by the Crusader Editorial Board
Black August is an annual, month-long commemoration of the struggle for Black liberation, designed to pay tribute to our martyrs who have fought and died to create a better tomorrow for our people. Black people in the US have experienced over 400 years of oppression, suffering, and exploitation, and throughout our entire history, we’ve consistently fought back, and continue to fight in every way possible. From our enslaved ancestors arming themselves in secret to burn down their plantations to modern-day uprisings led by our communities that shake this despicable system to its core.
We have endured the worst treatment and savage abuse at the hands of the exploitative systems. Black people have been killed, burnt alive, skinned alive, paraded as animals in zoos, psychologically tortured, ostracized, viciously exploited at our places of work, and imprisoned for fighting back or even daring to speak out against the oppression we face. Black August reminds us that we’re fighting the correct and just cause for liberation, and throughout our centuries-long struggle, many brave fighters have passionately dedicated their lives to our cause.
The history of commemorating Black August goes back to the brave struggles of George and Jonathan Jackson. At San Quentin prison, activists and fighters were tortured, thrown into solitary confinement, and abused regularly, but the brothers there were well-organized thanks to the efforts of comrade George Jackson. Both of the Jacksons were assassinated by the US government in August; Jonathan was killed on the 7th and George on the 21st. And so, the month of August was chosen to memorialize the lives of these two brave fighters.
But the history of Black August doesn’t stop there. Numerous important events for Black people occurred during August. The Haitian Revolution kicked out the French, Spanish, and British colonial powers from the island of Hispaniola (the island where Haiti and the Dominican Republic are). Nat Turner, a Black enslaved man led an uprising of Black enslaved people in Virginia. The Watts uprising against police brutality occurred in Southern California. Fred Hampton, one of our best leaders, has his birthday in August. And, in the past few years, the Ferguson uprising began in August, while the 2020 uprisings stretched into August as well.
August is a month for struggle. Say no to peace parades and the politicians!
Black August was clearly dedicated to the historical advancements of past generations of black activists and to remember to continue fighting for our people’s emancipation until we are all free. Yet, like everything Black or revolutionary, we constantly fight against people who try to co-opt our struggles and sanitize our history. In modern times we have propaganda mouthpieces at major “news” networks like CNN writing sanitized bullshit-infested pieces about Black August. Black August isn’t a glorified Black History Month 2, and it’s not federally designated time to promote the dumb shit we’re told about our leaders: about how MLK was just about peace and love and kumbaya, and how Malcolm X was his scary counterpart that didn’t get shit done, and how racism is over because of the “Civil Rights Act”. This month is designated to the struggle for Black liberation, not whatever bullshit the U.S. government thinks is appropriate for black people to commemorate. This month is purposefully harder to mold into a sanitized memorial of our history and our long fight against the oppressive systems because of its commitment to struggle, and its acknowledgment that we’re not free yet, and we got a lot of freeing to do!
We have to use this time to monumentalize all the people who have died fighting for our freedom (and no, the unfortunate Black soldiers sent overseas to die for the fatcat, oppressive American government did not die to save us). It’s about all the men and women who have passionately defended Black liberation and given their lives up to the cause. Tupac rightfully said that we need to wage war on behalf of Black people1, and our people have been battling for centuries. But it’s time to step it up and realize that we aren’t gonna get liberation from pandering to politicians, working with the “lesser of two evils”, or nicely asking racist and exploitative institutions to please stop killing us.
Let’s get real. We’re only gonna get free through rebelling against state violence, and Black August is a great time to propagate that universal truth. Oppressed people’s history shows us the need to fight, from Haiti to Palestine. We have to continue looking within our own black communities and get folks down with the truth that pacifying ourselves by trying to do shit with the system ISN’T GOING TO WORK. We need to start organizing ourselves in long-lasting organizations guided by the necessity of Black liberation and socialist revolution. We’ve seen in the past with Black revolutionaries the importance of community and organizing in beating our oppressors. Only through revolution can we achieve freedom!
Long live the martyrs of the Black Liberation Struggle!
Free all Political Prisoners from the Black Belt to Palestine!
- “Tupac said that his “W” hand signs didn’t stand for “West” anymore, but for “War” on behalf of a unified Black America” The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders: U.S. Intelligence’s Murderous Targeting of Tupac, MLK, Malcolm, Panthers, Hendrix, Marley, Rappers and Linked Ethnic Leftists ↩︎
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