Jackson, George (1941–1971)

Teresa Francis

A criminal to some and a revolutionary hero to others, George L. Jackson was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 23,1941. In 1956 his family moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1960, at the age of 18, George Jackson was accused of stealing $70 from a gas station in Los Angeles. Jackson was advised to plead guilty for a lighter sentence. He took the plea and received an indeterminate sentence of 1 year to life. With no definite time for his release from prison, he served 11 years in the State of California correctional system, until his death in 1971. A leader of the Black Panthers, Jackson was an eloquent advocate for prisoners. This entry examines his life and legacy. Jackson was an active member of the Black Panther Party, the revolutionary group started in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The Black Panther Party's mission was to ...

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