Marvin X and oldest daughter Nefertiti (The beautiful one has come). Laney College,
Black Arts Movement 50th Anniversary celebration, 2015
photo Ken Johnson
I love this man who is forever optimistic in a world filled with daily tragedies, myths and lies. He is not delusional about the existence of such filth which causes the weak to walk bent over and on a jagged path. He just continues to insist on pushing forward, walking upright and going higher, rising above the fray and the frivolity that causes lesser beings to collapse, breakdown and give in.
He insists that knowledge can enlighten us all. He continues to seek after truth and consumes truth from the right, the left, the moderates, Muslims, Christians and as many other sources as are present, discriminating only against sources which seek to dumb down the masses.
He is a man who continues to dream and pushes others to dream big with him. Your interest or belief in his dream matters not. He waters, plants, nourishes until the fruits come forth.
Ashe' to a seeker of truth.
Ashe' to a dreamer of dreams.
Ashe' to a liver of dreams manifested.
Malcolm X Jazz Festival, Oakland CA
Newark, NJ Mayor Ras Baraka and Marvin X
Marvin X and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
photo Jahahara
Marvin and actor Danny Glover, BAM founders, both attended San Francisco State University
photo Ken Johnson
Marvin X at his Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland. Marvin calls it the most dangerous classroom in the world. Across the street is the Oscar Grant Plaza where protests rally occur regularly, i.e., Oscar Grant protests, anti-police rallies, Occupy Oakland, Black Lives Matter, anti-Trump.
From his Academy of da Corner,, Marvin helped plan the Black Arts Movement Business District. The BAMBD newspaper The Movement is edited on da corner with designer Standing Rock.
photo Standing Rock
photo Gene Hazzard
photo Alicia Mason
Bio of Marvin X
Marvin X was born May 29, 1944, Fowler CA, nine miles south of Fresno in the central valley of California. In Fresno his parents published the Fresno Voice, a black newspaper.
Marvin attended Oakland’s Merritt College where he encountered fellow students how became Black Panther Party co-founders Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. They taught him black nationalism. Marvin’s first play Flowers for the Trashman was produced by the Drama department at San Francisco State University, 1965. Marvin X dropped out to established his own Black Arts West Theatre in the Fillmore, 1966, along with playwright Ed Bullins. Months later Marvin would co-found Black House with Eldridge Cleaver, 1967.
Marvin introduced Eldridge Cleaver to Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. Eldridge immediately joined the Black Panther Party. Huey Newton said, “Marvin X was my teacher, many of our comrades came from his Black Arts Theatre: Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, Emory Douglas and Samuel Napier.”
One of the movers and shakers of the Black Arts Movement (BAM) Marvin X has published 30 books, including essays, poetry, and his autobiography Somethin’ Proper. Important books include Fly to Allah, poems, Beyond Religion, toward Spirituality, essays on consciousness, and How to Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy, a manual based on the 12 step Recovery model.
Marvin received his MA in English/Creative writing from San Francisco State University, 1975. He has taught at San Francisco State University, Fresno State University, UC Berkeley and San Diego, Mills College, Merritt and Laney Colleges in Oakland, University of Nevada, Reno. He lectures coast to coast at such colleges and universities as University of Arkansas, University of Houston, Morehouse and Spelman, Atlanta, University of Virginia, Howard University, Univ. of Penn, Temple Univ., Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, UMASS, Boston.
His latest book is the Wisdom of Plato Negro, parables/fables, Black Bird Press, Berkeley. He currently teaches at his Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland. Ishmael Reed says, “Marvin X is Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland."For speaking, readings and performance, contact Marvin X @ jmarvinx@yahoo.com,
510-200-4164. www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com