George Jackson was more than a prisoner. He was a revolutionary, an intellectual, and a symbol of resistance against the U.S. prison-industrial complex. His story is one of transformation, struggle, and ultimate sacrifice for Black liberation during one of America’s most turbulent eras.

From Juvenile Convict to Revolutionary Thinker

Born in Chicago in 1941. George Lester Jackson grew up in Los Angeles, where racism and poverty shaped much of his early life. Jackson was sentenced to one year to life for stealing $70 from a gas station. A sentence that reflected the racial double standards of the justice system.
While incarcerated, Jackson began reading works by Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. Those writings would change his life and ignite his political awakening.

Inside California’s San Quentin State Prison, Jackson became a voice for the oppressed. He organized prisoners to resist brutality and called attention to the racist and capitalist structures that fueled mass incarceration.

The Soledad Brothers

In 1970, Jackson and two other inmates. John Clutchette and Fleeta Drumgo were charged with murdering a prison guard. This allegedly happened in retaliation for the killing of three Black inmates by white correctional officers. The trio became known as the Soledad Brothers, and their case sparked international outrage.
Supporters worldwide saw the charges as an attempt to silence Jackson’s growing influence among Black prisoners.

“Soledad Brother”: Letters That Shook the Nation

While in prison, Jackson wrote a collection of letters that were later published as Soledad Brother. The Prison Letters of George Jackson (1970). The book became a bestseller. Jackson chronicling his transformation from an inmate to a radical theorist and symbol of resistance.
Through his words, Jackson revealed the inhumanity of the prison system and connected it to the broader struggle. His insight and intellect earned him comparisons to Malcolm X, whom he deeply admired.

The San Quentin Rebellion and His Death

On August 21, 1971, George Jackson was shot and killed by guards at San Quentin Prison under controversial circumstances. Authorities claimed he attempted an escape. However, many feel otherwise.