15 Facts About Safiya Bukhari

Safiya Bukhari was a co-founder of the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition and the Jericho Movement for US Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War, and was the vice president of the Republic of New Afrika.

Safiya Bukhari discovered that the police were spreading rumors that the Panthers were feeding the children poisoned food.

Safiya Bukhari worked out of the Party's Harlem office, becoming in charge of Information and Communications for the East Coast Panthers.

Safiya Bukhari was critical of the Party's treatment of female Panthers.

On January 25,1975, Safiya Bukhari was captured after a shooting in Norfolk, VA that left a fellow BLA member dead and another shot in the face.

Safiya Bukhari was charged with illegal possession of a weapon, felony murder, and attempted robbery.

Safiya Bukhari needed surgery, but was denied treatment by prison personnel.

On New Year's Eve 1976, Safiya Bukhari attempted to escape, after one month of frequent hemorrhaging for which she was not allowed to see a doctor.

Safiya Bukhari was captured two months later and returned to Virginia.

Safiya Bukhari filed a lawsuit against the Virginia prison system for US$1.45 million in 1979, alleging that her segregation in prison was unconstitutional and amounted to cruel and unusual punishment, as well as deprivation of equal protection and due process of law.

Safiya Bukhari worked as a social worker at the Legal Aid Society.

Safiya Bukhari continued to be politically active after she was paroled.

Safiya Bukhari co-hosted the radio show "Where We Live" with Sally O'Brien on WBAI, focusing on prison-related issues.

Safiya Bukhari's papers were published posthumously after her daughter Wonda Jones asked Laura Whitehorn to help her collect, edit and publish them.

Safiya Bukhari's papers became The War Before: The True Life Story of Becoming a Black Panther, Keeping the Faith in Prison and Fighting for Those Left Behind, published in 2010 by The Feminist Press.