Sekou Odinga, a stalwart of Black liberation activism, passed away at the age of 79 on Jan. 12, leaving behind a legacy of resistance and dedication to the fight for justice. Odinga played pivotal roles in iconic Black liberation organizations, including Malcolm X’s Organization of Afro-American Unity, the Black Panther Party, and the Black Liberation Army.

Odinga’s commitment to the cause led him underground, where he became entwined with activities that sought to challenge systemic racism and police brutality. His involvement in assisting Assata Shakur’s escape from prison marked a significant chapter in his journey. Despite being convicted in 1984, Odinga spent 33 years behind bars, embodying the sacrifices made by those who fought against oppressive systems, Peoples Dispatch reported.

Odinga was released in 2014, and fellow activists celebrated his contributions to the Blac liberation movement. His resilience, even during years of incarceration, symbolized unwavering dedication to the struggle for equality.

Reflecting on his early association with the Black Panther Party, Odinga emphasized their stand against police brutality, echoing the sentiments of many Black communities grappling with rampant injustice. His journey mirrored the broader history of Black liberation movements in the United States, fueled by outrage against systemic violence.

“What attracted me more than anything else was the stand against police brutality, because, like all the other ghettos in this country or Black areas of this country, police brutality was running rampant. … That was the attraction, the big attraction, for me, personally, and many of the comrades that I came in with, because they really — we were not part of the civil rights movement to turn your other cheek,” In Sekou Odinga told Democracy Now! in 2016 on why he joined the Black Panthers. “We was mostly followers of the Malcolm X position that if someone smack you, you smack him back; if someone punch you, you punch him back; that your life was the biggest and best thing you had, and you had a right to not only protect it, but to defend it by any means necessary.”

Jalil Muntaqim, founder of the Jericho Movement advocating for political prisoners, remarked on Odinga’s embodiment of the fight against white supremacy and capitalist imperialism.

“Sekou Odinga, a dedicated revolutionary, believed in our common humanity and the need to resist inhumanity anywhere on the planet,” Muntaqim told Peoples Dispatch. “As a Muslim, [Odinga] was compelled to do so, as it is instructed in the Holy Qur’an ‘…to fight tumult and oppression wherever you may find it, tumult and oppression is worse than slaughter.’ Sekou Odinga lived to manifest this mandate in his entire being, actualizing the need to resist in order to overcome white supremacy and capitalist-imperialism, the scourge of the planet. Long Live the warrior spirit of Sekou Odinga.”

Photo via the Jericho Movement