Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.125.1
Object Name
Poster
Title
Angela Davis Defence Committee poster
People
Angela Davis
Events
The Black Power movement; arrest of Angela Davis
Date
1970
Description
Large black and white poster issued by the Angela Davis Committee. Shows a photograph of an FBI poster calling for the arrest of Angela Davis. Top of the FBI posted says "WANTED by the FBI, interstate flight, murder, kidnapping ANGELA YVONNE DAVIS- fbi No. 867, 615 G." Underneath this there are two photographs of Angela Davis - on the left there is a photo of her with "Photograph from 1969" at the top. In the second photograph she is wearing glasses and it says "Photograph taken 1970." Underneath these photos it says "alias: Tamu." The rest of the poster offers descriptive information and cautions - "Description - Age: 26 born January 26, 1944, Birmingham, Alabama, Height 5'8", Weight: 145 pounds, Build: slender, Hair: black, occupation: teacher, scars and marks: small scars on both knees, Eyes: brown, complexion: light brown, Rae: Negro, Nationality: American. Fingerprint classification: 4M5Ua6/117U.. Caution: Angela Davis is wanted on Kidnapping and Murder charges growing out of an
abduction and shooting in Marin County, California, On August 7 1970. She allegedly has purchased several guns in the past. Consider possibly armed and dangerous. A federal warrant was issued on August 15, 1970, at San Francisco, California, charging Davis with unlawful interstate flight to avoid prosecution for murder and kidnapping and kidnapping (Title 18, U.S code, section 1073). If you have any information concerning this person, please notify me or contact your local FBI office, Telephone numbers and addresses of all FBI offices listed on back," The photograph of the gbi poster then shows a signature from the director of the FBI and an address. Underneath the photograph of this FBI poster it says "Angela Davis Defence Committee, 10 Greek St. London, W1 01-437 1286." This poster is from the Angela Davis Defence Committee, condemning the call for Davis' arrest and the contents of the FBI poster. Angela Yvonne Davis is an American activist, philosopher, academic, scholar and
author. Davis is a Marxist and long-time member of the Communist party. She is a long life feminist and was active in anti-racist work, and Black power movements. The reference to the FBI poster concerns her arrest and trial in 1970 - Davis was a supporter of the Soledad brothers, three inmates who were accused and charged with the killing of a prison guard. On August 7, 1970, one of the accused defendants brother, who was 17, gained control of the court room and was armed - evidence showed that Davis had bought some of the arms used in the attack. In the attack one of the judges was killed; Angela Davis was arrested for this. The FBI director, J Edgar Hoover put her on the FBI's Ten Most wanted Fugitive list - after being held in a women's detention centre, in which she was initially segregated from other prisoners, many people across the nation and world organised and protested for her release. In New York, a committee called the Black people in defence of Angela Davis was formed,
and committees across America and across 67 other countries called for her freedom. After 16 months she was released, on a not guilty verdict as her ownership of the guns used in the crime did not justify accusing her of the crimes committed. Davis went on to travel, pursuing anti-racist, socialist, communist and feminist activism. Her career has continued to convey activist and feminist practice-she has written several books on the prison industrial complex, black feminism, and politics. This poster was issued by the Angela Davis Defence Committee in London, in solidarity with Davis and other movements to free Davis from her racist and unjust arrest. The poster is in good condition with tears at the top of the poster, and a slight rip on the bottom left.
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