My People Are Rising: Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain

182 Pages·2012·6.888 MB·English

by  Aaron Dixon

MY PEOPLE
MEMOIR OF
A BLACK PANTHER
.PARTY CAPTAIN
.RON DIXON
My People Are Rising
Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain
' Aaron Dixon
Foreword by Judson L. Jeffrie^
A
i
^'HaymarketBooks
Chicago, Illinois
Contents
Foreword by Judson L. Jeffries XI
© 2012 Aaron Dixon
Acknowledgments ' xiii
Published in 2012 by Haymarket Books
^ •« • i Om Family Journey Begins
PO Box 180165 - i
r,
Chicago, IL 60618 1: Ancestors 3
wwwh^ymarketbooks-otg ^ 2: Our Family Journey Begins '•^5
773-583-7884 3: The Search for Home ^ 23
4: Rumblings in the South 33
ISBN: 978-1-6084&-178-3
5: Sticking Together '39
Trade distribution: ^
/' i ' ' The Tide of the Movement
In ihe US, Consortium Book Sales and Distribution, wwwcbsdxom
In Canada, Publishers Group Canada, wv^-pgcKpoksxa r J '6: Slow Awakening 49
In the UK, Turnaround Publisher Services, www.turnaround-uk.com 7: .Stokely Comes to Town 57
In Australia, Palgrave Macmillan, 'www.palgravemacmillan.com.au 8: The Tide, of the Movement ^ 60
All odier countries, Publishers Group Woddwide, www.pgw.com 9: The Death of Martin Luther Kingjr. 71
'10: The Panther Emerges 76
Cover design by Erin SchelL Cover image is a portrait of Aaron Dixon that appeared on the
11: 7tii and Wood—^April 1968 84
cover of Seaffle magazine in October 1968.
July 1968, Seattle
Published with thegenerous'support of Lannan Foundation,
and the Wallace Global Fund. 12: The Panther Comes to Seattie 103
13: HueyandtheUN 115
Ptint^ in Canada by union labor on FSC* certified stock. 14; July 1968, Seatde 1 122
15: The Unromantic Revolution 130
Library of Congress cataloging-p^publicanon data is available.
16:' Death in Winter 137
17: The Purge 143
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
COINTEIiPRO Is Unleashed
18:- CqiNTELPRO Is Unleashed 165
19: The Chairman Is Kidnapped 170
/ MIX 20: The Resurrection of the Seatde Chapter—September 1969 177
Plp*rfroin
___ rMpondble (ourcee 21: The Murder of Fred Hampton 183
vMfguig FSC*C103S67
22: Day-tp-Day Survival 190
23: Huey Is Set Free 197
24: Seattle: Riot 18 203
}J.
I
A Party Divided: The Split
/j'rr- ''J
25: A Party Divided: The-Split
211
26: Centralization—^March 1972 220"
27: The Campaign—1973 231
28: The Godfather on Lake Merritt 240 •
29: Elaine's Rise to Power 248
30: The Other Side of the Coin . ' ':i255
/ J
The End of the Line ,
> J
31: The Death of Deacon 263
32: ,Oakland Is Ours, 267
33: Hue5r^ Return 274 My People Are Rising is dedicated to the memory of mj father
34: The Richmond Incident 280 and all the fallen comrades of the Black Panther Party.
35: The End of the Line -f r 284
36: The Last Hurrah / ^94
Not Forgotten
, 313
Appendixes
, . 315
Index
- r .329
for a slave of natural death who dies
can't balance out to two dead flies
—Alprentice "Bxmchy" Carter, "Black Mother"
t
Foreword
!'
Some names have been changed to protect the priva<y of those individuals.
Aaron Dixon has Written
an extraofdinary bdok'that is grounded
in .the ordinary. He, tells the story'of a b6y's joiu:ney into adulthood". Born
in the heartland of America, Dixon takes the fea'der on'a^ttek that begins
in Chicago, travels to Seatde, and takes a detour to the Bajl^Area, wi'di sto^s
in Texas before finally returning to the Pacific Nordiwd^st many years later.
My People Are Risingis filled with heart-pounding stfaries and^ripping
accounts oT Dix6n's life both as a civilian^d'as a menfber of the Black
'Panther Party in Seatde and die Bay Area. The product of a healthy, two-
parent home, Di^on- Experienced a supportive and loving home life of
.the type that many kids, regardless of race, long for. To understand how
Dixbfi became the leader of the first chaptef of the Black Panther Patty
outside of California, one must h^ve an appreciation for the history of
activism within the Dixon family.'Dixon's'^father >yas an admirer, student,
and follower bf both Pax:il Robeson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hencei neither Dixon's.parents nor his friends were surprised when, as a
teenage'r, he decided to join the Black Pantiiei'Party. Even if Dixon ^iir-
prised himselfi at times, he' could not es'cape the fact that activism was in
his gehe pool; it was a part of who he was. Dixon's tv^'o younger brothers
folloASred suit and also' joined -thfe party, making their comrhitment to the
Black Panther Party a family affair.
Mj "People Are Ri««^is neithera tell-all work nor a sehsational'or score-
settling diatribe, elements that have characteri2ed a ntimber of autobio­
graphical accounts during the last twenty years or>so, especially Vhere the'
Black Panther Party is concerned. Nowhere in the book does Dixon den-
igrate or speakill of-ariyone inside or out of the Black Panther Party Iht
stead, Dixdn's book is a rich, down-to-earth story'bf his^life, rAuch of
xi
xii [ My People Are Rising
which chronicles the day-to-day goings-on in the most widely known of
the Black Power groups and arguably the most effecfive Black revolution­
ary organization of the latter half of the twentieth cenmry. As a member
of the Black Panther Party, Dixon spends the better part of his young i .. ?
adult life as a soldier on die front lines of the Black Power Movement.
t . ", I
The decision to do so, however, comes with great personal sacrifice.
Acknowledgments
Dbton puts a human face on the many young |je(?plis \^o;.like.^,
left the Secure confines of bome, risked their Jives, and devdted them­
selves to the struggle for Black liberation. Dixon is particularly effective
in enabling the reader to visualize the many women Panthers who not
only helped keep the party afloat but also played an integral part in the • On August 27, 1989,
Huey P. Newton was gunned down: on a lonely
Bl^ick Panther Party's success. The book introduces *us to,a number of
stteet in West Oakland, not far from one of thcold National Headquarters
vivid characters and «tand-up men and women who have heretofore not
of the BlackTanthen^arty. Three days later a memonal service for our ei^i
gotten much attention from previous writers, including Ldon'"Valentine"
batded leader was held in'Seatde. At die service I'was approached by Arma
Hobbs, one of thd party's unsung heroes.
Johnson;, the former owner of Open-Hand Publishing. She asked'me if I
I would especially encourage young people' to. read this book, as it
would be interested in writing a book about my experience in the party.
provides a perfect illustration of the impact thatypurig nJen and jvomen
And thus began'a jburney of>more than two'decades, as I attempted
made in Black communities throughout the, country duriAg the4960s,
to* tell rriy story and the storieb'of ^o many others regarding one of the
1970s, and 1980s.
most significant,.most intriguing, and brightest moments in modern
Dixon also paints a more complete portrait- of die Blatk Panther-Party
Ariierican history "Writing this memoir has not been an easy task for a sin­
than have most,waters..The Black Panther Party consisted of more-thaii,
gle parent suffering-from sohie forM of undiagnosed PTSD, raising not
just patrols jDf the police and the Free Breakfast for Sfchool Children Pro­
onlymy own kids but also the kids of o^ers be'cause^the traditional family
gram. By discussing the Panth^s' broad array of -community-focused Sur-
system had collapsed. It took a lot of support and encouragement, at times
yival Programs, Dixon provides die reader widi an accurate and balanced
seemingly an entire village', to bring«this project to completion. So I must
depiction of the party's activities generally„^d in Seattie specifically
acknowledge and thank all thos^'who have helped along the way.
Dixon, a stand-up guy^s written a,stand-up book.about his life be
During die earlier years, a number'cff people helped the manuscript
fore, during, ^nd after the-Black Panther Party. Mj J^e'opk^Are Rising de­
get off the groiind. My first typist was. from Pike PlaCe Typing Service,
serves a broad hearingi-»This is a book that will, in fact, appeal fo, readers
which kindlyprbvid'ed discounted typing service, 'and later, my friend
of all ages, regardless of their political persuasign or-dieir opinions of
Pam, who worked for die City of 'Seattle, donated her time to typing my
the Black Panther Party, the most maligned ^d misrepresented, organi­
handwritten pages. My'gbod'fiiend Virginia Wyman stepped up to pro­
zation of the twentieth century '
vide valuable'aSsistance and support.'Dean Patton worked ^th me as* a
I''
writing coach. Deborah Gr£:'en,^die widbw'of Df-Jdhn Green, volun­
Judspn L. Jeffries, PhD
teered her time to edit the first draft: of the manuscript.A nd I am thankful
Professor of African Amqricari and African Studies, The Qhio State
to hiy good friend Gilda Sheppard, faculty at Ev^rgreen-Tacoma, for re­
Uni\fersity,'and autiior of Hu^ P. NeMofj,- The Radical TheomP,'Comrades,
minding me that I had a lot to say.
A -LocalHistory of the Black PanthenPar^, and Ofi the Ground: The Black Pan­
I thank all my Panther comrades. If not named direcdy here in these
ther Party^ in Communities Across America. ' '
acknowledgments, my gratitude and love for my Panther comrades are
xiii
1
xiv I My People Are Rising
in the pages of this memoir. BillJ ennings of the website It's About Time
BPP fielded my constant questions and gave me, Qngoing reminders to
finish this book. Bobby Seale had long phone conversations with me, dis­
cussing details. Emory Douglas provided steady encouragement, as did
Leila McDowell. My good friend Valentine Hobbs and I had daily con­
versations about our years in the party. I am amazed^ho^^^the memories
of diose days are fresh in our'i^ilS. also^ike^o-thank drigirfal BSU
J .
members Larry Gossett and Gary Owens, who have become my close
Our Family Journey Begins
'friends over the years.
I want to express my appreciation to Anthony Amove and Haymar-
kfet Press for recp^zing theimportance andWue of
I could not have asked for a better editor in Caroline L^ft, who seemed
to know about everything from football to music to.politics. Her jfatience
and commitment; to the project were invaluable. ' i
I thank my family'for alWays being available for information'as well
as inspiration. My mother allowed me to call her day and night to ask her
questions at times redundant—about our family history and-her mem­
ories of the turbulent years of the '60s and 70s. My brothers, Elmer and
Michael, and my sister, Joaiiie, pifovided ever-present supporf. My cousin
Mark shared so much valuable information about my father's-feide of die
family I thank my children—Aaron Patrice, Nisaa Uketi, Venishia, Aziza,
Asha, and Zain.^—for their joyotis curiosity about .theif dad's ^ritin^ a
book, and for their love and strength: Also in my heirt ard my grandkids
Fela, lyahna^ Grace, Natashai'D^si^, Syrena, Miko, aod Taliya^hj and my
•great-grandchildren, twins Xatnaria and Xayier, for^the-hope arid peace
they bring into this worfd of- uncertainty." .. i
-^d the.o ne.pejson who, above all, helped me and cajoled me in rac­
ing this book wortiiy of publication is my parmef,"parah Nousheen. For
the past seven yekrs we have worked together on this project as if we were
one, even while she was immersed ifl completing her BA and maSter's^-de,
grees, and in post—9/11 activism'in the South Asian-community.,
Lastly and yery impditantiy, Lexpress my utmost gratitude to.all my
friends, comrades, ^nd the people of Seattie, 'especially those who, kept
on asking-me, year after year, "Hdy, Aaron, when's.^our book comin*
out?" At last, I have an answer. "
1
Ancestors
Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swin^ng in the Southern breeze,
Strange fivit han^ngfr-om the poplar trees.
—^Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit," 1939
On a hot, mu^gy
night during the tumultuous and wild summer of
1968,1 crouched in waiting, along with three comrades, clutching my car­
bine tightly with sweaty hands. We were silently waiting for our prey. No,
this was not Vietnam; it was Seattle. The riots had raged for three nights,
much like the other rebellions that scorched across America that summer,
from Newark to Chicago to Los Angeles. These rebellions would leave
The Dixon family. Back row, left to right: Monuny, Poppy, Joaime. Flont row,
left to right: me, Michael, Elmer. Chicago, summer 1964. hundreds of people dead, wounded, and imprisoned, as well as endless
blocks of burned-out, ravaged buildings, standing as a lasting memory of
the anger of Black America. I did not know, nor did I care, whether I
would survive that night or, for that matter, the many other nights we took
to the streets to seek our revenge.
It was only a few months earlier that Martin Luther King Jr. had been
assassinated, and just a few years since die assassinations of Malcolm X
and Medgar Evers. These deaths were still fresh in our minds and hearts,
as were the countiess deaths of the lesser-known victims of American
3
4 I My People Are Rising
T- 'Ancestofs [ 5
racism. For more than three hundred years. Black people in America had
her own will..When Iwas a littie boy,"Emma jvould tell us stories of her
been denied basic civil rights, first when they were ripped from their
childhood, such ^s how her mother would sit on^the .pdrcii and keep an
African homelands and sold into slavery in the New Worid, then, after
eagle eye on-her children as she instructed them in the arfof doinglaundry.
Emancipation, under the racist system of Jim Crow laws and segregation.
Emma also told'us how,'when she was a young child, the local Cherokees
The uprisings of tiie '60s, erupting witii volcanic force throughout Black
attempted to'kidnap her, thinking she was one of their own because of
America, sent a loud and clear signal that-the time of silerice and compla­
her long black hair. Emma left home at eighteen to marry Mr.J oseph Ely,
cency was at an end. Taking up arms against the racist power structure
who^workedas a'brakeman for the railroad. Emrftd-worked as a laundress,
was a powerful move toward liberating our streets, our cities, our commu­
one of-the few occupations. Available to a Black woman during the late
nities, not only-for Black Americans in our time but also for those who
1800s in Mississippi. In tiie.eafly 190ds, her husband died a tragic death
had come before, and those who would follow.
on the'job in a^ railroad accident. Emma'wento'n to live .a very long life,
Thus, my story, and the stories of so many others, begins not in 1968
surviving futerine cancer, and .she gave birth to eight'children, only four
but hundreds of years earlier, when the furst Black slaves set foot on this
of whom lived beyond childhood.
sacred land of the red man. Yes, the ashes of otir ancestors are long gone,
One of Emma's sxurviving girls wks-'Mabel, ftiy great-grandmother,
and memories of them have long since dissipated. Yet their struggles, their
wTio. according to m'any wa^ very beautiful. Mabel did the^unthinkable—
strength, their courage, and their wisdom, along with their failings and
she had an affair and became pregnant'by a German-Jewish man, Mr.'John
flaws, will always be with us, pushing us, encouraging us, and watching over
William Browir. affair and pregnapcy led to her being ostracized from
us as we navigate our way dirough the life ahead. For most of us .whose
her family and community, and resulted in the Wth of a daughter, Willy
ancestors were dragged ashore, shacklqd, bewildered, and despairing, it is
Joe—my.grandmodier. Named after her fadier, later sKe .was raised as
difficult to tell where our stories begin or end.
"Josephine." Mabel departed this worid far too eariy,'at the age'of twenty-
I know vety littie of my slave ancestry, and even less about Mariah, a
three, dying of "consumption," the earlier name-for tuberculosis."
small, bowle^ed Black slave woman in Durant, Mississippi, where she lived,
Josephin^ was only three years old when Her'grandmother-Emma
toiled, and died thousands of miles away from her ancestral homeland. In
took her in. The fact that Josef)hine looked more white than'anything else
1858, under the old slave laws that did not legally recognize marriage between
presented problems for her grandmother. Southern social rules of the
enslaved people, she married Frank Kimes, a half-Irish and half-Black mu­
time dictated tiiat a child who appeared to be \i'hite should not be seen in
latto man, as he was described by<the census. They officially remarried after
the company of an ad^t who was obviously Black. Soon, the decision was
Emancipation. Mississippi, like most Southern state§,'was an inhospitable
made that Josephine would go live.with one of hef mother's sisters. Aunt
place for most newly freed slaves.'Many remained in bondage or worked as
Marie, in Chicago, where racial rules were slightly less restrictive. Aunt
indentured servants under the Black Codes, laws enacted after Emancipation
Marie's husband, Uncle Milton, had graduated from L^e College, a^board-
by the Southern states to restrict the rights of Black people, keeping 'them
ing school in Tennessee. He was employed with the post office. They lived
in servitude. Worse developments were to'come with the reign of terror
with their three-kids in a big Victorian hbuse on a large plot of land on
under Jim- Crow laws, starting the 1870s, which included mandatory/segre­
Chicago's far Southside, where they grewmuch of their own food and ran
gation, die eliriiination of the rights to vote and to bear arms, forced-impris­
a family ice cream paribr. My grandmother often talked about working
onment, and hideous acts of lynching.
long hours in the ice cream parlor apd perfdrming many other, chores
My maternal great-great-grandmother, Emma, one of Mariah's four
while the other kids' playedt >
daughters, was born August 2,1868, three years after the end of the Civil
There was one thing that my^grandniother wishfed more than anything
War. Emma grew up in a small house in Durant under«tiie'watchful 'eye
else, and that was to be able to take piano lessons just as Aunt Marie's kid§
of Mariah, now a free woman, free to raise her five children according to
did. But she was denied that opportunify, something my grandmother