The Dugout: JoNina Abron-Ervin on Black Liberation and the Fight for Self-Determination

The Dugout presents an interview with long-time Black liberation and anarchist organizer JoNina Abron-Ervin.

In this episode, we are honored to sit down with JoNina Abron-Ervin, a former member of the Black Panther Party and the final editor of The Black Panther newspaper. JoNina shares her incredible journey from desegregating schools in Jefferson City, Missouri, to her life-changing experiences in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and her work within the Black Panther Party. We delve into her radicalization after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., her involvement in the global Black liberation movement, and her reflections on the importance of Black autonomy, anarchism, and solidarity in today’s struggles.

JoNina offers a powerful critique of the systems of oppression she has fought against for decades, from state repression to patriarchy within revolutionary movements. Together, we explore how the Black Panther Party’s survival programs reshaped communities and why many of their ideals remain relevant today. This is an intimate and insightful conversation with a revolutionary voice who has spent her life advocating for Black liberation and anarchism.

Media Research and Resource List for the Episode:

• Driven by The Movement by JoNina Abron-Ervin
• Black Faces in High Places by Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin and JoNina Abron-Ervin

Articles on Black Panther Party and COINTELPRO:

1. The COINTELPRO Papers by Ward Churchill & Jim Vander Wall
2. We Want Freedom by Mumia Abu-Jamal

Relevant Podcasts:

1. The Black Autonomy Podcast, hosted by JoNina and Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin
2. It’s Going Down, JoNina Abron-Ervin Interview

Documentaries:

1. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (PBS)
2. MLK/FBI (exploring COINTELPRO’s role in dismantling Black liberation movements)