Pam Africa
Junious Ricardo Stanton
We have been highlighting Black women during March 2021 Women’s History Month some known and many relatively unknown. Today I want to highlight a Sistah who is tenacious, who has courage, grit, perseverance, stick-to-itiveness, integrity and dogged determination, Pam Africa. If you live in the Philadelphia area you know or have heard of Pam Africa. Her petite frame belies her dynamism. She can be seen at most rallies and demonstrations for social justice in and around the city; Pam Africa is unrelenting fighting for the causes she believes in and is passionate about. You wonder where she gets all the energy to do what she does.
Pam Africa is best known for her relentless campaign to free Mumia Abu Jamal the journalists, radio newsman, author and columnist who has been in jail since his conviction in 1981 of the death of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Jamal’s trial has been a topic of local, national and international concern and controversy for decades. Many feel Jamal was railroaded at worst or the victim of some unsavory legal court proceedings at the least due to his history of radical activism. Abu Jamal whose “government name” is Wesley Cook was a founding member of the Philadelphia Black Panther Party and later an activist journalist and radio newsman known for his criticism of the political system and police brutality. He was supportive of MOVE an unconventional urban back to nature movement when that organization was being demonized by the press and a target of the police harassment.
Mumia Abu Jamal was on death row for decades following his 1981 conviction of Officer Faulkner’s murder. Pam Africa a member of MOVE has been a constant supporter, defender and advocate for Mumia’s quest for a fair trial. Pam Africa became involved with MOVE in 1977 during a time of ongoing tension between MOVE, some members of West Philadelphia’s Powelton community and the Philadelphia Police. She participated in a community intervention supporting MOVE during a police confrontation with the group and subsequently became a member.
After the Mothers’ Day bombing in 1985 that killed five children and six adult MOVE members and the subsequent arrest of many of her MOVE family members Pam Africa became a prominent face of the organization, denouncing the government and police actions that led to the deaths and incarceration of her fellow MOVE family members; but also a tireless advocate on behalf of Mumia Abu Jamal. By tireless I mean always in the public eye and domain getting the word out, galvanizing national and international support for Mumia and pushing for a reversal of his conviction and death sentence.
Because her support was so tenacious she was able to convince new defense attorneys to take on Jamal’s case (he was originally represented by a Public Defender) and after numerous attempts to get a complete retrial, Jamal’s death sentence was overturned in 2001 by Judge William Yohn . The judge cited several inconsistencies in the original trial sentencing process. The Commonwealth filed an appeal but a three judge panel upheld Judge Yohn’s decision.
Through it all Pam Africa was on the case, raising funds, keeping the issues alive and in the public consciousness despite ample anti Jamal media and support for his execution by the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police a powerful union and lobbying organization in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. In 2018 Mumia was granted the right to appeals when a Philadelphia Judge ruled one of the judges had worked as a prosecutor which raised the question of bias.
Due to Jamal’s radical history both when he was free, Faulkner’s death and his writings, books and interviews while incarcerated the system views Abu Jamal as persona non-grata. Mumia remains incarcerated but Pam Africa still has not given up. She has been a staunch supporter since his arrest, trial and conviction. She keeps the community aware of his health, the status of his appeal requests and works continuously on his behalf. Pam Africa is the quintessential example of courage, perseverance, resilience and commitment.
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Posted By: Junious Stanton
Wednesday, March 31st 2021 at 7:16PM
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