Birthday Party To Be Held for Imprisoned Black Activist: Freedom for Sundiata Acoli
Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign
P.O. Box 5538
Manhattanville Station
Harlem, New York 10027
PRESS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Joan P. Gibbs, Esq. (718) 789-1801
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brooklyn, New York, January 3, 1999-On January, 9, 1999, the family, friends and supporters of Sundiata Acoli, will honor his 62nd birthday with a birthday party at the Brecht Forum. Featured performers at the party on the 9th include poet Sandra Maria Esteves, jazz pianist Ifeachor Okeke and the people's jazz singer and activist Karen Taylor. An original painting by Acoli will also be offered for sale. The Brecht Forum is located at 122 West 27thStreet, between 7th and 8th Avenues; the program will begin at 6:30 pm, sharp. Admission is $10; however, no one will be turned away for lack of the money for admission.
One of the longest held political prisoners in the United States, Acoli is a former member of the New York City Chapter of the Black Panther Party and was one of the Panther 21. In May 1973, Acoli and two other former members of the BPP, Assata Shakur and Zayd Shakur, were stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike by state troopers. A shoot-out erupted during which Zayd Shakur and one of the troopers were killed. Assata Shakur and Acoli were both charged and found killed of murder and related charges in connection with incident and sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison. In 1994, the New Jersey State Parole Board denied Acoli release on parole and scheduled is next parole hearing for June 4, 2006. Acoli recently filed an appeal from the Board's decision in the United States Supreme Court.
"The New Jersey State Parole Board is refusing to release Sundiata solely because of his commitment to and work for the liberation of people of African descent in the United States. " commented Joan Gibbs, one of the attorneys assisting Acoli in his appeal of the Parole Board's decision. "We are celebrating his birthday both to show our love for him and our support of his struggle to gain his release from prison. It is way past time not only for Sundiata to be free but for all political prisoners and prisoners of war to be free as well. Sundiata's as well as Mumia's and Mutulu's Shakur's freedom are our freedom. "
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