[News] Field Marshall DC by Billy X

[Anti-Imperialist News]

I was in San Francisco at Emory Douglas' home when Barbara Cox called 
to tell me that DC (Donald Cox) had died in his sleep in France. I 
felt very bad as I told Emory the news. I was feeling pretty good up 
to that point. We were talking to some young actors about a  play 
they wanted to do on the BPP. I also told them, as they were very 
interested in the history of the Party. In fact they asked about DC 
earlier.  I told Emory that this is a bad day in our Legacy of the 
BPP; that we lost a good soldier.  DC was the Field Marshall of the 
BPP.  His responsibilities included checking out the many (48) BPP 
offices to make sure they were able to defend themselves and were 
carrying out the correct principles of the Party.

Everyday last week, I was in communication with Kathleen Cleaver and 
Barbara Cox about an exhibit I am putting together on the World 
Impact of the Black Panther Party.  Last year we were in Tanzania for 
a Conference we cosponsored with the UAACC.  While there, Pete O'Neal 
gave me some photos for the It's About Time Archives. The photos were 
taken at the International Section of the BPP in Algiers from 
1970-1972 while DC was there.. These are the only photos I know of 
from the BPP Embassy. Pete and Charlotte O'Neal worked there for a 
while before moving to Tanzania in 1972.

Many of the photos were of Panthers and people I didn't know, so 
everyday I would  send photos to Kathleen and Barbara, and they would 
e-mail back their comments. Just the other day I e-mailed some 
pictures of DC at the embassy with African Leaders and a photo of 
Yasser Arafat with DC. So everyday we would communicate about the 
International Section and DC.

I first saw DC at some rallies at the Alameda County Courthouse in 
1968 and at Bobby Hutton Park. I didn't know his name until I joined 
the BPP. He worked out of National HQ's and San Francisco was his 
base. He worked out of the office in the Fillmore. DC was highly 
respected in the Party and on campus at SF State and the streets of SF.

In 1968 I worked out of the E. Oakland office which was run by 
Captain Robert Bay.  He was also a student at SF State. In 1968, the 
BSU led a strike at SF State College for an Ethnic Studies Dept. The 
college was the scene of a big strike and we as Party members 
supported the Black Students on campus. We would ride over to the 
campus in full Panther gear to show support for the strike. I would 
see DC on campus in support of the students and also George Murray 
who was our Minister of Education of the BPP. George also taught 
English at the college and was fired for his support of the students.

As time went on I would see DC at Political Education Classes which 
were held at the National HQ's. DC was always well dressed, but he 
was very quiet. He was a very private person but open and friendly at 
the same time.

A few years back, Gail and I went to visit DC in France which was 
great trip. We drove from Nice to the mountain that was up in the 
clouds to see DC. He lived way up there in a beautiful home he 
rebuilt. It was large and had octagon windows with a breathtaking 
view. In the far background from his living room window you could see 
an old castle on a ridge miles away. He said the house was first 
built in the1840's, but he added on the modern things like inside 
plumbing and showers in the bathroom. He built a nice communication 
center, with all the modern toys. He had a PC, a radio and record 
player with albums.  He also had a DVD and CD player, but not cable 
TV. He watched the news twice a day in the morning and evening. He 
spent his time gardening and growing flowers to sell to perfume 
companies. This home was part of a farming commune, but most of the 
people moved away to the city.  DC loved the peace and quiet and 
didn't mind being by himself.

Barbara said he was working in his garden earlier in the day. He was 
starting to turn over the soil  to prepare for spring. On our visit 
with DC we spent a lot of time talking about the mistakes of the BPP. 
He told me he liked the website, and that it was a good thing a Rank 
and File member ran it, to keep the facts straight. After a few days 
we had to leave DC  which was sad.   He got us interested in castles 
and the way they were defended. He was a great historianand  he 
studied the history of where he lived and even found some old coins 
while digging to put the plumbing in his house. The coins were so old 
that it took him a while to find out about them. They were from the 1200's.

I loved DC for what he stood for.  To me he was a rare individual and 
has always been one of my hero's because he lived by his principles 
and taught by example. On several occasions, the government tried to 
kill him., like when they raided the SF office.    Everybody that I 
know  respected DC. If he had your back, he had your back, a man of 
his word. I will miss my brother. For those of you whom never knew 
DC, please check his link on our website.  Check under Field Marshall 
and check Our Stories chapter 5: Barbara Cox story.

on <http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/>www.itsabouttimebpp.com






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