The Black Guerrilla Family

The Black Guerrilla Family (BGF), also known by various names such as the Black Gorilla Family, the Black Family, the Black Vanguard, and Jamaa, is a prison gang and political organization with roots in the African American Black Power movement. Founded in 1966 by George Jackson, George “Big Jake” Lewis, and W.L. Nolen at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, California, the BGF has played a significant role in the political landscape of American incarceration.

The Black Guerrilla Family was conceived during the height of the Black Power movement, influenced by figures like Marcus Garvey. The organization has maintained an ideological stance grounded in African American Marxist–Leninist principles. The BGF’s mission is to promote black power, preserve dignity in the prison system, and ultimately overthrow the United States government. The group’s political and economic objectives, known as “Jamaanomics,” are outlined in its Black Book. Regarded as one of the most politically-driven prison gangs, the BGF has consistently advocated for racial justice and revolution, positioning itself as an ideological force within both prison and street environments.

In 1979, a former BGF lawyer, Fay Stender, became the victim of a violent assault at the hands of recently paroled BGF member Edward Glenn Brooks. Brooks shot Stender five times, citing her betrayal of George Jackson as the reason for the attack. He coerced Stender into admitting her perceived betrayal before shooting her: “I, Fay Stender, admit I betrayed George Jackson and the prison…