revolutionary action movement (ram) - Michael Schwartz Library

67
summer of 1967, it was reported that Detroit won the race, Newark took
second place, and Plainsfield, New Jersey came in third . In order for the
reader to get an inside view of what actually happened, a first hand account
would seem appropriate . The following are interviews of those who
were active participants in the 60's rebellion . Due to the nature of the
subject, the real names of the respondents will not be used .
The interviews were made with members of various revolutionary movements
who were directly involved in one way or another with the organization
of the special tactics and strategies of the urban rebellions .
Brother W .
-- Watts, California
Brother 0 . was a member of the Nation of Islam in New Jersey from
1959 to 1963 . In 1963, he became a roving field officer/organizer
for the RAM organization based in New Jersey .
At the outbreak of the Watts (Los Angeles) Rebellion, he was in
the riot area . He was painting "RAM" on the walls when he was
approached by a brother who told him not to do that . He was
questioned as to where the brother was from and later taken to
a house containing approximately twenty brothers who were also
affiliated with RAM . 34
Brother E .
-- Cleveland Ohio
Ahmed Evans and Ali Khan (both now deceased) were section leaders
of RAM in Cleveland . Ahmed, Ali and others met during the spring
of 1966 and decided to create another "Watts" . They decided it
was time to test urban guerrilla warfare . Military units were
trained and the city was divided into areas, with each unit
having its own territory and commander . The units were named
the Black Nationalist Army . 35
Brother 0 .
-- Newark, New Jersey
Thirty brothers left the Nation of Islam in 1966 who were considered
rebels, formed a military cadre . One brother from Newark,
Brother 0, was a member of their cadre as well as being a member
of RAM . He was a liaison between RAM and them . The cadre was
well prepared ; they had street maps and a well devised chain of
command . The cadre met with Brothers X, D, and 0 of the east
34 Interview with Brother W., Philadelphia, PA, July, 1968 .
3 5 Interview with Brother E ., Cleveland, OH, 1973 .