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Jalil Muntaqim: Black August, Political Prisoners and the Fight Against Genocide
Description
He spent 49 years in prison for something the state never wanted the country to fully understand. Now he's telling the whole story.
Our Black August episode hit 17,000 views in 48 hours — because this history isn't just history. It's still happening. So we went back for the conversation the moment demanded: a full sit-down with Jalil Muntaqim.
At 16, he joined the Black Panther Party. At 19, he was captured — one week after George Jackson was killed at San Quentin. What followed was 49 years as a political prisoner, 11 parole denials, and a life spent organizing from inside a cell most people can't imagine surviving.
In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, Baba Jalil Muntaqim joins me to talk about:
🔹 His life — from Oakland to the underground to nearly five decades behind bars
🔹 The real history of Black August — who it honors, and why it started
🔹 Why Black August still matters in 2026
🔹 What liberation work actually looks like right now — and what he's asking us to do next
This is the continuation of the conversation we started on August 3rd. If you haven't watched that episode yet, start here: https://youtu.be/vJ2K-R6AU8k?si=UHxfDgAHaPrUOGh3
🎙️ Catch Rethinking Freedom every week — on air at 98.5 FM KGRN and 104.7 FM KVBM, and everywhere you get your podcasts.
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#WeChargeGenocide