EMU students discuss Huey Newton’s ‘Revolutionary Suicide’ during book study

On Monday mornings earlier this semester, a group of students met weekly at the old Common Grounds space to discuss Huey Newton’s Revolutionary Suicide. The autobiography, originally published in 1973, tells the story of Newton, a co-founder of the Black Panther Party and major leader in the American Black liberation movement.

Solomon Fowler-Evans, a first-year student at EMU, led the book study. He was often joined by Professor Tim Seidel to facilitate the discussions. During a recent book study, Fowler-Evans started the conversation with the opening line from Chapter 14: “Jail is an odd place to find freedom, but that was the place I first found mine: in the Alameda County Jail in Oakland in 1964.”

Three other students joined the discussion, making connections to previous chapters, discussions in other classes, and from their own backgrounds. Dianne Meli, a first-year student, talked about her experiences in Africa with peacemaking as an ideology. Others shared parts they liked in the assigned reading for the day and discussed whether or not they agreed with the characters’ actions. A lively discussion broke out around pacifism and nonviolence, especially when those positions are forced on people instead of freely chosen.

Fowler-Evans organized the book study because “people need education about the Black Panthers, and they’re not getting it anywhere else.” One of the students present at the meeting, Mana Acosta, said the book study has helped her see racism in America differently. “For me, it is evident that Huey Newton views the world quite differently than I do,” she said. “It has been an awesome experience to read his lived experiences and try to understand how this shaped his views.”

Fowler-Evans distributed 18 books to people interested in the study, which the Black Student Alliance (BSA) helped fund and promote in observance of Black History Month. Not everyone with a book showed up every time, but as many as eight or nine participants often attended. He said he’s enjoyed the book study so much that he’s interested in establishing an ongoing book club.