Hubert Gerold Brown — better known to the world as H. Rap Brown and later as Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin — died on November 23, 2025, at age 82.
Authorities confirmed that he passed away while incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, where he had been held for years due to declining health.

Early Life and Rise to Activism

Born October 4, 1943, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brown rose to national prominence during the civil rights era.
By the mid-1960s, he became a central figure in the emerging Black Power movement, known for his fiery speeches and unapologetic stance on self-defense, systemic injustice, and racial liberation.

Brown served as the 5th Chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an organization instrumental in the fight for voting rights and racial equality. His leadership helped shape a more militant shift in the movement as frustrations over slow progress mounted.

During this period, he delivered one of his most quoted — and controversial — lines:
“Violence is as American as cherry pie.”

Role in the Black Panther Party

Following his work with SNCC, Brown became the Minister of Justice for the Black Panther Party, aligning himself with a group advocating community empowerment, resistance to police brutality, and nationwide Black liberation.

His bold public presence made him both a symbol of Black resistance and a frequent target of federal surveillance.

Conversion to Islam and Name Change

After converting to Islam, Brown adopted the name Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin. He became deeply involved in religious leadership and community building, particularly in Atlanta, where he founded a vibrant Muslim community focused on discipline, service, and self-determination.

Conviction and Incarceration

In 2000, two deputies from Fulton County, Georgia, were shot during a confrontation.
One deputy died, and Al-Amin was later convicted in 2002 of murder and related charges. He always maintained his innocence, and the case has remained controversial among supporters who believe he was targeted because of his political past.

He was sentenced to life without parole and transferred multiple times between high-security and medical facilities due to long-term health concerns.

Health Decline and Supporter Concerns

For years, Al-Amin’s family and supporters raised alarms about what they described as inadequate medical care in prison. Advocacy groups continued to push for better treatment, citing his deteriorating condition and advancing age.

Despite these efforts, Al-Amin remained incarcerated until his death at the federal medical facility in North Carolina.

Legacy

H. Rap Brown leaves behind a complex and impactful legacy — one that spans:

• Civil rights activism
• Black Power leadership
• Religious transformation
• Controversy, conviction, and continued debate

His autobiography, Die Nigger Die! (1969), remains one of the era’s most raw and defining political memoirs.

To many, he stood as a symbol of Black resistance in one of the most turbulent chapters of American history. His death marks the end of a life that shaped — and challenged — the nation.