George Jackson Brigade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Jackson Brigade |
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| Participant in Black Power movement Anti-Vietnamese activism |
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| Active | May 31 1975-1978 |
| Ideology | Libertarian socialism Anti-war activism Anarcho-communism Antisexism Anti-imperialism<2>Queer socialism |
| Leaders | Horizontal leadership |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Area of operations | Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue, Washington; Portland, Oregon |
| Opponents | United States |
| Battles and wars | Days of Rage |
The George Jackson Brigade was a group formed in the mid-1970s. They were based in Seattle, Washington. The group was named after George Jackson. He was a prisoner and a member of the Black Panther Party. Jackson was killed during an escape attempt in 1971.
The group included people from different backgrounds. There were veterans of the women's rights movement. It also included gay people and Black prisoners.
The George Jackson Brigade had different ideas, including communist and anarchist beliefs. From 1975 to 1977, they carried out bombings and other attacks. These attacks targeted government and business places. They also robbed banks. The group ended when many members were killed or sent to prison.
Contents
How the Group Started
In 1974, Ed Mead went to San Francisco. He had just been released from prison. He hoped to join a group called the Symbionese Liberation Army. Instead, he joined another group, the New World Liberation Front. There, he learned how to make explosives.
When he returned to Seattle, he met his friend Bruce Seidel. They decided to fight for their political beliefs. They chose the name George Jackson Brigade. This was to honor George Jackson's promise to continue fighting for change.
What They Believed and Did
The George Jackson Brigade had a mix of communist and anarchist ideas. They used violence and wanted to overthrow the U.S. government. They also wanted to change the government of Washington State. Their goal was to start a public uprising. They also wanted to bring attention to the conditions for prisoners. These prisoners were held at Walla Walla State Penitentiary and an old federal prison on McNeil Island.
The main goal of the George Jackson Brigade was to replace the capitalist government. They wanted a government that was more fair to everyone. The Brigade also aimed to share wealth more equally among people.
The George Jackson Brigade believed that the ruling class would use violence against any revolution. So, they felt they had to be ready to use violence themselves. After each attack, they would send a message. These messages explained why they attacked a certain place. They also used these messages to talk with authorities. The group tried very hard to avoid harming or killing regular people. In their messages, the group said they were responsible for bank robberies and bombings. They also attacked custom houses, courthouses, Safeway stores, public utilities, and prisons.
Their second attack was on a Safeway grocery store in Capitol Hill, Seattle. This was their first failed mission. The group hid an explosive in a bag of dog food in the store. Ed Mead said he called the Safeway store to warn them about the bomb. However, his warning was ignored as a joke. The Seattle news reported he called the wrong number. The explosion injured several people. This caused a lot of criticism for the group.
Members of the Group
Here are some important members of the George Jackson Brigade:
Ed Mead
- Mead was from California.
- He was arrested on January 23, 1976. This happened after an attempted bank robbery in Tukwila, Washington.
- Mead was released from prison in 1993.
John Sherman
- Sherman was from New Jersey.
- He met Mead when they were in federal prison at McNeil Island.
- He was hurt during the Tukwila bank robbery. Later, Mark Cook helped him escape from custody.
- Sherman was free for two years before being caught again.
- He escaped again from a federal prison in California. Sherman was finally released in 1998.
Bruce Seidel
- He was a good friend of Mead.
- Seidel was a graduate student in economics at the University of Illinois.
- He was killed during the Tukwila bank robbery.
Mark Cook
- Cook helped organize a yearly meeting for prison activists.
- He was the only African-American member of the Brigade. He was also the last to join.
- He took part in the Tukwila robbery and avoided arrest.
- A few days later, he helped Sherman escape from Harborview Medical Center. In doing so, he injured a police officer.
- He spent the next 24 years in prison until 2000.
Rita Brown
- She was active in supporting prisoners in Seattle.
- She was sent to prison for her actions with the Brigade.
Therese Coupez
- She was Rita Brown's girlfriend.
- She was also sent to prison for her actions with the Brigade.
Actions of the Group
| Date | Location | Area | Notes | |
| Robberies by the group | ||||
| 23 January 1976 | Pacific National Bank | Tukwila, Washington | An attempted robbery and shootout involving Mead, Sherman, Seidel, and Cook. Mead was captured, Sherman was wounded, Seidel was killed, and Cook escaped. | |
| 8 June 1976 | Western Bank | Coos Bay, Oregon | ||
| 13 July 1976 | Carter National Bank | Ashland, Oregon | ||
| 1 August 1976 | The Oregon Bank | Medford, Oregon | ||
| 28 October 1976 | First State Bank of Oregon | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 4 January 1977 | U.S. National Bank of Oregon | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 7 February 1977 | U.S. National Bank of Oregon | Wilsonville, Oregon | ||
| 21 May 1977 | Washington State Liquor Store | Bellevue, Washington | ||
| 20 June 1977 | Rainier National Bank | Bellevue, Washington | ||
| 8 September 1977 | Old National Bank | Kirkland, Washington | ||
| 19 September 1977 | Peoples National Bank | Seattle, Washington | Skyway Branch | |
| Attacks by the group | ||||
| 31 May 1975 | Washington State Corrections Office | Olympia, Washington | ||
| 11 June 1975 | University of Washington | |||
| 5 September 1975 | FBI offices | Tacoma, Washington | ||
| 6 September 1975 | Bureau of Indian Affairs Office | Everett, Washington | ||
| 13 September 1975 | Federal Office Building | Seattle, Washington | ||
| 15 September 1975 | Safeway Store | Seattle, Washington | Injured civilians | |
| 18 September 1975 | Safeway Store | Seattle, Washington | ||
| 31 December 1975 | Safeway Office building | Bellevue, Washington | ||
| 31 December 1975 | Seattle City Light Laurelhurst Substation | Seattle, Washington | ||
| 12 May 1977 | Rainier National Bank | Redmond, Washington | ||
| 12 May 1977 | Rainier National Bank | Bellevue, Washington | Attempted attack | |
| 3 July 1977 | Puget Power substation | Olympia, Washington | Attempted attack | |
| 6 October 1977 | Westlund Buick | Seattle, Washington | Attempted attack | |
| 13 October 1977 | S. L. Savidge Dodge | Seattle, Washington | ||
| 16 October 1977 | B.B.C Dodge | Burien, Washington | ||
| 1 November 1977 | Phil Smart Mercedes | Bellevue, Washington | ||
| 2 November 1977 | Diebold, INC. | Seattle, Washington | ||
| 23 December 1977 | Power Substation | Renton, Washington | ||
The End of the Group
The George Jackson Brigade began to fall apart on January 23, 1976. This happened when they tried to rob a bank in Tukwila, Washington. During the robbery, two police officers and one member of the Brigade, Bruce Seidel, were killed. Sherman and Mead were arrested, and Sherman was also wounded.
Then, on March 10 of the same year, Mark Cook rescued John Sherman from police. However, Cook shot a police officer in the stomach during the escape. Sherman and Cook both got away. But Cook was caught a few days later and spent the next 25 years in prison.
The remaining members of the group went into hiding to plan their next steps. The group returned in the fall of 1977. However, in September 1977, Rita Brown was arrested while checking out a bank. Then, on March 21, 1978, Sherman, Coupez, and Janine Bertram were arrested. This happened in a Tacoma restaurant just before they were about to do another robbery.
A report from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism looked at terrorist attacks in the United States. This report was for the United States Department of Homeland Security. It said that the George Jackson Brigade was among the top 15 groups. They carried out the most attacks in the U.S. between 1970 and 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Brigada George Jackson para niños
