My People Are Rising: Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain

Read the new memoir, "My People Are Rising: Memoir of A Black Panther Party Captain" by Aaron Dixon, Haymarket Books, 2012, and not many pages in you'll find yourself on a non-stop thrill a minute wow o wow front row seat warts and all roller coaster ride through a turbulent era. "My People Are Rising" is an amazing book, honest to a fault informative, confessional and revelatory. "My People Are Rising" is a quick read edge of your seat page-turner with a real surprise ending. The main surprise in "My People Are Rising" is that while so many others including myself, have fallen by the wayside, Aaron is still around and despite everything, is still loyal to and very active in the ongoing struggles for human rights."My People Are Rising" nails the turbulent `60's. Listen to any rock song check any documentary 1967, was a heady time to be young. Change was coming, everybody knew it, but nobody knew what that change would look like and everyone except maybe the folks on Star Trek suspected the worst. "My People Are Rising" nails the era.In 1966, I was 22, fresh out of the Army, new to Seattle and liking it well enough to take an even bigger chance than not returning back east, by leaving a promising but not quite my cup of tea skilled-trade job at Boeing and starting community college. Early in 1967, I saw a notice on a Laundromat bulletin board, went to a few meetings asked too many questions, didn't say no often enough and suddenly found myself named to a position I'd have to grow into as the Area Coordinator for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) or "Snick".No staff, no money, and not much support from SNCC headquarters in Atlanta, our tiny group struggled until a visit that spring from Stokely Carmichael, and the arrival of two far more experienced organizers. One, real bookish but crazy guy, EJ Brisker, sent from SNCC in Atlanta and the other, a very earnest returning VISTA Volunteer and former high school basketball star, Larry Gossett. Together we organized demonstrations pickets leafleting campaigns, supported other causes, gave interviews and made appearances. When we felt local Democrats were ignoring our issues we switched parties, organized and got Mike Ross, a black candidate elected State Assembly District Representative as a Republican.Most importantly here, we took busloads of young people to conferences. Aaron and Elmer Dixon were among the very first SNCC volunteers and met Huey Newton and Bobby Seal on one of the bus trips organized by Seattle SNCC and the University of Washington Black Student Union. While some of us had reservations, Aaron and Elmer Dixon came back from that trip determined to become Panthers. Forty-five years later the journey continues and man what a long strange trip it has been. God Bless you Aaron Dixon, and Right-on!

I found the book, My People are Rising, as an excellent account of my 1st generation comrade life as a member of the Black Panther Party and all that entails. Many twists and turns in this memoir which will instruct future generations to come. Bravo and All Power to the People, Panther Power to the Vanguard party !Malik IsmailAuthor and Revolutionary ActivistAtlanta

Definitely worth the read.

I have recommended this book the young organizers who are in the fronts lines, now. I was in the Young Worker's Liberation League during this period, in Seattle. Angela Davis was our National Chairman. We did not believe in armed violence, but where also targets of the Seattle Police and FBI. Young people need to know what may happen when you directly confront the the Government. So this book is useful in that regard.

In 2019 reading this book opens up your mind into revolution of good just like Aaron Dixon and the BPP for self defense did in the late 60s and early 70s great book.

The only reason I bought this book was because my deceased brother was mentioned in it. I never planned on reading anything outside of the paragraph that he was mentioned in. But about a week ago I thought I'd read it until I got bored and then forget about it. Well, I never got bored. It's easy to read and it's a good book. Aaron Dixon did a great job.

Very good book.

A really well written thoughtful book. The book describes part of our American past that needs to be talked about and understood. Aaron did a good job of that.

Dieses Buch wurde von einem Mitglied der Black Panther Party geschrieben, auf jeder Seite kann man sich bildlich vorstellen was gerade passiert. Mr. Dixon schreibt verständlich und nachvollziehbar, ein tolles Buch, da uns "Weißen" früher immer erzählt wurde, daß die BPP militant sind und Weiße hassen. Sobald sich der Leser/in in das Buch eingefunden hat, erkennt jeder, wer sich vor wem schützen möchte. Leider wurde durch die Republikaner (welche seinerzeit den Präsidenten gestellt haben) das Volk gegen die BPP aufgebracht und man möchte fast sagen verhetzt....Leider... Ich für meinen Teil habe nun die fehlenden Steinchen im Puzzle gefunden. Danke für das Buch Mr. Dixon. Sollte jeder lesen, der sich nicht nur für Geschichte sondern auch mit Menschenrechten beschäftigt, dieses Buch öffnet einem die Augen.

MY PEOPLE ARE RISINGUn ulteriore interessante apporto agli studi sul BPP. Utile come fonte e come approfondimento di uno spaccato dell'epoca..

Interesante aportación para cualquiera interesado en la historia del BPP. El hecho de que el autor siguiera siendo militante después de la escisión aporta información sobre una época generalmente descuidada en los análisis sobre el Partido. Muy recomendable.