Soledad Brother

Soledad Brother

This book was written by George Jackson through

his prison letters sent to various family and friends. It tells the story of how he was sent to prison for a very small crime in which he was a part of a robbery. Throughout the book (in his letters) he explains his views and opinions of how capitalistic and imperialistic governments treated blacks as well as all lower class citizens. The irony of his situation is that he goes into prison a relatively harmless person that made to careless decision to becoming an very large threat to the way society is run due to his self teachings that pulls the blindfold from his eyes to see the injustice of our controlling government. They must now keep him in prison for to let him out would be to great of a risk. He would almost surely become a leader for others to follow so that he could teach them the unjust ways of our government. He would be the next Malcome X , Dr. King Jr., or Huey Newton.

George Jackson was arrested for robbery in which seventy dollars was stolen. When he was apprehended the police recovered the seventy dollars as well as an additional fifty dollars. At his sentencing he was given 1year to life in prison. This alone seems to me to be outrageous and ridiculous amount of time to serve for a robbery. He was also ordered to solitary confinement in a four foot by seven foot cell and only allowed one hour of exercise. This type of punishment is normally used with extremely violent criminals which does not match the crime nor the personality of George Jackson.

During his time in prison George Jackson did nothing but read about the history of government and how the cast system works in this country. From the way the Native Americans were dealt with to how the slavery of blacks develops. He slowly realizes how different forms of control are used by the higher ups in society to control the lower classes. It is apparent from the reading that George is trying to educate his mother, father, brother, and nephew as to how the government works. He tries to explain that they are like sheep being led by the wolf (the government) down a path of compliance. From all his reading and his new changed view it is very clear how the government controls the members of society and yet his closest relatives do not see what he sees. It is very evident that this is aggravating George not to be