Babylon Falling in association with PM Press presents - A book signing and talk with Robert Hillary King in celebration of the recent publication of, From the Bottom of the Heap - The Autobiography of Black Panther Robert Hillary King.
Please join us here at Babylon Falling on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 7pm for an evening with Robert Hillary King. He will give an informal talk about his life, do a reading, and sign copies of the book.
I can’t recommend this book enough. From conversations I’ve had with people in the store, I know that there is a sizable contingent of you out there who oppose the injustices that political prisoners and prisoners of conscience endure, but are nevertheless conflicted about supporting the rights of convicted criminals. The morality of Mr. King’s case could not be more clear. The facts of the case and the state’s eventual acquiescence in the face of a long and focused struggle are testament to his innocence. He is guilty of nothing but having been born, as he says in the book, poor and black.
Written in an engagingly warm style, From the Bottom of the Heap is a story that transcends politics–a narrative that is distinctly American. Full of the anecdotal detail that brings history alive, Mr. King’s autobiography is not only a great piece of literature, but is also an essential testimony to the worst abuses of a corrupt system as well as a crucial addition to the social history of the country.
If you can make it down I really encourage you to come out. In addition to Mr. King’s reading, we will also have a few people reading passages from the autobiography which correspond with their respective ages. Included so far are: Malik Rahim Jr., the son of Malik Rahim co-founder of Common Ground Collective; graffiti writer Cuba; muralist, painter, and political artist Rigo23; and a few more. It promises to be a fun night.
As with all hardcover new releases, From the Bottom of the Heap will be 20% off the list price. And as always, we will have drinks and music.
A little more about Robert Hillary King & the Book
Robert Hillary King, AKA Robert King Wilkerson, is part of a trio of American political prisoners collectively known as The Angola 3.
In 1970 a jury convicted Robert Hillary King of a crime he did not commit and sentenced him to 35 years in prison. He became a member of the Black Panther Party while in Angola State Penitentiary, successfully organizing prisoners to improve conditions. In return, prison authorities beat him, starved him, and gave him life without parole after framing him for a second crime. He was thrown into solitary confinement, where he remained in a six by nine foot cell for 29 years as one of the Angola 3. In 2001 the state grudgingly acknowledged his innocence and set him free. This is his Story.
Born black, born poor, born in Louisiana in 1942, King journeyed to Chicago as a hobo at the age of 15. He married and had a child, and briefly pursued a semi-pro boxing career to help provide for his family. Just a teenager when he entered the Louisiana penal system for the first time, King tells of his attempt to break out of this system, and his persistent pursuit of justice where there is none.
Yet this remains a story of inspiration and courage, and the triumph of the human spirit. From the Bottom of the Heap, so simply and humbly told, strips bare the economic and social injustices inherent in our society, while continuing to be a powerful literary testimony to our own strength and capacity to overcome.
See you this Friday at 7pm!
For more on the Angola3 case:
www.angola3.org
