Activist Johnny Spain on Finding Power in His Biracial Heritage
The organizer and former Black Panther member was born to a white mother and black father in the South. When he was six years old, he was adopted by a black family in California. His mother sent him away for his own safety, but he never understood why, and grew up feeling abandoned. At 17 he was sent to prison after killing a man during an aborted mugging. In prison he met George Jackson who changed his life by exposing him to the teachings of the Black Panther movement. Spain became a leader in the Black Panther Movement in prison. Jackson was killed during an attempted prison break, and Spain was convicted of conspiracy. Later that charge was overturned, and Spain was freed in 1988. He's now a community organizer in San Francisco. There's a new book about him: "Black Power White Blood: The Life and Times of Johnny Spain" (Pantheon Books).
Guest
Host
Related Topics
Other segments from the episode on July 22, 1996
Exploitation Filmmaker Jack Hill
Hill's best known for his blaxploitation films, "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" which he both wrote and directed. He was a classmate of Francis Ford Coppola and during the 60s he and Coppola worked for the master of the exploitation films, Roger Corman. Hill worked on the last of Boris Karloff's films. His 1975 film "Switchblade Sister" is now being re-released under the aegis of Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder Films.
Eric Dolphy Always Knew How to Make an Entrance
Kevin Whitehead review the new box set of the late alto sax player, flautist, and bass clarinetists, called "The Complete Prestige Recordings."
Transcript
Transcript currently not available.
Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.
You May Also like
How Young People Went Underground During The '70s 'Days Of Rage'
Bryan Burrough's new book describes the Weather Underground and other militant groups' tactics to protest the government. He interviews former radicals who had never gone on the record before.
Filmmaker Hamilton 'Catches' Up With Ex-Panthers
Set in 1976, Tanya Hamilton's Night Catches Us tells the story of former Black Panther Party member who are partly stuck in the past, even as they try to move on with their lives.
Ta-Nehisi Coates' 'Unlikely Road to Manhood'
Atlantic contributing editor Ta-Nehisi Coates describes growing up with a father who was a member of the Black Panthers in his new memoir, The Beautiful Struggle.