Black August

ABOUT BLACK AUGUST

Black August is an acknowledgment and commemoration of the countless organizers, activists, and freedom fighters who have sacrificed their freedom and lives in the struggle for Black liberation.

HISTORY

Black August, observed each August, originated in California prisons during the 1970s by Black freedom fighters to commemorate the lives and deaths of Black political prisoners, raise awareness about prison conditions, and honor the radical tradition of Black resistance against systemic oppression and anti-Black state violence.

HOW TO ENGAGE IN BLACK AUGUST

The principles of Black August are: “study, fast, train, fight.” To participate in Black August on a deeper level, consider committing to higher levels of discipline throughout the month. This can include fasting from food and drink, frequent physical exercise, and political study and engagement in political struggle.

THE FIGHT FOR BLACK WORKER POWER

Black workers have been building worker power one generation after the next. On February 12, 1968, 1,300 Black sanitation workers in Memphis went on strike for better pay and working conditions, marking one of the early fights for Black worker justice. Martin Luther King Jr. joined their strike, delivering his final speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” Black August remembers the lives of those working to liberate Black struggle, honor Freedom Fighters, and highlight the ongoing need to build worker power and continue to honor those who have fought for racial and economic justice.

More Black August History >>