George Jackson (activist)

George Jackson
George Jackson
Born	George Lester Jackson; September 23, 1941; Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 21, 1971 (aged 29); San Quentin, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Gunshot wounds
Resting place	Bethel Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Illinois
Known for	Prison activist and co-founder of the Black Guerrilla Family
Notable work	Blood in My Eye; Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson
Parent(s)	Lester and Georgia Bea Jackson
Relatives	Jonathan P. Jackson (brother)

George Lester Jackson (September 23, 1941 – August 21, 1971) was an American author, activist and convicted felon. While serving an indeterminate sentence for stealing $70 from a gas station in 1961, Jackson became involved in revolutionary activity and co-founded the prison gang Black Guerrilla Family.^[3]

In 1970, he was one of three prisoners known as Soledad Brothers, charged with the murder of correctional officer John Vincent Mills in the aftermath of a prison fight. The same year, he published Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson, a combination of autobiography and manifesto addressed to an African-American audience. The book became a bestseller and earned Jackson personal fame.

Jackson was killed by prison guards in 1971, during an escape attempt in which three prison guards and two inmates were killed. He never went to trial for the Mills murder.

^ Ouagadougou, Mbutu A. (May 12, 2022). The Black Guerrilla Family 1966 – 1971: The Violent History of California's Most Notorious Prison Gang. Plebiscite Publishing Company. p. 216. ISBN 979-8808864979.
^ Murrin, John; Paul E. Johnson; James M. McPherson (2008). Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People, Compact. Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth. p. 1136. ISBN 978-0-495-50243-2.
^ Cummins, Eric (1994). The Rise and Fall of California's Radical Prison Movement. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2231-5. OCLC 28112851.

[1] Ouagadougou, Mbutu A. (May 12, 2022). The Black Guerrilla Family 1966 – 1971: The Violent History of California's Most Notorious Prison Gang. Plebiscite Publishing Company. p. 216. ISBN 979-8808864979.

[2] Murrin, John; Paul E. Johnson; James M. McPherson (2008). Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People, Compact. Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth. p. 1136. ISBN 978-0-495-50243-2.

[3] Cummins, Eric (1994). The Rise and Fall of California's Radical Prison Movement. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2231-5. OCLC 28112851.

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George Jackson

Born	George Lester Jackson (1941-09-23)September 23, 1941 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 21, 1971(1971-08-21) (aged 29) San Quentin, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Gunshot wounds
Resting place	Bethel Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Illinois^[1]
Known for	Prison activist^[2] and co-founder of the Black Guerrilla Family
Notable work	Blood in My Eye Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson
Parent(s)	Lester and Georgia Bea Jackson
Relatives	Jonathan P. Jackson (brother)