Aug. 25 Oakland memorial scheduled for Elbert ‘Big Man’ Howard

Speakers at the memorial for the Santa Rosa resident and founding member of the Black Panther Party will include Emory Douglas and Kathleen Cleaver.|
CHRIS SMITH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A celebration of the life of Black Panther Party founding member Elbert “Big Man” Howard is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Aug. 25 in Oakland.

Howard lived in Sonoma County for more than a decade as a lecturer, social justice activist and host of radio jazz shows. He died July 23 in Santa Rosa at the age of 80.

The celebration of his life will take place at Bobby Hutton Grove, inside DeFremery Park at 18th and Adeline streets in Oakland.

Scheduled speakers include Emory Douglas, former minister of culture for the Black Panthers, and former party member Kathleen Cleaver, a law professor who was married for 20 years to the late Eldridge Cleaver.

Additional information on the celebration is available by calling (916)455-0908, emailing itsabouttime3@juno.com or visiting the Facebook page of It’s About Time/BPP.

A GoFundMe account opened to help cover the funeral and celebration-of-life expenses is at gofundme.com/elbert-quotbig-manquot-howard-memorial.

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