As Marvin X signed books at San Francisco Juneteenth, he noticed a "fine" black female officer standing a few feet from him with a white officer. Aside from her beauty, he noticed she had a Muslim name. He called her over and asked if she would arrest him. She replied, "No, because there are too many black people already in jail", and returned to her post.
Is Marvin X under surveillance? A few weeks ago when he boarded the Amtrak to Fresno, an Oakland police officer got on board behind him and came to his seat. The Black uniformed officer said loudly, "Oh, I see we have a celebrity on board this morning!"
For Fresno Juneteenth, Marvin X and Dr. Nathan Hare donated five boxes of books from their libraries to give out to his hometown folks (he grew up in Fresno and Oakland; in 1969 he attempted to lecture in the Black Studies Department at Fresno State University but was removed on orders of then Governor Ronald Reagan, who also removed Angela Davis from teaching at UCLA the same year).
Marvin later taught at UC Berkeley, 1972, San Francisco State University, 1974, UC San Diego, 1975, University of Nevada, Reno, 1979. He has authored and/or edited 30 books and has received writing awards from Columbia University and the National Endowment for the Arts; planning grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is honored in the African American Museum at the Smithsonian, Washington DC.
As one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement (the most radical artistic and literary movement in American history), Marvin X was recently praised by George Miles, a fellow alumni of Harlem's New Lafayette Theatre, "HONORS. Our Own Very Very Very Dear and Beloved Friend/Brother/Man, Supreme Warrior, Activist, Advocate Poet, Essayist, Author, Educator and Honored New Lafayette Alumni Marvin X (Jackmon). HONORS!"
His archives were acquired by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Berkeley Juneteenth
Berkeley Juneteenth
At Berkeley Juneteenth, Berkeley's Chief of Police stopped by Marvin X's booth. The chief said he was drawn to the poet's booth by a sign "White Awake, Challenge Racism." Marvin told the chief it is a movement. He could Google it.
At Berkeley Juneteenth, Berkeley's Chief of Police stopped by Marvin X's booth. The chief said he was drawn to the poet's booth by a sign "White Awake, Challenge Racism." Marvin told the chief it is a movement. He could Google it.
FYI, Marvin X's friends used to shoot police, e g., Eldridge Cleaver, Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, and other members of the Black Panther Party.
And the police used to kill Panthers.
Marvin X recalls when he traveled with Cleaver during his Born Again Christian days, on one occasion the former BPP Minister of Information gave his testimony before a group of white Christians, including police who confessed they had murder squads killing black people in general and Panthers in particular. The police told Cleaver that since they had found the Lord, they no longer hated black people. Cleaver and the police embraced and the audience shouted praise the Lord, hallelujah.
Marin City Juneteenth
On Saturday, June 29, Marvin X will speak at the Marin City Juneteenth Festival. Aside from speaking and autographing his latest book Notes of Artistic Freedom Fighter Marvin X, he will be interviewed by Duke University Professor Ellen McLarney for her book project on Muslim writers in America. Marvin X is considered the father of Muslim American literature (Dr. Mohja Kahf). Ishmael Reed calls him, "Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland." Bob Holman says, "He's the USAs Rumi...the ecstasy of Hafiz, the wisdom of Saadi, the politics of Baraka, the humor of Pietri...."
Coming Soon
save the date
Dr. Cornel West and Marvin X
A Conversation
Dr. Cornel West has agreed to an on-stage conversation with his dear friend, Marvin X, December, 2019. Date, time and place to be arranged. If you would like to be a sponsor or patron of this event, please call 510-575-7148. "Can't wait to see you both together again!"
--Clifton West
for more information or to invite Marvin X to speak and/or read from his works
www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com
mxjackmon@gmail.com