Malik Rahim

Born in 1948 as Donald Guyton in Algiers, Louisiana, south of the Mississippi River from New Orleans, he was raised in this industrial city. He attended Landry High School, but left prior to graduation to join the United States Navy. He served in the Vietnam War.{{cite web |title=Malik Rahim and Pamela Hamilton, conducted by Oral History Interview with Malik Rahim, May 23, 2006. Interview U-0252. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007). |url=https://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/U-0252/menu.html |website=docsouth.unc.edu}}

In May 1970, having completed his service, Guyton returned to New Orleans. He joined in trying to organize a chapter of the Black Panther Party in Louisiana. They first set up the "National Committee to Combat Fascism," which developed as the state chapter of the Black Panthers. The group made their base at a house on Saint Thomas Street. Members conducted political activities, as well as providing free breakfast, tutoring, and anti-crime programs to community residents, especially children. When the owner learned about their affiliations, the group was evicted. During this period, Guyton took the name Malik Rahim, which he has kept.

The future Panthers moved into a house on Piety Street, near the Desire housing project. Served with an eviction notice in September 1970, they refused to move out. The house was raided by police on September 14, 1970; they were armed with a machine gun and what was called a war wagon. They used the gun against the house, tearing it up, but none of the Black Panthers was wounded or killed. Rahim was among the group that walked out and were arrested by police. They were held on death row at Angola prison pending charges. More Panthers were arrested after the second shootout in November, too many to be held on death row, and some were put in the dungeon of the prison until the trial.[https://www.wwno.org/post/black-panthers-and-community-named-desire Sarah Holtz & Mark Cave, "The Black Panthers And A Community Named Desire"], NOLA Life Stories, audio interview by WWNO-NPR, 19 April 2018; accessed 9 March 2019

Several remaining Panthers moved into another house in the Desire project.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sitesofconscience.org/en/membership/malik-rahim-house/|title=Malik Rahim House – Sites of Conscience|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-18}} Police conducted another raid on November 19, as the owner wanted to evict the group. After another shootout and brief standoff, thousands of residents of the project prevented the police from entering. A bystander was killed by police in the shootout.[https://www.nola.com/175years/2011/12/1971_black_panthers_acquitted.html "1971: Black Panthers acquitted after tangle with New Orleans police"], The Times Picayune, 15 December 2011; accessed 9 March 2011 On November 26, police succeeded in raiding the house and arresting the Panthers present by disguising some officers as priests who had participated in the breakfast program.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwno.org/post/black-panthers-and-community-named-desire|title=The Black Panthers And A Community Named Desire|last=Cave|first=Sarah Holtz, Mark|website=www.wwno.org|language=en|access-date=2020-01-18}}

Rahim, by then the chapter's defense minister, was among the twelve Panthers charged with attempted murder by New Orleans for the two shootouts. He and the other eleven defendants were acquitted by a jury.

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=June 2016}}

After being released, Rahim moved out to Los Angeles, California, where he earned a G.E.D. and attended one semester of college. But he became involved in crime. He was convicted of armed robbery and served a five-year prison sentence in Los Angeles, which ended in the early 1980s. By his account, this resulted in his return to political activism. Initially he focused on rights for prisoners, and programs to assist and house them on their release. He gradually became involved in more general housing issues.

In the next two decades, Rahim helped to found and operate a number of political and advocacy organizations. In San Francisco, he led the Bernal Dwellings Tenants' Association from 1995 to 1997. He opposed demolition of the structure as part of the HOPE VI plan, and worked for affordable housing. In 1996 he was a founding member of "Housing is a Human Right," a citywide non-profit advocacy organization for affordable housing.

In 1998, Rahim{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/425196042/?terms=Malik+Rahim|title=11 May 1998, 11 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-16}} traveled with Kathy Kelly And former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark along with others to Iraq in direct opposition to The embargo and sanctions.

Rahim returned to Louisiana in the late 1990s, where he co-founded and ran the "Algiers Development Center and Invest Transitional Housing." This program for ex-offenders has housed more than one thousand former inmates. He was a founding member of the Louisiana anti-death penalty group "Pilgrimage for Life," along with Sister Helen Prejean.

In 1998 Rahim was a co-founder of the "National Coalition to Free the Angola 3," an organization working for the release of three Black Panthers who had been convicted of prison murders and held for more than two decades at Angola Prison in solitary confinement. The three have said they are innocent and that the charges were politically motivated. Robert Hillary King's conviction was overturned in 2001, and he was released after taking a plea deal. Herman Wallace's conviction was overturned and he was released in 2013 on humanitarian grounds, dying three days later of liver cancer, with the state prepared to try him again. Albert Woodfox had two convictions for the prison murder each overturned, on grounds of inadequate counsel, prosecutor misconduct and racial discrimination. Both rulings were overturned by a panel of the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court, the second in 2016. While Woodfox said he would like to prove his innocence, he said “concerns about my health and my age have caused me to resolve this case now and obtain my release with this no-contest plea to lesser charges.” He accepted the plea deal and was released in February 2016.[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/us/albert-woodfox-angola-3-prisoner-louisiana.html?_r=0 "Last ‘Angola 3’ Inmate Freed After Decades in Solitary"], New York Times, 20 February 2016; accessed 9 March 2019

In 2002, Rahim became involved in electoral politics for the first time, running for the New Orleans City Council on the Green Party of Louisiana ticket; he received 3,654 votes (2%). Rahim ran on a platform of a "living wage," improved conditions at public housing, and reform of youth programs and the juvenile justice system.

Ignoring evacuation orders, Rahim remained in the city of New Orleans through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the chaotic days after the hurricane, he wrote an article about conditions in the city, entitled "This Is Criminal". He set up an ad hoc relief distribution center at his late mother's house in the aftermath. The house is recognized as an International Site of Conscience.{{cite web |url=https://www.sitesofconscience.org/en/membership/malik-rahim-house/ |title=Malik Rahim House |publisher=International Coalition of Sites of Conscience |access-date=November 22, 2021}}

Later he cofounded the Common Ground Collective with two organizers from Austin, Texas, Brandon Darby and scott crow.{{cite web |url=http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2008/10/30/malik-rahim-for-congress-louisiana-2nd/ |title=Blog Archive » Malik Rahim for Congress (Louisiana 2nd) - America's #1 Source for Green Party News & Views |publisher=Green Party Watch |date=2008-10-30 |access-date=2010-08-27 |archive-date=2017-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003174846/http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2008/10/30/malik-rahim-for-congress-louisiana-2nd/ |url-status=usurped }} They distributed aid locally and ran a community health clinic, with the help of volunteers from across the United States. In the next few months, Rahim traveled across the country to report on efforts in New Orleans and encourage volunteers to travel to the city to work with his group for the community.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/03/AR2005120301254.html |title=For a Former Panther, Solidarity After the Storm |author=Garcia, Michelle |newspaper=Washington Post |date=December 4, 2005 |access-date=2006-06-11}}

In 2006, Rahim announced plans to run for mayor of New Orleans, but did not complete the process to appear on the ballot. In July 2008, Rahim decided to run again for national office. He filed to run for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district seat of the U.S. House of Representatives as a Green Party candidate. He ran against Democratic incumbent William J. Jefferson, Republican candidate Joseph Cao, and Libertarian Party candidate Gregory Kahn. Cao won; Rahim finished third in the four candidate field, receiving 2.8% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms2&rqsdta=120608|title=Wayback Machine has not archived that URL. |access-date=2023-09-27}}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In 2009, Rahim's former associate, Brandon Darby, was revealed to have been an FBI informant when he worked with the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans.{{Cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2009-01-23/729400/|title=The Informant|last=Welch|first=Diana|work=Austin Chronicle|date=January 23, 2009 |access-date=2016-06-07}}

In 2016, muralist Brandan "BMike" Odums helped create a community Mural of Malik Rahim and neighborhood resident Enid Songy{{Cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/arts/article_7ef6911f-e5ee-5a67-90be-dd59f6342a5e.html|title=Algiers neighborhood mural focuses on race, reconciliation, community|last=Times-Picayune|first=Doug MacCash, NOLA com {{!}}|website=NOLA.com|date=December 4, 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-17}}

File:Malik Rahim and Dennis Kyne in Algiers Point New Orleans, 2019.jpg

Rahim was featured with Scott Crow, Desert storm Veteran Dennis Kyne and activist's Jimmy Dunson and Suncere Ali Shakur in the documentary Welcome to New Orleans (2006), directed by Rasmus Holm, about their efforts in community building in the city.{{cite video

|people = Rasmus Holm (director)

|title = Welcome To New Orleans

|url = http://www.welcometoneworleans.dk

|medium = documentary film

|publisher = Fridthjof Film & DR UNG

|location = New Orleans

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929063852/http://www.welcometoneworleans.dk/

|archive-date = 2007-09-29

}}

• In 2019, Rahim was given the Living Legend Award from Southern University and recognized by New Orleans city council for assisting more than 500,000 people after Katrina.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/article_5c5a3a2a-0fba-5d8e-b82e-c03501a345ae.html|title='Living legend' Malik Rahim honored for decades as civil rights activist in New Orleans|last=Advocate|first=KATY RECKDAHL {{!}} Special to The|website=NOLA.com|date=January 20, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-18}}
• In 2006, Rahim was awarded the 'Community Builder Award' by Global Exchange, an international human rights organization based in San Francisco.
• In 2008, Rahim was honored as the recipient of the Thomas Merton Award, for his commitment to humanity.{{cite web |url=http://thomasmertoncenter.org/about-us/history/ |title=History of the Merton Center: Thomas Merton Awardees |publisher=Thomas Merton Center |access-date=2013-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130173016/http://thomasmertoncenter.org/about-us/history/ |archive-date=2013-01-30 |url-status=dead }}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite news |url=http://www.ktbs.com/news/Landrieu-Kennedy-file-to-run-for-Senate-seat-14049/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090108060641/http://www.ktbs.com/news/Landrieu-Kennedy-file-to-run-for-Senate-seat-14049/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 8, 2009 |title=Landrieu, Kennedy file to run for Senate seat |agency=Associated Press |date=July 11, 2008 |access-date=2008-07-13 }}
• {{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/03/AR2005120301254.html |title=For a Former Panther, Solidarity After the Storm |author=Garcia, Michelle |newspaper=Washington Post |date=December 4, 2005 |access-date=2006-06-11}}
• {{cite news |url=http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/newsstory/o_rahim01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011231031643/http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?%2Fnewsstory%2Fo_rahim01.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 31, 2001 |title=Green Party activist enters race for council |author=Russell, Gordon |work=New Orleans Times-Picayune |date=December 1, 2001 |access-date=2006-06-11 }}
• {{cite news|url=http://www.sfbg.com/News/35/21/21cover.html |title=The turf war over public housing |author=Feldman, Cassi |work=San Francisco Bay Guardian |date=February 21, 2001 |access-date=2006-06-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050324170254/http://www.sfbg.com/News/35/21/21cover.html |archive-date=March 24, 2005 }}
• {{cite news |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1995/02/21/NEWS3702.dtl&hw=Malik+Rahim&sn=001&sc=1000 |title=Ex-cons take over S.F. tenant group |author=Goldberg, Lesley |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=February 21, 1995 |access-date=2006-06-11}}
• {{cite news |url=http://www.prisonactivist.org/angola/noprisoners.shtml |title=Why Twenty-Four Panthers are Political Prisoners in Louisiana |work=THE BLACK PANTHER: Intercommunal News Service |date=June 12, 1971 |access-date=2006-06-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010063200/http://prisonactivist.org/angola/noprisoners.shtml |archive-date=October 10, 2006 }}
• {{cite web |url=https://msn-uk.imdb.com/name/nm2148620/bio |title=Biography for Malik Rahim |author=Martinez, Darren |work=Internet Movie Database |access-date=2006-06-11 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{cite video

|people = Rasmus Holm (director)

|title = Welcome To New Orleans

|url = http://www.welcometoneworleans.dk

|medium = documentary film

|publisher = Fridthjof Film & DR UNG

|location = New Orleans

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929063852/http://www.welcometoneworleans.dk/

|archive-date = 2007-09-29

}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.votemalik.com/ Malik Rahim for Congress official web page]
• [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/U-0252/menu.html Oral History Interview with Malik Rahim] from Oral Histories of the American South

{{Black Panther Party}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahim, Malik}}

Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War

Category:Housing rights activists from San Francisco

Category:Members of the Black Panther Party

Category:American community activists

Category:Activists from New Orleans

Category:African-American activists

Category:Louisiana Greens

Category:American housing rights activists

Category:Prisoners' rights activists