His name is Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a Muslim Imam, and a prisoner of the U.S. government. But perhaps he is better known (or remembered) as a fiery young icon of the 1960s-era Black Power movement, H. ‘Rap’ Brown. He was called ‘Rap’ because of his quick, snappy style of speech, when he gave voice to the most oppressed Black communities in America.
His outspoken defense of self-defense earned him the eternal enmity of the government (local and federal), and his war against drug dealers in New York resulted in a stretch in New York’s prisons.
In 1976 he was released, a new man, a convert to Islam, and renamed Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin. He became a founder of the local mosque, and a leader of the community. In this new role, he continued to fight against drugs in the community.
In 2000, in what many believe was a set-up, he was charged with shooting two cops in Atlanta, convicted and sent to prison. This, despite conflicting evidence provided by one of those very cops! One of those shot reported flash information that the shooter was a man 5ft, 10in., with gray eyes. Jamil stands 6ft. 5in. and has brown eyes.
The surviving cop claims to have shot his shooter, and a blood trail seems to support this report.
There’s one problem with that scenario: when Imam Jamil was apprehended, days later, he had no gunshot wounds.
But, ultimately, as stories changed, two convictions were returned.
Today, Imam Jamil, at 71 years is seriously ill, the result of a gum infection which has spread throughout his body, causing weakness, swollen feet and ankles.
Poor medical treatment is the norm in American prisons – and Imam Jamil’s experience is no exception.
For seven years he hasn’t seen the sun.
In his youth, in the ‘60s, he was at the very forefront of the Black Freedom Movement, serving as a leading figure in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Black Panther Party. He was a stalwart opponent of white supremacy and racism.
As an Imam he worked to make Atlanta a better city, free from the crippling scourge of drugs.
He deserves better than this.
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
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