Mumia Abu Jamal
...participated in a protest at a George Wallace for president rally. While protesting, he was attacked by several white men. He stated that two men grabbed him. One kicked his head and face, while the other kicked him in the groin. As the two were still going, he yelled and screamed for the police he saw him getting thrashed on the ground. One police officer walked toward them and kicked Wesley in the face.(Jamal, Live p. 172) From this event he stated "I have been thankful to that faceless cop ever since, for he kicked me straight into the Black Panther Party.(Jamal, Live p.173)
Mumia was a well-recognized activist and award-wining journalist in Philadelphia. Some time before this, in 1969, Wesley was one of the founding members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Black Panther Party. During this time he was the communications secretary. Wesley made his decision to take part in this organization after a discouraging event had taken place. After joining mainstream news organizations in the 1970's, Wesley Cook changed his name to Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia was a teenaged journalist and took interests in issues concerning police brutality. In Philadelphia, Mumia was recognized to have a rare talent in radio journalism. He had an amazing intellect and a burning empathy for underprivileged people. He became a skillful interviewer and a well-known figure in local broadcasting journalism. Mumia appeared in National Public Radio, the National Black Network, and local Philadelphia stations. He had his own talk show on WUHY-FM (which is now WHYY). Mumia's style of journalism allowed the voices of ordinary people to be broadcast. Mumia had a lot of friends in journalism and politics who admired him. He was known as the "voice of the voiceless."(Weinglass, p.213 Live) Despite his ever-changing experience of police brutality and years of a teenage...
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