Black August Page #4

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And he was terrified of going berserk

on me himself probably.

Sometimes I feel that they thought I was

better off in prison than out on the streets.

My mother used to always say

stuff like:

"Boy, you are so handsome and someday

you really gonna be somebody. "

And a part of you, you really start

to believe in that sh*t.

Until you get out in the streets...

...and you're just another n*gger.

No. No, no, no, Georgie, do it like this.

Break it into little pieces

as you eat, okay?

You'll make a better impression

on people.

Not like all those poor kids

who just shove it in their mouth.

Hi. David Dryer.

I'm Georgia.

How do you do?

I'm fine, thank you.

Have a seat.

That's George's brother Jonathan.

That's Angela.

So tell me exactly

what you're doing, David.

Well, George told me about

your correspondence over the years.

And I'd like to take a look at those letters

to see if it could be included in the book.

What did he say about those letters?

Not too many specifics

at this point really.

So, George said it was okay

to look at them?

- Yes.

- And you swear by that?

Yeah.

Yeah, I swear.

Hi.

- How's he doing?

- He's fine. He's fine. He sends his love.

They won't let me in anymore.

I envy you, being able to see him.

Well, he's okay. He talks about you a lot.

In fact, I'd like to talk to you

sometime if we get a chance.

- I'd like to get your perspective...

- Yeah, later.

Well, which ones do you wanna see?

All of them, if I could.

Mr. Dryer, there are some things

between a mother and son...

...that don't belong in a book.

Well, I can assure you that your end

of the correspondence...

...will remain entirely private.

I'll keep the originals.

- You'll make copies.

- Yes.

Good, I wouldn't wanna lose them.

My son is an exceptional writer.

- He's also an exceptional human being.

- Yeah.

He is that, ma'am.

That's why each day we come here...

...and take Eucharist

from the same bread.

Because each of us together

makes the world.

A common brotherhood under God.

And the blood of Christ running through

all our veins alike.

- They show us that he is...

- Mama, all your talk of God...

...makes me think you are a sick woman.

I'm sorry you made me go

to those places.

Why did you do it, Mama?

You have failed me.

Those institutions taught propaganda.

They taught what to think,

rather than how to think.

Blacks in those schools, those churches,

are even worse off...

...for they learn the ways

and attitudes of the snake.

The Western world has reduced all life

to a dull formula.

All natural feelings have been lost.

But I mustn't complain of such things.

It would be un-American to do so.

Like the rest of you,

I should lose my mind in a fog.

I should smile and sing.

Perhaps I should thank the Lord

in spite of the fact...

...that I have not one moment's

mental gratification in my 23 years.

Patience has its limits.

Take it too far and it's cowardice.

My people have been refused the right

to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

All this has left an emptiness

in our lives.

A void, a vacuum that must

be soon filled by hostilities.

Please let Jonathan know these truths.

Allow him to grow into a man.

Allow me to teach him what I can, so

that at least one of our men will be free.

George.

My name is Georgia Jackson

and I'm the mother of George.

- One of the men who they're trying to kill.

- All right.

- That's right, that's right.

- Yeah.

I wanna tell you that I know my son.

He's a beautiful human being.

I know he never could have done

the things they're saying he did.

- We know.

- He didn't do it.

What they are trying to do

is what they do to all black men...

...who wanna stand up for their rights.

- That's right.

They lynch them. They put them

in prison cells that are like graves.

- You tell it.

- Good job, Mom.

I'm asking you, please, help my son.

- We will.

- We're with you always.

- And this woman's son.

- That's right, that's right.

- We're with you all the way.

- Yeah.

We're two black women...

...who love our children...

- That's right.

- And don't wanna see them killed.

- That's right.

- No, you don't wanna see it.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, that's right.

- Power to the people.

- Go free.

- Free the Soledad Brothers.

Soledad Brothers.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't know

you played, that's the thing.

Well, I play but not well.

Well...

...whether you do or not...

...I'll burn you.

Okay, I'll be ready.

Listen...

...did my brother...

Did he say anything about me?

Yeah, he said you were

a beautiful brother.

And that I should not ask your age...

...because you were so much more mature

than your years.

So when are you seeing him next?

Pretty soon. I'm flying back

to San Francisco tomorrow.

Well, when you do,

can you send him my love for me?

Tell him my mom sends her love too.

David, I want you to meet

some brothers of mine.

- This here is Lumumba.

- Hey.

Lumumba, David. David, Lumumba.

And Fred. Fred's the chairman

of the defense committee.

David.

David's the editor who's working

on my brother's book.

I know, man. We're looking forward to it.

Man, listen to me.

You know, them white boys.

You gotta watch out.

Every time you turn around

they manipulate...

...the minds of the young brothers.

So keep your dadgum eyes open.

Always protect your black queen.

We'll be in touch.

Nice guys.

I'm sorry about that.

You all heard her, folks.

It's not enough to be innocent.

- Yeah, yeah.

- You all know that.

You have got to have money

and lots of it.

For lawyers, investigators

and a good defense.

- That's right, brother, that's right.

- Now we're gonna pass the hat.

And I wanna see 5s and 10s and 20s

and 50s and 100s.

Don't no one leave because our

next speaker is gonna be Angela Davis.

Let's give it up for Angela Davis.

- All right.

- Right on.

- Right on.

- Right.

Right on.

I'd like to talk at first

about the absent black father...

...that we hear so much about.

- That's right. That's right.

- I'll tell you why he's absent.

- Take your time.

- Because he's in prison.

- Yeah.

- Why is he in prison? Because of drugs.

- Yeah, that's right.

Why drugs?

To blunt the pain of being black.

- The pain of being poor.

- Yeah.

- The pain of being outcast.

- Yeah.

Because society doesn't let him

get a decent education.

That's right, that's right.

And even if he could get

a decent education...

...he still couldn't find a decent job.

- That's right.

- And it's not because society doesn't care.

- Right.

It cares enough to perpetuate

the crime of racism...

...which blights the lives

of every black mother.

- That's right. That's right.

- Every black father.

- Every black child.

- Yeah, right.

It cares enough to build

more and more prisons for them.

And it cares enough about

the Soledad Brothers to murder them.

- Yeah.

- Right on.

- Free the Soledad Brothers.

- Free the Soledad Brothers.

- All power to the people.

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