Biography of: Angela Yvonne Davis
Author: Tyrone Brooks

Timeline
Leadership Style
Political Philosophy

Timeline

• January 26, 1944 Angela Davis was born in Birmingham Ala.
• 1960 Ms. Davis graduated from Brandeis University with honors
• 1961-1967 Angela Davis studied abroad in Germany before becoming a doctoral candidate at the University of California, San Diego under the Marxist professor Herbert Marcube.
• 1968 Angela Davis taught at UCLA despite state efforts to oust her for being a Communist and social activist. She was a professor in the philosophy department. She joined the Black Panther Party during this time after numerous invitations to join.
• July, 1968 Angela became a full-fledged member of the Communist Party, U.S.A.
• 1969 Because of her political opinions and despite an excellent record as an instructor at UCLA, the California Board of Regents refused to renew her appointment as lecturer in philosophy. Governor Ronald Regan was amongst that board.
• August 7, 1970 Championing the cause of black prisoners, Davis grew particularly attached to a young revolutionary, George Jackson, one of the so-called Soledad (Prison) Brothers. Over the past months she spent practically all her helping to build a mass movement to free the Soledad Brothers who were facing a fraudulent murder charge inside Soledad Prison. Jackson's brother Jonathan was among the four persons killed including the trial judge in an abortive escape and kidnapping attempt from the Hall of Justice in Marin County, California. Suspected of complicity, Davis was sought for arrest and became one of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Ten Most Wanted criminals. Davis hit the headlines after she was accused of planning and alleged kidnapping of three San Quentin prisoners and supplying the gun that killed four people during the incident.
• October 13 1970 After viewing a program on television that portrayed her status of being on the Ten Most Wanted List of the FBI, Angela Davis went into hiding underground.
• October, 1970 Davis was arrested in New York City and was returned to California to face the charges against her. While incarcerated on charges of murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy, supporters took up Davis' case across the country.
• December 21, 1970 It was at this time that an international campaign in her behalf, entitled "Free Angela Davis" was organized, resulting in her subsequent aquital. She gained an international reputation during her imprisonment and trial on conspiracy charges.
• 1972 After spending 16 months in jail she was acquitted of all charges by an all-white jury.
• 1974 She wrote her first book about her family's struggle in an autobiography titled, Angela Davis: An Autobiography.
• 1980 She ran for U.S. Vice President on the unsuccessful Communist Party ticket.
• 1981 Angela Davis wrote her second book titled Women, Race, & Class.
• 1988 Her first book was reprinted.
• 1989 Angela wrote her third book called Women, Culture, and Politics.
• January 9,1998 Davis is now know internationally for her work on combating the problems of racial and economic injustice. She was the featured guest speaker for the University of Chicago's annual Martin Luther King Day observance.
• 1998-Present Since her release, Davis has worked tirelessly on behalf of prisoner's rights and is also known as a powerful critic of racism in the criminal justice system.
• 1998-Present Davis is currently a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a professor in the History of Consciousness Department.

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Leadership Style

Angela Davis was part of a leadership style within a leadership style. As a Black Panther Party member she was involved with an organization the demonstrated the Laissez-faire leadership style. During my studies I noticed that the Black Panther Party repeatedly approached Angela about joining the organization. After a while she noticed that they wanted her not only because of her personal characteristics and beliefs, but also because of her gender and her location. They really needed a power in California and a woman would be even better. In the Laissez-faire leadership style everybody has something to offer. They have certain titles and they accomplish their goals. The leader of the group trusts that you will accomplish your goal and duties. Bobby Seale and Huey Newton believed that Angela Davis would take on her beliefs like a great leader and follow them completely. One example of this was when she spent an enormous amount of time in a movement to free the Soledad Brothers. They knew and trusted that she would represent and stand up for what she believed in at all times.

The other leadership style that Angela Davis demonstrated was the Democratic leadership style. In this style there is shared power and not one person dominating. The leader(s) are chosen by vote. In this stage you have to have someone that the members like. Your followers will go along with someone they like. This is the main leadership style that she was associated with. She was a leader and was voted in by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale but she was not the only leader. She shared her position with other great female Black Panther leaders like Mrs. Shakur and Mrs. Shabazz. Not only did she demonstrate the Democratic style by sharing a position with other female Black Panthers but she suggested that women of all color stand up for their rights and take on some sort of leadership position in the fight for the freedom and the rights of women. She was addressing all women in general. As a democratic leader you have to be liked by the people and then they will follow you. She was liked by the people so much that an international campaign was organized in her behalf entitled "Free Angela Davis" resulting in her subsequent aquital. She gained an international reputation during her imprisonment.

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Political Philosophy

Angela Davis was a radical person. By becoming a key member of the Communist Party, U.S.A. she exemplified that she was dissatisfied with the existing order. Also by joining the Black Panther Party she demonstrated that she was ready for change. This change was to be made concerning the problems with racial, economic, and female injustice. With the change at hand, she was also a revolutionary reactionist. She was a little patient and peaceful. Throughout my readings I did not see any examples or articles that mentioned her being violent at all. An example of this is when she was talking about the pursuit of equality and peace in her book Women, Culture, and Politics:

Our families cannot be saved unless we manage to preserve our right to make political decisions in the electoral arena. Therefore, what is necessary is a program of jobs with peace and affirmative action, democratic nationalization of basic industry and of the military-industrial complex, and the halting of racist assaults on Black people's political rights.

To compliment her being a radical, she is also and innovational person. She wants experimental change. As mentioned before, she does not like the present system and she also doesn't promote violence. She supports the values of society to a certain point but not the practices. For example, Angela Davis is totally against people being placed in prison for nonviolent offenses. Most of these offenders happen to be people of color.

One of the reasons so many people end up going to prison is because the resources that would keep them from going to prison are being devoured by the building of prisons.

She is saying that the establishment is putting its resources to use in the wrong ways. Instead of using the resources to help people and prevent them from going to prison, they are using them to send them or encourage the movement for people to go to prison.

In the attempt to keep her beliefs and legacy in forward motion she is now currently a founder and co-chair o the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. She also serves on the national board of directors of the National Political Congress of black woman, and is on the board of the National Black Women's Health Project.

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