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Black August is a time for reflection, remembrance, and action, focusing on the struggles and sacrifices of Black people in the fight for freedom and justice.  See below or watch this to learn more about Black August.

Produced by EOBA, Youth Alive! and Lifers Leaving a Legacy.

>> Black August: A Legacy of Resistance and Reflection

Black August is an annual commemoration that originated in the late 1970s within the walls of California’s San Quentin State Prison. It was founded by incarcerated Black activists who sought to honor the lives and sacrifices of their fallen comrades, particularly George L. Jackson and Khatari Gaulden. Jackson, a revolutionary thinker and member of the Black Panther Party, was killed by a prison guard during an alleged escape attempt in 1971. Gaulden died the same year from a head injury sustained in the prison yard, after guards failed to provide timely medical care. Both men were deeply committed to raising political consciousness among the incarcerated and challenging the brutality of the carceral system.

August was chosen for its profound historical significance in the Black freedom struggle. It marks several key events: the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in North America in 1619, the Haitian Revolution in 1791, and Nat Turner’s rebellion in 1831. It is also the month when Emmett Till was lynched and Michael Brown Jr. was murdered —two tragic moments that galvanized the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements.

Today, Black August has grown beyond prison walls. It is observed across the United States and beyond as a time of reflection, education, and action. People participate by reading revolutionary literature, fasting, holding community discussions, organizing teach-ins, and engaging in political activism. The month serves as both a memorial and a mobilization—honoring the past while reigniting the fight for justice, freedom, and self-determination for Black communities.

Black August remains a powerful reminder that the struggle for liberation is ongoing. It invites participants to study history, celebrate resistance, and recommit to the movement for Black freedom and dignity.