Rest in Power Richard Aoki
Richard Aoki, 1938-2009
According to Bobby Seale, Richard Aoki “had guns for a motherfucker,” in reference to the fact that he provided the Black Panther Party with their first weapons. He grew up with Huey Newton and was a charter member of the Panthers and one of their first field marshals.
I know people like to say stuff like “Richard Aoki was not a typical Asian,” but in truth he was not a typical anything. His participation in radical movements was not a rejection of his “Asian”-ness as much as it was a rejection of his “American”-ness. He rejected a societal pressure to conform – not a biological one. For this, I – and many others who have been inspired by his commitment – feel grateful.
As we move forward in life and in progress, Richard Aoki will always be remembered.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Damn where did you find out about Richard Aoki, I’ve never even heard of him. RIP
March 24th, 2009 at 3:06 PM
he was the man — they used to run arms through canada, on the vermont border. the school i finally got my ba from, goddard college, was a bp/aoki stash house — the dorm village got taken over by the bp’s. it’s some interesting local lore.