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9 Documents Found
Herman Bell interview (1 of 3)
First of 3 interviews with Herman Bell in Clinton Correctional Facility. Interviewed by two NYC high school teachers, both presumably white and middle class. Discusses building a national campaign around political prisoners, defines/distinguished between political and social prisoners and who to prioritize in an amnesty movement, talks about the role of the church specifically in the black community, reparations and what the government owes to all black people, voting and representation, racism and incarceration rates, the growth of prisons and industry of incarceration, the Black Panther Party and their opposition to drugs and their success with the Free Breakfast Program, lack of economic control in the black community, need for land and self-determination, a large piece on Nuh Washington and how they met and Nuh’s personality, on missing his family and especially being absent while his children grow up, the wretched conditions of prison health care. Great stuff just avoid using questions/sound from interviewers.
Herman Bell interview (2 of 3)
Interview tape 2 of 3 of Herman Bell. Continues talking about Nuh and ho w he received his name and went from Albert to Nuh Washington. Asked about changing his name - both Jalil and Nuh changed their names and became Muslim, Herman did neither. Talks about the importance of freeing political prisoners - they are/were the leaders of the streets. Frustrated at how many young people (particularly men) in poor communities of color are turning against each other, assaulted by an intentional infestation of drugs, and have no guidance/traditions which could be passed on if the political prisoners were freed. Asked about his mentors - growing up he talks a lot about Malcolm X, mentions Patrice Lumumba and the case of the Congo. As early as 14, Bell was politicized by Malcolm. Discusses his resentment towards Ebony magazine for being so conservative and portraying a black petty bourgeoisie lifestyle. Discusses his home life and that his parents bought into the apple pie American dream myth, didn’t approve of Herman or his sister in the Black Panther Party. Discusses militarization of police throughout history, profiling, brutality, and surveillance. Reagan starting SWAT teams in California. Says that things are much worse for young black males today, demonized by the mainstream, the disparity of drug laws and heightened policing. Briefly discusses first trip to Watts after the rebellion - looked like a “war zone”. Watts and Huey talking about arming himself - two politicizing moments in his life.
Herman Bell interview (3 of 3)
Last of 3 interviews with Herman Bell. Briefly discusses more of his youth, involvement in the Air Explorer club and having a politicized mentor. Talks about having to go underground, captured in 73, and imprisoned ever since. Since 1979, been in New York, got his degree in sociology and plays the flute, has been learning music theory for 5 years. Reads a lot, especially enjoys science fiction and Nietzshe. Despite the burnout, working as a mentor/teacher on the inside has had a lot of positive rewards. Very difficult to communicate and pass on info given that people have to let go of their absence of vision/future. Goes into discussing Victory Gardens Project for a long time. Idea of self-sufficiency, working in communities, correspondence with political prisoners, freeing ourselves from dependence on corporate structures. Discusses 3 types of political prisoners and prioritizes freeing those working on the streets and imprisoned for their political work first. Footage outside Clinton Correctional Facility.
Herman Bell interview (all 3 tapes)
Compilation of Videos 74-76 (see those descriptions)
Jalil Muntaqim interview (2 of 4)
Call Number: V 079Format: VHSProducers: John O’ReillyCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Continues about the tampering and destruction of evidence in his case. Once you’re convicted the burden is to prove yourself innocent. Discusses cases of Dhoruba and Geronimo, who spent almost 50 years together in prison after proving that the state had set them up. Calls the US a plutocracy, where the rich rule and control the government, operating under a hypocritical veneer of democracy. Hegemonic powers of the media, describes it as the wizard in the background. We need to break the illusion that the system works for the benefit of the people. All he sees in prison are black and brown faces because of the unequal distribution of wealth and poverty being an impetus towards “crime”, and institutional racism has created a mechanism for people of color to go to prison. Talks about bodies becoming commodities, his prison number is like his bar code, economics analysis of PIC. Discusses tax breaks for rural counties who can include prisoners in their population even though majority of prisoners come from NYC. Control units/SHU - for rebellious prisoners and mentally ill inmates who can’t be controlled among rest of general population. Discusses his own most recent experience in the “box”, where the state fabricated evidence that he was organizing a statewide prison strike. Talks about SHU, feed you through a slot in cell, 1 hour of recreation time, everything even food is a privilege, no phone use, visitation once a week but through glass. Talks about the extended effects of isolation and sensory deprivation, claustrophobia, loneliness, anxiety and panic disorders. There is no rehab/education/employment/therapeutic/skill s offered to prisoners, thus they leave embittered and destructive. Talks about manifest destiny and how it was turned into a country. Ideas are power if you know how to take control. Starts to talk about returning to San Quentin adjustment center post-sentencing, housed with San Quentin six. Talking about freeing political prisoners with Ruchell Magee, who just received a letter from Yuri Kochiyama about starting a movement around amnesty.
Jalil Muntaqim and Herman Bell interview
Edited by Adisa, back and forth clips from videos 74-81 of Herman and Jalil talking specifically about Nuh Washington, memories they’ve had together, in the party, in political work, on his overall personality, on how he received his name and on his death.
The New York 3
Date: 1/1/1989Call Number: V 102Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Explains the case of the New York 3, jalil Muntaqim, Nuh Washington and Herman Bell in the context of the history of the Black Panther Party, the Black Liberation Army, FBIs Cointelpro program designed to destroy the Black liberation movement. Aside from the prisoners’ voices are interviews with Safiya Bukhari, of the Jericho Amnesty Movement and a former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member (as well as a former political prisoner and prisoner of war) and attorney Brian Glick, talking about Cointelpro and the FBI.
Victory Gardens Project
Date: 1/1/2000Call Number: V 213Format: VHSProducers: Victory Gardens ProjectCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
The Victory Gardens project is an urban community gardening and food production project which grows and distributes food to raise awareness about economic justice, ecological sustainability, and social change. The Athens. Maine project was organized by Herman Bell, a US political prisoner and two Maine farmers, Carol Dove and Michael Vernon, with the purpose of simultaneously providing healthy food and political education. Video of Herman Bell, Nuh Washington and Jalil Muntaqim is integrated into material about the project.
Nuh Washington – Call Me Nuh & Last Statement
Publisher: Tiger TV; The Freedom ArchivesCollection: Freedom Archives Productions
Albert 'Nuh' Washington passed away April 28, 2000, at the Regional Medical Unit at Coxsackie Correctional Facility.
Nuh (the Arabic form of Noah) was a committed member of the Black Panther Party and was arrested on August 28, 1971 in San Francisco.
Call Me Nuh is based on an interview done with Nuh Washington in 1988 by Fiona Boneham and Paper Tiger TV and produced and edited by Lisa Rudman and Claude Marks in March, 2000. This was originally shown in Oakland, CA at a tribute to him on March 21, 2000, shortly before his passing. Nuh’s “last statement” was recorded for that same event. Each video runs 10 minutes.
9 Documents Found
