Book Talk: I am Maroon

About the Book

Russell Shoatz, III was born on May 7, 1967 to Thelma Christrian and Russell Shoatz Jr. He is well-versed in a multitude of healing modalities and restorative justice/equity practices. Russell has lived a life of unique complexities that are the sum total of resilience. His father, a Black Panther, was imprisoned in 1972. Russell championed the campaign to free his father. 

Russell Shoatz was a gang member in inner Philadelphia starting at age eleven. But at twenty-three, after hearing Malcolm X speak, his life changed course. Shoatz would become a lifelong crusader for justice, a soldier in the most militant units of the Black Liberation Army, and a community organizer who was

constantly brushing up against the notorious Frank Rizzo and his police commandos in Philly. As the struggle for self-determination among Black communities intensified, Shoatz was convicted to life in prison following a coordinated attack in Fairmont Park that left one park guard dead. The prison walls, however, could not deter Shoatz’s battle for personal and collective freedom. He escaped state prison twice, making him a living legend and endowing him with the moniker “Maroon,” once used to honor runaway slaves from plantations. He survived twenty-two years in solitary confinement, prompting an international campaign for

his freedom. I Am Maroon charts a life of dizzying intrigue and long struggle for liberation. With an unforgettable voice, Maroon reminds us that we too are capable of radical change, leaving us a blueprint for how we might dedicate our lives and minds to the ongoing fight for freedom.

About Sharon Shoatz 

Sharon Shoatz is the daughter of Russell “Maroon” Shoatz and is a retired NYC Educator, active member within the Panther Cubs, and an advocate for the release and freedom of all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War.

About Paul Coates 

W. Paul Coates is the founder of Black Classic Press and BCP Digital Printing. Black ClassicPress, founded in 1978, specializes in republishing obscure and significant works by and about people of African descent. BCP Digital Printing was founded in 1995 as a parallel entity of the Press. The printing company uses state of the art digital technology to produce books and documents On Demand. The acquisition of digital printing technology distinguishes the Press

from other small publishing companies and places Black Classic Press on the forefront of 21st century print and publishing technology. A former member of the Black Panther Party, he led the effort to establish the Black Panther Archives at Howard University.