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(HKR-08-06-25)
Kalonji Changa Breaks Down the True Meaning of Black August 

On a recent episode of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with longtime political and revolutionary organizer Kalonji Changa for a powerful conversation on the meaning and purpose of Black August. Changa made it clear from the outset: Black August is not a time for celebration. It is a time for deep reflection, resistance, and remembrance—especially for Black political prisoners and those martyred in the struggle for liberation.
Honoring the Fallen and the Forgotten

Changa began by laying out the origins of Black August, which was born inside California prisons in 1979 to honor the lives and legacies of eight men killed between 1970 and 1978—George Jackson, Jonathan Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain, W.L. Nolen, Alvin "Juggs" Miller, Cleveland Edwards, and Khatari Gaulden. These individuals, many affiliated with the Black Panther Party or the Black Liberation Army, were either assassinated or killed in combat while incarcerated. Their resistance and sacrifices remain foundational to the principles of Black August.

Changa highlighted George Jackson's transformation from an 18-year-old accused of robbery into one of the most feared political thinkers behind bars. Through study and leadership, Jackson became a symbol of revolutionary consciousness—his assassination in 1971 marked a turning point. Black August, Changa emphasized, was created to honor the legacy of such resistance, not to be turned into social events or seasonal trends.
Redefining Political Prisoners

Changa challenged the public to fully understand what a political prisoner is. Drawing from insights shared by OG Kamau Sadiki, he explained that a political prisoner is not only someone imprisoned because of their politics—but someone who continues the political struggle while behind bars. Figures like Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier embody this definition. Changa, who serves on Peltier’s legal team, underscored how many political prisoners are only released when they’re near death—and yet, none express regret for standing in the fight for freedom.
The Dangers of Co-optation and the Reality of State Violence

Changa issued a pointed warning about the co-optation of Black August. “It’s not Kwanzaa,” he said. “It’s about political prisoners and those who gave their lives. Not about barbecues or branding.” He also noted how even the FBI has labeled Black August as “gang activity,” highlighting the ongoing criminalization of Black resistance. In some prisons, inmates are placed in solitary confinement simply for possessing Black August materials.

The discussion turned to current political repression—from Cop City arrests in Atlanta to deportation campaigns. Changa said plainly: “You can’t reform white supremacy.” He urged people to move beyond electoral solutions and build power on the ground—through self-defense, food security, mutual aid, and community-based organizing.
A Call to Stay Grounded and Ready

Despite the weight of the conversation, Changa ended with a rallying call. The elders and political prisoners he has built with over the years, he said, all share a common message: Don’t give up the fight. As the state continues to criminalize dissent and suppress radical histories, Black August remains a sacred space for clarity, resistance, and recommitment to struggle.

HKR-08-07-25 Brother Kalonji Speaks About the History of Black August

Chicago is not a war zone—it’s a battleground over narrative and power. On Hard Knock Radio, Davey D spoke with activist-educator LaKeisha Gray-Sewell and scholar David Stovall about federal threats to deploy the National Guard and ICE in Chicago, and the media machinery that helps sell it. Gray-Sewell praised Mayor Brandon Johnson’s recent legal pushback and alignment with community protesters, while noting early stumbles. The bigger danger, she argued, is media and tech capitulation—press blackouts on protests, platform appeasement, and propaganda pipelines that prime audiences for authoritarian solutions.

Stovall said young people see through it. They’re protesting, studying fascism, and naming disinformation that paints Chicago as uniquely “lawless” while it remains a top tourist draw. He contrasted Obama-era deportations—often border-focused—with today’s “show of presence” ICE tactics and broader sweeps designed for optics. Both guests stressed Chicago’s long memory of machine politics, from Daley to today, where elites more often buy opposition than crush it. The response now: Know Your Rights trainings, rapid mobilization, and a refusal to outsource safety to forces built for war, not community.

The trio dismantled sensational “O-Block” mythologies and the click-economy around “Black crime.” Violence is real wherever poverty concentrates, they said—but evidence-based solutions remain consistent: healthcare access, living-wage jobs, healthy food, and quality education. Tough-on-crime waves and mass incarceration hollowed out two generations; calling in the Guard would repeat old harms with fewer restraints and worse outcomes.

Resources named included Equity and Transformation, Black Voter Project, No Trump No Troops, Westside Justice Center, First Defense Legal Aid, Organized Communities Against Deportations, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Bottom line: build relationships, tell the truth about what’s happening on the ground, and keep political education front and center—because communities, not occupation, make cities safe.

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