Kuwasi Balagoon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kuwasi Balagoon
Born	Donald Weems December 22, 1946
Died	December 13, 1986(1986-12-13) (aged 39)
Organization	Black Panther Party Black Liberation Army
Movement	Cambridge movement Black Power Movement Black Liberation Black anarchism
Military career
Branch	United States Army
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Kuwasi Balagoon (born Donald Weems, December 22, 1946 – December 13, 1986) was an American activist. He was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. He also believed in anarchism, which is a political idea about societies without rulers.

Life Story

Early Years

Kuwasi Balagoon was born Donald Weems in Lakeland, Maryland. This was on December 22, 1946. In the early 1960s, as a teenager, he was inspired by the Cambridge movement. This movement worked for civil rights for African-Americans in Maryland.

The Cambridge movement was known for being more active than some other groups. Its leader, Gloria Richardson, supported self-defense. This movement led to the Cambridge riot of 1963. The National Guard was sent to Maryland for a year because of it.

After high school, Weems joined the US Army. He was sent to Germany. There, he faced racism from other soldiers. To respond, Weems and other Black soldiers formed a secret group. They called themselves "Da Legislators" and carried out revenge attacks.

While in Europe, Weems visited London, England. He met Black people from Africa and the Caribbean. This experience helped him embrace an Afrocentric way of life. This means focusing on African culture and history.

Weems served three years in the army, mostly in Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1967. He then moved back to the United States. He settled in New York City where his sister lived.

Becoming an Activist in New York

In New York City, Weems became an activist. He first worked with the Community Council on Housing. This group helped people with their housing rights. In 1967, Weems and others were arrested for protesting. They brought a cage of rats to a meeting in Washington, D.C.. They wanted to show how bad housing conditions were.

After this, Weems joined the Central Harlem Committee for Self-Defense. This group helped students who were protesting at Columbia University. Around this time, Weems also became interested in the Yoruba Temple in Harlem. This temple promoted a West African religion.

The temple's leader, Adefunmi, encouraged followers to "Africanize" their lives. Under this influence, Weems changed his name to Kuwasi Balagoon. "Kuwasi" is a Ghanaian name for a boy born on Sunday. "Balagoon" is a Yoruba name meaning "Warlord."

Joining the Black Power Movement

As the 1960s continued, Balagoon became more involved in the Black Power Movement. He also became more focused on Black Nationalism. This idea believes in the unity and self-determination of Black people. Balagoon felt that "Black Liberation" could only be achieved through "protracted guerilla warfare". This means a long-term fight using small, surprise attacks.

Balagoon then joined the Black Panther Party (BPP). He was drawn to their ideas, including Maoism. Maoism is a political theory based on the ideas of Mao Zedong. Balagoon was part of the Panther 21 case. In this case, 21 Panthers were accused of planning bombings. Balagoon was later convicted of a bank robbery in New Jersey.

While in prison, Balagoon became less supportive of the Black Panther Party. He moved towards the more radical Black Liberation Army. He also began to believe in Black anarchism. This is a form of anarchism that focuses on Black liberation.

In the 1970s, Balagoon escaped from prison twice. During his second time on the run, he helped Assata Shakur escape from prison in 1979. In 1981, Balagoon was involved in a major event known as the 1981 Brink's robbery. After being caught in 1982, Balagoon was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement.

Changing Beliefs

While in prison, Balagoon became unhappy with the Black Panther Party's leaders. He was especially upset when Geronimo Pratt was removed from the party. Pratt was a popular figure among the New York Panthers. This made many members feel discouraged.

There were also disagreements between the Panthers on the West Coast and East Coast. They argued about leadership and whether to focus on pan-Africanism (unity of African people) or Internationalism (cooperation between nations). These tensions grew, and the New York Panthers eventually split from the main party.

Balagoon was aware of these events, even in prison. He and many other former Panthers began to look at anarchism. Balagoon felt the Black Panther Party had stopped focusing on the daily struggles of Black people. Instead, he thought they were too focused on defending their members in court.

This new way of thinking led Balagoon to the Black Liberation Army. This group was a new splinter group from the Panthers. They believed in fighting a "war" against the state by going "underground."

Death

Kuwasi Balagoon died in prison from pneumonia on December 13, 1986. He was 39 years old.

Legacy

Balagoon wrote several texts while in prison. These writings have become important among Black and other anarchists. They were first shared by groups that supported prisoners in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 2019, PM Press published Kuwasi Balagoon: A Soldier's Story. This book is a collection of writings by and about Balagoon. It was put together by Matt Meyer and Karl Kersplebedeb. It includes contributions from other activists like Sekou Odinga and David Gilbert.

Since 2020, Black and Pink has given out a "Kuwasi Balagoon award." Black and Pink is a group that supports LGBTQ and HIV-positive prisoners. The award is for people living with HIV/AIDS.