145
Denzil Dowell
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terms
1
notes
151
The Black Panther Party had done as much as it could in dealing with the authorities. But another avenue was open to us. We could go beyond Martinez and take our investigation of Denzil’s case to the people. Bobby suggested that we put out a leaflet describing the rally and what the Black Panther Party was trying to do for the Dowell family. The boldly headlined leaflet dealt with all aspects of the murder. This was our first newspaper, and when we held it in our hands, it seemed we had taken down another barrier between the Black Panthers and the community.
We had never even thought of putting out a newspaper before. Words on paper had always seemed futile. But the Dowell case prompted us to find a way to inform the community about the facts and mobilize them to action. Lacking access to radio, television, or any of the other mass media, we needed an alternative means of communication. No one would do it for us. The Party had only five or six full-time regulars, but we relied on the community to help us out. Many people knew Denzil Dowell personally and willingly pitched in.
Most of the labor for the first paper was contributed by a hippie underground mimeographing outfit in San Francisco. This was the time when underground newspapers were just beginning: if you took material to them, they would print it for you on an electric stenciling machine. We bought supplies—paper, ink, and staples—and put the leaflet together. Then we took it into the community.
We tried to pay paperboys to insert our paper into the Richmond Independent, the Oakland Tribune, and the San Francisco Chronicle before they delivered them, but when they saw what our sheet was about, they did it for nothing. After delivering their own papers, they went around and passed out ours. We circulated about 3,000 the first time, asking for a donation of ten cents. This went into a fund for the funeral expenses of the Dowell family and also for the costs of printing the paper. If anyone did not have ten cents, we gave him a paper anyway and asked him to read it. But most people gave.
their response to the death of Denzil Dowell
The Black Panther Party had done as much as it could in dealing with the authorities. But another avenue was open to us. We could go beyond Martinez and take our investigation of Denzil’s case to the people. Bobby suggested that we put out a leaflet describing the rally and what the Black Panther Party was trying to do for the Dowell family. The boldly headlined leaflet dealt with all aspects of the murder. This was our first newspaper, and when we held it in our hands, it seemed we had taken down another barrier between the Black Panthers and the community.
We had never even thought of putting out a newspaper before. Words on paper had always seemed futile. But the Dowell case prompted us to find a way to inform the community about the facts and mobilize them to action. Lacking access to radio, television, or any of the other mass media, we needed an alternative means of communication. No one would do it for us. The Party had only five or six full-time regulars, but we relied on the community to help us out. Many people knew Denzil Dowell personally and willingly pitched in.
Most of the labor for the first paper was contributed by a hippie underground mimeographing outfit in San Francisco. This was the time when underground newspapers were just beginning: if you took material to them, they would print it for you on an electric stenciling machine. We bought supplies—paper, ink, and staples—and put the leaflet together. Then we took it into the community.
We tried to pay paperboys to insert our paper into the Richmond Independent, the Oakland Tribune, and the San Francisco Chronicle before they delivered them, but when they saw what our sheet was about, they did it for nothing. After delivering their own papers, they went around and passed out ours. We circulated about 3,000 the first time, asking for a donation of ten cents. This went into a fund for the funeral expenses of the Dowell family and also for the costs of printing the paper. If anyone did not have ten cents, we gave him a paper anyway and asked him to read it. But most people gave.
their response to the death of Denzil Dowell