This Black August, Americans Will Study, Meditate, Fast, Exercise
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TL;DR
- Black August originated from the Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) in response to the deaths of key Black leaders and activists within California prisons during the 1960s and 1970s.
- The commemoration involves practices such as fasting, exercise, study, and meditation to foster resistance against systems of white supremacy, racial capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism.
- Black August has grown into a national and international institution, commemorated by both incarcerated and non-incarcerated individuals.
- The month is used for community activation, promoting Black radical literature, and advocating for the release of Black political prisoners.
- The month of August holds significant historical resonance for Black history and liberation, marked by events like Emancipation Day, the Watts uprising, Nat Turner's rebellion, and the Haitian revolution, as well as the birthdays of influential figures like Marcus Garvey and Fred Hampton.