Assata's Chant and Other Histories

We end series 1 with a reimagining of Assata's Shakur's Poem The Tradition. Assata is voiced by Sirena Riley This is a Nello and the People's Production.  Visit Us Online at : nelloandthem.co.uk  

A day after the Panther 21 organized this unprecedented hearing, which forced the judiciary to tacitly admit to its conspiracy to imprison poor people of color through bail, they were back in criminal court, standing trial for allegedly conspiring against the state.   This is a Nello and the People's Production.  Visit Us Online at : nelloandthem.co.uk 

In this episode we pay a visit to the Women of the Black Panther Party Mural in West Oakland and talk with Curator Jilchristina Vest about the Mural.   This is a Nello and the People's Production.  Visit Us Online at : nelloandthem.co.uk 

In this episode we look at the remarkable Altheia Jones -Lecointe the Trinidadian born former member of the British Black Panther Movement and her sister Beverly Jones.   Music : Womb Love by Teshay Makeda Artwork by Elfreda Fayoka  This is a Nello and the People's Production.  Visit Us Online at : nelloandthem.co.uk 

 Afeni Shakur showed up 15 minutes late in October of 69. The judge revokes her bail. "About noon on  the 1st of October 1970, the inmates of the Queens house of detention, Long Island city, Queens, Nyc, NY seized seven prison guards as hostages and took control of a six story building.  Among the demands of the prisoners were the presence of Zayd Shakur, Ny BPP deputy minister of information a jury of their peers for members of the NY panther 21 who are presently on trial in NYC and distribution of BPP literature throughout the prison,  The prisoners were led by six inmates including three members of the BPP, one of whom was identified and Lumumba Shakur, a member of the panther 21. "  - cointelpro surveillance document    nelloandthem.co.uk  

With the help of Prof Orisanmi Burton & Lawyer Gerald Lefcourt, we continue the story of the Panther 21 trial. The 21 were busted on April 2nd 1969 in multiple pre-dawn raids carried out by the NYPD 

Jeffery Haas and Flint Taylor detail their legal struggle against the Chicago PD and the FBI following the assassination of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark

In Today's episode, Frank B Wilderson III reads from his memoir "Incognegro”. In this excerpt a 13 year old Frank visits the Chicago Panther pad just days after the assassination of Chairman Fred Hampton and Mark Clark 

Jeffery Haas & Flint Taylor are lawyers for the movement. In the late 60's they were the lawyers for Fred Hampton and the Chicago Panthers. In this episode they describe the night of the assassination of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark from their perspective.    Music by LOWU

On January 17th 1969, Joan Bird of the NY Panthers was arrested for the first time and taken to the 34th Precinct. This was her statement on the brutal arrest.   Joan Bird is voiced by Sophia Phern Brown

With the help of Prof Orisanmi Burton, we revise the story of the NY Panther 21. This episode also features an interview withGerald Lefcourt who was the official lawyer for the New York Black Panthers and successfully represented them during the Panther 21 trial.

This episode, focuses on Connie Matthews the Jamaican born, Denmark based, international coordinator of the BPP. In this episode we speak with Photographer and Connie's friend Robert Wade as well as Dr Ethelene Whitmire whose research into African Americans in Denmark during the 20th century led her discovering Connie. Connie Matthews voiced by Ffiondra Witter  Artwork by Elfreda Fayoka  Assata's Chant and Other Histories Installation at The Roundhouse until Dec 5th  https://www.nelloandthem.co.uk/ 

We pay a visit to the Women of the Black Panther Party Mural in West Oakland and talk with Curator Jilchristina Vest about the Mural. We talk about the creation of the mural and the mini museum, her relationship with Ericka Huggins and buying the house across the street from where Huey P Newton was assassinated.

Sundiata Acoli introduces us to the Black Panther Party for Self Defence Sundiata Acoli is voiced by Ryan Vincent Anderson  

Eugene Roberts was Malcolm X's security coirdinator on February 21st 1965, the day he was assassinated.

We contiue with Sundiata Acoli's essay and Updated Hisotory of the New Afrikan Prison Struggle "Influenced by the anti-discrimination aspect of the Civil Rights Movement, a growing number of New Afrikans behind the walls began stepping up their struggle against discrimination in prison" - Sundiata Acoli   Sundiata Acoli Voiced by Ryan Vincent Anderson 

We continue with Sundiata Acoli's essay and Updated History of the New Afrikan Prison Struggle "Things began to change in the wake of World War 2. Four factors flowing together ushered in these changes. They were the ghetto population explosion, the drug influx, the emergence of independent Afrikan nations, and the Civil Rights Movement."- Sundiata Acoli Sundiata Acoli : voiced by Ryan Vincent Anderson Music - Aychibs & Weyland Mckenzie - Patience  Artwork by Kieron Boothe  Editor's Introduction to the series : https://make-it-plain.org/2022/08/04/an-editors-introduction-to-assatas-chant-and-other-histories/ 

What is a free man? in this episode we dicuss the sprectrum of freedom and free people of colour with Dr Warren Milteer Jr. We are also Introduced to Sundiata Acoli's An updated History of the New Afrikan Prison Struggle and the story of Denmark Vessy.   Editor's introduction to Assata's Chant & Other Histories : https://make-it-plain.org/2022/08/04/an-editors-introduction-to-assatas-chant-and-other-histories/ 

Dr Mutulu Shakur is a political prisoner for his work in the black liberation movement, he is currently suffering from terminal cancer while incarcerated. In this episode, his son Mopreme Shakur details the medical neglect Dr Mutulu Shakur has faced during his time in prison. We also talk about the legacy of the Shakur name and touch on the ramifications of the struggle his family has been fighting for generations. This interview was recorded November 7th 2021. Mopreme's Theme produced by LO-WU Editor's Intoduction to the series : https://make-it-plain.org/2022/08/04/an-editors-introduction-to-assatas-chant-and-other-histories/  

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” - Assata Shakur Who is Assaata Shakur? We begin with this complicated question Assata is voiced by Sirena Riley  Assata's Chant theme by Yomi Bello  Written, produced and sound designed by Weyland McKenzie - Witter for Nello   

Introduction to the upcoming series....   Assata's Chant and Other Histories is an anthology of Interviews, readings, Immersive storytelling and archive audio that tell stories of Black Revolutionary Assata Shakur and her comrades in the Black Liberation Movement Including Sundiata Acoli, The Panther 21, Fred Hampton Mutulu Shakur and more. The goal of the project is to illustrate snapshots of the journey of Assata and her comrades in the Black Liberation movement. This is opposed to simply retelling her story in a one dimensional biopic format which has gained much criticism over recent years for its inability to truly capture the lives and struggles of these Revolutionari