Toward the BAMBD National Advisory Board

 Comrades in the Black Arts Movement: Marvin X and Danny Glover

photo Ken Johnson

The following persons are requested to participate on the Black Arts Movement Business District National Advisory Board:

Danny Glover
Delroy Lindo
Sonia Sanchez
Nikki Giovanni
Mrs. Amina Baraka
Mayor Ras Baraka
Amiri Baraka, Jr.
Askia Toure
Woody King
The Last Poets
Felipe Luciano
David Murray
Marshall Allen
Danny Thompson
David Boykin
Haki Madhubuti
Toni Morrison
Alice Walker
Angela Davis
Muhammad Ahmad
John Burris
Gus Newport
Walter Riley
Eleanor Mason
Dezie Woods Jones
Maxine Ussery
Ruth Beckford
Ellendar Barnes
Dr. Mona Scott
Dr. Nathan Hare
Ishmael Reed
Al Young
Fahizah Alim
Kalamu Ya Salaam
Eugene Redman
Dr. Cornel West

Chicago's David Boykin produced conference on BAM Master Sun Ra at University of Chicago.
BAM Master's Marvin X, Marshall Allen and Danny Thompson of Sun Ra's Arkestra particpated,
May 22, 2015.

 The Black Dialogue Magazine brothers who visited the Soledad Prison Black Culture Club, chaired by Eldridge Cleaver and Alprintice Bunchy Carter, 1966. This club was the beginning of the American prison movement. Black Dialogue Magazine was edited by students in the BSU at San Francisco (most of the above). FYI, the Bay Area played a critical role in radical publications of the BAM National Movement, sister of the Black Power Movement (Larry Neal). While the East Coast is credited with founding BAM, critical journals of BAM were produced in the Bay Area: Soulbook Magazine (Merritt College), Black Dialogue, Journal of Black Poetry (San Francisco State College/University and community), Black Scholar Magazine, founded by Dr. Nathan Hare, edited by Robert Chrisman. There were the critical BAM journals, along with Liberator (New York City) and Negro Digest/Black World (Chicago). Prior to BAM journals was Umbra, published in NYC.

 

 BAM/Black Power freedom fighters Angela Davis, Marvin X, Sonia Sanchez

 Tarika Lewis, artistic freedom fighter, first female member of the Black Panther Party; Fred Hampton, Jr., Black Panther Cub, BAM Elder Marvin X, BAM/Black Power Babies Ras Ceylon and Alia

 BAM Baby Wanda Sabir. Her parents read to her Marvin X's classic Fable of the Black Bird.
Wanda is a Professor at College of Alameda and writer for the Bayview Newspaper, SF.

 

Promo from Stanley Nelson documentary film Black Panthers, Vanguard of the Revolution

BAM poet Marvin X appears in film.

Bay Area artists: Dewey Crumpler, painter, Author Monroe, painter, Ishmael Reed, author, Conyus, poet, Marvin X poet/organizer, Al Young, California poet laureate emeritus 

photo Tennessee Reed

 Black Arts Movement Poets Choir and Arkestra, University of California, Merced, 2014.

The BAM 50th Anniversary Celebration produced by Kim McMillan and Marvin X

 

Juan Herrera Felipe, member of original  BAM Poets Choir and Arkestra formed at University of California, Merced, 2014. Juan is now United States of America Poet Laureate 

 The Black Arts Movement Poets Choir and Arkestra at the Malcolm X Jazz/Art Festival, Oakland Ca, 2014
collage photo Adam Turner, Post News Group

Marvin X, daughter Muhammida el Muhajir, Dr. Julia Hare, Nisa Ra (Mother of Muhammida, former wife of Marvin X, still one of his best friends; Dr. Nathan Hare. Marvin adopted Julia and Nathan as his aunt and uncle. Dr. Julia Hare said, "When Marvin X calls you, it's like God calling. When he says jump, you say how high?" Marvin X says, "Oh, let us assist Dr. Nathan Hare in caring for his wife of 58 years. Oh, community, go visit them or send them a generous donation. They need your help at this hour as I write."

BAM artists Zena Allen, Marvin X, Tarika Lewis and Linda Johnson, one of our greatest choreographers. Marvin says, "I've worked with many Bay Area dancers, choreographers. As a child I adored Ruth Beckford who taught at New Century Rec Center in West Oakland when I was a child.
At San Francisco State College/University, I experienced Nontizi Cayou, worked with her. Then Raymond Sawyer, Ed Mock, Debra Vaughn, Suzzette Celeste, Raynetta Rayzetta (no one interpreted my poetry better than Raynetta and Suzzette Celeste). But I can't exclude Debra Vaughn and Traci Bartlow.

Ishmael Reed's classic study of Muhammad Ali. I appreciate Ishmael for allowing me to say what I wanted to say about my NOI brother and fellow traveler. As per the war in Vietnam, Ali and I were the best known NOI members who refused to fight in Vietnam. I endured exile, jail and Federal prison for my beliefs. Ali suffered fighting in the prime of his life as World Heavyweight  Champion.

Stanley Nelson, director of the film Black Panthers, Vanguard of the Revolution, Marvin X and Fred Hampton, Jr., at the screening of film at San Francisco International Film Festival. Fred Hampton was featured in the film as a baby. He was in the womb of his mother when the pigs killed his father while he lay in bed with his pregnant mother. The Chicago police admitted they attacked the BPP house to murder Black Panthers, especially after receiving information from a snitching ass nigguh.

Even as I write here in Oakland CA, even as the Oakland City Council just approved the Black Arts Movement Business District along the 14th Street corridor downtown, the rats are out and about. Even as we took the photo shoot before the City Council vote on the BAMBD, the rats were about, not only were they in the grass outside City Hall as many artists noticed, but they found their way into the group photo, one need only look at the last row on the left to see the rats. We had people on the East Coast check out the pic and they agreed they saw the rats in the pic.