Activists gather in celebration of Mumia’s 71st birthday, Houston, April 27, 2025.
Houston
Mumia’s supporters gathered in Houston’s historic Emancipation Park on April 27, not just to celebrate the 71st birthday of revolutionary journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. but to condemn the Philadelphia cops and courts and to demand his freedom.
John “Bunchy” Crear, an original member of the Black Panther Party, opened the rally with some history of the struggles on the land where we were assembled. He explained that Emancipation Park was established in 1872 by four African American leaders who purchased 10 acres of land to celebrate Juneteenth. For over four decades, it was the only public park in Houston open to African Americans.
The park is located on Emancipation Avenue, only named that in 2017 after a struggle to change the name. It was previously called Dowling Street after a Confederate Civil War commander. Only a block away, the head of the People’s Party II, Carl Hampton, was assassinated on July 26, 1970. After his death, the People’s Party II evolved into the Houston chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Sister Mama Sonya, an activist and spoken word artist, told the attentive crowd: “The weight of Mumia’s utterances hangs heavy in the atmosphere. They stimulate and inspire us to keep moving. Mumia, your words resonate in our spirit. Thank you.”
On Cinco de Mayo, May 5, 1977, four Houston cops murdered a young Chicano Vietnam veteran, Joe Campos Torres, brutally beating him, then throwing his handcuffed body into Buffalo Bayou saying, “Let’s see if this wetback can swim!” His nephew and cousin, Richard Torres and Johnny Torres, addressed the crowd.
Richard invited everyone to an event on Cinco de Mayo to remember his uncle Joe Campos Torres on the 48th anniversary of his death. Then Johnny shared a poem for Mumia, saying: “They caged a voice, but not the storm that carried it. A journalist with fire in his lungs, words sharp as broken glass — cutting through silence, unmasking the pulse of a system built on bruises. Even when the steel door slammed shut on his tomorrows, he spoke. Of empire and blood, of rage and redemption, of Black lives that refuse to vanish quietly.”
“Happy birthday to Mumia, a political prisoner for several decades now simply because he dared to believe a different world was possible,” said Brandon with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “Revolution is incredible. But revolution also requires work. Revolution requires practice as well as sacrifice. The Panthers did their part, and they were ordinary working-class people just like you and me. Why can’t we do the same? I encourage you to find your role. Join an org, do your part and keep fighting, and eventually we will win. We wish you a happy birthday Mumia! Free all political prisoners.”
Cake for Mumia’s 71st birthday at a gathering in Houston, April 27, 2025.
‘We MUST get involved!’
Spoken word artist Mikki Luellen’s revolutionary words were spit out rapid fire and militant: “So many freedom fighters have wound up inside — Mumia, Mutulu and the MOVE 9 — how many have sacrificed, how many have died? It’s time to fight back! It’s time to answer the call. Thank you, Mumia Abu Jamal. This is a poem demanding justice. We MUST get involved!”
Interspersing history with today’s reality, Minister Abdul Haleem Muhammad had the crowd cheering as he spoke for the Nation of Islam Mosque 45: “Keep fighting. Don’t forget Mumia. Because there’s another bunch of Mumia’s who’re in Texas prisons right now. There are people in those prisons, state and federal, who are so brilliant, but they have been subjected to an injustice system. A system set up to make money. Mumia has exposed not only the criminal legal system but the evil of cannibalistic capitalism. We must fight for every revolutionary who’s fighting the good fight. Mumia, happy born day, brother!”
Everyone signed the birthday cards and bought Mumia’s books, and they all went home with Mumia buttons and stickers. After singing “Happy Birthday” and eating cake, people from the various organizations and backgrounds stayed to talk with each other for a while.
Folks left the park buoyed by the revolutionary words and the passionate love they all have for Mumia. All left committed to fighting until Mumia is celebrating his birthday at home with his children and grandchildren and those he loves!