Angela Davis

 

            Angela Yvonne Davis was born on Jan. 26, 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama.  Her parents, B. Frank and Sally E. Davis were both school teachers, and they instilled strong political values in their four children.

In 1959, at the age of 15, Angela received a scholarship from the American Friends Southern Negro Student Committee to attend Elizabeth Irvine, a private high school in New York.  Angela went on to pursue her education at a college in Brandeis, Mass., where she studied French.  Angela spent her junior year studying abroad at a university in Paris.  There she established contact with some Algerian revolutionaries (Marcuse).

After Angela’s year in Paris, she returned to her Massachusetts college.  Angela began to study philosophy, which ignited her fire to pursue a world of social liberation.  With this new passion, Angela began to study the Communist Party of the United States.  In 1968, Angela became a member with the mission to “overthrow the capitalist class” (Marcuse).  Angela became a member of the Black Panthers as well.

In the spring of 1969, Angela took a position at UCLA as an assistant professor in philosophy.  When the board discovered Angela’s association with the Communist Party, they illegally dismissed her.  This angered many of Angela’s co-workers and students, who began to pressure the board to rehire Angela.  Although their effort was successful and getting Angela’s job back, the board soon fired her again for her support in the defense of the “Soledad Brothers.” The Soledad Brothers a group of African American revolutionaries imprisoned at Soledad Prison for killing a prison guard. 

Angela was accused of purchasing fire arms for 17 year old Jonathan Jackson, who kidnapped a judge to obtain the freedom of his brother George, a Soledad Brother.  On Aug. 11, 1970, the F.B.I. issued a warrant for Angela’s arrest.  Angela was forced to go underground, which made her the 3^rd woman to appear on the F.B.I. “Ten Most Wanted List” (Marcuse).  Angela was later apprehended on Oct. 13, 1970.  She was charged with murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy and imprisoned for 18 months before her trial.  During Angela’s incarceration, the outraged community launched a “Free Angela Davis Campaign.”  On Feb. 27, 1972, Angela was acquitted of all charges.

After Angela received her freedom, she became the founder of the National Alliance Against Political Repression.  Angela continues to be a social activist focusing most of her attention on poor communities where racial discrimination is a problem.  Angela is now employed at the University of California Santa Cruz, where she is a Professor of Feminist Studies.

During her lifetime, Angela has traveled the world giving speeches to unite people to stand against political oppression.  Angela is the author of 8 books that promote political activism.  She even ran for Vice President of the United States on the Communist Party ballot in 1980.

Angela Davis has never been on to color inside the line, and she continues to raise awareness that although there are many colors, the crayons all come in the same box.

Works Cited

Aiello, Janet Marie. “Angela Davis: Biography & Bibliography, 1988.” 99/04/21. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

“Angela Yvonne Davis : Voices From the Gaps : University of Minnesota.” Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

“Interview With Angela Davis | The Two Nations Of Black America | FRONTLINE | PBS.” Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

Marcuse, Harold. “Angela Davis.” 21 Dec. 2002. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

“Speak Out : Biography and Booking Information.” Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

           

Mary Harper