East bay dragons 8731 international blvd oakland ca 94621. Reviewed by nathan davis nathan davis is an historian. East bay dragons the way tobie gene levingston remembers it, the 1950s were all about rock n roll and carsespecially the latter. Dragons weekend east bay dargons weekend feastival. Apr 11, 2017 the east bay dragons, the first black bikers club, oakland, california, 1960s. Starting out in the 1950s as a car club, tobie gene and the dragons switched to two wheels and encountered street scuffles, rival clubs, ethnic stereotypes. When sonny barger formed the oakland hells angels in 1957, a few miles up east 14th street in east oakland, a young black bike rider form louisiana named tobie gene levingston was soon to follow in bargers footsteps.
East bay dragons mc wikimili, the free encyclopedia. The east bay dragons mc and the black biker set, tobie levingston, keith zimmerman. In the tumultuous 1960s levingston and the east bay dragons exploded onto oakland streets alongside the black panther party. I was reminded of this picture the other day, and basically its pretty much my favourite photo of anything ever. The hells angels motorcycle club hamc is a worldwide onepercenter motorcycle club whose members typically ride harleydavidson motorcycles in may 2019, a court in utrecht issued a verdict that made the netherlands the first country to completely ban the hells angels. Life in levis in the east bay dragons motorcycle club levi. In soul on bikes, east bay dragons motorcycle club founder tobie gene levingtons personal journey transforms him from a southern sharecroppers son into a street leader riding a chopped harley through the acidlaced days of haightashbury and monterey pop. The two knew and respected each other and had ridden their harleys together in the same east bay neighborhood. 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. Safe to get and share audio book here and downloading speed is great on audiobook bay abb. Oakland rapper richie rich is a longstanding member of the east bay dragons and has featured the club in many of his music videos. Sonny barger hells angels lets ride ny book signing. Oakland was all rock n roll and chromedout cars at the time, tobie gene levingston wrote in his memoir, soul on bikes.
The east bay dragons mc started in 1959 to become an african american motorcycle club riding choppers. The east bay dragons mc and the black biker set is a. Black bikers, an important part of american biker history. They nevertheless built up a positive reputation in the neighborhood, supporting the oakland area while giving voice to the oppressed during a time before the civil rights movement really took off. The east bay dragons clubhouse on international blvd, formally east 14th st.
Respect the patch how oaklands oldest black motorcycle. He founded the east bay dragons car club in oakland, california, which eventually became the east bay dragons motorcycle club, one of the nations leading allblack, harleyonly motorcycle clubs. Members of the east bay dragons motorcycle club console each other as they mourn over the killing of their brother hassan sayyid also know as ike, monday september 28, 2011, at the club in oakland. The bay of dragons, formerly known as slavers bay, is the area on the southern coast of essos, located to the southeast of westeros and the free cities and to the west of qarth. Ralph barger the history of the east bay dragons motorcycle club, an allblack, allharley, allchopper group of motorcyclists in oakland, california. Hes worked two different stints at east bay newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. The east bay dragons mc and the black biker set is a fascinating biography of a fascinating black man and an equally fascinating black movement. The history of the east bay dragons motorcycle club, an allblack, allharley, allchopper group of motorcyclists in oakland, california.
They wore black, greasestained levis and vests with their signature patch. Chosen few motorcycle club photography by gold mustache photography, elliot m. The east bay dragons mc is an all black, all male, all harley davidson riding motorcycle club founded in oakland, california, in 1959 by founder and current president, tobie gene levingston. Oaklands first allblack, allharley biker club mental floss. This year, we were very excited to celebrate our milestone anniversary with a worldclass concert and dance event. Eastbay empowers athletes by offering the best selection of prograde gear available, along with the knowledge and advice needed to win on and off the field. The east bay dragons stories of racial tensions, street fighting and rival biker gangs have been told in the book soul on bikes. Honestly this is one of the best books ive read in a long time if you have any interest in motorcyle clubs history such as ones from the east bay besides the hells. Cruising, customizing, and painting took up a lot of free time. Warren and dragon s wonderfully silly stories are great for early chapter book. Audio books online download, free unabridged audiobook.
According to yomomma12, whose uncle is front right, this is the 70s, east oakland. Written by the clubs founder and president, it presents an oftenuntold portion of africanamerican historyprovided by publisher. Sonny bargers and the hells angels come to see tobie gene levingston and east bay dragons. I just done bought this book about the east bay dragons from oakland, ca. With the civil rights movement, the viet nam war, flower power. The east bay dragons have been a part of the oakland community for over 60 years. A book is also a considerate option when giving to an acquaintance such as a coworker. One a sevenyearold trying to survive second grade at a new school and the other a sevenhundredyearold firebreather with a love for marshmallows, the two make quite a quirky duo. The clubs name and hometown are in bright red stitching.
Sonny bargers and the hells angels come to see tobie. Rockmond dunbar, the directorproducer of the feature film pastor brown, has optioned tobie gene levingstons autobiographical book soul on bikes. The east bay dragons motorcycle club have gunned their harleys through the mean. In 1959, tobie gene organized the dragons, a loosely knit, allblack mens club, one of the first of its kind. The dragons earliest incarnation began as an allblack car club. They started off as a car club, so i guess this is kinda car related.
East bay dragons 8731 international blvd oakland, ca clubs. So, he decided to start a car club, and the dragons were born. East bay dragons the first black bikers club oakland. Read more read less inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. Oaklands first allblack, allharley biker club mental. The book of beasts uncle james, or, the purple stranger the deliverers of their country the ice dragon, or, do as you are told the island of the nine whirlpools the dragon tamers the fiery dragon, or, the heart of stone and the heart of gold kind little edmund, or, the caves and the cockatrice.
Download unabridged audiobook for free or share your audio books, safe, fast and high quality. Oakland motorcycle club member shot to death sfgate. How oaklands first africanamerican motorcycle club. Keith and ken zimmerman are a unique writing team of twin brothers. Im gonna be alone this weekend, the familys in miami, so im gonna read this book. Browse east bay times obituaries, conduct other obituary searches, offer condolencestributes, send flowers or create an online memorial. The name can refer to the bay itself or the entire region. The east bay dragons mc and the black biker set by tobie levingston, keith zimmerman, kent zimmerman and forward by ralph sonny barger. They are items that provide hours of enjoyment for the recipient. News, arts, and dining coverage for oakland, berkeley, and the greater east bay. Headquartered in oakland, california the east bay dragons have secured their place as modern urban folk heroes alongside the hells angels, the oakland raiders, and the black panthers. When not running all over town bringing you the news from portsmouth, jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the 20s and usually has three books going at once. When sonny barger formed the oakland hells angels in 1957, a few mil.
Tobie gene has been the sole president of the east bay dragons mc since the clubs formation in 1959. 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. The east bay dragons motorcycle club has gunned their harleys through the meanest streets of. Joe louis levingston, a founding member of the allmale african american east bay dragons motorcycle club, never hits the road without his. Tobie gene became the east bay dragons mcs first and only president, still reigning and riding after fortyfour years. Soul on bikes the east bay dragons voices of east anglia. The east bay dragons motorcycle club has gunned its harleys through the meanest streets of oakland, california, since the before rosa. This book outlines the struggles, battles and accomplishments of a car club and the east bay dragons, an all black harley davidson motorcycle club on the hard streets of oakland. As the name implies, the cities of the slavers bay were the hub of the international slave trade for millennia, since the days of the old ghiscari empire. The east bay dragons formed in 1959 during a time when the. After constant harassment and profiling from the local police, levingston had considered disbanding the car club. The east bay dragons were featured in the 2015 victory parade through downtown oakland commemorating the 2015 nba championship of the golden state warriors.
152 362 1415 731 457 709 908 1386 422 93 583 694 413 268 13 553 428 1139 738 468 391 197 827 237 1128 1199 786 710 82 704 1011