Blog #11

When we think about honoring Black history, February is usually the month that comes to mind. But there is another month rooted in Black history that deserves to be known;

Black August.

Black August is a month-long observance that honors Black freedom fighters, political prisoners, and those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for liberation. But to understand Black August, we have to go back to California prisons in the 1960s and 1970s.

 

Where Did Black August Begin?

The roots of Black August can be traced to the Black prison movement in California, where incarcerated people organized against racist and oppressive prison conditions. Among those organizers was George Jackson, a Black Panther Party member and influential prison activist who became an important figure in the movement. While incarcerated, Jackson and fellow prisoners—including W.L. Nolen—studied political philosophy, educated other prisoners, and organized around the conditions they experienced inside California prisons.

August became particularly significant because of several important events.

On August 7, 1970, George Jackson's younger brother, Jonathan Jackson, attempted to free three incarcerated Black men from the Marin County Courthouse. Jonathan, along with James McClain and William Christmas, was killed during the confrontation. Ruchell Magee survived.

Then, on August 21, 1971, George Jackson was killed at San Quentin State Prison during a deadly prison uprising. His death became one of the major catalysts for what would eventually become Black August.

Another important figure was Khatari Gaulden, a San Quentin prisoner and intellectual organizer who died in August 1978 after suffering a head injury and inadequate medical treatment. His death further contributed to the tradition of August remembrance.

The purpose was bigger than simply remembering those who had died.

It was about keeping their ideas, sacrifices, and struggle alive.

 

 What Did People Do During Black August?

The original observance centered around discipline, remembrance, education, and resistance.

Participants practiced fasting, studied political and historical texts, exercised and trained physically, and participated in organizing political rallies . These practices eventually became summarized in four principles:

STUDY. FAST. TRAIN. FIGHT.

STUDY — Learn your history. Understand the struggles and movements that came before you.

FAST — Practice discipline and sacrifice. Traditionally, fasting could involve abstaining from food and other comforts as a form of reflection and solidarity.

TRAIN — Build physical and mental strength, endurance, and discipline.

FIGHT — Take action against injustice and stand with your community.

These weren't simply four catchy words. They were practices intended to prepare people mentally, physically, and collectively for the work of liberation.

How Did Black August Bring People Together?

What started inside California prisons did not stay there.

The ideas and practices of Black August spread through prison networks and eventually into communities outside of the prison system. As awareness grew, more people began using August as a time for political education, reading groups, fasting, physical training, community gatherings, cultural events, and discussions about Black liberation and resistance.

And that's part of what makes Black August so powerful.

It wasn't handed down as one single way to participate. It grew because people carried the principles forward.

Today, Black August is observed in different ways by different communities. Some people study Black history and revolutionary texts. Others participate in community events, organize discussions, practice fasting, exercise.

How Did Black August Become More Widely Known?

For decades, Black August remained relatively unknown outside of activist, organizing, and prison-reform circles. In recent years, however, educators, activists, community organizations, artists, and media outlets have helped introduce the history to wider audiences.

The Associated Press described Black August in 2022 as a month-long observance that had existed for more than 40 years but is still not widely known by the general public.

That is changing.

Today, more communities are creating reading lists, hosting events, sharing educational resources, highlighting freedom fighters, and finding their own ways to engage with the principles of Black August. Recent coverage has highlighted everything from study groups and film screenings to community gatherings and reading challenges.

Honoring Black August: The Hair Concoction Way 🌿

At Hair Concoction, we wanted to take these principles and connect them to something we know very well:

Our hair.

So we created the Hair Concoction Black August Hair Care Challenge.

We FASTED by taking a break from excessive hair manipulation.

We STUDIED our hair, our history, and the stories behind the styles we wear today.

We TRAINED by focusing on nourishing and hydrating our bodies from the inside out.

And we FOUGHT by uplift Black-owned businesses and encouraging our community to support one another.

Our challenge was our way of starting a conversation.

Just like we encourage our children to learn Black history in February, we can introduce them to the history and principles of Black August in August.

You don't have to wait until next August to start.

Because remembering our history isn't just about looking backward.

It's about understanding what was fought for—and deciding what we're willing to carry forward.

Black August is worth knowing.
Black August is worth sharing.
Black August is worth honoring.