GATEWAYS
CASE STUDY 2b:
ANGELA DAVIS &
THE SOLEDAD BROTHERS
1970, San Rafael
Angela Davis was a Black activist and educator, holding an assistant professor position at UCLA until 1969 when Governor Reagan launched a campaign to fire her due to Davis's associations with the communist party.
In 1970, Jonathan Jackson tried to free his brother George Jackson, a Black Panther and prison inmate, by smuggling guns into the Marin County courthouse during the trial of another Black Panther.
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Davis, who had connections to the Jackson brothers and was the registered owner of the guns used in the incident, was charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy.
Discussion Questions
Do the news broadcasts tell the same story? How do they differ in their characterizations of the events and people involved?
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The first reporter frequently uses the word “conspiracy.” Does this undermine or aid his message? Why or why not?
