon what remained of his mind, draw him
out into the real world, isolace and idenify his real enemies, i could
hurl him through Fanon's revolutionary catharsis, I would be serving
him, the people, the historical obligation.

San Quentin was in the riot season. It was early January 1967. The pigs
had for the lase chree months been on a search-and-destroy foray into
our cells All times of the day or night our cells were being invaded by
the goon squad: you wake up, take your licks, get skin-searched, and
wait on the tier naked while they mangled your few personal effects
This treacment, fear therapy, was no accorded to all however. Some
Chicanos behind dope, some whites behind extortionate activities
were exempred. Mostly, it came down on us. Rehabilitational eerror.
Each new pig must go through a period of in-service eraining where he
learns the Gestapo ares, che full range of anti-body eactis that he will
be expected to use on the job. Part of this in-service training is a crash
coursein close-order combat where the pigs are taught how to use club
and sap. and how to form and use the simpler karate hands, where to
hit 2 man with these hands for the best (or worse) effet.

The new pigs usually have to serve a period on the goon squad before
they fall into their regular role on the animal farm. They are always
anxious to ery their new skills — “to see if it really works” — we were
always forced o do something to slow them down, to demonstrate
that violence was a two-edged sword. This muse be done at least
onee every year, or we would all be as punchy and
Boser before our time was up. The brothers wanted to protest. The
usual protese was a strike, a work stoppage, closing the sweatshops
where industrial products are worked up for ewo cents an hour. (Some

actured as a Thai

st SOLEDAD BROTHER
people gee fou centsafter they've been on the job for six months.) The
outside interests who made the profics did'e dig serikes. That meant
the captain didn'e lke them either since it mean pressure on him from
these frec-enterprising policical connections

January in San Quentin is the worst way to be. Ies cold when you
don't have proper clothing, it wet, dreary. The drab green, barred.,
buseressed walls that close in the upper yard are sixey to seventy fect
high. They make you feel that your condition may be permanent.

On the oceasion [ wish to relate, my father had driven all night from
Los Angeles alone; he had noe slepe more than a couple of hours in the
lase forey-cight. We shook hands and the dialectic began. He listened
while I scorned the diabolical dog — capitalism. Didr' it rase pigs and
murder Vietnamese? Didsit it glue some and starve most of us? Didn't
it build housing projects that resemble prisons and lusury hotels and
apartments that resemble the Hanging Gardens on the same srcet?
Didne e build a hospital and then a bomb? Didn' i erect a school
and then open a whorehouse? Build an airplane to sell a tranquilizer
tablex? For every church did'e it conseruce prison? For each new
medical discovery didn't it produce as aby-product ten new biological
warfare agents? Didn't it aggrandize men like Hunt and Hughes and
dwarf him?

He said, “Yes, but what can we do? There's too many of the bastards”
His eyes shaded over and his mind went into total regression, 3
relapse back through time, space, pain, neglect, a thousand dreams
deferred, broken promises, forgotten ambitions, back through the
hundreds of renewed hopes shattered to a time when he was young,
roaming the Louisiana countryside for someching to eat. He talked for
ten minutes of things that were not in the present, people that I didn't
know. “We'll have to take something back to Aune Bell” He talked of
places that we had never seen together. He called me by his brother’s
name twice. I was so shocked I could only sit and blink. This was the
guy who took nothing seriously, the level-headed., practical Negro, the
work-a-day, never.complain, cool, smooth colored gentleman. They
have driven him to the abyss of madness: just behind the white venecr
waits the awesome, vindictive black madness. There are a lot of blacks
living in his generation, the one of the Great Depression, when it was
o longer possible to maintain the black self by serving. Even that had
dried up. Blacks were beaten and killed for jobs like porter, bellboy.
stoker, pearl diver, and boorblack. My clenched fist goes up for them;

PARTTWO 55
forgive them, I understand, and if they will stop their collsboraion
with the fascist enemy, sop it now, and suppore our revolution with
juse a nod, we'll forgee and forgive them for casting us naked into a
grim and deleterious world.

The black colonies of Amerika have been locked in depression since
the close of the Civil War. We have lived under regional depression
since the end of chateel slavery. The beginning of the new slavery
was marked by masive unemployment and underemployment. That
remains with us seill. The Civil War destroyed the landed arstocracy
The dictatorship of the agrarian class was displaced by the dictarorship
of the manufacturing-capitalse class. The neoslaver destroyed the
uncconomic plantation, and built upon its ruins a factory and 3
thousand subsidiaries to serve the factory secup. Since we had no skill,
outside of the farming techniques that had proved uneconomi, the
subsidiary service trades and menial oceupations fell to us. It is scil
50 today. We are a subsidiary subeulture, a depressed area within the
parent monsteosity. The other four stages of the capiealist businesseycle
through a recovery or expansion stage? We are affected adversely by
inflationary trends within the larger economy. Who suffers most when
the prices of basic, necessary commoditics go up? When the parent
economy dips into inflation and recession we dip ino sub-depression.
When it goes into depression, we go into toeal desperation. The
difference beeween what my father’s generation wen through during
the Great Depression and what we are going through now i simply 3
matter of degee. We can sometimes find a service to peeform across
the tracks. They couldn'e. We can go home to Mama for a meal when
things get really tight. They couldn'. There’s welfare and housework
for Mama now. Then there was no such thing as welfare.

Depression is an economie condition. It is a part of the capivalist
business cycle, a necessary concomitant of capitalism. s colonics
— secondary markets — will always be depressed areas, because the
seeadily decreasing labor force, decreasing and growing more skilled
under the advances of automation, cases the unskilled colonial subject
into economic roles that preclude cconomic mobilicy. Learning the
new skill even if we were allowed wouldn't help. It wouldn'e help che
masses even if they learned them. It wouldit help because there is
a fixed ceiling on the labor force. This ceiling gers lover with every
advance in the arts of production. Learning the newer skills would

s6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
merely put us inco a comperition with established labor that we could
not win. One that we don'e wane. There are absolutely no vacuums for
us to fill in the business world. We don'e want to capitalize on people

anyway. Capiealsm is che enemy. It must be destroyed. There is no

other recourse. The System is not workable in view of the modern
induseral city-based society. Men are born disenfranchised. The
coneract beeween ruler and ruled perperuates this disenfeanchisement.

Men in posicions of trust owe an equitable distribution of wealth
and privilege to the men who have trusted them. Each individual
born in these Amerikan cities should be born with those things that
are necessary to survival. Meaningful social roles, educaion, medical
care, food, shelter, and understanding should be guaranteed at birch
They have been part of all civilized human societies — until this one.
Why else do men allow other men to govern? To wha purpose is a
Deparement of Health, Education, and Welfare, or of Housing and
Utban Development, etc? Why do we give these men power over us.
Why do we give them taxes? For nothing? So they can say that the
world owes our children nothing? This world owes each of us a living
the very day we are born. If not we can make no claims to civilization
and we can stop recognizing the power of any administeaor.

Evolution of the huge modern city-based sociery has made our
dependence upon government complete. Individually, we cannot feed
ourselves and ou children. We cannor, by ourselves, train and educate
them at home. We cannot organize our own work inside the city
seructure by ourselves. Consequently, we muse allow men to specialize
in coordinating these activities. We pay them, honor them, and
surrender control of certain aspects of our lives to them so that they
will in recurn take cach new, helpless entry into the social group and
work on him until he s no longer helpless, uncil he can seare to suppore
himself and make his coneribution to the continuity of the society:

1F 2 man is born inco Amerikan society with nothing coming, i the
capiealse creed that runs “The world doesn't owe you a living” is
eruc, then the thing that my father’s mother did is not outeageous at
all. I s true that government shouldn't organize then the face that
my facher had no place o seck help unil he could help himself has
liele consequence. But it would also mean that we are al in the grip
of some monstrous contradiction. And that we have no more claim to
civilization than a pack of baboons.

PARTTWO 57
What s it then that really destroyed my facher’s comfort, that doomed
his entire generation to alife without contene? Whatis it that has been
working against my generation from the day we were boen through
every day o this one?

Capiealism and capivalist man, wrecker of worlds,scourge of the people.
Iecannot address itself o our needs, it cannot and will not change eself
o adapt to nacural changes within the social structure.

To the black male the losses were most teagic of all. It will do us no
go0d to linger over the facalities, they're numberless and beyond our
reach. But we who have survived must eventually look at ourselves and
wonder why. The competition at the bottom of the social spectrum
is for symbols, honors, and objects; black against itsclf, black against
lower-class whites and browns, virulene, cutthroae, back-stabbing
competition, the Amerikan way of life. But the fascists cooperate. The
fourestates of power form a morbid lone quadrangle. This competicion
has destroyed trust. Among the black males a premium has been placed
on distruse. Every other black male is viewed as the compericion; the
wise and practical black is the one who cares nothing for any living as.
the eynic who has goeten over any principles he may have picked up by
mistake. We can' express love on the supposition that the rcipient will
automatically use it against us as weapon. We're going to have to sart
all over again. This next time around we'll et i all hang out, we'llseop
betraying ourselves, and we'll add some teuse and love.

1do not include those who suppore capitalism in any appreciable
degree or who feel they have something to lose with s destruction.
They are our irreconcilable enemy. We can never again erust people
like Cosby, Gloves Davis, or the old Negro bus driver who testified in
the Huey Neweon trial. Any man who stands up to speak in defense of
capiealism must be slapped down.

Right now our discase must be identified as capitalise man and his
monstrous machine, a machine with the senseless and calloused ability
o inflict these wounds programmed inco it every cyele

Twas born with terminal cancer, a suppurating, malignant sore that
aetacked me in the region just behind the eyes and moves outward to
destroy my peace.

9/ The black Chicago policeman who was reporced o have shot Fed Hampron.

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
It has robbed me of these twenty-cight years. e has robbed us all for
nearly half a millennium. The greatest bandit of all time, we'll sop
him now.

Recall the stories you've read about the other herd animals, the geeat
Amerikan bison, the caribou or Amerikan reindeer.

The great Amerikan bison or buffalo — he's a herd animal, or social
animal i you prefer, just ike us in that, We're social animals, we need
others of ou general kind about us to feel secure. Few men would enjoy
total isolation. To be alone constantly s toreure to normal men. The
buffalo, catle, caribou, and some others arelike folks in that they need
company most of che time. They need to bute shoulders and bute butes
They ke to rub noses. We shake hands, slap backs, and rub lips. OF all
the world' people we blacks love the company of others most, we are
the most socialisic. Social animals eat, sleep, and travel in company.
they need this company to feel secure. This fact means that socialistic
animals also need leaders. It follows logically thae if the buffalo is
going to eat, sleep. and travel in groups some coordinating factor is
needed or some will be sleeping when others are eraveling. Without
the leader-follower complex, in a crsis the company would roar off in
2 hundred different directions. Bue the buffalo did evolve the leader.
follower complesx as did the other social animals; if the leader of herd
ofcaribou loses his faoting and slips eo his deach from some high place.
itis very likely that the whole herd will dic behind. The leader-follower
complex. The hunter understood this. Predatory man learned of the
natural oceursence of leadership in all of the social animals; thae each
group will by nature produce a leader, and to these natural leaders fall
the responsibiliey for coordination of the group's activiey, organizing
them for survival. The buffalo hunter knew that if he could isolate and
identify the leader of the herd and kill him first, the rest of the herd
would be helpless,ac his merey, o be killed off a he saw fit

We blacks have the same problem the buffalo hads we have the same
weakness also, and predatory man undersands this weakness well
Huey Neweon, Ahmed Evans, Bobby Seale, and the hundseds of others
will be murdered according to the fasist scheme.

A sort of schematic macural selection in reverse: Medgar Evers,
Malcolm X, Bobby Hutton, Brother Booker, W. L. Noland, M. L
King, Featherstone, Mark Clark, and Fred Hampton — just a few who
have already gone the way of the buffalo.

PARTTWO El
The effect these moves from che right have had on us is classic
textbook excrcise in fascit political cconomy. At the instant a black
head sises out of our crsis existence, it lopped off and hung from the
highest courthouse or newspaper firm. Our predetermined response
is a schizophrenic indifference, withdraval, and an appreciation of
things that do not exist. “Oh happy days. Oh happy days. Oh happy
days. Sel-hypnortically induced hallucinations.

The potential black leadership looks at the pitiable condition of the
black herd: the corruption, the preoccupation with irrelevance, the
apparent ineptitude concerning mateers of survival, He knows that
were he togive the average brother an M-16, chis brother wouldn't have
anyehing but a club for a week. He weighs ths thing that he sees in the
herd against the possible isks he'll be taking at e hands of the fascist
monster and he naturally decides to go for himself, eeling that he can't
help us because we are beyond help, chat he may as well gee something
out of existence. These are the *successful Negroes.” the opposite of
the *failures You find them on the ball coures and fields, the seage.
pretending and playing children’s games. And looking for ll the world
st as pitiable as che so-called filures.

We were colonized by the white predatory fascist economy. It was
from them that we evolved our freak subculeure, and the aeticudes
that perperuate our conditions. These attitudes cause us to give cach
other up to the Klan pigs. We even on occasion work gun in hand
vight with them. A black killed Fred Hampton; blacks working with
the CIA killed Malcolm X; blacks are plentiful on the payroll of the
many police forces that fascism muse employ to protect itsclf from
the people. These fascise subeuleural actitudes have sent us to Europe,
Asia (one-fourth of the facaliies in Viewmam are black faalites).
and even Africa (the Congo during the Simba attempe to establish
people’s government) to dic for nothing. In the recent cases of Affica
and Asia we have allowed the neoslaver to use us to help enslave
people we love. We are so confused, so foolishly simple that we not
only fail to distinguish what is generally right and what is wrong, but
we also fail to appreciate what s good and not good for us in very
personal mateers concerning the black colony and its liberation. The
ominous government cconomic agency whose only clear motive is to
further enslave, number, and spy on us, the black agency subsidized
by the governmene to infilirate us and retard liberarion, is accepeed.
and by some, even invited and welcomed, while the Black Panther is

& SOLEDAD BROTHER
avoided and hard-pressed to find proteetion among the people. The
Black Pancher is our brother and son, the one who wasn'e afraid. He
wasn't so lazy as the rest, o so narrow and estricted in his vision. IF
we allow the fascise machine to destroy these brothers, our dream of
eventual self determination and control over the factors surrounding
our survival is going o die with them, and the generations to come
will curse and condem us for irresponsible cowardice. 1 have 2 young
courageous brother whom I love more than I love myself, but I have
given him up to the revolution. I accep the possibilicy of his eventual
death as Laceepe the possibility of my own. Some moment of weakness,
a lip, a mistake, since we are the men who can make none, wil bring
the blow that kills. | accepe this as & necessary part of our life I don't
wan to raise any more black saves. We have a decermined enemy who
will aceepe us only on a master-slave basis. When I revolt, savery dics
with me. [ refuse to pass it down again. The terms of my existence are
founded on that,

Black Mama, you'e going to have to stop making cowards: “Be 2
good boy”; “You're going to worry me to death, boy"; “Don't truse
those niggers”; "Stop letting those bad niggers lead you around, boy:
“Make you a dollar, boy” Black Mama, you overriding concern with
the survival of our sons is mistaken if it is survival a the cost of their
manhood

The young Panther paty member, our vanguard, must be embraced,
proteeted, allowed to develop. We must learn from him and each him
he'll be full grown soon, a son and brother of whom we can be proud
1Fhe sags we'll brace him up, when he takes a step we'll seep with him,
our dialeetic, our communion in perfect harmony, and there'll never,
never be another Fred Hampton affar.

Power to the people.
George

APRIL, 1970 17

Dear Fay,
Slavery is an cconomic condition. Today’ neoslavery must be defined
in terms of economies. The chateel is a property, one man exercising
the property righs of his established economic order, the other man
as that property. The owner can move that properey ot hold it in one

PARTTWO 6
square yard of che earehs surfaces he can let it breed other slaves, or
make it breed ocher saves; he can sell it, beat t, work it, maim it, fuck
i, kill it But if he wanes to keep it and enjoy all of the benefies that
property of this kind can render, he must fecd it sometimes, he muse
clothe it againse the clements, he must provide a modicum of shelcer
Chateel slavery is an economic condition which manifests itself in the
totalloss or absence of self-determination.

The new slavery, the modern variety of chael slavery updated o
disguise itsel, places the vietim in a factory or in the case of most
blacks in suppore roles inside and around the factory system (service
trades), working for a wage. However, if work cannot be found in or
around the factory complex, today's neoslavery does not allow even for
a modicum of food and shelker. You are free — to scarve. The sense and
meaning of slavery comes through as a result of our tis to the wage.
You must have it, without it you would searve or expose yourself to
the clements. One’s entire day centers around the acquisition of the
wage. The control of your eight or ten hors o the job is decermined
by others. You are lef with fourteen o sixteen hours. Bu since you
don't lve ae the factory you have to subtract at least another hour for
eransportation. Then you are left with thirteen to fificen hours to
yourself. If you can afford three meals you are lefe with ten o twelve
hours. Rest i also a factor in eficiency so we have to take cight hours
away for sleeping, leaving two to four hours. Bue — one must bache,
comb, clean teeth, shave, dress — there is no point in proracting
this. [ ehink it should be generally acceped that if a man (or woman)
works for a wage at a job that he doesn't enjoy, and 1 am convineed
that no one could enjoy any type of assembly-line work, or plumbing
or hod careying, or any job in the service trades, then he qualifis for
this definition of neaslave. The man who owns the factory or shop or
business runs your lfe: you are dependent on this owner. He organizes
your work, the work upon which your whole life source and style
depends. He indirectly determines your whole day, in organizing you
for work. If you don't make any more in wages than you need to five,
youare a neaslave. You qualify if you cannot afford to leave California
for New York. If you cannot visit Zanzibar, Havana, Peking, or even
Paris when you get the urge, you are 2 save. If you're held in one spot
on this earh because of your economic status, it is just the same as
being held in one spot because you are the owner's property. Here in the
black colony the pigs sill beat and maim us. They murder us and call
it justfiable homicide. A brother who had a smoking pipe in his belt

@ SOLEDAD BROTHER
was shot in the back of the head. Neoslavery is an cconomic condition.,
2 small knot of men exercising the property rights of their established
economic order, organizing and controlling the lfe style o the slave as
if he were in fact property. Succinctly: an economic condition which
manifests ieself in the totalloss or absence of self-decermination. Only
after ehis is understood and aceepted can we go on to the dialectic that
will help usin a remedy.

A diagnosis of our discomfort is necessary before the surgery its
always necessary to justify the lecting of blood. And we don't want the
knife to damage any relaced parts that could be spared for lacer use

The pig s an instrument of neoslavery, to be hated and avoided: he is
pushed to the frone by the men who exercise the unnacural righ over
property. You've heard the patronizing shit about the chin blue line
that protects property and the owners of property: The pigs are not
proteeting you, your home, and its contents. Reeall they never found
the TV set you lost in that burglary. They're protecting the unnacural
sight of a few men to own the means of all of our subsistence. The
pig is protecting the right of a few private individuals to own public
property!! The pig s merely the gun, the tool, a mentally inanimate
utensil. It is necessary to deseroy the gun, bu destroying the gun and
sparing the hand chat holds ie will forever relegate us to a defensive
action, hold our revolution in the doldrumes, ultimacely defeat us
The animal hae holds the gun, that has loosed the pig of war on us,
is a bitter-cnder, an intractable, glutconous vulture who must eat at
our heares to live. Midas-motivated, never satisfied, everything he
touches will turn into shit! Slaying the shicey pig will have absolutely
o healing effece ac all if we leave this vulture to touch someone els.
Spae the hand that holds the gun and ic ill simply fashion another.
The Viet soldicr has attacked and destroyed the pigs and their guns,
but this alone has not solved his problems. If the Cong could get to the
factories and the people who own and organize them, the war would
endina few months. All wars would end. The pigs who have descended
upon the Vietnamese colony are the same who have come down on
us. They come in all olors, though they are mainly white. Culturally
(or anti-culturally). they have the same background and the same
mentaliey. They have the same intent: to preserve the economically
depressed areas of the world as secondary markets and sources of cheap
Faw materials for the Amerikan fascist. The black colonies inside the
Amerikan fascist state are secondary markets and sources of cheap raw

PARTTWO &
material. In our case this cheap raw material s our bodies, giving all
of the benefits hat properey of this kind can render. How much more
in wages would they have to pay a white, unionized garbage collector?
And black mama teicks for ten-and-two?

Righe behind the expeditionary forces (the pigs) come the missionaries,
and the colonial effect is complete. The missionaries, with the benefits
of christendom, school s on the value of symbolism, dead presidents,
and the rediscoun rate. The black colony lost s conscicnce to these
missionaries. Their schools, their churches, their newspapers and
other periodicals destroyed the black conscience and made it almost
impossible for us to decermine our own best interest.

The culeural links to the established capivalie socieey have been 2 lor
closer than we like to admic. In the area of culeure (I am using chis
wordin the narrow sense out of necessity), we are bonded to the fascist
society by chains that have strangled our intellect,scrambled our wits,
and sent us stumbling backward in a wild, disorganized recreat from
eality. We don'e want their culture. We don't want a piece of that pe.
s rotten, puerid, repulsive to all the senses. Why are we rushing to
board a sinking ship? When we join hands with the eseablished fascist
scum in any way, i gives the people of the world, che righteous people
of the Congo, Tanzania, Sudan, of Cuba, China, Viewam, etc. the
legitimate right to hate us too.

The Swedish people and their government hate the Amerikan fascist
(as almost every civilized state muse). They show their loathing every
chance they get. The Amerikan government dresses some black clown
in a stovepipe hat and sends him over s an ambassador. This black
cat isnt representing the black colony. He' representing the pigs. The
Swedes throw bricks ac him and call for the *nigger” to go home

Chances are that the old slave they sent to Sweden never spent a night
in the gheteo but sill he represents the black oppressed. So when the
slave turns up in his eals and scovepipe lid, a distorted imitation of the
genuine fool (tomfool?), the hatred fele so deeply for the Amerikan
fascist state by the Swedes is ransferred onto us!

The government buys and trains these running dogs very carcfully,
and sends them scrambling, tails and all, outward to represent the
establishment. Whole kennels are sent to the Al
ambassadorial level (and lower, of course) on the supposition that

ican nations on the

o SOLEDAD BROTHER
the people of these nations will be able to relate better to a black
face. The leaders of these nations, if they can be counted among the
rightcous, are never impressed, but this sort of thing affects the African
masses deeply. Several years ago, in one of the central African states, 3
gathering of the people marched againse the local representatives of
the Amerikan government, the USIA, over an issue that won't come to
mind now (¢here have been so many) — bue they were resentful enough
o carry their protest demonstration to violent exeremes. They thres
bricks and fire and called for the slavers’ blood. They tore down the
Yankee rag and danced on it, spie on it, and were about to burn it
They would have burned it and gone on to sack and buen the fascist
propaganda center, but the running dog, the tomfool, stopped them,
harangued them in the voice of the ventriloguist, and ran Old Glory
back to its familiar seation — obseructing the sun. They should have
hung chat nigger from the flagpole by the fac pare of his neck, for that
black ventriloquise threw up one more bartier to the communion that
we must establish with the other oppressed peoples of the world.

They send us to school to learn how to be so disgusting. We send our
children to places of learning operated by men who hate us and hate the
eruth. I s clear that no school would be beeter. Burn it all che fascist
literacure, burn that too. Then equip yourselfwith the Little Red Book
There is no other way to regain our senses. We must destroy Johnson
Publicacions and ehe leele black eabloids chat mimic the fascist press
even to their denunciations of black extremises. Burn them or take
them over as people’s collectives, and give the colonies a dynamite case
of self-determination, anti-colonialism, and Mao think!11!

Lattended my last year of high school at Bayview High - that’sin San
Quentin where I did seven years of the lase ten that I have spent in jil.

The schools in the joine are no different than those ou there in the
colony ac large, with the exception that they are not coeducational. We
use the same fascist testbooks that coneain the same undercurtent of
racism and overtones of nationalism. The missionaries themselves are
the same. At the time, my eventual release on parole was conditional
to my finishing high school, and of course being a good boy, never
showing any anger, or displeasure, or individuality. | was trying to
fike i, would never have been in the mission school otherwise. 1 was
working in the daytime and attended school evenings.

The biology wasn'e too bad. The instructor seldom ventured an
opinion oueside the subjects rlated to science, but he was exceptional

PARTTWO &
T actibute this to the face that he was somewhat younger than the
other pundits. Each of chem had a fixed opinion on every material
and metaphysical feature of the universe. Colonel Davis in history
was oueseanding for ewo very typieal characterisics of his profession.
temperament and foolishness. Teue o his persuasion, chis jackass was
5o parriotic and Republican that he aceually proposed we begin and
end each class with a pledge of allegiance to the flag from a kneeling
position. He was tall and square and gray-blond, a veteran of several
declared and undeclared Yankee wars. If you passed the flag without
a genuflection you had this fool to fight. I sat through his shit for 2
month; Amerika the beautiful,the righteous, the only nation on carth
where veryone can afford a flush toilet and a raffc tike. All Russians
were fat Tartars, the Japanese were copyises, Arabs couldn't fight and
neither could the French. All Africans were primitives who didn' know
when they were well off, Vietnamese were just niggers with slant eyes
(chere were fous blacks in the clas). The Chinese were so scupid that
they couldn't feed themselves. Incvitably they would have to return to
the good old days and ways of the rickshav, pigeail, the coolie, opium
dens, and cathouses. I took this shit with a stony calm for one monch. I
tried to get out of the clas five or six times, but you have to have a clear
life-and-death situation to get out of anything once you get in. This
is in keeping with the overall prison conspiracy, .., you have no will,
you have no choice or control, o be wise — surrender. There's thissign
hanging everywhere your eyes may happen to rese, begging: “O lord,
help me to accept those things | cannot change.” A lfe-death situation
is necessary to get out; that’ juse what [ had but I couldn’ admit to it
— looks bad on the parole board report. I ried to keep a head between
myself and ehis representariv of the geeat silent majority, failing this
Twould fix my eyes on one of the six flagsin the room (one in cach
corner, two on the desk) and try to endure. Me and this cat fellall he
way out in the end. I never planned it that way. in fact my plan was
to hide my “face” and hang on. The session we had was completely
spontancous, it started in the opening minutes of our two-hour class
This silene majority had juse completed hymn to the grear Amerikan
corporate monster with the line “Now haven' we all the right to be
proud?” [ said, "No.” The guy glanced at me, blinked, looked away.
and kept righe on with his eulogy. My answer didn' regiseer with
him; he heard me but he was positive that he heard me wrong, In the
cloister of this man's mind, my displeasure, my dissatisfaction was
juse too impossible to be true. The good colonel had been explaining
that corporate capitalism, the end result of a long evolutionary chain

& BLOOD IN MY EYE
of other cconomic arrangements, was as perfect and flawless a system
as man can ever hope to achieve. It was the only cconomic order that
allowed for man’s natural inclinations. The barbarous nations of Asia
and Africa who had abandoned it for planned economics would
uleimately fal since the incentive morive inherent within the capitalist
ideal was missing. Without the profit-and-loss incentive, production
will semain low and eventually fail [ stood up, sat on the back of my
desk, put one foot on the seat, and told this cat that he had juse told
“another” lie. | don't know why [ was doing this. I even fel a chrill of
sympathy for the fool ac fiese. His mouth dropped open like a shark’s,
his cars and forchead and nose showed that he was as red-blooded an
Amerikan as anyone could ever become. In an unconscious impulse his
hands locked themselves around the base of the two flagpoles on his
desk, as if o proreet e liele pcces of colored rag from the impudent
and unpatrioric nigger who did-just-blaspheme!

“What'd you say, boy?” I said, “You've been lying for 2 moneh now
about *work ethics” and " voting processes’ and *economie incentives.
you've been lying all your life really. and now I want to question some
‘ofthis stuff. Can you seand ie?”

1 didn'e wait for an answer, but continued, “I've worked in factories
here in chis country, on assembly lines, doing production work. 've
made some study of mass production procedures in heavy and light
indusery, and I've looked into policical economy in general, and I'm
certain that in everything you've said in here for the last moneh there
Was & conscious intent to miscepresent the truth, to present only
those parts o the truth that supporeed your contentions or to omit it
alcogether. This thing about incentiv, i it a factor in production, in
order for it to influence the volume of production, or the qualiy, it’s
pretey clear that this incentive must find some way of communicaring
iuself down to the worker. | can understand an owner or exccuive
having the desire to make money — profit — bue since ambition is a
very personal thing, how does i affect the attitude and productivity of
the worker? His wage will b the same if he works hard, not so hard, or
not haed ac all, and it is ultimately on how hard the worker works that
volume and quality depends”

He leaned back in his chair,ran his hands through his hair, palpicaced
about the nose and upper lp, looked at his flag, and then ac me, and
answered, *Yes, well, in our factory setups we have quotas to meet and
foremen and efficiency experts to see that they are mee”

PARTTWO &
“You did say quotas? That sounds like something from one of Fidel's
public addresses — you know, sugar quotas — the difference of course
being that Fidel is depending on a cooperation that springs from a
sense of participation, and perhaps the knowledge that the volume
and quality of producion determines their general well-being, racher
than the personal foreunes of an owner o small group of owners. I the
factories that | worked in and have observed the principal interest of
most of the workers was coffee and lunch breaks or quitting time; we
watched the clock, watched out for the foreman and other spics, and
made as many eips to the colee as we could possibly expeet to get away
with. Although the profie motive may excite owner and supervisor
to invest and organize for production, the index of productiviey is
determined by the atitudes of the worker in a plant that s no toeally
automated and even then it would depend on the workers in the
machine, tool, and maintenance scetors to a great extent. This being
the case, it is the diametrical opposice of your contention that i true.
There is less real incentive. Based on the impulse to gain benefis,
inherent within the modern form of capitalism, it clear to me that the
worker who fel that the machine, the factory, all factories were in part
his own would be very much concerned about productiviey and quality
of product, much more concerned than one who has no more at stake
than an inadequate wage”

“But you missed the meaning of my seatement” This is him calking
now. “The spur of profit and the fear of loss are the morivations that
have made the capitalist system of production efficient. It automatically
checks the marginal facilicies and factors of production. Itis responsive
to demand and supply,i.c.. the demands of the consumers and the
availabiliey of materials, and this responsiveness is automatie, built in,
an inherent part of he system.”

Ireplied thac “che same can be said for any system of political economy
With planned, people’ cconomics, however, the automatic feature
is dropped and demand is noe stimulated areifically in the Madison
Avenue sense. It faeuous and misleading to claim profit-and-loss
motivation a feacure of capitalism only. It s a feature of all economies
in alltime past and present. The only difference is that with capitalism
the spur is driven ino the flanks of the people by a relacively few
individuals who by chance or bent of ferocity have been able to make
fraudulent claims on the rights to profie, the rights o benefit from
wealth created by labor fiest, applied to materials from man's (plural

6 SOLEDAD BROTHER
possesive) source of life suppore — nature. In the People's Republics
of Aftica, Asia, and Easeeen Europe this right to profit — to benefit
from their abor and their land — s being retumned to the people. The
people are spurred by the profic motive collectively; situation far
more conducive to productivity since ultimately productiviey depends
on the atitude of the individual worker. Proporionally China has
achieved more economically in twenty years than the US. has in two
hundred. They had the advantage of being able to avoid the terrible
mistakes made by the US. and Western Europe in those two hundred
years, but a comparison beeween todays China and lee’s say today’s
India and Indonesia, where they have developed nothing cconomically.
will point up clearly which system is best oriented to meet the needs
of the people. The leadership in India stayed with capitalism (privae
enterprise) when China turned to revolutionary people’ socialism
with communism projected for the fucure. L am certain that everyone
in this room has the intelligence to understand that India’ rice riots
and sereet slecpers are not indications that China has taken the wrong
road”

“But they're starving in China? he said with great vehemence, on his
feee with his hair sereaming over his forchead, fses balled, chest out,
shoulders thrown back.“No one scarves in China, that'syou ignorance
speaking now: You were probably just lying before, but it is possible
that you are ignorant enough to think that people starve in China sil,
because they were starving in such great numbers when you were there
in the forties serving the fascise military-induserial eseablishment. You
people’s ignorance on these matters has prompted the Chinese and
other third world nations to the observation that you all live behind
a veritable curtain of ignorance. There are more people starving in the
US., in the Black Belt of southeaseern US. in all che large citis, in
the Appalachian Mountains and grape felds of California than in any
other country on earth with the posible exception of India. China
sends geain to other countries on a longterm, interest-fee-loan basis
Vieenam, Egypt, Pakistan, and some others are cating Chinese surplus
food supplics right now”

“Nigger they jus bought a hundred thousand tons of wheat from
Canada lase month” “You did say they "bought' it, it means that
they must be doing precey well; the principle of cconomic advantage
means that the people in their respective areas, nations if you prefer,
with their respective differences in climate and topography should

PARTTWO &
produce that thing which is easy and macural for them to produce
With proper organization they will be sble to produce 1 surplus of chis
thing that they produce well It is this surplus thae the well-ordered
society (of today ac least) uses o exchange for the things that they
cannot produce economiclly. China bough that wheat from Canada
with other food products and raw materials that Canada needed. That
deal last month was simply good cconomics on China’ part. Canada
buys beef from Argentina. Does that mean thar Canada s about to
collapse cconomically? Nothingstays the same. not even for an instant.
I a ching isn growing, its decaying. People’ government has been
on the march since the close of World War I1 everywhere, building.
developing, challenging, and defeating the capitalst-based systems
that function on servieude of the people. The inevitable falure will
b with capitalism, the guns of Victnam will sound the death knell of
capiealism. We know how o fight you nows capiealism i dying right
here tonight, look at yourself, you're defeated.” He was advancing on
mein his Marquis of Queensberey boxing stance. I got out of the class
that nighe, [ haven't been able to get out of the joine, however.

We donfe want peopl like Davis teaching the children, he has himself
been educated into inanity. His favorite placitude was that Amerikans
“enjoy hard work, desire gainful employment, and have the natural
inclination to be thrifey and save. This s a shot against the automated
welfare seate. He believes that Amerikans would rather work with their
hands than use a machine that could do the same work becter and fascer
Sounds precey slly to me. I certainly don't like to work. No one could
honestly enjoy the monotony of an assembly line. And the garbage
collecting, the sercet sweeping, the window washing. ' al for the
machines taking over in every scctor of the economy where they can
be applied. I wouldn'e have the least diffculty in finding something to
dowith my time. As long as my check comes by mail, as long as I didn'e
have to stand in some line somexhere to pick it up. I would never have
a complaine. To eat bread “in the sweat of thy face” was intended as 3
curse. The conservatives (of their privilege) would have us now believe
that work is great fun. The eapitalist Eden fies my descripion of hll.

To destroy it will require cooperation and communion between our
related parts; communion between colony and colony. n:
naion. The common bond wil be the desire to humble the oppressor,
the need to destroy capitalise man and his terrible, ugly machine. If
there were any differences or gricvances beeween us in the black

fon and

£ SOLEDAD BROTHER
colonies and the peoples of other colonies across the counry, around
the world, we should be willing to forget them in the desperate need
for coordination againse Amerikan fascism.

Incernational coordination is the key to defeating this ching that must
expand to live. Ou inability to work with other peoples, other slaves
who have the same master,is consequence of the inferiority complex
we have been conditioned into. We're afraid that in the process the
Chinese will wick us, or the white folks who suppore socialism and
liberation of all the Amerikan colonies really juse wan to use us,erick
us. *We can'e ruse them, they ll rick us Well if we're wricks we can
expect o gee tricked and we should rightly be afraid. This paranoia is
carry-over from the days when a white face in a black crowd meant that
the white brain was controlling things. It s a cary-over from the days
when some of us fele that nothing could function properly without
the presence of a white brain, when we were sufficiently convinced
of our own inferiority to allow them to take us over. Now as things
seand in the new light of different days, with our revolution in the
doldrums, our seruggles counterpoised by vicious political kills and
avalanches of propagands, terror, and tokenism, we must overcome
the paranoia. It is based on lack of confidence in our abiliy to control
situations. Yet no one can take us over or betray our interests if we are
vigilane and aggressively incelligent. We must accep the spirit of the
eruc internationalism called for by Comrade Che Guevara. I is not
4 matter of erusting anyone, though I personally find thae I can sill
eruse certain general types of people since I am of that people. [ am
also assured of my ability o detcct in advance any aravistic changes
that portend betrayal. It isn't jus a mateer of trusting the goodwill
of other slaves and other colonies and other peoples, it is simply a
matter of common need. We need allies, we have & powerful enemy
who cannot be defeated without an allied effore! The enemy at present
is the capitalis syseem and ies supporters. Our prime interest is to
destroy them. Anyone else with this same incerest must be embraced.
we must work with, beside, through, over, under anyone, regardless of
their external physical featuses, whose aim is the same as ours i this
Capicalism muse be destroyed, and afer it s destroyed, if we find that
we still have problems, we'll work them out. That, the nature of lfe,
seruggle, permanen revolutions that s the situation we were born into.
There are other peoples on this carth. In denying their existence and
turning inward in our misery and accepring any form of racism we are
taking on the characteristic of our enemy. We are resigning ourselves

PARTTWO n
to defear. For in forming & conspiracy aimed ac the destruction of
the system that holds us all in the throes of a desperate insecurity we
must have coordinating elemenes connecting us and our moves to the
moves of the other colonies, the African colonies, those in Asia and
Latin Amerika, in Appalachia and the southwestern bean filds. Ifit is
more expedient for 2 white revolutionary to neutralize 1 cereain arca,
should I deny him the opporcunity to contribute by withholding the
proteetive influence of my cooperation?! If 1 did it would make me a
fool and a myopic coward — a eick.

The revolutionary of Vietnam, this brother is s0 tied, so tested, s0
clearly antifascist, anti-Amerikan, that | must be suspicious of the
sincerity of any black who claims anti-Amerikanism and antifascism
but who cannot embrace the Cong. The Chinese have aided every
anti-colonial movement that has oceurred since they were successful
in their own, particularly the ones in Affica. They have offered us
in the Amerikan colonies any and all suppore that we require, from
hand grenades to H-bombs. Some of us would deny these wonderful
and righteous people. 1 accep their assistance in my seruggle with
our mutual enemy: | accepe and appreciate any love that we can build
out of our rlation in crisis. Il never, never allow my enemy to turn
my mind or hand against them. The Yankee dog that proposes to me
that I should join him in containing the freedom of a Vietnamese or 3
Chinese brother of the revolution is going to get spac on. I don't care
how much he has to offer in the way of short-term material bencits
We muse esublish 2 true internationalism with other anticolonial
peoples. Then we will be on the road of the erue revolutionary. Only
then can we expect to be able to seize the power that s rightfully oues,
the power to control the circumstances of our day-to-day lives.

The fascist muse expand to live. Consequently he has pushed his
frontiers to the farhest lands and peoples. This is an aspet of his
being. an ungovernable compulsion. This perverted mechanical
monster suffers from a discase that forces him to build ugly things and
destroy beauey wherever he finds it 1 just read in a legal newspaper that
50 percen of all the people ever executed in this country by the state
were black and 100 percent were lower-class poor. I'm going to bust
my heart trying o stop these smug, degenerate, primitive, omivorous,
uncivil . and anyone who would aid me, T embrace you. We of the
black Amerikan colony muse finally take courage, conerol our fear, and
adopt a realstic picture of this world and our place within it. We are

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
not fascist, or Amerikans. We are an oppressed, economically depressed
colonial people. We were brought here, from Africa and other pares of
the world of palm and sun, under duress, and have passed all our days
here under duress. The people who run this country will never let us
succeed to power. Everything in history that was of any value was taken
by force. We muse organize our thoughes, get behind the revolutionary
vanguard, make the correct alliances this time. We must fall on our
enemics, the enemies of ll rightcousness, with a ruthless eleneless will
o win! History sweeps on, we must not let it escape our influence this

Tam an extremist. | callfor extreme measures tosolve extreme problems.
Where face and freedom are concerned I do not use or preseribe half
measures. To me lfe without conerol over the determining factors is
not worth the effore of drawing breach. Withoue self-decermination |
am exeremely displeased.

Inernational capitalism cannot be destroyed without the extremes
of struggle. The entire colonial world is watching the blacks inside
the US., wondering and waiting for us to come to our senses. Their
problems and struggles with the Amerikan monster are much more
difficule than they would be if we actively aided them. We are on the
inside. We are the only ones (besides the very small white minority
lefe) who can get at the monster's heart without subjecting the world to
nuclear fire. We have a momentous hisorical role to act out if we will
The whole world for all ime in the fueure will love us and remember us
asthe righteous people who made it posible for the world to live on. If
we fail through fear and lack of aggressive imagination, then the slaves
of the furure will curse us, as we sometimes curse those of yesterday. |
don't want to dic and leave 2 few sad songs and a hump in the ground
as my only monument. I wan to leave 2 world that i liberated from
trash, pollution, racism, poverty nation-states, nation-state wars and
armies, from pomp, bigotey, parochialism, a thousand different brands
of untruch, and licentious usurious economics.

We muse build the true intenationalism now. Geing to know people
under crisis is the best way to learn them. Crisis situations show up
their weakness and strengh. They outline our humanity in vivid detail
Ifchere is any basis for a blicf in the universaliey of man then we will
find it in this seruggle against the encmy of all mankind.

George

PARTTWO 7
MARCH, 1970 17

DearZ,
Very pleasan surprise for me secing you again. Old friends are rare
Thank you for your concern and convey my furcher thanks to your
mother. 1 know you both surrendered your holiday time to be present.
The people e becomin vy rsponive, ecoursgin 0y che s

You have certainly matured into a fine-looking young woman. I knew
you would, you were a beautiful baby. Return this form and write me a
et (at the same time) and eun it all down: school,politis, futuritics
Twant to know ieal, all chat you don't mind the offcials knowing also,
thatis

Youmay also have a half houe with me here, when you can get one. But
that s all, and that only if you dor mind the civil service siving in.

This is my tench year of this, aceually my ewenty-cighth, bue I was
00 numb to feel the firse cighteen. All for the events of one riotous
day, fifteen minues to be exact. And now they would take all of the
rest you are aware that 4500"" means automatic deach penalty. One
incimation of displeasure and the anti-bodics rush to destroy you. Well
Tam positively displeased and since I am positively destined co remain
so. Return chis form wich all disparch, [ would ke very much to relace

and exchange,
Someone may have to get hure but Power to the Peaple.

George

MARCH, 197027

DearZ,
T've been attempting to establish correspondence with you for several
years now. However, being locked up in close confinement has kepe me
in 2 posicion in which I'vé not been able to ascertain your full address
(Lsill don'e have the Zip Code). Now I have been able to learn which

10 The number of che Californa seacue which makes the death penaley mandaco-
y for any inmate seving alfe sencence who s conviceed of asaulcon 4 nonin

i SOLEDAD BROTHER
one of your parents’ names you use officially. The chaplain here was
kind enough to help me. Did he ealk to you yee2 When he does, thank
him, o he went to some lengehs to help us.

Twas very pleasantly susprised to hear from the chaplain chat you live
5o close to the prison. The only exchange Pve had with incelligent
females or any female outside my family in all hese years is limited to
the brief self.conscious glances of the visiting room. My lawyer i the
firse woman I've talked to since my arrese!t That muse be che record.

Distressing is only a mild way of pucting the events of these lase 106
(106 years). haven'e been able o adjuse. They adjust, they keep telling
me. I keep trying to tell them chis just isn' the kind of thing [ fvor:
T've been picked up and swepe along by events long gone out of control.
Perhaps in the next 106 1l be able, with an assise from wonderful
people like your mother and you, to win enough of the control factor o
get out and make the existence of places like this unnecessary. I do have
plenty of tme. P in my cell 23% hours a day. Lery to employ all of it
(except the three in which I sleep) in something related to antithesis,
but there remain long periods of wasted time in this tweney-three-hour
day, back to bed, one foot stacked lengehwise atop the other, gazing
into the light. It would save my eyes and ease my mind a great deal to
have long, informal, newsy, and perhaps endearing messages reaching
me here, from time to time, from San Jose. If we can reach each other
through all of this, fences, fear, coneree, seeel, barbed wire, guns, then
history will commend us for great victory won. If so — it will be your
generosiey and my good foreune.

George

APRIL, 19703

DearZ,
T have you message here beside me now, it was delivered ten minutes
ago.1do not chink Nkrumah has failed cicher. As for me, I plan to save
all of your correspondence so that when we are old people, and our
enemics are no more, we can secep ourselvesin it again, n an atmosphere
whereall the rlaced parts are in harmony, and we can recall the fearful,
traumaric, and desperate days a the barricade without rancor. Did you
receive the message | sen you lase Thursday? Lee me know; we'll be
forced to confiem each of our leters, you know. Did you mail this one

PARTTWO s
that I have now Thursday April 2 or March 272 If the former, i took
only one day to reach me. I cannot read the postmark. I too faint

1 dug the poem. I suspect that we ae of indred spiris, soldier: my
mother and sisters say s, though they never really understood me. But
Tl forgive chem, they will earn better. We will have much to discuss
in the days ahead, if what | suspect is true; history sweeps on apace and
we mustne let it escape our influence this time. | have messages from
Narodnik and Nihilise, they are man and woman, coefficients in the
production of ... one cannot exist without the other, Narodnik excites
4 defense reflex within the beast; the bease encircles, infilerates, and
will deseroy Narodnik. Wichout Nihilist to enforce and protect, pure
nonviolence is a flse ideal, a coneradiction.

Send me some photographs of you and your famly. I liked the card
Tha is the sore of thing I need to take me out of his cell on oceasion
and remind me that the world could be beautiful. You take care of
yourself, I need you: you have my sincere regard, soldicr.

George

APRIL, 1970 11

DearZ,
1 received your lster lace this afternoon. I've picked it up twenty-five
times since then, reading things into it, holding it to my nose, fxing
myselfon the piceure [ have of you in my mind.

Tam very pleased to have someone so warm, and 5o soft, and so lovely
come into my miscrable life; I haven't met any selfles, incelligent
(mentally liberated), and aggressive women before now, before you. I
knew that you existed bue I had never had the pleasure. T am uncasy
thinking that you may be actracted to the tragedy of me. I hope nor,
because my response to you s perfectly personal,your eyes, your voice,
your walk, hands, mouth. It just occurted to me that I've never noticed
any of these things in Frances or Penny or Delora. 1 like you a loe, Bu
Tamin such & husry!

My life is so disrupted, so precarious, my inclinations so oriented to
seruggle that anyone who would love me would have to be bold indeed
— or out of their head. But if you're saying what think you are saing,
Ulike ie. (IF 1 have flatcered myself please try to understand.) like the

k3 SOLEDAD BROTHER
way you say it also; over the nexe few months we'll iscuss the relazed
problems. By the time I've solved these minor ones that temporarily
limit my movements, we'll hav also sectled whether o not it is selfish
for us o seck graification by reaching and touching and holding: does
the building of a bed precede the love ac iself? Or can we "do i n the
road” untilthe people’s rmy has sacisfied o tericory problem? That
isimportant to me, whether or not you are willing to “doit i the road.”
Youdig, I'm more identifiable with Erneseo than with Fidel. When chis
is over L immediacely go under,

T wane to sec you! | understand the problems involved, money and
eransportation, but use your imaginacion, soldier. Are you gerting your
social security: That should hold you until you find work. 1 hate to
appear selfish, but you have destroyed my peace here. | have a lot to
ell you and some questions. Il love you el the wings fly off atleast,
perhaps beyond. My love could buen you, however,it runs hot and I
have nearly half a millennium stored up. Mine is 2 perfect love, soft to
the touch bue so hor, hard, and dense a itscenter that s weighe will
soon offset this plane

George

APRIL, 1970 16

DearZ,

Did you receive my love letter? [ wrote it on the eleventh or ewelfeh,
Jon likes you and your mother, but he does indeed like you. I wish very
much that [ could have been around him when he was growing up. He
had a hard time idencifying himself. He was forced to beat on some
of the blacks because of the big green eyes (used to be bluet) and gold
hair. He had to beat on the whites because he was a nigger. They used
o write me about i, the others, but everyone in that house in Pasadena
is s0 hare-brained. Well, he had to work out his problems on his own.
Thac e curned out to be a beautiful black man-child s escimony of his
own dogged strengeh. Tlove him more dearly than 1 love myself.

T've been thinking of you. Wite me; 1 know how hard you are working
and understand the limitations regarding time, but when you get 3
moment, between rounds, remember chat | wane to hear from you
Send the photogeaphs I asked for too

Power to the People. Love —
George

PARTTWO 7
APRIL, 1970 18

DearZ,
T have your message of April 16 in here with me now. Arms, holds,
and understanding — me and you. Your mother must be a wonderful
person, or perhaps it was the revolution, or maybe some guy, whatever.
This guy thanks the forces that be for forming you so that you favor

Communion can never be selfsh. they are opposing terms, diametrical
opposites, one the antichesis of the other, communion across the
cultures, the nations, the plants, the universe — that's the name of
our thing

The question that 1 posed, as I think about it, was a ghose from
the really dark days, when all of my smiles were merely geseures to
put people at their ease. I was motivated then by disguse alone and
anyehing that distracted me from 2 work-filled ewenty-one-hour day
was considered a hindrance, an obstacle, or an object of selfinterest.
thought of individual relacionship s a light from the existential reality
ofindividual responsibility to the whole, to the people. I considered it
selfish to look for some individual to touch and hold and understand.,
because all of my time belonged to all of the people. That the decp.
burning incessant thing centcred in my gurs was hatred alone, that
people who (especially in the joine) looked for another individual to
relate to, instead of the people’s struggle — full time, was lonely, was
weak. But Ive gone though some changes since then, I saw and read
about Angie Davis and some other females of our kind, and I realized
that perhaps it was possible that this country has produced some
females like those of Cuba or Vietnam.

When you reentered my lieele cloiseer last year T was more than ready
for such an encounter. The look of love from a rebel breed — I like it
T'mweak.

George

APRIL, 197027

DearZ,
This i just a “chinking of you" note, because I was thinking of you
It oceurred to me how keen you were ten years ago when | was out,

7 SOLEDAD BROTHER
and we were both eighteen. I've envied you that intelligence over these
years. Had I been fortunate enough to have had someone to relate to
my need in that area, perhaps things would have been different. Bue far
from me to complain. I probably would' have listened anyway.

Do compare yourself to me in such things as slecp and endurance
1 don'e sleep any more than I do because I can'e really. T juse don't
like the idea of Iying around unconscious for hours and then too my
metabolism is pitched so high thae I actually need activity to feel well
1 do know what you meant about beauty, the pleasane features that
remain to us in this lfes | haven' seen many personally, but I know
they exise, otherwise you wouldn' exise, E. your mother and the will
o resist and win could' exist — evil can never take full control. But
for me you are my first beautiful, really beauiful experience, honestly
youare

‘And you'll juse have to relen — on the issue of photographs. Give F
some of the family, kids and all. Lknow where you'e at, and I digi, but
consider where I'm ac

Hove that guy T. Are there many like him and M. You know about M.
Well, he was one out of a thousand (it took grear courage). Are the
atios that bad exerywhere? 'm sure you know what I want here. With
people like these around, my job won'e be half as hard as T've always
anticipated. Tmuse be about my work, comade., and no more reference
to my ability to accep love. Perhaps my sensibilities are somewhat
dulled bu not ike that. Il never fil you — it juse won'e happen.

Sincerely in Love and Revolution,
George

MAY, 19702

DearZ,
Time scems to be passing much faster these lase fes months. Wonder
where its running to, what's building? Will I be able to control the
outcome of whatever

This i for cereain, it going to get worse. Things will become much
more difficule before anyehing good can come of this. People like
Nixon and the veneriloquists that make him speak hold forch by
defaule. The good element has not contested them vigorously: for the

PARTTWO £
very same natural reason that allows flotsam to rise o the surface these
people have come by the means and power to cause great discord and
suffering. *They met litle resiscance on cheir way up” “Good people
don't like to cut throats This unnatural arrangement that allows the
sediment to remain on the top while the cream reses on the bottom can
be righted in one way only. The VC have he idea. They underseand a
trial of combat, a ordeal by fir. You simply can reason with people
like chem, they have too much to lose by being reasonable. They make
my head ache; I must get off the subject.

Your “Litele Soulful Tune” did make me smile. | must confess that you
have stareled me on occasion, the kinship, your sensitviey, almost like
we'e lived all o it before. You know me t00 well. I suspect you've been
pecping with those big delightfully sad eyes into my sad soul. Beautiful
sister, desirable woman, quintessence of revolutionary woman, ne plus
ulera of e new rebel breed, if | didiit take you into my heare, and if
didn’e find myselfloving you, and if this love wasn' as easy and natural
as breathing, there would be something very wrong with me. Things
have fallen apare, haven' they; that realization must come to all f us,
it s a prerequisite to remedy. Send it to me a picce at a time in your
leetes,ies best chat way. Tae care of yoursel, chis cae needs you.

Love,
George

MAY, 19708

Dear Joan,"

Youmay never read thisleteer — my coreespondence i being limited at
present to those approved prior to my most recent troubles. However,
thislimiting policy is not legal, nor has it been clearly sated. Soif his
message reaches you be informed that [ have also sent with ie a request
to have you placed permanently on my visiting and mailing lise. I is
a formality that the state requires we go through in order to further
assure its complete control over our lives here. But I don'e mind. Ever
since the carliest days of my youth, you should recall, my foremost wish
was to have a big brother.

These people are on my trail this time. Mama probably discussed with
11 A member ofthe Soledad Defense Commirce.

50 SOLEDAD BROTHER
you the other incidents that occurred while T was in San Quentin.
What do you think? Iery to be 2 good boy and help other boys to be
good. and this sore of thing is my reward. I gee accused of everyehing
that cannot be positively established elsewhere, but | musen't complain
to0 much, ic st allowed.

Tknow you have to work preety hard and consequently havert much
time to yourself, but if you have any ac all could use ie. You did such
& wondeful job with your own children, I'm thinking that you could
probably help my mama'schildzen. Me in particular. Bue more seriously.
old friend, Mama told me of your concern, thanks. We have plenty of
supportin this, your youngest daughter as you probably know came to
a couple of the appearances. I ried to contact her or establish her as 3
regular correspondent but we got lost in a confusion of red tape. She is
alovely young woman. Give my regards.

When were you last in Chicago? [ have heard that the place we stayed
in and allthe surrounding neighborhood has been completely rebuilt,
city-owned projects. They should have done that ffey years ago. I seill
dream about chat place sometimes. Big Brother chasing me in slow
motion down alleys, over the roofs, busting their windows with my
dingshor.

Send me lots of brightly colored posteards and some pictures of the
Family. And if you get a few minutes you can tell me of your impressions
ofthisferce world. O, if that girl s seillat home, I wane you to ey and
fateen her up — jusea luee

George

1970

Angela,”

T am cereain that they plan to hold me incommunicado. All of my
letters except for a few to my immediace family have come back to
me with silly comments on my choice of terms. The incoming mail
is also sent back o the outside sender. The mail which I do recive is
sometimes one or ewo weeks old. So, my sweet sister, when I reach you,
e will be in this manner.

12 Angela Y. Davis:

PARTTWO 51
T'm going to write on both sides of this paper, and when I make
a mistake [l just scratch over it and continue on. That is my style,
compleeely informal. Was that your sster with you in coure? I o, she
favored you. Both very beauriful people. You should have introduced

They are going o ke yourjob, I know they are — anyehingelse would
be expecting too much. They can', however, stop you from teaching in
public institutions, an they?

They hate us, dor'ethey? T like it that way,that s the way it supposed
o be. If they didn't hate me I would be doing something very wrong,
and then I would have to hate myself. 1 prefer it this way. I gee el hate
notes in the folds of my newspaper almost every day now. You know,
the racist stuff, the traditional “Dear nigger” seuff, and how dead [ am
going o be one day. They think they're mad at me now, but it nothing
compared to how ie will be when I really gee mad mysel.

Pigsare punks, Angela. We've made a errible mistake in overestimating
these people. It reflects on us badly that we have allowed them to do
the things they have done to us. Since they are idiots, what does that
make us. 1 juse read Bobby Seale’s account of that scene in Chicago
(Ramparts, June ‘70). It starced in San Francisco with that *fighe to
evade charge. One of the pigs commented tha “this was so casy” But
it shouldn't have been. Brothers like that are the best of us. It shouldn't
have gone down like thae. We should never make it casy for them —

by relaxing — at this stage of the educational process. Examples are
erucially important. Well thar’sthe name of the game right now.

1 have ideas, ten years' worth of them, T4d like all those brothers on
Fiftieth Sereet o be aware of them. Tell Fay Stender to give you a
copy of my thoughts on Huey Newton and policics. ... At the end
of these writings, tiled “Letter to Huey Neweon? there should be a
note on revolutionary culture and the form it should take in the black
Amerikan colonies. That was the best section. Wihout that section
the power would be lost. Fay and I don't agree altogether on political
methods. Bue that is only because we are viewing things from very
differen levels of slavery. Mine is an abject slavery.

I think of you all the time. I've been thinking about women a lot
lately. s there anything sentimenal or otherwise wrong with that?
There couldn be. I¢s never bothered me too much before, the sex
thing. T would do my exercises and the hundreds of kaeas, stay busy

2 SOLEDAD BROTHER
with something ... chis ten years eeally has gone preeey quickly. It has
destroyed me a5 2 person, a human being that is, but it was sudden, it
was asudden death, it seems like ten days rather than ten years

Would you like to know a subluman. 1 cercainly hope you have time.
T'm not a very nice person. Il confess out fron, I've been forced to
adopt asetof responses, reflexes, artitudes that have made me more kin
o the cat chan anything ele, the big black one. For all of that [ am not
a selfsh person. T don't think so anyway, but I do have myself in mind
when I alk about us relating. You would be the generous one, I the
recipient of that generosiy:

They're killing niggers again down the ticr,allday,every day: They are
killing niggers and *them protesters” with small workings of mouth. One
ofthem told apig today that he was going o be awful disappointed with
the pig if the pig didn’ shoot some niggers or protesters this evening
when he got off work. The pig found it very amusing. They went off
ona twenty minute political discussion, pig and his conviet supporter
There is something very primitive sbout these people. Something very
feacful. In all the time 've been down here on Maximum Row, no
brother has ever spoken to one of these people. We never speak sbout
them, you know, across the cells Every brother down here is under the
influence of the party line, and racist terms like “monky” have never
been uetered. All of hese are beautiful brothers, ones who have seepped
across the line inco the position from which there can be no retreat.
Al are fully committed. They are the most desperate and daundless of
our kind. T love them. They are men and hey do not fight with their
mouths. They've brought them here from prisons all over the state
to be warchoused or murdered. Whichever is more expedient. That
Brother Eduards who was murdered in that week in January told his
lawyer that he would never get out of prison alive. He was a the time of
that statement on Maximum Row, Death Row, Soledad, California. He
was twenty-one years old. We have made it point to never exchange
words with these people. But they never relent. Angela, there are some
people who will never learn new response. They will carry what they
incorporated into their characters at early youth to the geave. Some
can never be educated. As an historian you know how long and how
fervently we've appealed to these people to take some of the murder
out of their syscem, their cconomics, their propaganda. And as an
inelligent observer you mustsee how our appeals were received. We've
wasted many generations and oceans of blood trying to civilize these

PARTTWO 5
elements over here. It cannot be done in the manner we have attempred
it in the pase. Dialecties, understanding, love, passive resistance, they
wont work on an activistic, maniacal, gory pig. s going to grow much
worse for the black male than it alrcady is, much, much worse. We
are going to have to be the vanguard, the cacalyse, in any meaningful
When generalizing about black women I could never include you in
any of it that is not complimentary. But my mother at one time tried
to make a coward of me, she did the same with Jon. She is changing
fast under crisis sivuation and apocalyptic circumstance. John and
Fleetss mothers did the same to them, or | should say tried. And so
did every brother's mother ve ever drawn out. L am reasonably cereain
that I can draw from every black male in his country some comments
o substantiate that his mother, the black female, attempted to aid his
survival by discouraging his violence or by turning e inward. The blacks
ofslave socicty, US.A. have always been a matriarchal sub-society. The
implication i clear, black mama is going to have to put a sword in that
brother's hand and stop thae "be a good boy” shit. Channel his spirit
instead of break it, or to break it I should say. Do you understand? Al
of the sisters I've ever known personally and through other brochers’
accounts begged and bullied us to look for jobs instead of being
satisfied with the candy.stick take. The strongest impetus a man will
ever have, in an individual sense, will come from a woman he admires.

When *Soul” did thac fearure on you, I discussed you with some the
comrades. One of them asked me what my response would be if it
were my job to guard yous body (for the parey) from the attack of ten
armed pigs. | cold them my response would be to charge. There would
be eleven people hurting but you would't be one of them. Everyone
agreed it was the correct response

s an individual, Tam grateful for you. As the black male, 1 hope that
since your inclination is to teach you will give serious consideration
o redeeming this very next generation of black males, by reaching for
today’ black female. T am not too cereain about my generation. There
are a few, and with these few we will keep something. But we have
alcogether oo many pimps and punks, and black capiealises (who want
a picce of the putrescent pie). There’s no way to predict. Sometimes
people change fase. I've seen it happen to brothers overnight. But then
they have tolearn a whole new setof responses and atack reflexes which
can’tbe learned overnight. So caesike me who have no tomorrows have

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
o provide examples. 1 have an ideal regarding tomorzow, bue I live an
hour at atime, ight in the present, looking right over my nose for the
trouble I know is coming.

There is so much chat could be done, sight now. .. But I won't alk
about those things right here. 1 will say that it should never be easy
for them to destroy us. If you start with Malcolm X and coun all of
the brothers who have died or been capeured since, you willfind that
not even one of them was really prepared for a fight. No imagination
o fighing seyle was evident in any one of the incidents. Bu cach one
that died professed to know the nature of our enemies. It should never
be 50 easy for them. Do you understand what I'm saying? Edward V.
Hanrahan, llinois Stae Attorney General, sent fifteen pigs o raid the
Panther headquarcers and murder Hampton and Clark. Do you have
any idea what would have happened to those fificen pigs if they had
run inco as many Viet Cong as there were Panthers i chat building,

The VC are all liele people with less general education than we have.

‘The argument that they have been doing i longer has no validiey at
all, because chey were doing it juse as well when they started as chey
are now. It very contradictory for & man to teach about the murder in
corporate capiealism, to isolate and expose the murderers behind it, to
inseruct chat these madmen are completely without stops, ae licentious,
totally depraved — and then not make adequate preparations to defend
himself from the madman'saceack. Either they don'ereally believe their
own spicl or they harbor some sore of subconscious death wish. None
of this should have happened as i did. I don' know if we'll learn in
time or not. T am not well here. I precend that al is well for the benefit
of my family’s peace of mind. But 'm going o cry to you, so you can let
the people on Fifticch Street know not to et this happen to them, and
that they muse resise that cat with all of their strengeh when he seares
that jail k.

When the menu reads seeak we get a pcce of rotten stcer (1 hope) the
size of a quarter. When i reads cake we get something like cornbread
Those are the best things served. When two guys fight, the darker
guy will gee shot. To supplement cheir incomes the pigs will bring
anyehing inco the prison and sell i to the conviet who smuggles money
in from his visits. Now black people don' visi their kin in the joint
musch and those that do can’ afford to give up any money. So we have
less of everything that could make life more comfortable — and safe
(weapons are brought in too). Pigs ae fascise right out frone, the white

PARTTWO s
prisoner who is conwise joins the Hitler parey sight here in the join.
He doesn't have to worry about the rules, he seays high. When he
decides to atack us, he has the best of weapons (seldom will pig give
a.con a gun, though. It has happened, however,in San Quentin thrce
times to my knowledge. But they will provide cutlery and zip guns).
The old convice code died years ago. These cons work right with the
police against us. The only reason that [am seil live is because I take
everything to the extreme, and they know it. I never et any of them get
wichin armis reach, and eheir hands must be in fll view. When on the
yard T would seay close to something to get under. Nothing, absolucely
nothing comes as a surprise to me. There is much to be said about these
places but must e this go right now or I won'e be able to post e until
tomorrow. In the event that you missed it, (my writing is terrible, |
know) T think a great deal of you. This is one slave that knows how to
love. It comes natural and runs deep. Accepting it will never hure you.
Free, open, honest love,that's me.

Should you run into Yvonne'" eell hee that Iove her also and equally
Tell her that I want o see her, up close. Tll her I'm not possessve cat,
never demanding, always cool, never get upset unel my (our) face and
frcedom get involved. But make her understand that [ want to hold her
(chains and all) and run my congue in that litele gap beeween her two
frone teeth. (Tha should make her smile.)

Power to the People!
George

MAY, 197021

Dear Angela,
Ithink about you all of the time. 1 like thinking about you, i gives me
oceasion for some of the firse few really deeply fele car-to-car grins
And I've had to inerease the number of my daily push-ups by half. That
will make me seronger. The contact has been good for me in a hundred
ways. But then my thoughes recurn to your encmics. They are mine too,
of course, but thinking of them as your enemies calls up the monster
in me, the dark, cerible things that I keep hidden in che pit, fanged,
clawed, armored — they are more awful by far when you become
involved. P've been finding and developing these things for many years

13 Yvonneis Angela Daviss middle name.

5 SOLEDAD BROTHER
now: As soon as you solate, identify, and number your enemies Il set
these things loose on them. And you won'e be disappointed this time,
T promise, sweet sster. This time nothing will be held back ... Your
enemics will be made humbler and wiser men

Jon is a young brother and he is just a litdle withdrawn, bue he is
ineelligent and loyal. .. He is at that dangerous age where confusion
sets in and sends brothers cither to the underaker or to prison. He is
alitele better off than I was and than mose brochers his age. He learns
fast and can distinguish the real from the apparent, provided someone
takes the time to present it. Tell the brothers never to mention his
green eyes and skin tone. Heis very sensitive about it and he will eicher
fight or withdraw. Do you understand? You know that some of us
don't bother to be righteous with each ocher. He has had a great deal of
erouble these lase few years behind hatissue. It sn'e sight. H s aloyal
and beautiful black man-child. love him.

This shit is searting o thicken. Six in Georgia, two in Jackson, hard
hats, counterdemonstrations, much like Germany in the thirties. That
thing in Georgia and the one in Jackson were like turkey shoots. We
dic altogether too easy. Each one of those brothers has fathers, blood
brothers, siseees, and mamas. Bue i’s safe to assume that no posiive
response will be made, no eye-for-eye reprisal. Something very wrong
has swepe over us. We've grown so accustomed to seeing murder done
to us that no one takes it seriously anymore. We've grown numb,
immune to the pain. Charles Evers and the entire world knows who
killed Medgar Evers,the murderer issill walking the sreees,

Perhaps I shouldae even recognize people like Whitney Young except
as enemies, but the shit chat they sling around does fall on some of us
and consequenely muse be counterpoised. He has now gone on record
asthinking that we “should arm ourselves, bue seictly for defense only”
But chen he goes on to contradice himself by commenting that if we
used arms it would be like suicide. His words: “a beer can against 3
tank.” Well, how does one defend himself from an actacker without at

some point launching a counterattack — especially when guns are the
choice of weaponsL.

There is an element of cowardice, great ignorance, and perhaps even
ereachery in blacks of his general eype. And I agree with Eldridge and
Malcolm, we are not proteeting unity when we refeain from attacking
them. Actually e the reverse that' erue. We can never have unity aslong

PARTTWO &
as we have these idiots among us o confuse and frigheen the people.Ies
not possible for anyone to seillthink that Western mechanized warfare
is absolute, not after the experiences of the third world since World
War IL The French had tanks in Algeria, the U. 5. had them in Cuba.
Everything, I mean every trick and gadgee in the manual of Western
arms, has been thrown at the VC and they have thrown them back,
ewisted and ruined; and they have written books and pamphiees elling
us how we could do the same. It obvious that fighting ultimately
depends upon men, not gadgets. So I must conclude that those who
seand between us and the pigs, who protect the marketplace, are cither
cowards or traicors. Probably both.

One way of indirectly deteeting the traitor is o draw him out regarding
our enemies’ enemies. Young and all the other of those running dogs
aetack the white lefe. Young ateacked the Chicago Seven and the other
whites of the lefe who want to help us destroy fascism. So did LeRoi
Jones on national TV in the company of Anthony Imperiale, white
acist KKKer, and 2 lot of high police officials. So what's happening
with & guy who says he is for us but not against the government? Or
one who says he's for us and againse all whites — except the ones who
may kick his ass? There is a great deal of coardice and ereachery
and confusion here. The black bourgeoisie (pscudo-bourgeoisic), the
right reverends, the militant opporeunists, have lefe us in a quandary,
rendered us impotent. How ridiculous we must seem to the rest of
the black world when we beg the government to investigate their
own protective agencies. Aren't the wild hip-shooting pigs loose
among us to protect the property rights of the people who formed the
governmene? I've been sitting in here ten years watching that kind of
shit go down. I¢s always the same blacks. | am sure that ics incentional

They're not with us, you understand. Experience, tial and error, would
have changed them if they were. Who is the black working for, who
does he love when he screams *Honky”? He would throw us into a fight
where we would be outnumbered 1 to 14 (counting the blacks who
would fight with/for the other side in a race war. War on the honky.
s just another mystifcation, if not an outsight move by the fascise.
don't know I don't pretend to clirvoyance, T can' read all thoughts,
and I do know some whites that [ wouldnt count as enemies, bue if all
whites were my enemies would it make sense for me to fight chem all
at the same time? The blanket indicement of the white race has done
nothing bue perplex s, inhibit us. The theory that all whites are the
immediate enemy and all blacks our brothers (making them loyal) is

58 SOLEDAD BROTHER
silly and indicarive of a lazy mind (to be generous, since it could be
a fascist plor). It doesn't explain the black pig; there were six on the
Hampeon-Clark kill It doesn’ explain the black paratroopers (just
more pig) who put down the great Detroit riot, and it doesn'e explain
the peudo-bourgeois who can be found almost everywhere in the halls
of government working for whice supremacy, fascism, and capitalism.
Ieleaves the average brother confused. In Detroie they juse didnt know
what to do when they encountered the black paratroopers. They were
5o stunned when they saw those black fools shooting at them that they
probably never will listen to another black voice regardless of what s
saying

Il were at large and wanted to help revolutionize the black community
5o thatin as short a time as posible it would be made ready to take up
the vanguard in an antiestablishment war, L would sare like this: 1. Lay
my hands on some money any way I could. 2. Quietly, without even a
hine of policical lavoring, I would have my fronts open as many skeet,

trap, rifle, and piseol ranges as | could rent space for in and around the
black community. | would operate these places at cose and advertise
3. Next door to these places (figurative) 1 would quietly, without
political flavoring, open schools that deal with the close-order combat
ares, ostensibly 25 a community project to keep the children off the
sereets. The real intent, of cours, i to instill the “attack s defense”
idea that we lost somewhere along the linc. 4. Apare from the two
business ventures just mentioned, I would provide myself with princing
o copying machines, and make the salient points of urban guerrilla
warfare, antitank warfare, and revolutionary culeure as easy to get, as
close to hand, as a glass of warer:

Now that juse-mentioned activity would be aside from the hard and
seriously needed revolutionary work discussed early this morning, and
the stuff you will find in the writings I mentioned in my lase leter.

“One doesn'e wait for all conditions to be right o start the revolution,
the forces of the revolution itself will make the conditions righ” Che
said something lke this. Wiite me and let me have it seraighe.

Power to the People
Tlove you, liele ssee.

George

PARTTWO s
MAY, 1970 22

Dear Joan,
They approved us for both correspondence and visies. Something really
‘bad muse be about to come down on me. This i the frse ime in 2 long
train of effores that | aceually received my issue. I¢s good, and I want
0 hear from you whenever you get time. Did you get that thing from
John Thone?

When I'm not working on my defense I like to be doing something
like chis. Ideals and ideas grow and become more definice when one
actemprs to explain them to others who will ry to understand. You
know that my family has never understood me very well before, they
are trying o now, but for years I had no line at all, to the ouside
prison. e was almost like being held incommunicado. Incommunicado,
s almost destroyed me.

So T thank you, madam. None of us could have made i this far without
folks like yourself. We would be hunting each other over the ruins.

Will you tell me all that you have experienced in these years of our
separation? le will help me o answer some of the questions my mind
has posed to iselfrecently. Everything, events and how they impressed
you. We don'e have to worry about the censor and my record, they
already are informed that | am dirty, real direy red, and they have
already made theie plans to stone me. I will stop them of course, but at
thislevel of the fighe there is almose nothing for you to say that would
compromise me any more than I already am.

Then, oo, they can kill me once more only (we catslive nine times, I've
searted on my ninth). And since they scem decermined to take this ase
liele it from me I have nothing to lose. So we can bring it right down
frone. Lwill anyway.

Dialeceical materialism is my bag,Lidentify with anyone who hates just
one fascist. I don't want a picce of the pic, | don'e wane all of it even.
1 ehink ie’s roeen, should be discarded, we should stare all over again.
This new st should be made without individualism (cead isolation).
myseicism (cead religion). with a modification of the language for
the purpose of removing the concept of possession (sead capitalism).
without the hard-hat mentaliey (read William F. Buckley, Playboy.
Ceneral Incelligence Agency).

%0 SOLEDAD BROTHER
The Buckleys, Babbites, the snobs who are thoroughly convinced of
their ability to bluff it chrough, Il have o pull cheir arms off; and
hope that without heir negative influence you will be able to educate
the rest (note that I didn't say reeducate). Power to the People. Love
from your frend,

George

MAY, 197025

Dear Joan,
Thave both of your leteersrigh here. I got them about ten minutes ago.
One was dated by you May 20, che other May 22,

Teis very nice (chs is understating it o see a new hand i here, Joan.
Yours is a beauiful hand, and I am gratified (another underseatement)
that it would bridge the things hat separate us and hold me tenderly

s the best proof that I can ever have, all tha I need, to assure me that
Tam seil alive and have lived well.

Love’s lsbor — I understand these chings, much beeer than most,
always have, bue I never could present it in the proper light before.
Presentation was the problem. People kepe mistaking it for animalicy.
o criminality,and then, lesssensibly seill, un- Amerikan.

With you, whom I have always thought so much in agreemen, I can't
fail ehis time. There is a great deal to be exchanged between us. There
is s0 much that I really need to know, things that will help me do the
theoretical work for treaise in which I intend to prove that if there is
sill basis for a beliefin the brotherhood of man, it muse be discovered
in this seruggle or control of this country’s dircction.

Since Ive been an adule (menally), I've never had the opportunity to
question amature, inelligent, and, most imporeant, objective person of
your particular distinetness (class, race, sex). When I can do so without
compromising cither of us I will pose some very sensitive, exploring
querics.

On these things [ will firse wane the detached, satistical evidence, and
then what you feelto be so. I overload you — well, iesjuse my seyle,
encircle and pull. Tt means simply thac [ think a great deal of you. And
Tam i such 2 hurey

PARTTWO o1
Give John T. the pocketbook edition of A Dying Colonialism,
The Wretched of the Earth, Black Face White Mask, Malcolm's
Autobiogeaphy (¢he other was borrowed) and Malcolm Speaks. Also,
if they can be found in pocketbook form, African Genesis and The
Tersitorial Imperacive by Robere Ardrey. Do you know who Leakey
is,the anchropologise? I need him and Ruch Benedict too. She wrore
among other things Races. She was a very wonderful woman, much like
yourselfin many ways.

‘Youcan and must send photographs of he fmily, yourself and friends.
They took all that T had when they started this stuff i January. Al my
books,everything. We'll Rave to et them on the clippings,if not just
give them to John T. Then, my friend, anyching that you feel thae I
need to know, send it say it by all means. You have in me a recepive,
compleely liberated mind.

Love and Light
George

MAY, 1970 26

Dear Joan,
Thave your message of the twenty-fth already! Things have improved
in this respect. You are quite an expericnce for me also, 3 very new
thing alcogether. I would say fresh — how do you state newness, I can
only underseate it again. Pleasure? To express it Ill confess that with
these three messages — delicate inteusions on my sobricty — you have
redefined all of those care elements. It has been 2 long time since I've
heard anyehing whispered. the banshee drowns such things out — it
has searced to dim.

Youhave s very foreunate boss. P sure he must understand how rarely
those kind of contacts (too cold — how about coneract or covenant,
perhaps bond? yes, a bond), I'm sure he appreciates how uncommon
they are

T've changed my mind, when | need seatisties 'll address myselfo Liz —
don't by shy — the years of our separation mean nothing to me. I remain
as [ was (arms are somewhat longer), and we should have a division of
labor according to character and disposition, some passion — cereainly
in order. Will you excuse me when these letcers appear a el informal,

92 SOLEDAD BROTHER
the scratching in and out? It doesn'e mean that Tam lazy, ics an effect
of my haste. 'm in 2 great race againse time (juseifiable homicide). But
let’s discuss the division of abor. I¢s esential to competent organisms.
We are in step with each other. Heares and heads, nervous equipment,
arms, hands, extensions ofthe hand (sword and pen), passion. [ am sure
that you know they muse all function according o ability in perfect
harmony, the organism can survive in good health and grow without
all of s related pares

There are no principal parts. You conceded that with the ‘all o none.”
Te means thae the small toe is as important to the human organism as
the heare. It muse be chat way: the small toe i essential to balance, and
s loss could precede or let’s say presage the loss of the foor. Without
footing the movements of head and heart become less effcient, the
remainder of the organism could survive without the arm but e should
never be surrendered without making the strongest possible protest,
won't stand for any loss at all. The inseane chat my coe is taken, 1 will
lose my head.

‘We muse move along two linesin concert, inseruction of the unrighteous
and destruction of the unrighteous. Within the structure of these two
(and struceure is an imperative) components there is a situation for
every refinement of charactee — passion i a the heart of inseruction.

Tjuse got acopy of Malcolm x Speaks from Fay so you ean take that off
your lis, bu send (¢hrough John) Malcolms Autobiography. Need it
for my legal work.

Thaven't changed, I seill adore you —
George

MAY, 1970 28

Dear Angela,
Lsineerely hope you understand this situation here with me, the overall
thing I mean, you probably do. I don't want to be bash with you, che
elative levels of our insccurity are too disparate for me to dwell on
felings, the warm, very personal, elemental ching, I can never express
icin this form anyway, bue [ want you to know, and then we can get on
with the work

PARTTWO 9
T have, like most people, & recurring dream. In this dream there is 2
grear deal of abstrace activity. Have you ever scen the pig they have
named — — General Something-or-other — —. I don't know why my
mind locked on him, but pare of this dream is astill shot of my erying
ot a large steel boomerang no his mouth, Ieswitches then to a scene
where me and wo other brothers T.G. and # brother named H.B., are
holding hands to form a large cicle,in the ring, Inside the ring formed
by the three of us is this guy. He's wearing top hat and ails — stars
and stripes — beard and bushy eyebrows. The action pare goes like
this: OId Sam tris to break out of the circle; we stop him; after about
ten tries — we're wearing track shoes — he's agged as an old mop.
head. It gocs on that way, scenes running into cach other, overlapping.
all very pleasing — wish fulfllment? — very gratifying seuff; but the
high poin, che climax — wel,a talllim Afeican woman, irelight, and
the beauriful dance of death. This wonderful woman didn't become
part of my dream untl last year sometime. [ never thoughe this kind of
environment could produce one lke her, but ac the same time I knew
that things never could be good with me without her.

But I promised not to be bash with you. Iés erazy, all women, even
the very phenomenal, want at least a promise of brighter days, bright
tomorrows. 1 have no tomorrows ac all. The worse thing that could
have ever happened to the woman in the dream was leting me touch
her. Pl ell you the whole thingif we can ever find somewhere to relax

Unil then I promise not to bore you. You probably hear these
devorions all day, and with your incentive factors they'se probably all
sincere devotions. Lee me heap mine on you (with these pitiful litle
strokes of the pen) for the last time (unless seized by ungovernable
impulse) with a statement made at the risk of seeming immodest; but
Tam modest and I hope that it i righteous for me to feel that — no
one, and much more meaningful no black, wherever the hurricane has
washed up his broken body: no one acall,can love like .

In our last communication I made a statement about women, and their
partin eevolutionary culture (people’s war). It wasne a clea seatement.
Tmeant to recurn to it bue was diverted. | understand exacly what the
woman's role should be. The very same as the man's. Incelleccually,
there is very lede difference beeween male and female. The differences
we see in bourgeois society are all conditioned and artificil.

T was leading up o the obvious fact thae black women in this country
are far more aggressive than black males. But thisis quaified by the fact

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
that their aggression has, until very recently, been within the system
— thar “get # diploma boy” stuff,or “earn you some money.” Where
it should have been the gun. Development of the ability for serious
fighting and organized violence was surely not encouraged in the black
female, but neither was i discouraged, as e was in the case of the black
male.

Please don'e dismiss this yet. Lee me rush to remind you that we have
already established that bourgeois society has relegated women in
general to a very distinee level of existence, even the slave woman,
T'm not about to say they loved you better. Love docsn’ even enter
this equation, bue socially primitive bourgeois thinking and he sex
mystique does. First, a woman wasn'e considered dangerous. Second,
the most imporeant expericnce in the Amerikan white male’ “coming
ineo manhood” was entering the body of the black female. These two
cireumstances coneributed to the longevity and the marriarchal seacus
ofblack women greaely. Add to al ofthisthe fact that the black mother
wanted to see her son survive in a grim and murderous white male
society and the grotesque misshapen pieces come together.

Twas saying that if the black mother wants her revenge she will have
0 stop teaching her sons to fear death. By defaule she dominates the
black subculeure, and her son must be the caralystin any great changes
that go down in this country. The head and the fist, no one elsc has as
much to gain.

Power to the People
George

MAY, 197029

Dearest Angela,
T'mehinking about you. Pve done nothingelse all day. This photograph
that I have of you is not adequate. Do you recall what Eldridge said
regarding pictures for the cel? Give Frances severl color enlargements
for me. This is the cruclest aspect of the prison experience. You can
never understand how much T hate them for this, no one could, |
haven'tbeen able to gauge it myself

Over this ten years I've never lef my cell in the morning looking for
trouble, never once have I initiated any violence. In each case where

PARTTWO o
it was alleged. it was defense artack response o some aggression,
verbal o physical. Perhaps a psychiaerist, a Western psychiatrist that
is, could make a case againse me for anticipating attacks. But | wasn't
born this way. Perhaps this same psychiatrise would diagnose from
the overreactions that I am not very nice person. But again | refer
you o the face that I was born innocent and truseing, The inseinee to
sarvive and ol s spring from e deslopd n me, i oy

Tam not a very nice person, I confess. | don't believe in such chings
as free speech when it used to rob and defame me. T don'e believe
in merey or forgiveness or restaine. I've gone to greae lengehs to
learn every dirty trick devised and have improvised some new ones of
my own. [ don'e play fair, don't fight fair. As I think of this present
situation, the things that happen all day, the case they've saddled me
with, in retrospection of the aggregate injury — all now deawn against
the background of ehis picture you've given me — no one will profic
from chis,sister. No one will ever again profit from our pain. Thisisthe
lase ereadmill Il un. They ereated this sicuation. All chat flows from
it is their responsibility. They've created in me one, irate, resentful
nigger — and it building — to what climax? The nation's undercakers
have grown wealthy on black examples, bue T wane you to believe in
me, Angela. I'm going to make a very poor example, no one will profit
from my immolacion. When that day comes they'll have to bury ten
thousand of cheir own with full military honors. They Il have earned it

Do you sense how drunk this photograph has made me? You've got it
all, African woman. Im very pleased. if you don'e ask me for my lef
arm, my right eye, both eyes, I'll be very disappointed. You'se the most
powerful stimulus I could have.

From now on when you have books for me to read in preparing my
motions and jury selection questions, send them through John Thorne,
people’s awyer, he is less pressed. And I do wane Lenin, Marx, Mao,
Che, Giap, Uncle Ho, Nkrumah, and any Black Marxises. Mama has
alist. Tell Robert to provide money for them, and always look for the
pocket editions,al ighe My father — you'll have o try to understand
him. He'll be with me in the las days in spte of whatever he says and
thinks now. T've told him thae T love you, and I cold him thac if he
respets me at all and wants me to spare his neck at Armageddon, he
must be kind to you

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
Tgota leter from him this evening wherein he called the pigs by their
very accurate moniker — pigs — he'll be allright. I sce your influence
already: But back to the books. With each load of heavy seuff throw in
a reference book dealing with pure face, figures, starstis, graphs for
my fuscher education. Also books on the personnel and seructure of
today’ political and economic front. I am doing some serious theory
work for you concerning the case, dedicated to Huey and Angela. IF
you understand whae [ wane, lee me know. Sister, it been lke being
held incommunicado these lase ten years. No one understood what [
was ateempring to do and to say. We belong among the rightcous of
the world. We are the most powerful. We are in the best position to
do the people’s work. To win will involve eaking a chance, crawling on
the belly, naming, numbering, infiltraing, giving up meaningless small
comfores, readjusting some values. My lfe means absolutely nothing
without positive control over the factors that determine ies qualiey. If
you underseand, rush to send all that ve asked for A load should come
but Ineed it now ... and time

in each day. I've read ieall once anyw:
has become very importan. | wane you o believe in me. I love you
like a man, like a brother, and like a father. Every time I've opened my
mouth, assumed by batel stance, [ was erying in effect to say love you,
Affican — Afiican woman. My protest has been a small one, something
much more effective is hidden in my mind — believe in me Angels
This is one nigger who' got some sense and is not afraid to use ie. I
my enemies, your enemics, prove stronger, at least | wan them to know
that they made one rightcous African man extremely angry. And that
they've serained the patience of a righteous and loving people o the

T've seopped several times in this writing to exercise, to eat, and it has
grown late. T wane to gt this off onighe. [ must know as soon as you get
this and the others. Are you sure about your mail? I can imagine that
the CIA is reading all your mail before you get it and deciding what
you should and should't have. Big Brother. He is ather ransparent. |
have his number. [ know he's punk. he can't scop me

Should we make a lovers’ vow? Ies slly, with all my tomorrows
accounted for, but you can humor me.

Power to the People!
George

PARTTWO o7
MAY, 1970 30

Dear Joan,
Ieis carly Saturday morning as [ write this, I'm using che night light in
frone of my cell. This is a rare night, a departure from the ordinary, it
quiet.

It oceurs to me tha you are probably asleep. But then you may not
be, my family was in the area oday and I know how disruprive that
expericnce can be. [ just it my seventy-fieh cigareeee of this day.Ie will
e my last — uneil afeer breakfase.

Twas, before [started this letter chinking of all the wonderful women
in my lfe, and decided that you should hear from me. I'm doing as I've
always done, wish for five, expece three, and gee nothing,

T'm a liedle fac perhaps, bue I don'e know how I manage that, I eat
nothing (for fear of poison). I seldom sleep, and do at lease five full
hours of marial-type exercises (with pleny of smoke breaks).

At the same time we discover and reach for cach other, this opposite
factor, within sometimes (just beneath conscious level — lee's hope).
is working againse us. But love i the stronger force — if we just et it
hang out unbridled — if it soft and warm, hug it hard, look for the
common features, £ — — individualism.

From Dachau with Love,
George

JUNE, 19702

Dearest Angela (firse among the equals),

This is the fourth attempe to reach you. The others were on paper
like this. They all sid, *T love you, African Woman. lietl else. T will
continue to try to reach you in this existence that follows. They can't
control this. Once we have some lines established, Il set down some
of my thoughts, but we must hury. So lee me know through someone
when I have reached you. The dates will tell you which letters have
goteen through or at lease they will el me. T sent a list of seuff chat I
needed in that line. If you don'eget i, use Georgia's lise excepting the
Fanon and Ardrey, which I have coming from another quarter. Need
reference books t00 on everything. 've asked my father to provide

% SOLEDAD BROTHER
you with the money for this seuff. He will cooperate with you. But
remember we wane the pocket editions of everything. These pigs like
o steal — if lose something it best if it only something small.

You haven't much time for writing: This is understandable, but always
confirm any lecters you receive. I worry, and for good reason. There is
a greae deal of bullshit between us, conerete and stcel,fear and barbed

Tewill not be that way for long. The pigis dying breed, he is inding it
hard co bluff people these days. If you really need me, I'll rush to your
side — right now, through steel, concrete, all that sore of seuff. They
are iner, dead, lacking will and incelligence.

Our enemies from the pig right on up to the Who's Who level are
idiots. Why do we tolerate them? They're not even really bad, because
they have the strength which originates in the mind. We've been too
merciful, too forgiving, too understanding, bue those days are gone

T've heard the term nigger 350 times today. Just a word — but I don't
understand. All of the cons who use it are letle, young, punk types.
At lease three are outsight homosexuals. They're afraid and ies fear
thar's impelling them. they know that they're so far gone that they have
nothing else to lose. They've talked away their lives already

Iguess ies the same way with the pig and the men who make pigs. They
Know they've gone too fa, hae forgiveness is impossible. They cannot
be reasonable now, because of yesterday’s excesses. It pretey clear, sn'e
it, what is coming, | accepe i, it beautiful. Tomorrow:

ke the way you do things, ke everything sbout you

Love you,
George

JUNE, 19702

Dear Joan,
Tdon't know what to say regarding these people. They ... well I wont
say it now. | cant. They would simply recurn this lecer. They sent me
4 notice saying that you were approved, and how elsc could you be

PARTTWO 9
getting these leters; whoever you talked to on the phone was using an
arbitrary,bad-aith, delaying tactic

Igot the book allrighe,Joan. The long mellow communication with the
‘photos arived. say.ten minues ago. Translation unnecessary. Thanks.

Lagree with you and Lao-tse (and Mao — who I think acknowledged
him somewhere), but I agree with you about feelings and syneax (I
muse, ook ae me). My father has ried for years to get me interested in
writing fiction seuff. I've tried to explain that I was too busy lving —
and you know where I've been these years — however, we can connect
the two, feeling and writing, juse drop the syntax.

1 dont consider myself a writer, an incellectual, really none of the
things that can be isolated, when I feel Il wite (or talk) in an effore
o effect and affect, and sometimes on the safeey-valve principle, but
actually T don't prefer anyehing as mild as pen and paper. In my fancies
1 see myself growing up to be a VC type, a Che-type cat with all four
paws on the ground, a clearline drawn, a kiss for some, the claw for the
malicious. I'm a very simple person at heare. Pesfece love, perfect hate,
that’s the insides of me. It means that I've divided the worlds people
into two categories only (I eject further clasification on the grounds
that I will not be confsed, manipulated, divided to be conquered).

recognize two distinet types only,the innocent, the guiley:
‘The innocents, even the ones that Il meee comorzow, 1 love them all
equally. Tl be serious with you, Joan, I find it almost impossible to
think in terms of digging some more. Do you understand. Think of
who you love most, Dan or Liz? Do you dig ie? If told, or made to
choose which one of my parents should be allowed to live, how could
Tehoose cither. Id have to give mysel. Follow this line by putting your
son against my brother. I would give myself. 1 will give myself

The guilty, will give the folding crane’s wing snap — o the temple
Simple. T saw your mask in the book — I love you — for several very
sound reasons — feelings — mainly for understanding. Tronic that we
couldn'c have lived this several years ago. Ullatack Ardrey of course, he
is 2 nationalise, capitalise, dileetante, juse wanted the books so I could
do it aceurarely

From Dachau with “these feclings”
George

100 SOLEDAD BROTHER
JUNE, 19703

Dear Joan,
T have your message of June 2 already, and it fecls nice to be worried
about, T confs. But you can't be my mama, I feel ot older than Dan
(how old is he — in years?). You and yours truly will have to be sister
and brother. Linsist.

Ldo all n
understand why. They allow us to spend money once a week, I stock up
then. My father has provided me with all the money they'll et me spend

. 1 never have been 2 guy who ate much, I know you

in the next six months. I'm no really hurting, 1 still think of myself as
a black, and an African bue [ can' be satisfied with myself uncil L am
communist man, revolutionary man; and this without feeling that 've
denied myself, or failed to identify.

Your descriptions of laces, things people, leave nothing to be desired.
Twas seanding sight there over you, with you, on the beach. Life can be
(could be if) a wonderful experience. I have very mixed feelings about
this whole affair, of drawing in and forcing out air. When I chink of
the very lovely people, the innocent, when read your descriptions and
some others, my mind strays momentarily from the fact that I'll never
be safe. At these momenes feel a chril of promise, but that’s only for
2 moment, the rest of my day is elevated to a pledge [ made to myself,
a compaet that [ would never lve at ease as long as there was or is one
man who would reserict my and your self.determination.

Must go, last chance to post his. Tomorow.

From a guy who really digs you.
George

JUNE, 19704

Dearest Angela,
This is the ffeh one of these (on legal paper). 1 hope one reaches you
soon. ... Very discouraging. Bue Il never seop trying,

Al of these brothers here with me love you. In fact, every black I've
talked with concerning you who had an opinion at all ageees with me
about you.

PARTTWO 101
One thing about this bothers me a great deal. Do you know (of course
you do) the sceret police (CIA, etc) go to great lengths to murder
and consequently silence every effective black person the momene he
actempes to explain to the ghetto that our problemsare historically and
serategically tied to the problems of all colonial people. This means
that they are watching you closely. worry. If something happened to
youjuse wouldn' underseand.

Iés no coincidence thar Malcolm X and M. L. King died when they
did. Malcolm X had just pue it together (two and three). I seriously
believe, they knew all along but were holding out and presenting the
eruth in such a way that it would affece the most people sieuationally
— withou gerting them damaged by gunfire. You remember what was
on his lips when he died. Viemam and economics, political econom;
The professional killers could have murdered him long before they did
They let Malcolm rage on muslim nationalism for number of years
because they knevw it was an empty ideal, but the second he got his fect
on the ground, they murdered him. We dic too casily. We forgive and
forger too easly.

Genele and refined people, aren't we. We'll make good communists, if
someone deals with the fasciss for us

Thae was a leele bitter. Pay no acention to seuff like that. have more
fich in our resilience than is healthy for me.

1 what 1 said about M.L. King is true, and I'm going o put it down
as if L were positive that it is he was really on our side (the billions
of righteous), his image can be used. | mean we can just claim him,
and use his st seatements and his image .. to strengthen ours. And
Malcolm can also be “reformed ™

T'm working this into my hing right now, I can use anything you have
or can get that contains King’s public statements or comments to
notable people. 1l be easy with it, slip ic in, like it was just common
knowledge that King was a Maoise.

T sure hope you understand, siscer, and husry. This hour hand is
sweeping like the second hand. I dont care. My eredo i to seize the pig
by the cusks and ride him eill his neck breaks. But if foreuitous outcome
of circumstance allows him to prevail over me — again — chen [ want
o have this carefully worked-up comment prepared. | want something

102 SOLEDAD BROTHER
o remain, to torment his ass, to haunt him, to make him know in no
uncertain terms that he did incur this niggers sore disfavor. I need
some faces and figures to dress this passion —insist where you have to,
bu gee them to cooperate

The lights went out an hour ago perhaps an hour and a half. Is
12:45 AM, June 5, and I love you ewice as much as I did yesterday. It
redoubles and double redoubles. I'm using the night-light in front of
my cell co write this. You may never read it. | make this covenant with
myself Tl never again relax. Lll never make peace with this world as
long as the enemies of slf-determination have the running of things.
You may never read this, and I may never touch you, but I feel beeter
than I have for many seasons. You do know that I live, and I hope that
by some means you have discovered that I love you deeply. and would
touch you tenderly, warmly, fercely i [ could, if my enemies were not
ac present sronger. I'm going to stop here and do someching physical,
push-ups, finger stands, something quiet and strenous.

Love,
George

JUNE, 19707

Dear Joan,
16s carly Sunday morning, 4:05 AM. These are my favorice hours, it
when [ think of my favorite people, this s the only time that it will
sometimes seetle down here. Bet you're aleep this time.

Thisis my third day up. T slept for about half an hour yesterday when I
ell off a my improvised combination desk-casy-chaie. The “uniforms™
probably have put me down as insane. They've stareed to look at me
that way. (You probably don'e know whae I'm refersing to, however.)
There'sa special air and expression reserved for “those crazy N — —"
nuance different from the normal disdain. | try not to let them see me
in my kata bue they're rather sneaky and they catch me sometimes.
guess e does look strange, a dance without music.

Last week(2) when I mentioned that I fele older than I am, I wasn't
efering to my knees or elbows, back or hands, nor did I mean that |

14 Marcial execises mentioned in an eselie e

PARTTWO 103
felt in any way wise. | fecl old, Joan, in the sense that a paper target is
old afier about an hour on the Police Academy practice range. Used.

Whatever it was that I lost these last ten years, L lost it suddenly. T can
hardly imagine time passing any faster the same can be said for the
years before prison also (I picked up my firse ewo bullet holes at age
iftcen), bue e prison experience was unique or I should say is unique
in that there can be absolutely no emoluments for accepting the risks
and responsibilties for hanging on.

Thaven seen the nighe sky for a decade. During the carly sixties in San
Quentin, “lockup” meant juse thae, swenty-four hours a day,all day, 3
shower once a week, and this could last for months (ie’s not changed
much). Ona shower walk one dayin 6322, abrother called me to his cll
for an opinion on this work he was doing on his walls. He had drawn
in the nighe sky with colored pencils and against it lfe size liflike (he
was good), female comrades — some with luffy nacurals like my siscer
Angie, some with silky naturals like my siscer Betsy. He had worked
on it for three months. It was enormous — beautiful, precise, mellow.
When he finished the last serokes the pigs moved him to another cell
and painted overit, gave him a bad-conduc report, and made him pay
for the new coat of paine. Thae brother did' draw much any more last
time I saw him. Some politial cartoons, abseracts in book margins.
Life's " tale told by an idiot” Have you read any Shakespeare? I really
enjoyed him when I was young. Macbeth is timeless, put him in 2
Brooks Brochers or a uniform and he'd fi right into the seventies. But
youread all that seuff when you were in high school. 1 keep forgetting
your background (clas). Forgive me, sister, forgive the parochialism [
Sometimes slip ino, habits formed in being, and addressing myself to,
the hindmost

From Dachau with love —
George

JUNE, 19707

Dear John,”
You and your secretary juse lee. I Sunday.

15 John Thorne, one of the auchor’sLawyers.

104 SOLEDAD BROTHER
T hope that ham on the tape was sacisfaccory. 1 find that sort of thing
hard. Tl have to deal with i, I can, guess, but ies not in keeping with
my character. L' the original shy guy? No ego ae all.Iés been crushed.
T4 feel more relaxed ac 2 shooting scrape than talking at che head of
the table. Just not the kind of thing I favor. But if you feel that it may
be necessary in the future, Tl work on it; but you're going to have to

T've always thought in erms of division of sbor — John, Huey, Angela
Davis, etc., on the political fron, caes like me behind chem, in the
erowd, watching the watchers — neutralizing the warchers. Where [
have the nervous equipment naturally for that,the addressing would be
serained. You understand, the difference beeween Fidel and Che. Fidel
is at home behind a bank of microphones, Che is a home behind the
carbine. Both can switch roles temporarily but Che is really a man of
few words. And where would the Cuban revolution have ended were it
not for Che and Camilo Cienfuegos

But Il try. I merely a question of sceurity, inner confidence, you
understand. Will chese people want to hear and bother o understand
whae m saying? I feel a ltele funny sbout Angela being fired a chis
time and for that reason. We've fronted them off o often over these
lase few hundred years. T know they would have fired her anyway bu
Lsill feel .. dependent in a way that damages my ego furcher. | hope
like hell Ill have the opporcunity to live up to expetations. She s such
an incentive factor ... how can I fear otherwise.

Thanks — Power to the Peaple.
George

JUNE, 1970 11

Dear Joan,
Nice, very nice surprise for me today, but have you ever experienced
a faser half hour. 1 did have some word for my family, but we got so
weapped up that I forgo. As you were being pulled away (I thought
they would dislocate your arm), [ was reflecting on how nice it is to

hug.

Tell Georgia my case requires her to see me at least once a week, T want
0 s her now:

PARTTWO 105
She may come up tomorrow — but if so T imagine you'll know.

Adore you —
George

JUNE, 1970 14

The California Adule Authority board and inmae Jackson A63837
clashed for the final ime in June 1969. When I was called up in June
70 (the usual arrangemen is once a year), T refused to go. I was already
under indictment for the murder of the pig and it wasn'e very likely
that I would be given consideration for anyching but the firing squad.
The June 1969 appearance, however, was very significant because it
followed a six-month postponement. | had gone o the board for the
cighth time in December 1968, I was told by the instcution employee
who always sits on the board hearings that [ was “granted a parole.”
Twould be back on the street on March 4. I walked back to my cell
celling everyone I had a “date” I even wrote to my family. Three days
Iater I'was informed that a mistake had been made. Consideration of

my case was postponed for six months. They explained to me that |
would be transferred to Soledad from San Quentin. If did well for six
monchs a Soledad, I would be given parole for certain. When the June
1969 appearance finally took place different people were on the board
panel. No one could find any reference to the promises made to me by
the earlier board. was denied for another full year.

Something very similar had happened the year before at the December
1967 appearance. At the previous mecting they had promised me
that if had seven or eight clean months I would be released. When
T reminded them of their promise, they laughed and stated that “we
never make deals like that Al the other board appearances were tense
affais conducted in an atmosphere of mutual hosiliy. We argued over
conflicting interpretations of che disciplinary repores in my centeal
file. 1 had been accused of being a Muslim, Communise, agicator,
nationalise, loan shark, thicf, assasin, and saboteur. Nothing was ever
seeeled, nothing was really exchanged except hostility:

Power to the People.
Comrade George

106 SOLEDAD BROTHER
JUNE, 1970 15

Dear Joan,
Imissed a day or two! L will clean up for that soon. I've been extremely
busy in here, and then sometimes I gee lazy. Then I'll kick back and
think about you all Since you'e my eyes, and ears, and interprecer,
find myself with you most of the time.

1 also missed secing you today during what may have been the best
courtsession o date. We won one.* The people — on the march. 've
lost s0 many rounds, Joan — it feels good. We love you. You know
where 'm a, I've always loved you. But all the rest of these eats down
here are stating to el your presence also. | have Marie in here now.”
Maric was my first love, my fiese experience. It was tender, | failed her,
but i Lery real hard now she may forgive me. Thats been my thing —
for years,to always live up to expectations. And if you don't ask me for
something very difficule,very taxing, 1 won't be able to relax from his
poine on. We won't have to worry about these here too much longer.
How far s San Jose from San Francisco? Hope they'lllet me see you,
and perhaps they'll relent and lec me see your daughter also. But
there isne much chance of that. Whatin your opinion was the principal
reason for geanting the move? Your opinion helps e anticipate. You
understand that's what kept me here among the living with you over
these years, anticipating

Adore you —
George

JUNE, 1970 17

Dear Joan,
Tmay have read a review or quote from Levi-Strauss but that’s about all
And the World, Iove it send it to me. Ul share it with all the rest here
who can seil ove. But will have to transfer it soon. The day I leave Il
send you s line or two. You le them know:

16 The coure in Slinss granted achange of v o San Francisco.

17" Someone sent me card with picure of The Afrcan Mother”donc by and
named Mari. Lvas commensing thar 1 and my black male comrades had failed to
e fchers and husbands,over the decades”

PARTTWO 107
Western culture developed out of a very hostile environment. Rocks,
snow, i, long periods when the ground was too hard to be worked,
when nothing could be produced from the soil, hunting became too
important; accumulating, hoarding, hiding, proteeting enough to last
through the wincer, things falling apare in winter, covetous glances at
one’s neighbor’ goods. Would hree or four thousand years of that
kind of survival influence a culture? Would greed color itself into the
total resule, in a arge way? Hune,forage, store, hoard, hide. defend, che
thing atstake!t Not very conducive to sensitiviey, tenderness.

Change the environment, change the man. Simple. Consider the
people’s score, after full automation, che implementation of the theory
of economic advantage. You dig, no waste makers, no haenesses on
production. There is no intermediary, no money. The sore, i stocks
everything that the body or home could possibly use. Why won'e the
people hoard, how is an operation like tha possible, how could the
storingplace keep s stores ifies stock (merchandise) i free? Men hoard
against wane, need, don' they? Aren'tthey taughe that tomorrow holds
terror, pile up a surplus against this terror, be greedy and possessive
if you want to succeed in this insecure world? Nuts hidden away for

Change the environment, educate the man, he'll change. The people’s
seore will work as long as people know that e will be there, and have
in abundance the things they need and wan (really wane): when they
are positive that the common effort has and wil abvays produce an
abundance, they won'e bother to take home more than they need
Water is free, do people drink more than they need There is a reason
for the ugliness of Western culture, many reasons [ would say, but the
face thac it was founded and tied into greed, the need to store so much,
and work and fight so hard for something to store stands out from the
other reasons. This man that you work with, [ know about cats like
him. They never take more than they can give, so that sounds like a
near-perfect relationship. You have to ask cats like that for something
hard to make them relas.

Love you,
George

108 SOLEDAD BROTHER
JUNE, 197027

The man who has never received a kind message, a gesture, and who
has never held anything of value, materialor otherwise, if he i healchy,
or I should say remains healthy (my persuasion presupposes original
innocence), he never becomes so practical s to expect more of the
same — nothing. Less but never nothing.

To be denied or rjected means less to this man bue never nothing.

And if he is seill healchy of mind, he knows he can' be practical, he
can't afford practicaliey. His havenothing status, the absence of the
allimportant controls, predisposes him to impracticaliy, he can never
relax, he is or becomes the desperate man. And desperate men do
desperate things, take desperate positions: when revolution comes he is
the frse o join . If e doesn't come he makes it

But the significant feature of the desperate man reveals itslf when he
meces other desperate men, direct or vicariouslys and he experiences
his firse kindness, someone to serain with him, o serain to sec him s he
serains to see himself, someone to understand, someone to aceep the
regard,the love, that desperation forces inco hiding

This significant fearure in the desperate men, and women, people.
redeems them, redeems the revolution, alters the sanguine coloring of
war, and gives revolution ies love motive.

Men whohave never received and have had leel occasion to express the
love theme o original goodness respond in very significant manner
to that firse real, spontancous, gratuitous kindness. Those feclings
that find no expression in desperate times store themselves up in geeat
abundance, ripen, surengthen, and strain the walls of their repository
o the utmost: where the kindred spirit couches this wall it crumbles
— o one responds to kindness, no one is more sensitive to it than the
desperate man

T'm trying to say thanks.

Power to the People —
Comrade George

PARTTWO 109
JUNE, 197028

Dear Joan,
Tknew you were here Thursday before I got the lcter informing me of
it. Our spiris met ight there over the flower beds for a while. Then
0o [ have my spies out,eal tan lady with huge round blue eyes. They
have tuened away dozens of my visitors, sorry to have put you through
that, What exacrly did they say

Assoomas you finish with this lecter jump into your auto, find someone
who will sell you some envelopes like the ones I generally send these
messages in, long, business envelopes, then find some a liele larger, go
back home, write me a love note. Put the smaller of the two types of
envelopes in one of the larger envelopes, include the love and pass to

T'm chinking of Jon now. T wish there was some way to talk with
him in private. They ran him off too. They certainly must be sure of
themselves, I mean sure of being able to conviet and hold and et rid
of me, because they're not very concerned sbout making me mad. And
they know I don't forget

Ies real carly Sunday morning, you're probably aslecp. When I'm
finished wich chis [l join you in that dimension, and you're not shy
acall.

Power — Love,
George

JUNE, 1970 30

Dear Joan,
You correctly sensed T am in a tereible rush, all the time. This rush
characterizes everything that flows from me. (I'l take my time loving
you, but when I come [l be fresh from some hurried encounter with
the Minotaur and related problems)

T'm not really shy cither, a liele defensive yee — but no one would
listen! Tha's what happened to me. But it was good in a way. It crushed
the egotism, and the egoceneric ehing. (I only wish to help in the work
against the minotaur.) The question i, do these nice people really
wane to hear what [ have to say — as 2 vietim of the first order —

110 SOLEDAD BROTHER
willchey mistake it — as extreme — can these wonderful gentle people
understand that some extreme situations cal for exereme remedies; that
the only means of ever dealing with a situaion thac call for movement
is o get ahead of the people and pull, not the reverse!?! Get ahead and
pull. You've heard that ... excuse(?), “Don'e get ahead of the people.”
Bullt And then the others will change if we pull chem inco someching
that demands adjustmens, breakehroughs. Theotiss job will be to
rebuild,after | do my work. You, Minerva, will be his teacher.

You mentioned once — well, you spoke of “Jewish mama instinees” —
are you Jewish? And what in your view is 2 Jew? (That should keep
you working for a while) All these years I've never given it a thought.
T mean, I've never noticed anything singular or lec say distinetively
differen. Except in ways of love, and of course the physical, personal
features s0 pleasing to the inner man.

Your daughter, could breathe her in with one intake. 1 vas referring to
the auto accident when [ spoke of her health, I've been worrying since
T read thae leteer. Cuss, face, black eyestt She has 2 hundred pounds
on that wonderful litele body 2211 One long slow breath. Tell her I am
devored to her, and although we can'ebe togecher now I do want her to
seay lose as she can to me. From me come geeat feclings of warmeh and
all kinds of love — for Joan.

George

JULY, 19708

Dear Joan,
This, my lovely one is just 4 note. Troubled times here that preoceupy
your comrade’sateentions.

Oht I'm seill here. They don'elke it, however. Fools,to say the lease

Thave yous ewo leteers of Tuesday here with me now. I feel closer every
— things, people, complesities — each time [ see you (ewo times). I feel
el closer — what if people stare alking nasty about us? You with
those long legs, and me with these long arms. [ never fecl shy around
my other female army. ... You be cool or Ill breathe you in.

el s0 sorey for them both, Georgia and her man. Ifyou say I should,
Tl send him a line tonighe, bu don't think you've ewisted me around

PARTTWO 1
that white lieele finger. It will be a while yee before I give in completely
o you. I digyou a lor.

Love,
George

JULY, 197028

Dear Joan,
s cereainly nice to have a wonderfully alive, intelligene woman in the
hand — every fingertip thanks you.

T've been back in the cellfor ten minutes, after waiting forty-fiv for an
escort. L saw you and Jon leave (you're almost as tall a he). I can't help
but worry myself for him, not in the same way chat his parents worry.
actually the opposite of that. My concern is that his development
not be recarded. Our immediate family is elacing to him in the exact
manner that they related to me. Biteer experience has taught them
nothing. He'sclearly rejected selfsh love and resteaines. Their ecicudes
are forcing him to choose becween them and the ideal. We oppress each
other, smother and confuse with contradictions becween the tongue
and the act. They're pushing him away from them. You know he's
already somewhat withdrawn. Fear responses.... he said he was leaving
the house there in Pasadena. That should cause some tidal waves of
emotionalism. I advised him to guide his decisions by necessty firs,
felings secondly. T wonder, hough, if L was right

T'm chain-smoking again. But you, you give me massive doses of relief.
Thanks for the confidence, the tears, the love."

We will win,
George

JULY, 197028

Dear Fay, Dear Fay,
The posibility of us, as persons, misunderstanding each other will
always rest on the face that I am an alien. It will always be my faule

18 "Anyone who docsa' sense this fundamentl paver of the people cannorbe a
il igheer”

12 SOLEDAD BROTHER
The secret things that T hide from almost everyone, and especially
the people who are sweet and gentle and ineelectually inhibited from
grasping the full range of the ordeal of being fair game, huneed, an
alien, precludes forever a state of perfect agreement. You dig what 'm
saying now you've conceded this much. Keep it alvays in mind, and
serain with me.

Tfeel threatened. Thats where we should begin. Recall how I ateempred
to explain that fecling, the singular and inclusive sense. Then add to
this that even in the days of my darkese confusion, when I was at once
myself and not myself, my response to this feeling (and Ive always fele
threatened) was one from the older section of my beain. Being an alien
has never (or seldom) made me feel shecpish!

In the inclusive sense, my politcs, you'l ind all of the atypical features
of my character. 1 may run, bue al the time that [ am, Tl be looking
for a sick! A defensible posicion! It never oceured to me o lic down
and be kicked! I¢s silly! When I do that I'm depending on the kicker
o grow tired. The beter tactic i to twist his leg a litle or pull i off
if you can. An ineellcrual argument to an attacker against the logic of
his violence — or one to myself concerning the wisdom of a natural
counter-violence — borders o, no, it overleaps the absurd!!

1 juse don't subscribe to that superman shit, I'e scen t00 many men
ery. seen them in all postures of the common infirmity — deach. My
message to black people and to sweet, gentle, much-loved people like
yourself will be the same message I receive from my beain for myself. It
‘will be the same as long as we have the same problem, ie will be the same
coming from the living, loving brain or from the grave.

They just put & new night-light in frone of my cell Il be able to break
up my days as I wish. Or not break them, just keep on going. — Just
keep going — straighe ahead — right on.

Youre like no one I've ever met from across the tracks. I do chink a
very great deal of you and I'm certain tha you do try to understand
our problems. Don'e mistake this as a message from George to Fay, it a
message from the hunted running blacks to those people of this society
who profess to want to change the conditions that destroy life. These
blacks are sil in doubt as to whether those clements across the tracks
wane this change badly enough to accepe the US. being physically
brought o its knees to attain it. Will the Weathermen always be a

PARTTWO s
microscopie minority? Working outside the protection of all their
people, inseead of with the suppore of an aggressive political cadre. I
dig them, and love you.

Fondly and Always

Power to the People,
George
AUGUST, 19709

Real Date, 2 days AD.

Dear Joan,
We reckon all cime in the future from the day of the man-childs death.

Man-child, black man-child with submachine gun in hand, he was free
for a whil. I guess thar's more than most of us can expeet.

Twant people to wonder at what forces created him, errible, vindictive,
cold, calm man-child, courage in one hand, the machine gun in the
other, scourge of the unrighteous — "an ox for the people to ride’

Go over all theleeters I've sent you, any reference to Georgia beingless
than a perfect revolutionary’s mama must be removed. Do it now! |
wane to possibiiey of anyone misunderstanding her as 1 did. She didn'e
eryatear. She is, s Lam, very proud. She read o things into his rage,
love and loyaley.

T can't go any furcher, it would just be a love story about the baddest
brother chis world has had the privilege to meet, and its just not
popular or safe — to say I love him.

Cold and calm though. *All righe, gentlemen, I'm eaking over now.™

Revolution,
George

19 The auchor quos his brother's words from the San Rafael courthouse.

14 SOLEDAD BROTHER
Appendix: Introduction to the Firs Edicion
Jean Gener”

Every authentic writer discovers not only a new style but a narrative
form which i his alone, and which in most cases he uses up, exhausting
iuseffeces for his own purposcs.

Many people would be amazed to hear that the epistolary narrative was
sill capable of affording us a resolutely modern mode of expressions yet
if we merely justapose (one after another) a certain number of George
Jackson's eeters, we obtain seiking poem of love and of combat.

But even more surprising, when we read these lecters from a young
black in Soledad Prison, is that they perfectly articulate the road
eraveled by their author — fiest the racher clumey ltters to his mother
and his brother, then leteers to his lawyer which become someching
extraordinary, half.poem, half-essay, and then the las letters, of an
extreme delicacy, to an unknown recipient. And from the first leer to
the las, nothing has been willed, writeen or composed for the sake of
abook, yee here is book, tough and sure, both 1 weapon of iberaion
and alove poem. In this case | sec no miracle excepe the miracle of truth
insel, the naked truth revealed. George Jackson is a poet, then. But he
faces the death penaley: I shall talk about that

A court of justice, a ertain number of jurors prorected by uniformed
guards, by plainclothesmen, by informers, by the whole of white
America, will decide whether Jackson and his brothers killed a prison
guard. The juroes answer yes or no. IF they answer yes, a very strange
operation begins. The judges must pronounce sentence — cither a
death sentence, a lfe sentence, or 2 sentence of time to be served
What, then, isthis incellectual operation which changes a simple act (a
murder,if there was one) into something quite differenc: into another
death, or a life sentence or period of time served?

20 Brasil,July 1970. Translaced by Richard Howard.

21 When chis Incroduction was witeen, Genee did not reaize that, under Cals
fornia aw,che jury usually decermines the sencence.In Jackson' ase however, he
sencence of deah is accually mandacory. In California, convices serving lfe sen-

ences who are convicted of ssault on a noninmate are aucomarically sentenced
o death,

PARTTWO s
How these two facts arelinked togecher — the initial and hypothetical
murder, and the sentence pronounced — no one knows, no one has yet
said. This i beeause the coures, in America as elsewher
of authority, a crude authority which adapes ieself very well to the
arbitrary.

are eribunals

Yet this sentence, once pronounced, muse be carried ou. I will be
carried out by and upon the Soledad brothers, upon George Jackson,
and in this way: cither by proceeding from his cell o the gas chamber,
or by living ewenty or hirty years in sill another cell

A guard s discovered — murdered.
A jury answers yes o no to indicate the murderer.

The murderer dies in his turn, or lives in a cell for hirey years in order
o justify a sentence that has been pronounced

To understand the significance of this book a5 a weapon, a means of
combat, the reader must not forget that George Jackson is in danger
of death.

Ifa cerain compliciey links the works weitten in prisons or asylums
(Sade and Artaud share the same necessiey of finding in themselves
what must lead them to glory, that i, despite the walls, the moats, the
jailers and the magistracy.into the light, ino minds not enslaved), these
works do not meet in what is still called ignominy: stareing in search
of themselves from that ignominy demanded by social repression, they
discover common ground in the audacity of their undertaking, in the
sigor and aceuracy of their ideas and their visions. In prison more
than elsewhere one cannot afford to be casual. One cannot endure 3

penaley so monstrous as the lack of freedom without demanding of
one’smind and body a labor at once delicate and brural, a abor capable
of “warping” the prisoner in a direction which takes him ever farcher
from the social world. But

e might be supposed that as the sice of absolute malediction, prison,
and at its heare the cell, would enforce by ies misery upon those
confined there a kind of solidarity required by tha very misery, a
merciful harmony in which al social distintions maintained in the
frce air would be abolished. Prison serves no purpose. Do we imagine
that atlease it can seripies inmates of their wretched social differences,
that under the surveillance of a cordon of guards, black or white but

116 SOLEDAD BROTHER
armed, there develop behind its walls, in its darkness, certain new
elations becween the prisoners, whoever they may have been during
their moments of freedom?

Thac is an idealistic hope which we muse avoid or get rid of. George
Jackson's book tell the brutal truth: in prison, in acell, the white skin
‘of the prisoners becomes an image of compliciey with the white skin
of the guards,so that if white guards superintend a hell in which white
men are jailed, the white prisoners superintend another hell inside
that one in which black men are jaled. Now the security of the guards,
their independence — their time off duty, their visits to town, their
family lives — grant a certain respite o the white prisoners; but the
face that these prisoners mus be constanely confined, never distracted
by the world outside, means that they employ all theie time and all thir
imagination in maincaining the hell in which they confine the black
prisoners.

Fe prisoners, on the whole, escape the tendency of compliciey with
certain guards: tis a kind of nostalgi for the social world from which
the prisoner is cut off (1 nosealgia which makes the prisoner cling to
what seems, in his prison, closes to the social rder: che guard. As for
the guard, the motives which lead him to accept the game beeween
certain prisoners and himself are many and complex). Now would this
complicity have too much importance, when s meaning i abatemen,
a temporary weakness likely to be revoked, abruptly halted — on the
oceasion of aiot,for example. But in the United Sates, this complicity
has a different meaning: the complicity of the white prisoners with
the guards exasperates and ineensifies what constitutes the basis of
elaions between white men and black: racism.

This racism s scatcered, diffused throughout the whole of America,
grim, underhanded, hypoeritical, arrogant. There is one place where we
mighe hope it would cease, but on the contrary, it is in this place that
it reachesits cruelest pitch, intensifying every scond, preying on body
and soul; it i in this place that racism becomes a kind of concentrate
ofracism: in the American prisons,in Soledad Prison, and in s center,
the Soledad cells

I, by some oversighe, racism were to disappear from the surface of the
United States, we could then seck it out, intact and more dense, in one
of these cell. It is here, secret and public, explicable and mysterious,
seupid and more complicated than 3 tiger’s eye, absence of life and

PARTTWO n7
source of pain, nonexistent mass and radioactive charge, exposed o all
and ye concealed. One might say that racism is here in ts pure state,
gachering s forces, pulsing with power,ready to spring,

The extravagant adventure of white America, which is the vietorious
expansion of Vietorian England, is doubeless exhausted, i will dissolve
and fade, revealing at lase what is cheerfully devouring it: the black
nation which was caughe within it, itslf traversed by liberating
currents, liberating movements, producing long screams of misery
and joy. What seems new to me in this black lterature is that now we
hear almose no cchoes of the grear Hebrew prophets. From Richard
Wrighe to George Jackson, the blacks are stripping themselves of all
the presbyterian and biblical rags: cheir voices are rawer, blacker, more
accusing, more implacable, tearing away any reference to the cynical
cheats of the religious establishment. Their voices are more singular,
and singular too in what they scem to agree upon: to denounce the
curse not of being black, but caprive.

I thac new?,
Incontestably.

George Jackson'sseyle is clear, carefully pitched, simple and supple, as
is his thinking. Anger alone illuminates his style and his chinking, and
akind ofjoy in anger

Abook writeen in prison — in any place of confinement — i addressed
chiefly perhaps to readers who are not outcasts, who have never been
o jail and who will never go there. Tha is why in some sense such
4 book proceeds obliquely. Otherwise, I know that the man who
wiites it need only take, in order to fling them down on paper, the
forbidden words, the accursed words, the words covered with blood,
the unwricten words of spit and sperm — like the ultimate name of
God — the dangerous words, the padlocked words, the words that do
not belong to the dictionary,for if they were writeen there, writcen out
and not maimed by ellipses, they would utter too fast the suffocating
misery of a solitude thatis not accepred, that i flogged only by what it
is deprived of:sex and freedom.

eis therefore prudent that any text which reaches us from thisinfernal

place should reach us as though mutlated, pruned of its overly
tumuleuous adornmens

s SOLEDAD BROTHER
T s thus behind bars, bars accepted by them alone, that is readers,if
they dare, will discover the infamy of a situation which a respectable
vocabulary cannot reinseate — but behind the permiteed words, lseen
for che others!

1 the prisoner i a black man captured by whites, a third thread runs
through ehis difficult web: hatred. Not the racher vague and diffuse
hatred of the social order o of fate, but the very precise hatred of
the white man. Here again, the prisoner must use the very language,
the words, the syntax of his enemy, whereas he craves separate
language belonging only to his people. Once again his situation is both
hypoeritical and wretched: he can express his sexual obsessions only
in 2 police dialect, according to a syntax which enables others to read
him, and as for his hatred of the white man, he can uscer it only in
this language which belongs to black and white alike bue over which
the white man extends his grammarians jurisdiction. It is perhaps 3
new source of anguish for the black man to realze that if he writes 3
masterpice, it is his enemy’s language, his enemy's treasury which is
entiched by the additional jewel he has so furiously and lovingly carved

He has then only one recourse: to accept this lnguage but to corrupt it
so skilfully ehat the white men are caught n his trap. To accept it in all
iesrichness, to increase that richness seillfurcher, and to suffuse it with
all his obsessions and al his hacred of the white man. That s task

And itis a task which seems contradicted by the revolutionary’. The
revolutionary enterprise of the American black, it seems, can come
ineo being only out of resentment and hatred, that is, by rejecting with
disgust, with rage, bue radically. che values veneraced by the whites,
alchough this enterprise can continue only starting from & common
language, a frst rejected, inally aceepeed. in which the words will no
longer serve concepes inculeated by the whites, but new concepes. Ina
revolutionary work written by a black man in jail, certain traces must
remain, then, of the orgiastic and hate-ridden trajectory covered in an
imposed solicude.

Havingemerged from his delrium, havingachieved a cold revolutionary
consciousness, Sade still kepe something of that obsessional delirium
which nonetheless led him to his revolutionary lucidity:

This i also evident in the lecters which follov.

PARTTWO i
In prison, George Jackson museseill be sure to fortfy in himself what
sets him against the whites, and to elaborate 2 consciousness so acute
that e will be valid for all men.

It was almost predictable thae having reached this stage of self.
discovery, his revolutionary consciousness should meee and come to
terms with the Black Pancher party. Thus it is without equivocation
and without any myseery that he names it and abides by ies directives
in the course of his last letters. For myself, who have lived with the
Panthers, [ see George Jackson in his place there, fighting at their side
with the same convietion and the same talent s his brothers accused of
murder, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.

1fwe accepe this idea, that the revolutionary enterprise of a man or of
4 people originaes in their poetic genius, or, more precisely. that this
enterprise i the inevitable conclusion of poctic genius, we must reject
nothing of what makes poetic exaltation possible. If certain details
of this work seem immoral to you, it is because the work as 2 whole
denies your morality, because poctry coneains both the possibility of
a revolutionary morality and what appears to coneradice it. Finally,
every young American black who writes i trying to find himself and
est himself and sometimes, a the very center of his being, in his own
hease,discovers a white man he must annihilate

Butlet me return to the amazing coherence of George Jackson's ife and
of his unwilled book. There is nonetheless one rather disturbing thing
about it: a¢ the same moment he was living his life (a kind of death or
higher lfe) witchout his realzing it, by letters and certain notations
i his lecters, he was also writing his legend, that is, he was giving us,
without intending t0, 2 mythical image of himself and of his life — I
mean an image transcending his physical person and his ordinary life
in order to project himself into glory with the help of a combat weapon
(his book) and of a love poem.

But have lived oo long in prisons not to recognize, as soon asthe very
firse pages were eranslated for me in San Francisco, the special odor and
exture of what was written in cell behind walls, guards, envenomed
by hatred. for what I did not yet know so intensely was the hatred of the
white American for the black, a hatred so deep that I wonder if every
white man in chis country, when he plants a tree, docsn' see Negrocs
hanging from its branches.

120 SOLEDAD BROTHER
When this book comes out, the man who wrote it willseill be in his
Soledad cell, with his Soledad Brothers. Whac follows must be read

a5 manifesto, as a eract, as callto rebellion, since it is that first of all.

Ieis oo obvious that the legisltive and judiciary systems of the United
States were established in order to protect a capitalise minority and, if
forced, the whole of the white population; but these infernal syseems
are seil raised againse the black man. We have known for a long time
now thae the black man is, from the start, natively, the guilty man.
We can be sure that if the blacks, by the use of their violence, their
ineeligence, their poctry, all that they have accumulated for centuries
while observing their former masters in silence and in secrecy — if the
blacks do not undereake their own liberation, the whites will not make

But already Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, the members of the Black
Panther parey, George Jackson, and others have scopped lamenting
their fate. The time for blues s over,for them. They are creating, each
according to his means, a revolutionary consciousness. And their eyes
are clear. Not blue.

22 InaceJune 1970, beforeche publicaion ofchis ook, the Soledad brochers
were ranserted o San Quentin

PARTTWO 121
Blood in My Eye was completed only days before the
author died from bullet wounds during an alleged escape
attempt from San Quentin Prison, California. Arrested
at the age of cighteen for allegedly taking pare in the
robbery of a gas station netting $70, George L. Jackson
was sentenced to one year to life in prison. At the time of
his death he had served eleven years behind prison walls,
seven of those years in solitary confinement. This book

testifies to how those years were spent, and why.

Written with the memory of his slain brother, Jonathan,
constantly before him, it is an apocalyptic vision of
America. It speaks to the poor, the jailed, and the
disenfranchised throughout the world. Jackson’s message
to his revolutionary brochers is clear: “People are already
dying who could be saved, generations more will dic or
live poor bucchered half-lives if you fail to act. Discover
your humanity and your love in revolution. Pass on the
torch. Join us, give up your life for the people.”

Blood in My Eye takes up where Soledad Brother left off, and

introduces the reader to the life force that was George L.
Jackson.

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