[Cdhrsupport] Wanda Sabir - John Henry Bowman III: Tribute to a hero (1947-2006)

[News about recent Panther busts]

John Henry Bowman III: Tribute to a hero (1947-2006)

 From the SF Bayview - week of 1/31/07

by Wanda Sabir

The Buriel Clay Theatre was full when I arrived, 
but not so full that I couldn’t find a seat next 
to Sister Hamdiyah and Sister Yasmin and in front 
of Claude Marks and a fellow board member of the 
California Coalition of Women Prisoners when the 
program began. This tribute to Black Panther 
veteran and torture survivor John Bowman, at the 
African American Art and Culture Complex in the 
Fillmore on Sunday, had been planned after he 
passed on Dec. 23 but before Jan. 23, when eight 
of his comrades were jailed in 34-39-year-old 
cases, including the killing of a San Francisco police officer in 1971.

I saw many former members of the Black Panther 
Party I’d met at the 40th anniversary of the 
party last October. My friend Shabaka ji jaga was 
in the lobby, Kiilu Nyasha was inside, Marina 
Drummer was across the room from me and Elder 
Freeman greeted me kindly as he always does. I’d 
been worried I wouldn’t have anyone to sit next 
to; I don’t know why I thought that.

Though I’d never met Brother John Henry Bowman 
III, it felt like I had, the film, “Legacy of 
Torture,” fresh in my mind after two to three 
viewings and all the stories told that afternoon 
about his work and life. The memorial was an 
occasion to remember a warrior, as those left 
behind spoke of love and courage and continuing 
the battle, ‘cause after the events of last week, 
the war was certainly not over.

Bowman was a lot of things to many people, yet 
one characteristic which kept coming up was his 
persistence, his fearlessness and his kindness. 
Abducted 30 years ago with other Black Panther 
Party members, he was arrested in New Orleans and 
tortured until he signed coerced statements 
written by the cops. Aaron Shuman, the last 
person to speak, told us about Jericho’s request 
to Rep. John Conyers, now chair of the House 
Judiciary Committee, to call a hearing to examine 
Cointelpro in light of USA Patriot Acts I and II. 
I asked him: Is evidence formally disallowed now admissible?

When I spoke to Wayne C. Thompson, executive 
director of the Oklahoma Health Care Project, 
private investigator and assistant to counsel for 
the cases of the Grand Jury Resisters – Bowman 
and four of his comrades just rearrested had been 
jailed in 2005 for refusing to testify before a 
federal grand jury – he told me that at the 
hearing Monday bail had been set for all eight 
men at $3-5 million each. He also said that the 
evidentiary hearing is Feb. 14, but the date 
might be changed just because the time is so short.

Obviously the court doesn’t want the men to make 
bail. What we need to be doing is raising money 
for their defense. Richard Brown, Richard O’Neal, 
Hank Jones and Ray Boudreaux are in the San 
Francisco County Jail. You could write to them 
(addresses at www.cdhrsupport.org), put money on 
their books and show up on Feb. 14.

Sunday, the film screening prior to the tribute 
had been so well-attended at the Roxie Cinema 
that another screening was held. I saw many 
people at the memorial with copies of the now 
available video in their hands. The proceeds help 
raise money for the case. I couldn’t stomach 
watching the film again. I couldn’t get past my 
disappointment in not seeing the brothers there 
Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t believe that they’d 
been arrested again. I wondered out loud: “Is the 
government going to torture them again? Do they dare? Will we let them?”

I hadn’t known Bowman was the co-founder of All 
of Us or None, an organization whose purpose is 
to strengthen the voices of formally incarcerated 
people and their families. This organization’s 
mission is full restoration of a citizen’s rights 
after release. It is sponsored by Legal Services 
for Prisoners with Children in San Francisco and 
the Oklahoma Health Care Project in Oklahoma. 
Many members of the national chapters were there at the tribute.

The family filled two rows and then some. One of 
my favorite pastors, Rev. Arnold Townsend, was 
the master of ceremonies. Sister Soffiyah Elijah, 
Esq., spoke of her former client and friend. 
Bowman’s daughter, Victoria Muhammad, his nephew, 
son, many friends and adopted family also testified.

It’s amazing how many lives this one man touched 
and continues to touch as the torch still lit is 
passed on. Instead of flowers, donations can be 
sent to Committee for the Defense of Human 
Rights, P.O. Box 90221, Pasadena, CA 91109, (626) 
345-4939. Visit 
<http://www.CDHRsupport.org>www.CDHRsupport.org 
for a wealth of information on John Bowman and the case against his comrades.

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