August—-Black August—like February’s Black History Month and June’s Juneteenth, is a month dedicated to honoring Black history and history makers. But its look goes beyond those who–mostly rightly–are broadly anointed as such by much of American society. Born on the unforgiving grounds of California’s San Quentin Prison, Black August is a child of the regularly erased, the often unnamed and widely unclaimed people most of us were never meant to know, let alone respect or love: the incarcerated and deeply politicalized leaders of the Black Power Movement.
Today marks the first day of the 45th annual commemoration of Black August, which originally honored two men, brothers, who were killed by law enforcement: George and Jonathan Jackson. Over the last five decades, it has evolved into a powerful tradition that elevates the range of Black freedom fighters– and today it is honored by activists across the nation and world.
The month-long observance …