Donald L. Cox
Encyclopedia
Donald Lee Cox known as Field Marshal DC, was an early member of the leadership of the African American
revolutionary leftist organization the Black Panther Party
, joining the group in 1967. Cox was titled the Field Marshal
of the group during the years he actively participated in its leadership, due to his familiarity with and writing about gun
s.
, Cox moved to San Francisco in 1953 at age 17. He became interested in political action through following the desegregation
and civil rights events of the next several years. Cox joined the Oakland, California
-based Black Panthers in 1967 in response to a civilian-shooting-by-police incident in the Hunters Point section of San Francisco a year earlier.
Along with Eldridge Cleaver
, Huey P. Newton
and Bobby Seale
and others, Cox was a member of the "central committee" of the Panthers.
Cox became a national organizer and spokesperson for the group, which was involved in multiple legal cases and a target of the COINTELPRO
project of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation
. In January 1970, Cox was invited to speak to several dozen guests of composer Leonard Bernstein
and his wife Felicia
at their penthouse apartment
in the wealthy Upper East Side
neighborhood of Manhattan
. The gathering was an effort to raise funds for the defense of twenty-one Black Panther members who were charged with conspiracy to bomb buildings and other crimes. Cox was famously photographed along with the Bernsteins for a cover story essay by Tom Wolfe
in New York
magazine, published in June of 1970 and entitled "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's". The article led to the popularization of "radical chic
" as a critical term. Cox, along with the Bernsteins, vehemently dismissed Wolfe's notion that the New York upper class
was dabbling in radical politics as a fashion
statement at the event, vouching for their sincerity.
Shortly after the Bernstein fundraiser Cox was accused along with several others of conspiracy to murder a Panther who was an informant
in Baltimore
named Eugene Anderson. Cox fled the United States to avoid trial, living first in Algeria
and later in the Languedoc-Roussillon
region of southern France
. Cox did not return to the United States, although he married an American from Philadelphia, Barbara Easley. He died in exile in Camps-sur-l'Agly
, France in February 2011.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
revolutionary leftist organization the Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
, joining the group in 1967. Cox was titled the Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
of the group during the years he actively participated in its leadership, due to his familiarity with and writing about gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s.
Biography
After a rural upbringing in western MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Cox moved to San Francisco in 1953 at age 17. He became interested in political action through following the desegregation
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
and civil rights events of the next several years. Cox joined the Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
-based Black Panthers in 1967 in response to a civilian-shooting-by-police incident in the Hunters Point section of San Francisco a year earlier.
Along with Eldridge Cleaver
Eldridge Cleaver
Leroy Eldridge Cleaver better known as Eldridge Cleaver, was a leading member of the Black Panther Party and a writer...
, Huey P. Newton
Huey P. Newton
Huey Percy Newton was an American political and urban activist who, along with Bobby Seale, co-founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.-Early life:...
and Bobby Seale
Bobby Seale
Robert George "Bobby" Seale , is an activist. He is known for co-founding the Black Panther Party with Huey Newton.-Early life:...
and others, Cox was a member of the "central committee" of the Panthers.
Cox became a national organizer and spokesperson for the group, which was involved in multiple legal cases and a target of the COINTELPRO
COINTELPRO
COINTELPRO was a series of covert, and often illegal, projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.COINTELPRO tactics included discrediting targets through psychological...
project of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. In January 1970, Cox was invited to speak to several dozen guests of composer Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
and his wife Felicia
Felicia Montealegre
Felicia Cohn Montealegre was a stage and television actress. From 1951 until her death, she was the wife of American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein....
at their penthouse apartment
Penthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
in the wealthy Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The gathering was an effort to raise funds for the defense of twenty-one Black Panther members who were charged with conspiracy to bomb buildings and other crimes. Cox was famously photographed along with the Bernsteins for a cover story essay by Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
in New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine, published in June of 1970 and entitled "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's". The article led to the popularization of "radical chic
Radical chic
Radical chic is a term coined by journalist Tom Wolfe in his 1970 essay "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's," to describe the adoption and promotion of radical political causes by celebrities, socialites, and high society...
" as a critical term. Cox, along with the Bernsteins, vehemently dismissed Wolfe's notion that the New York upper class
American upper class
See: millionaire for more details-Millionaires:See also: MillionairesHouseholds with net worths of $1 million or more may be identified as members of the upper-most socio-economic demographic, depending on the class model used...
was dabbling in radical politics as a fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
statement at the event, vouching for their sincerity.
Shortly after the Bernstein fundraiser Cox was accused along with several others of conspiracy to murder a Panther who was an informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
named Eugene Anderson. Cox fled the United States to avoid trial, living first in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and later in the Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
region of southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Cox did not return to the United States, although he married an American from Philadelphia, Barbara Easley. He died in exile in Camps-sur-l'Agly
Camps-sur-l'Agly
Camps-sur-l'Agly is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, France in February 2011.