On Saturday, August 24^th, the Malcolm X Commemoration Committee will join with the National Black Panther Party Alumni Association to present its 24^th Annual Dinner Tribute to ‘Our Political Prisoners And Their Families!’

          This endearing gathering will take place at the Langston Hughes Community Library, located at 100-01 Northern Blvd, Corona Queens. Doors will open at 3pm. Dinner will be served at 4pm. The program will begin at 5pm.

          The theme for this year’s tribute is ‘Faith-The Ultimate Weapon!’ and will honor clergy who have stood by our Political Prisoners through their ordeal of captivity. Among the honorees are two of the most outspoken elder statesmen of New York’s Black Clergy, Rev. Herbert Daughtry of House Of The Lord Church and retired Chaplain Father Lawrence Lucas. Representing a new generation of Social Justice ministers will be Rev. Lukata Mjumbe, who is now Pastor of the historic Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. Rev. Mjumbe is the godson of Panther political prisoner Sundiata Acoli. Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church has been an anchor for African Americans in that area, slave or free for over 150 years. It is best known for once being sheparded by William Robeson, the father of the immortal human rights champion Paul Robeson, who served as Pastor in the early 20^th century.

          The gathering will also feature performances by legendary elder poet and instrumentalist Ngoma, Apollo Theatre poetry legend Regtuinah  and Panther cub Ksisay Sadiki who will perform an excerpt from her one-woman show ‘First Born,’ dedicated to her father, Panther political prisoner Kamau Sadiki.

          This year’s gathering comes on the heels of the release of several MOVE political prisoners, Debbie Africa, Mike Africa, Janet Africa, Janine Africa, and Eddie Africa, after 41 years in prison. It also comes on the heels of the death of political prisoner Tom Manning, on the heels of Jalil Muntaqim being denied Parole for the 11^th time, and most recently, on the heels of a Federal Court refusing to grant any relief for Imam Jamil Al-Amin, over clear Constitutional Violations in his trial, even though the court conceded the correctness of the appeal. Al-Amin is also recovering from a mild stroke and with Delbert Africa in the throes of a life-threatening emergency.

          Press officer Zayid Muhammad will be in Pennsylvania this week at an emergency rally for Delbert Africa.

          “One of the really maddening things facing many of our political prisoners is that some of them have actually done their time, no matter how you come down on the issue.

          “Some of them have done their time, Jalil, Veronza, Mutulu, Sundiata, and more still, and yet they are still forced to languish in captivity,” said an angry Zayid Muhammad, the organization’s founding press officer.

          This year’s gathering also marks the first time it has been held during Black August, the monthly appreciation of Black Resistance to Oppression dedicated to martyred Panthers George and Jonathan Jackson and to supporting Political Prisoners.

          Political Prisoners Mutulu Shakur and Russell ‘Maroon’ Shoats have Black August birthdays.

          Tickets for the Tribute are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. They can be gotten in advance through PayPal by using the link www.PayPal.me/PPOWs, or by sending a check or money order payable to The Malcolm X Commemoration Committee, P.O. Box 380-122, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

 For more information, please call 973 202 0745