Marvin X's Academy of da Corner was shut down yesterday by the Oakland Police Department after they received a complaint from the person in charge of Frank Ogawa Plaza (renamed Oscar Grant Plaza). The OPD have shut down Marvin X's Academy periodically since he set up shop about seven years ago. His outdoor classroom at 14th and Broadway has survived the Oscar Grant protests and Occupy Oakland. We expect Academy of da Corner to return soon as Marvin X has no intention to allow the OPD to close him down. He told the OPD yesterday to "Go find some murderers, robbers, pimps, dope dealers. You want to close me down because I am educating youth and adults. If I were selling dope, it would be okay, but the dope I have will wake people up, not put them to sleep so you don't want me here.
Noted author Ishmael Reeds called Marvin X "Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland." MacArthur Genius Award winner, Ishmael Reed says, "If you want to learn about inspiration and motivation, don't spend all that money going to workshops and seminars, just go stand at 14th and Broadway and watch Marvin X at work!"
Academy of da Corner is a holistic and sacred space at the crossroads of Oakland, 14th and Broadway. Aside from being an intellectual and spiritual counselor directly accessible to the masses, Marvin's classroom gives out free literature to those without funds. They can also obtain books on credit and layaway. "One of the most beautiful things I've experienced at my outdoor classroom is that 95% of the people who get books on credit return to pay me and I keep no accounting of their bill.
Academy of da Corner supporter, Paul Cobb, Publisher of the Post Newspaper. Marvin and Paul grew up together in West Oakland. (photo Walter Riley, Esq.)
Marvin and Academy of da Corner Professor of Law, Gregory Fields
Author Ishmael Reed calls Marvin X, "Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland."
Academy student Jermaine Marsh, Attorney Walter Riley, Blues living legend Sugarpie de Santo and Marvin X
After the OPD inspired assassination of journalist Chauncey Bailey, Marvin organized Bay Area writers to celebrate his memory at the Joyce Gordon Gallery. (photo Gene Hazzard and Adam Turner)
Dr. Cornel West, a Marvin X supporter (photo Gene Hazzard)
Members of the West Oakland Elders Council
Young men reading at Academy of da Corner. Have you ever seen five young black men reading on the street? (photo Gene Hazzard, Oakland Post Newspaper)
Marvin X and Amiri Baraka (RIP) at Academy of da Corner (photo Gene Hazzard)
Visitors at Academy of da Corner include poet Amiri Baraka, Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, Marvin X star student Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, Ahi Baraka, son of Amiri Baraka and Marvin X. Man in background is a customer, First Resurrection Member of the NOI. (photo Gene Hazzard)
Marvin X and the Black Arts Movement Poets Choir and Arkestra were a hit at the May 17 Malcolm X Jazz/Arts Festival. Pictured here are percussionist Tacuma King, right, Val Serrant, center, and David Murray, right. photo Kamau Amen Ra
Marvin X and the BAM Poets Choir and Arkestra are planning a 27 city tour in honor of Amiri Baraka.
The indefatigable, peripatetic Marvin X has the Community Archives Project. He was agent for the acquisition of the Drs. Nathan and Julia Hare archives. Part of the archives were obtained by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Academy of da Corner is a holistic and sacred space at the crossroads of Oakland, 14th and Broadway. Aside from being an intellectual and spiritual counselor directly accessible to the masses, Marvin's classroom gives out free literature to those without funds. They can also obtain books on credit and layaway. "One of the most beautiful things I've experienced at my outdoor classroom is that 95% of the people who get books on credit return to pay me and I keep no accounting of their bill."
If you support Academy of da Corner, send Marvin X a letter of support. Send a copy to Mayor Jean Quan.
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