Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA)
The Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) was a California leftist
revolutionary group active from 1973 through the mid 1970s. A primary goal of the organization was the
“gaining of freedom and self-determination and independence for all their
people and races.” The SLA utilized tactics of expropriation, direct action and
armed propaganda to stimulate public awareness and action around issues of
poverty, housing, racism, women’s rights, and prison issues. Despite undertaking
a number of controversial and sometimes polarizing actions, one of the foremost
successes of the SLA was forcing the Hearst family to give away millions of
dollars worth of food from Safeway grocery stores to impoverished communities
in the Bay Area.
Highlights of our collection include scanned copies of the
Dragon, a rare periodical produced by the Bay Area Research Collective in
support of the SLA; original SLA communiqués, statements and publications; and press
releases, flyers and statements from other Bay Area radical groups concerning
SLA actions and ideas. Additionally, we have hundreds of articles taken from
local Bay Area news sources, all pertaining to the SLA and the group’s
activities. Our collection of paper documents is supplemented by our media
holdings primarily derived from local recordings and programs. These include
memorial shows, audio from rallies and news programs and taped communiqués.
Subcollections
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The Dragon
Periodical in support of the SLA printed monthly by the Bay Area Research Collective.
Documents
Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) Communique 4/4/1974
Patty Hearst declares her decision to join the SLA, critiques her parents, and changes her name to Tania. Fahizah discusses SLA activity and Cinque's life.
Cinque declares enemies of the people, and issues death warrants for Robin Steiner, Chris Thompson, and Carlton Westbrook sends a message to his kids and plays the national anthem of the SLA.
KPFA Memorial for the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA)
Interview from the community, overview of shoot out in LA. Sound clips from rally on May 23, 1974 in San Francisco
Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) Communique from Kabrela 5/25/1974
Kabrela speaks to the expansion of combat unit operations after the raid of a Los Angeles home that left 6 SLA dead.
Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) Communique 6/7/1974
SLA response to ambush in Los Angeles when Fahizah (Nancy Ling Perry), General Gelina (Angela Atwood), Cujo (Willie Wolfe), Cinque (Donald DeFreeze), Zoya (Patricia Soltysik), Gabi (Camilla Hall) died. Voices of Tania, Teko, and Yolanda.
KPFA Memorial Show for the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) 6/17/1974
KPFA tribute show to SLA featuring an audio collage of community members responding to the police attack on the SLA which left 6 members dead.
Text of Debray letter to Patty
This letter written by Regis Debray addresses Patricia Hearst's decision to take on the name of Tania and honors the real Tania who died fighting for revolution in Bolivia.
Patty Hearst communique
This communique was written by Patricia Hearst, Teko, Fahizah, and Cinque. Hearst announces her joining the Symbionese Liberation Army to fight for the freedom of oppressed people and her decision to take up the name Tania. Teko discusses the need for white men to join the revolution and to stop opressing. Fahizah gives background on their General Field Marshall Cinque. Finally, Cinque calls for people to take up arms in the revolution and talks about the Hearst operations.
Communique from the United People's Liberation Army (Transcript)
This communique indicates that the Symbionese Liberation Army has joined with the Guerrilla Organizations to create the United People's Liberation Army in response to the killing of the six SLA members. Also, it commemorates those six slain SLA members and also honors Patricia Hearst.
Don't Be Conned by Ruling Class Lies!!!
This article by the Bay Area Research Collective presents distortions of the SLA by the media then follows up with facts from SLA communique to prove the media wrong.