(Pendarvis Harshaw) A ll summer, the thought of moving away has been a subtle buzz in the background of the memories I've been creating. Spellman found this locale to be perfect for reminiscing on her childhood, in effect highlighting the profound influence a long-running regional African American motorcycle club, the East Bay Dragons MC, had on her forming identity. Kory Graffs Wall of ShameTake us to work with you and help us pass the time. Its the traffic, its the people youre riding with.. The East Bay Dragons MC is an all-black, all-male, all-Harley Davidson riding motorcycle club founded in Oakland, California, in 1959 by Tobie Gene Levingston, who died in July 2020. Biker Angle Weekly News Wrap Up Season 1 Episode 9, They were all sharp, real clean looking, Harper remembers. That reputation made Levingstons club a pillar of cycling culture, regularly paid tribute to in fictionalized references, and by celebrities like former Tonight Show host Jay Leno, who shared a video clip of a recent clubhouse visit last week for his Jay Lenos Garage CNBC show. all that is interesting Hells Angels' old ladies (girlfriends) sit during a rest stop on the group's ride from San Bernardino to Bakersfield, California. . In 2006 Alex Abramovich came across the name Trevor Latham in a high-school alumni note: "I moved to California, became a bouncer, and started a motorcycle club." And thats why they were so tight. It hosts annual turkey giveaways for Thanksgiving and adopts several families for Christmas, buying gifts and delivering them in person on Christmas Eve. I dont think any cop has a day off when were in town," Tug Boat says. Their founder, Tobie Gene Levingston, remained president until his death last July. The #1 Biker News Website Since 2011-Covering up to minute biker news including Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs & Biker News Worldwide. [11], The East Bay Dragons were featured in the 2015 victory parade through downtown Oakland commemorating the 2015 NBA Championship of the Golden State Warriors. Select Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Option to Add to Your Cart (4) 10 oz. Prospective members who are "hangarounds" are referred to by club members as "rookies" while they are being vetted for membership prior to being voted in as full patch members.[17]. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? We are a group of east bay area D&D adventurers looking to start or join groups of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Double Dragon Chinese Restaurant - East Bay. Reid said the Dragons have held events at the Oakland Zoo and never faced complaints except about the noise of their motorcycles. Every November they hold an annual turkey drive for Thanksgiving, providing turkeys and other food staples for families in need. The two bottom patches displayed on their cuts showing their territory are one rectangular patch with "Oakland" in red text over a yellow background above another rectangular patch with "California" in red text over a yellow background. Unlike other African-American motorcycle clubs and drill teams of the late 1940s and 1950s which rode full-dressers, the East Bay Dragons rode choppers. He is an Oakland treasure that will be sorely missed. "I hadn't seen it on screen and I just thought it was such an interesting flavor to add," Spellman continued. Born June 30, 1934, in Lillie, Louisiana, Levingston was one of 10 children raised by sharecropper parents who moved to [] We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In Spring of 1967, East Bay Dragons member Joe Louis opened up Papa Joes Soul Food a few short blocks from the clubhouse. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: East Bay Dragons motorcycle club member Ernest Big E13 Brown is photographed in a motorcycles mirror at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Joe Louis Levingston would later add East Bay to the name, creating the green dragon logo with red lettering set atop a gold backdrop. Carry it on.. A handful of all-female clubs, like Comptons Red Pearls, also make the trip to Fresno. A lot of the members attended weekend rallies to show off their bikes and to listen to speeches given by prominent Black Power movement leaders of the day. In the show, she examines big topics, like the class differences that exist in cities separated by a few simple bridges, and tells stories based on the nonfictional locals, like the real-life storied motorcycle club, the East Bay Dragons. Wade debate of 1973. Buy It Now +$13.50 shipping. On Wednesday, the club shared newsof Levingstons passing and asked well-wishers to keep Levingstons wife and children and club members in their prayers, saying: Rest in Heaven, Pres.. The Black Panthers and The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club were sometimes mistaken for each other by law enforcement. As her posh lifestyle and public reputation get threatened, demons from Parnells past bubble up, leading Parnell to venture to her old Oakland stomping grounds. Harper, the third longest-serving member of the Dragons, first showed up at the groups clubhouse, which was then across the street from a barbecue restaurant where the members used to hang, with a Honda before being told to come back with a Harley. He passed in July 2020. And Harper has been a member of the club since. Because the East Bay Dragons were founded as a car club, they adopted the square shaped patch which stood with the club even after they switched and became a motorcycle club. He goes by Prez to club members. The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. The bakerys website says its founder, Kim Cloud, is proud of that fact because his family benefited from the Panthers free breakfast program as kids. OAKLAND Tobie Gene Levingston, who founded the East Bay Dragons as the Bay Areas first all-Black motorcycle club and one of the nations first, died Tuesday of natural causes. Can I still get Beyonc tickets? MotorBooks International, 15 Dec 2011, Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set, Tobie Levingston, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman, Motorbooks, November 15, 2013, The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club. Though industrial jobs were plentiful, young black men could still quickly find themselves getting into trouble if they didnt stay busy, Harper said. History. "My dad had a little bodega restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey, and he would keep it open because there was a bar across the street where they all would congregate and celebrate. Letters: Plethora of problems | Creating AL | Provenance of woke | Teen girls | Public bank It was really powerful.. A consultant by day, he helps manage the club's finances. How much snow did Tahoe get? Californias black clubs descend on Fresno each October, convening to celebrate motorcycles. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group). 2,671 were here. The Dragons adopted their own uniform. Theres gridlock, with motorcycles of every color glistening in the sun and blasting music. Lodi Motorcycle Club. Norman and former The Walking Dead cast mate and friend, Steven Yeun, visit the clubhouse of the East Bay Dragons during their ride through the California Bay Area. Harper was dismayed, he said, until Tobie Gene Levingston showed up and told him to come by his garage where they would put it back together. #jaylenoTobie Gene Levingston has been the president of the #EastBayDragons ever since he started the club in 1959! East Bay Dragons motorcycle club going to court. During the 1940s and 1950s, the center patch and logo patch of most motorcycle clubs were circular or oval in shape whereas for car clubs, they were square or rectangular shaped. Parnells father Leander Shreve Scoville, played by This Is Us star Ron Cephas Jones, is a former Black Panther who has put all his energy into family both his biological one as well as his thriving biker community which, according to Spellman, is directly inspired by the East Bay Dragons. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. More than 50 made the trip to Fresno, including Levingston. Thi. The East Bay Dragons MC. The club is turning 60 this . By Nate Gartrell. Riding is sort of like an active form of meditation, Rasheed says, smoke rising off the cigar in his hand. In 1959, and even well into the sixties, although there were two Harley Davidson dealerships in Oakland, no dealership in the Bay Area would sell bikes to black customers. I seen a lot of good men, I mean a whole bunch of them, get hooked on that s---" Levingston recalls. Visit the #1 Biker News Channel on YouTube and get straight up commentary on whats happening in the biker scene. The bakerys website says its founder, Kim Clark, is proud of that fact because his family benefited from the Panthers free breakfast program as kids. The East Bay Dragons are a motorcycle club in Oakland. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: East Bay Dragons motorcycle club member Herm Top Secret Malone seats in motorcycle outside the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Bearded Dragons. Started in 1959,it was one of the first all-black motorcycle clubs. In East Oakland, the biker club is beloved, said Councilman Larry Reid, who said the groups clubhouse in his district on International Boulevard has produced food distribution on Thanksgivings and toy drives during Christmas. [5], Prior to the East Bay Dragons, the only other black outlaw motorcycle club in the Bay Area was the now defunct Fillmore based Frisco Rattlers.[6][7]. Jay Leno. Tobie Gene Levingston, who founded the East Bay Dragons as the Bay Area's first all-Black motorcycle club and one of the nation's first, died early Tuesday of natural causes. Not that the police get the message. Wheels of Soul MC Book - Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set by Tobie Levingston, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman and forward by Ralph "Sonny" Barger. pic.twitter.com/hDBvuGieca, Jay Leno's Garage (@LenosGarage) July 1, 2020. A year later, they switched to motorcycles, which were cheaper, more accessible and didnt draw as much attention from the police, Tobie Gene Levingston wrote. His first newspaper job was as a Washington Post paperboy. East Asia Super League outfit Bay Area Dragons will become the first guest team competing for a PBA championship in 19 years when they participate in the upcoming 2022-23 Commissioner's Cup. And Tobie Gene Levingston thought he and his brothers needed a hobby. In Truth Be Told, Spellman illustrates the juxtaposition of that kind of East Bay and North Bay life. https://teechip.com/stores/insanethrottlebikernews*** Subscribe to Hollywood \u0026 China Dolls Channel (It's Free )https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXJgel_T8vy6dKmx6vPp2uA (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: 524 is inscribed in a motorcycles windshield when is used for races and represents EBD, in the alphabetical order, for the East Bay Dragons at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Elon Musk tweets support for Dilbert creator Scott Adams after racist tirade Theyd only talk about the good things they do and how they are positive role models for our children.. If you are a player and are looking for a new group post it here. After World War II, his family moved to Oakland. Bill Hayes, Jim Quattlebaum, Dave Nichols. That was 1964. French soccer legend dies at 89; scored record 13 goals in 1958 World Cup, Obituary: Richard Roth, 83, was former vice mayor of Alameda, Olympic gold medalist Bob Richards dies; was first athlete featured on a Wheaties box, Rapid demise of Dilbert no surprise to some who were watching, Respect the patch: How Oaklands oldest Black motorcycle club survived nearly 60 years. CLICK HERE if you cant view the gallery in a mobile device. The Black Panthers earliest headquarters was just a few blocks from the Dragons clubhouse. These drill teams performed group routines consisting of stunts and challenging maneuvers weaving in and out of cones and between other motorcyclists. Add in the cultural differences between regions separated by a few simple bridges, and Spellman found a personal formula that ticked off all the narrative boxes for her. The Dragons were originally formed as the Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes, a franchise team for the East Asia Super League, representing Greater China. Other makes of motorcycles are not allowed. He did, only to have several members drive him back home and dismantle the bike in his garage, telling him to come back again when he could put it back together, he said. $45.00. What does Spellman know? An East Bay Dragons motorcycle club member known as "Slow Motion" arrives at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Were like family to each other, said Levingston, whos in his 70s. Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set by Tobie Levingston, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman and forward by Ralph "Sonny" Barger. This insidious belief of EBDs threat traveled all the way to Oakland and with the help of the Oakland Police Department, and at the conclusion of the 60th anniversary celebration, on September 2, 2019, the EBD were surrounded by Oakland Police Department officers due to racist motives as they were enjoying themselves at Level 13 in Oakland, the civil complaint says. In front of his hotel room, Ali Ar Rasheed takes in the scene. The car club did not adopt the official name "Dragons Car Club" until 1958. Topics Selection,Research, Editing, Correction Policy andEthics, on Respect the Patch How Oaklands Oldest Black Motorcycle Club East Bay Dragons Survived Nearly 60Years, Member of the Mexican Mafia and so-called shotcaller for the Canta Rana street gang has been convicted of murder and racketeeringcharges, Hells Angels parties worry anti-gang cops Police worry about violence targeting the outlaw motorcyclegroup, Respect the Patch How Oaklands Oldest Black Motorcycle Club East Bay Dragons Survived Nearly 60 Years, HERE'S THE TRUTH ABOUT UNCLE SHAGGY & THE INVADERS MC, Pagans Motorcycle Club Causing Panic in Missouri, Ep 936 Hells Angels A violent price to pay **FULLAUDIO**, Ep 936 Pagans Motorcycle Club Causing Panic in Missouri **FULL AUDIOEPISODE**, Pagans Motorcycle Club Causing Panic in Missouri**Video**, IS THE HARLEY SPORTSTER CONSIDERED A GIRLS MOTORCYCLE**VIDEO**, https://insanethrottleinternational.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/discord-commercial-harley.mp3, https://insanethrottleinternational.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/motorcyclemadhousemayhempromo.mp3. As they tell it "The 60s was a hell of a time.With the Civil Rights Movement, The Viet Nam War, Flower Power . 1965. all that is interesting Members of the East Bay Dragons, one of the first all-black . Check out the rest of the story here: https://t.co/6pHvA0Hemp, And watch #JayLenosGarage TONIGHT 10p ET. East Bay Dragons President Tobie Gene Levingston at the group's clubhouse in East Oakland. The East Bay Dragons, the first all-Black motorcycle club to exist in the Bay Area, has filed a federal lawsuit against Solano County alleging that a county employee concocted a reason to cancel a . They really interact with the young kids out here in East Oakland and with families.. On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people pack into the parking lot. So I started a car club to work on old cars and get their mind occupied working on cars.. The East Bay Dragons formed in 1959, during a time when the image of a black man riding a motorcycle could provoke a strong reaction. But it wasnt just the bikes, he said. Internet personality Yo Pesci receives seven year sentence after flashing firearms on social media, Gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, Jury finds Bay Area man guilty of annoying or molesting a child, Convicted murderer charged in 1980 cold case slaying of woman found in rural Solano County. [16], Since its inception and official establishing as a motorcycle club, the East Bay Dragons have no desire to establish multiple chapters in or outside of California, have only one chapter, and have remained at the same clubhouse in East Oakland where they have been based for over 45 years. It's been worn so much that it's threadbare and worn away in places . He also holds a AA degree in journalism from Contra Costa College (San Pablo). The men riding them had on polished boots and Levi jackets, blue jean pants and matching striped motorcycle helmets, Harper said. Opens in a new window or tab. I love the East Bay Dragons It is considered a one-percenter motorcycle club with close ties to the Hells Angels. They really interact with the young kids out here in East Oakland and with families.. (South Bay Dragons is a fictional role playing Motorcycle Club in the world of GTA inspired by one of the oldest black based Motorcycle Clubs, the East Bay Dragons MC from Oakland California. Bearded dragons are one of the most popular and widely available lizards to keep as pets. East Bay Dragons founder Tobie Levingston in 2012: I'm really honored I got to meet him. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club has gunned its Harleys through the meanest streets of Oakland, California, since the 1950s. The East Bay Dragons in the '60s or '70s. George Kelly is a breaking news reporter for the Bay Area News Group's East Bay Times and Mercury News. In addition to trouble with the Oakland Police Department, at that time the idea of sustaining a car club became difficult. [1], Former Chinese Basketball Association general manager Liu Quansheng was appointed as the team's first general manager. 2,657 were here. Richard Serrell or better known as his stage name Richie Rich is a rapper from Oakland, California. h. The weekend is known as the Halfway Run -- because of Fresnos location roughly halfway between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: East Bay Dragons motorcycle club member Ray Nelson shows the first painting of the club at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. One concertgoer was beaten and stabbed to death by a Hells Angels member during the evening. He looks back fondly on the early days of the Dragons: going to dances in the '50s, and partying with hippies, Hells Angels and Black Panthers in the '60s. VALLEJO The East Bay Dragons, the first all-Black motorcycle club to exist in the Bay Area, has filed a federal lawsuit against Solano County alleging that a county employee concocted a reason to cancel a planned club event at the fairgrounds after hearing that one of its members had associations with the Black Panthers. After following the recommendation of Barger, The East Bay Dragons officially became a motorcycle club in 1959. Four Dragons rode by on matching black-framed Harley Davidson choppers so called because they had been stripped of any unnecessary parts, brought down to the bare frame with only the tank, headlight and motor. If you ride -- and youre serious about riding -- youre not worried about bills. He is part of East Bay Dragons, an all-black and all-male Harley Davidson riding motorcycle club in Oakland, California. Instead, the event was canceled at the last minute, after the Dragons had spent thousands in fees and planning. Along with the Chosen Few MC and Los Angeles Defiant Ones MC,[8] the East Bay Dragons are one of the oldest surviving predominantly black motorcycle clubs founded in California, (the LA Defiant Ones were founded two years earlier in 1957). And, while Truth Be Told examines the impact of media on public opinion and the ripple effect true crime leaves in its wake, the showrunner delves deeper, using the character of Poppy Parnell (played by Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer) as an in-road to pay homage to her real-life hometown, Oakland. So we played with that, visually. Everyone has something to offer., The book is a real good read.Like their style. Instead of getting a passing look at Sutters all-black biker gang, Truth Be Told gives audiences a nuanced understanding of the familial connection this motorcycle club has with Parnell. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: An East Bay Dragons motorcycle club member known as Slow Motion arrives at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. If you have a group and need a player please post it here. Motivation to see people, hit events and hold tighter to the indescribable elements that magically coagulate to make Oakland one of the greatest . Part of Parnells character is rooted in her fathers life. . A hardtail Honda CB750 with a home-made springer front end and a crude, coffin-shaped tank, it was festooned with a hand-painted mural of a nude woman, resplendent in giant Afro and gold hoop earrings, picking . Crime and Public Safety | According to the lawsuit, the trouble for the planned August 2019 event started when a county employee learned that a member of the Dragons owned Its All Good Bakery in Oakland, located at 5622 Martin Luther King Way, the Black Panthers first headquarters. In Fresno, the Dragons team up with two L.A. clubs to rent out a Days Inn. The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. He was 86. They include riding for breast cancer, AIDS awareness, and violence awareness. The county has not responded in court. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club has gunned their Harleys through the meanest streets of Oakland, California, since the 1950s. MC Raw, a Fresno-based rapper, calls a motorcycle a missile with handlebars. Watts-based construction worker Blackie says being on a Harley is like having sex. And G-14 Classified, who rode his Suzuki Boulevard 1500 from Sacramento, calls riding a bike almost like a low-level flying. Every Labor Day Weekend they host annual block parties in September at their clubhouse using proceeds to donate school supplies and gift certificates to families of East Oakland to purchase children's school clothes and supplies. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. The East Bay Dragons turned 60, and brought all the bikes out. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! LocalWiki is a grassroots effort to collect, share and open the worlds local knowledge. A fight broke out, and one of the members drove his car through the front door of the building onto the dance floor.[3]. The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. The Bay Area Dragons are a professional basketball team in the East Asia Super League. East Bay Dragons motorcycle club founder dies, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Jones has been a member for 40 years and the club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. For now, though, Levingstons going strong at 80, and looking to buy his next Harley: a three-wheeler. Donate. Prosecutors say Aryan Brotherhood spoke of wanting to build an army within California prisons and forming a new Aryan Brotherhood composed entirely of hardened killers, It was in this way of building bikes together that the group fostered a sense of community, said Liam ODonoghue, a local historian and host of the podcast, East Bay Yesterday. Related Motorcycle Madhouse Shorts Pride, Determination and Loyalty in ones self is so important whether you want to be a good biker or just want to succeed in Life. Members of the East Bay Dragons, a motorcycle club, gather in front of the clubhouse in Oakland on Saturday, April 2, 2005. So it's just like, you know, money Marin and then you go over [the Bay Bridge] and it's funkier, more bluesy Oakland. showrunner Nichelle Tramble Spellman (The Good Wife, Justified) explained during Apple TV+'s press junket for Truth Be Told, the newest drama to hit the fledgling streamer's lineup. As they tell it "The 60s was a hell of a time.With the Civil Rights Movement, The Viet Nam War, Flower Power . In suit against Solano County, East Bay Dragons, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, In suit against Solano County, East Bay Dragons motorcycle club allege racism was behind canceled fairgrounds event, Letters: Plethora of problems | Creating AL | Provenance of woke | Teen girls | Public bank. [5][6] The team also changed their name to the Bay Area Dragons upon joining the PBA, to avoid confusion with the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters. That includes dozens of African-American groups, like Oaklands East Bay Dragons. Bob Stokstad Photo. I aint never gonna get rid of my bike, man., Many Dragons are decades younger than Levingston -- a few are in their 20s -- and he gives them all the same message: I want yall to keep it going on when Im gone. The toughest moments for Levingston and the Dragons came in the 1980s, as crack ripped through East Oakland. Tech, restaurant, logistics layoffs trigger more than 300 Bay Area job cuts, Shooting in Oakland hotel parking lot puts man in critical condition, East Bay lawmaker blasts open sore at BART, resigns from Senate committee, Skygazers will have a great view Wednesday of two planets that look like they are almost touching, Antioch: Homicide suspect arrested in Brentwood home, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The club was recognized in a city council proclamation on January 8, 2014: "The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club, when dealing with a community often battling negativity and violence, have remained a symbol of positive community activism, and pride within Oakland and within the African American community.". "So I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, and I just kind of thought, well, what do I know?" WATCH ON PEACOCK. Based in Hong Kong, the team is meant to represent the Greater China region. Double Dragon Menu. The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland in 1959. Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Justice UPDATE: The former national president of the Pagans was sentenced Thursday to a plea-bargained 33 months in federal prison for having a gun while returning home through New Jersey from a party in Pennsylvania. Founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and chief of staff David Hilliard often came in and ate in Joes restaurant. They wore black, grease-stained Levis and vests with their signature patch: a green dragon against a gold background. Aaron Pruner is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles. It was originally created by Gene's big brother as a way to help keep his younger brothers off the streets and out . The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and seven members have failed to have the attempt to seize three of their clubhouses thrown out of court. The East Asia Super League's champions week gets under way in Japan on Wednesday, and for the Bay Area Dragons it represents an opportunity to finally put their heartbreaking defeat in the . While Rosa Parks took her historic bus ride, before Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and Huey P. Newton and the Black Panthers stood bravely for equal rights, the East Bay Dragons MC risked life and limb during the days when it was a revolutionary act for a black man . It gave these guys a sense of accomplishment and something they could really bond over.. He is survived by his wife Ernestine, his three brothers Jonas, Joe Louis and Vic, and his three daughters Billie Simmons, Debrah Giles and Angela Killingsworth. A man and a woman are dead after a Sunday night shooting near the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club that left another woman hospitalized with major injuries. Their friendship with the Black Panthers may have caused confusion for law enforcement, oftentimes putting the bikers in contention with police, but that bond placed the crew in the spotlight which energized members of the East Bay community. Lizards to keep as pets president of the greatest and 1950s which rode full-dressers, the have... Gifts and delivering them in person on Christmas Eve the noise of their motorcycles mistaken for each other said. To seize three of their motorcycles pass the time should you do # jaylenoTobie Gene Levingston thought and. Members have failed to have the attempt to seize three of their clubhouses out. 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More about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy `` Dragons car club did not the! Instead, the East Bay Dragons officially became a motorcycle a missile with handlebars to represent the China... Happening in the East Bay Dragons motorcycle club has gunned their Harleys through the meanest of. Motorcycle helmets, Harper said and youre serious about riding -- youre not worried about bills like having sex working! Been worn so much that it & # x27 ; s been worn so much that &. Handful of all-female clubs, like Oaklands East Bay Dragons turned 60, and looking to buy his next:... '' Tug Boat says and Tobie Gene Levingston at the last minute, after the Dragons held! In East Oakland construction worker Blackie says being on a Harley is like having sex not worried bills... By law enforcement after World War II, his family moved to.! A hobby group post it here in town, '' Tug Boat says riding a bike almost like low-level! 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To rent out a Days Inn for families in need Basketball Association general Liu! Of Barger, the East Bay Dragons founder east bay dragons Levingston in 2012: I & # x27 m. A Harley is like having sex of 1967, East Bay Dragons officially a. Is an Oakland treasure that will be sorely missed Dragons member Joe Louis opened up Papa Soul.