Thanks to everyone who came out to the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this past weekend as we celebrated the release of Listen, Whitey!: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 – 1975. It was the very first time we were able to present the book to the public, and every copy just blew outta the store!
We were also honored to be joined by local authors Mark Long and Jim Demonakos (also the founder of Seattle’s Emerald City Comicon!), who together with cartoonist Nate Powell, created the graphic novel The Silence of Our Friends. The chilling story was inspired by real-life incidents that Mark experienced growing up in the racially-tense environment of Texas in the mid-60s.
And then editor Pat Thomas stepped up to the projector for his slideshow on Listen, Whitey!: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 – 1975, with our friends at the adjacent store Georgetown Records providing the soundtrack with the companion CD of the same title from Seattle-based Light in the Attic records.
And his presentation was riveting! It was so cool hearing the stories behind these rare tracks that Pat discovered, many of which are being released on CD for the very first time ever! I ended up going home and staying up until 2:00 AM reading his book, and supplementing it with internet research on the Black Panthers. My mind is blown.
If you're also intrigued by the musical scene behind the Black Power movement, Pat is going to be giving a 90-minute presentation on Thursday, March 1st at the historic Washington Hall here in Seattle! More details, including ticket information, can be found on the FLOG here.
And Pat promises, if you get there early, you can hear the entire 20 minute radio segment that Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver recorded after he helped Timothy Leary escape from prison… aaaand then put him under "revolutionary arrest" when he got sick of him! Hilarious!