175
●
(BLACK PANTHERS.) DAVIS, ANGELA.
Group
of several hundred pieces of correspondence sent
to the Santa Clara Courthouse where the trial
of Angela Davis was taking place.
Post cards,
letters and oversized pieces, pro and con.
MUST
BE SEEN
.
Vp, circa 1972
[1,500/2,500]
A
N EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF
POSTCARDS
,
LETTERS
,
AND HOME
-
MADE
ARTISTIC PIECES
,
SENT TO JUDGE
RICHARD E
.
ARNASON AT THE SAN
JOSE COURTHOUSE DURING THE
ANGELA DAVIS TRIAL
.
The trial of
Angela Davis galvanized the left both
here and abroad. The German left
organized a mail campaign and pro-
duced hundreds of post cards that read
“We Demand stop the Trial Against
Angela Davis. Dem Frieden die
Freiheit.” Letters, post cards and
telegrams poured into the courthouse and
Judge Arnason’s office, including one from
New York Congresswoman Bella Abzug.
In the end, following just 13 hours of
deliberations, an all-white jury found
Angela Davis not guilty of murder, kidnap-
ping and criminal conspiracy charges. The
room erupted and Judge Arnason threatened to
clear the court. Davis, who had been relatively impassive during the proceedings, broke down and
wept. “This is the happiest day of my life,” she said.