Primary Artist: Terry Forman
Created: San Francisco Collective, 1981
Medium: Offset printed
Dimensions: 10.5″ x 16.5″
George Jackson was a Black intellectual, an activist and a prolific writer on prisons and the Black Liberation Movement. In 1961 when he was 20 years old, he was convicted of a $70 robbery and sentenced to one year to life in prison. There he became politicized, studied revolutionary theory, and joined the Black Panther Party. His activism soon drew the anger of the prison, and he spent many years in solitary confinement while writing his classic book Soledad Brother, followed by Blood in My Eye. His younger brother Jonathan Jackson attempted to free him in August of 1970 by taking a judge hostage in a Marin County courtroom. Jonathan, two other prisoners and the judge were killed by police and the guns used in the incident were later traced to Angela Davis. In August of 1971 George was killed by guards at San Quentin in what was described by the prison as “an escape attempt.” This poster commemorated George Jackson and other Black fighters on what became known as Black August.
For more information, see the extensive Freedom Archives collection about George Jackson.
George Jackson: Dragon Philosopher and Revolutionary Abolitionist
Image: One big red block with black overprint and white dropouts, all in block capital letters. Bottom: is a sketch in black, of about 20 Black people holding guns.
Words: Starting at the top: “AUGUST 21, 1971- 1981 REMEMBER GEORGE JACKSON”. “FREE ALL PRISONERS OF WAR. INDEPENDENCE FOR THE BLACK NATION. LONG LIVE THE BLACK LIBERATION ARMY”.
Color: black and red ink on white paper
Sponsors: Prairie Fire Organizing Committee
© Fireworks Graphics Collective. Go to “Contact Us” for legal use.
