<html>
<body>
<font size=3><br>
Greetings to everyone,<br><br>
I wish you all well and hope that this letter finds you in good spirits.
The past few months have been full of good and exciting news as well as
some that was saddening. I honestly don't know where to begin.<br><br>
Jack Johnson, the other BPP member who was held on the same charges as me
was released from prison in May of this year. This was news that I found
both good and bad. I was pleased to see the brother gain his freedom
after forty years of fighting this corrupt and racist criminal justice
system. However, I am still being held illegally after four decades and
nothing can make right the destructive actions of the COINTELPRO
operations. This does however push me to work even harder for my
release.<br><br>
The saddest and hardest time of this whole prison ordeal just recently
hit me. My mother, Eleanor Conway passed away in early June. Though she
died peacefully in her sleep, her transition has left the family sad and
in pain. This was due in part to my inability to start the grieving
process by viewing mother as she made her final rest, or attending her
funeral. While I recognize that my mother has made her transition to join
the ancestors, the loss is still too profound for words because my mother
was so dear to me. During this time, I fasted and reflected upon her
life, and eventually found some degree of spiritual comfort. I thank all
of you who faxed letters, sent email messages and made calls to the
secretary of public safety on my behalf.<br><br>
In the midst of this period of grief, another issue came up that caused
confusion and concern among family, friends and supporters. This is the
issue of my relationship to Sister Nzinga. For clarity, we have been
divorced for over seven years. I am married only to gaining my freedom
and living with a little sunshine in my life.<br><br>
The fundraising effort has received much support we are now less than
$10,000 short of our tar get. This money goes to pay the legal team that
is being headed up by Phil Dantes. For some, it may seem
discomforting to speak of freedom and money together. I find it surreal,
something reminiscent of a time when the terms were clear and people of
African descent had to buy their freedom or steal it, but this is the
reality of the present day criminal justice system. Freedom ain't free.
That said, thank you to all of you who have purchased the book, The
Greatest Threat and helped to organize events. The next letter will
provide a legal update, and information about what people can do to help
with the legal effort.<br><br>
My supporters are planning several events for the summer and fall. The
main happening is an August 20th program featuring the artist Emory
Douglas who has donated a print that we will be using to raise funds. He
will be on hand to sign prints there is a flyer for this event enclosed
in this letter or attached to this email. September 23rd , AFSC, AK Press
and the Creative Alliance in Baltimore will host a prerelease event for
my memoir Marshall Law: The Life and Times of a Baltimore Black
Panther. Local activists and artists will be reading selections
from the book. We are also interested in planning programs in other
cities.<br><br>
On the prison front, the Friend of a Friend (FOF) mentoring program here
in this institution continues to grow. The program successfully graduated
our first class of men who received mentoring. Of this group, we have
several who will become mentors we have other activities scheduled
for the summer ranging from mediation training to theater activities. FOF
keeps many men in the prison connected to the outside community, and
helps them to thrive despite incarceration. Through this program, we have
created a community service/outreach project. Collectively, mentors and
mentees have adopted the United African Alliance Community Center run by
Bro. Pete and Sister Charlotte O'Neal in Tanzania. The members of FOF had
the opportunity to meet Sister Charlotte when she came to the prison back
in April. The men felt so moved by the O'Neal's work that we pulled
together a fundraising effort for UAACC, and we plan to continue our
support of the work of our brother and sister.<br><br>
At present, I am in good health, but I still have high blood pressure,
and often I am in a battle with the medical department each month to get
the necessary medication. At the time, I am contemplating legal action if
the issue continues. Finally, as the economic situation continues to
worsen for oppressed communities, we must focus some of our efforts on
building solid networks. It is critical that we learn to set aside
differences that are petty and squash some of our real disputes so that
we can work together across communities. Basic survival should be a part
of the dialogue anytime groups come together because many of our people
are scrounging for bread and land. There is a need now for the same
social programs that the Black Panther Party implemented 44 years ago.
The need never went away.<br><br>
In Struggle<br><br>
Eddie<br><br>
M. Eddie Conway <br>
#116469 <br>
Jessup Correctional Institution <br>
P. 0. Boy 534 <br>
Jessup, MD 20794<br><br>
The Greatest Threat: The Black Panther Party and COINTELPRO by Marshall
Edward Conway<br><br>
The Greatest Threat puts the government’s war on the Panthers into
historical context. Marshall “Eddie” Con- way, a veteran of the Black
Panther Party who has been held as a political prisoner for four decades,
has compiled the available documentation and research on COINTELPRO, and
traced its dirty history, from the active repression of the black
revolutionary movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s, to the conditions of
Black America today and the dozens of political prisoners who remain in
U.S. prisons on charges stemming from their involvement in the Black
liberation movement. <br><br>
$20 donation Checks should be made out to: Marshall E. Conway Defense
Committee Fund and mailed to IAMWE Publications, PO Box 4628
Baltimore 21212<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
</html>