“Jericho Freedom Movements.”
For several centuries, black captives in America’s slave quarters used Bible stories to support their long struggle for freedom. In the long and dark night of bondage, people turned Bible stories into freedom songs which were later called Negro spirituals, such as this example: “Josh fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Josh fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.”
For African captives, largely illiterate, this song was a powerful prayer for black liberation that echoed down the corridors of history. In the mid-twentieth century as young black folks joined the black liberation, the name Jericho retained its aura of freedom.
For 20 years now, Jericho once led by the remarkable revolutionary Safiya Bukhari, has been fighting for the freedom of black revolutionaries, veterans or the Black Panther Party, the Black Liberation Army, and other revolutionary formations. Bukhari herself, a veteran leader in the Black Panther Party, a combatant in the Black Liberation Army and the vice president and the Republic of New Afrika, fought long and hard for freedom for political prisoners and prisoners of war. It was said that she did the work of 10 people. And for those who knew Safiya, surely this was an understatement.
Safiya, remembered and loved for her courage, hard work, and dedication to black freedom, is no more, but Jericho is still with us, and Jericho the movement is doing today what black captives have done for centuries: fight for freedom. The voices of chained African captives echo through ground, time in sweet tragic song, longing for freedom still. Josh fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down!
From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
![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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