Jan. 21, 1972: 52 years ago, Jan 21 1972, 26 inmates at San Quentin State Prison, led by [...]
52 years ago, Jan 21 1972, 26 inmates at San Quentin State Prison, led by the San Quentin 6 (who were being tried for the alleged escape attempt that left George Jackson dead), began a hunger strike, demanding sanitary food and other basic rights, including the freedom to read
The strikers were all located on the first floor of the San Quentin Adjustment Center, where authorities had killed George Jackson the previous August. Inmates reported that conditions, already poor, had deteriorated dramatically since the incident
Striking prisoners refused meals, throwing food back at guards along with their own feces. They wrote, “We feel it should not be necessary to throw feces on you in order to obtain our human rights.” Guards responded with tear gas. Fires were set and windows were broken
The strike lasted a week without winning its demands. After leaving prison, one of the strike’s leaders, Willie Tate, would continue to struggle for food justice as an organizer of the People’s Food System.
@wrkclasshistory There are four notices published in the Black Panther in the fall of 68 (Sep. 7, Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Dec. 21) either announcing the breakfast program or calling for volunteers. Each announce the program but imply that it hadn’t yet begun
@wrkclasshistory Downs Memorial Church in Oakland and Concord Baptist Church in Berkeley are both listed but other than these announcements there’s no credible evidence that these programs ever started in 68 or ever at those churches. There are other disputes about the origins of the program
@wrkclasshistory Some members from the Seattle chapter claim they were doing free breakfasts earlier than the St. Augustine event on Jan. 20. Elaine Brown also claims that Sacred Heart in San Francisco was the first location of the program in one of her books
@wrkclasshistory But most scholars cite January 20 as the program’s origin because that’s where the actual evidence points too. If you do find some evidence of the “first” breakfast program please let us know
@wrkclasshistory It’s tricky stuff. Possible some did but we’ve dug around for interviews or any other evidence and haven’t been able to find anything. Other announcements after this one on Sep. 7 also have language like “the first of these will take place” suggesting they hadn’t yet occurred
@wrkclasshistory There’s a footnote from Bloom and Martin in Black Against Empire concluding the same. Would love to see any info showing otherwise though. There are interviews detailing some roadblocks that delayed the St. Augustine program so possible that prevented it from happening elsewhere
