Black August brings a number of important events to Baltimore and Maryland. Here, we announce three of them: the RBG Human Flag Day and Garvey Day on Saturday, August 17l and the Afrikan Family Day Tribute to Ancestors Roots on Sunday, August 18.
A Brief History of Black August
August is an important month in the history of Black Resistance in the United States. “Black August”, as it is often known, commemorates our struggle to free ourselves from oppression since the time of our enslavement in the US. In recognition of the many historic events that marked the month of August, Pan-Afrikan activists often celebrate our struggle through a number of commemorations during the month of August.
The following is an excerpt from a historical analysis courtesy of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM), and is available on the Web page https://blackopinion.co.za/2016/08/26/what-is-black-august/:
Black August originated in the California penal system to honor fallen Freedom Fighters, Jonathan Jackson, George Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain and Khatari Gaulden. Jonathan Jackson was gunned down outside the Marin County California courthouse on August 7, 1970 as he attempted to liberate three imprisoned Black Liberation Fighters: James McClain, William Christmas and Ruchell Magee. Ruchell Magee is the sole survivor of that armed liberation attempt. … George Jackson was assassinated by prison guards during a Black prison rebellion at San Quentin on August 21, 1971. …
Khatari Gaulden was a prominent leader of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) after Comrade George was assassinated. Khatari was a leading force in the formation of Black August, particularly its historical and ideological foundations. …
Black August is a time to embrace the principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, physical training and resistance. …
In the late 1970’s the observance and practice of Black August left the prisons of California and began being practiced by Black/New Afrikan revolutionaries throughout the country. Members of the New Afrikan Independence Movement (NAIM) began practicing and spreading Black August during this period. The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) inherited knowledge and practice of Black August from its parent organization, the New Afrikan People’s Organization (NAPO). …
Traditionally, Black August is a time to study history, particularly our history in the North American Empire. The first Afrikans were brought to Jamestown as slaves in August of 1619, so August is a month during which Blacks/New Afrikans can reflect on our current situation and our self-determining rights. … In 1843, Henry Highland Garnett called a general slave strike on August 22. The Underground Railroad was started on August 2, 1850. The March on Washington occurred in August of 1963, Gabriel Prosser’s 1800 slave rebellion occurred on August 30 and Nat Turner planned and executed a slave rebellion that commenced on August 21, 1831. The Watts rebellions were in August of 1965. On August 18, 1971 the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika (RNA) was raided by Mississippi police and FBI agents. The MOVE family was [attacked] by Philadelphia police on August 8, 1978. Further, August is a time of birth. Dr. Mutulu Shakur (political prisoner & prisoner of war), Pan-Africanist Black Nationalist Leader Marcus Garvey, Maroon Russell Shoatz (political prisoner) and Chicago BPP Chairman Fred Hampton were born in August. August is also a time of rebirth, W.E.B. Dubois died in Ghana on August 27, 1963.
MXGM would like to thank the following for their contribution to this article: Kali Akuno, Kiilu Nyasha, Ayanna Mashama, David Giappa Johnson, Sundiata Tate, Louis Bato Talamantez of the San Quentin 6 and The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM).
Saturday, August 17: RBG Human Flag Day and Marcus Garvey Day in Baltimore
The weekend of August 17 and 18 holds particular significance in the Baltimore, Maryland area this year. Baba Charlie Dugger holds an annual observance of Garvey Day at this time, often beginning with a march through several West Baltimore streets and culminating with a Garvey Day celebration in Harlem Park in West Baltimore. This year, the celebration takes on added significance, as a coalition of organizations led by the Black Wolves Youth Scouts and its founder, Bro. Mosiah Fit, are holding the first Red-Black-Green Human Flag Day on the football field at Harlem Park (1500 Edmondson Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21123), starting at 11:00 AM.
The objective is for a crowd of between 3,000 and 10,000 people to assemble on the field and hold red, black and green placards and create a large Human Flag in the colors of Afrikan Liberation that can be filmed and photographed from helicopters circling above. Part of the inspiration for this idea comes from the red, white and blue human flags that have been created and displayed at Federal Hill, Fort McHenry and other locations to celebrate events in US history. This event, however, will celebrate the history of Pan-Afrikan struggle against oppression in the United States.
Baba Charlie Dugger’s observance of Garvey Day, which he has sponsored for over 40 years, occurs immediately after the Human Flag Day event, next to the field in Harlem Park. There will be speakers, musicians and presentations to memorialize the work of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, as well as Pan-Afrikan fellowship and historical lessons for youth, adults and elders of the community.
Sunday, August 18: Afrikan Family Day, A Tribute to Ancestors Roots
The historic Arch Social Club will host a special event the following day to honor the lifelong contributions of Baba Ras Marcus and Mama Lola Jenkins, founders of Ancestors Roots, to the cultural and historical enrichment of Afrikan people in Maryland. For several decades through the 1990s and early 2000s, Ancestors Roots held regular Afrikan Family Day events at school auditoriums across Baltimore City.
These events always began with a Libation or Tambiko to honor the Ancestors of Afrikan People, recognizing the fact that we are only here today because of the struggles undertaken by those who came before us who held our personal families together and who fought for the liberation of all Afrikan people. Baba Ras Marcus always gave an in-depth yet easily understandable explanation of what the Libation ceremony means, the significance of pouring water (the most precious substance on the earth) into a plant or similar vessel (to signify growth and regeneration) while we call out the names of those who came before us. Mama Lola Jenkins would then lead the audience in the Afrikan Pledge. From there, a series of presentations would use storytelling, music, dance, spoken word and Baba Ras Marcus’ Drums of Kujichagulia to impart an understanding of Afrikan culture to the people. The events were aimed at the youth, the adults and the elders, for the purposes of education, inspiration and motivation to get out and continue the struggle that our Honored Ancestors have left for us to finish.
The Afrikan Family Day events stopped around the turn of the Millennium, largely because age and illness made it more difficult for Mama Lola Jenkins and Baba Ras Marcus to organize and hold them at the level they had been. Now, Baba Ras Marcus is being cared for at a Baltimore nursing home that is equipped to meet his needs, and Mama Lola is in a serious battle with advanced cancer. Being rather private people who chose not to burden the community with their personal struggles, their predicament has gone unnoticed for far too long. But the burden should have been ours to embrace all along, as Mama Lola Jenkins and Baba Ras Marcus sacrificed much for the historical and cultural enrichment of our community for years. In their time of need, the community has, quite frankly, been too consumed with other pursuits, some of them worthy, others not, to see their difficulty and come to their aid. Unfortunately, such is often the fate of our committed activists, that their years of sacrifice and struggle seem to go unrewarded. Now, local community activists such as Nana Nyamekye, Bro. Bill Goodin and others fear that Baba Ras Marcus and Mama Lola Jenkins may soon leave us to join the Ancestors. The least we can do as a community is come together for a special Afrikan Family Day and say “Asante Sana (Thank You)” to them for their many years of selfless service, and to give them a chance to “smell their roses while they are here.”
Longtime Baltimore-area activist Mama Victory Swift, founder of Our Victorious City and one of the key organizers of this Tribute, said the following on her Facebook page:
Please join us all for this magnanimous occasion to honor Harriet Tubman City/ Baltimore’ s Revolutionary Greats, Mama Lola Jenkins & Baba Ras Marcus’s Ancestors Roots celebration. These elders have been at the forefront of the conscious community for decades. Sadly; due to illnesses for years, they have both been unable to partake in our continued struggle for liberation. However, it is imperative that we give them their roses while they are still on this side of life and that we come together on this day, August 18,2019/ 6260 to give honor and love to two elder greats who have fought unyieldingly for our freedom, love, and unity! If you would love to donate or help with this event please contact the elders on this flyer or just call Mama Lola and give love, honor, and respect. I love you all! please share to your friends and family, let’s make this a day for them and their loved ones to always remember! Much Love!
The Afrikan Family Day Tribute to Ancestors Roots at Arch Social Club starts at 3:00 PM Sunday, August 18. Come out and show your support and gratitude to Mama Lola Jenkins and Baba Ras Marcus of Ancestors Roots. Contact Nana Nzinga Nyamekye at (443) 739-3620 or Mama Lola at (443) 419-6414.