Justice For Geraldine Pointer and Martin Sostre
By Zaria Black
New York State currently holds the largest per capita payment out of any other state when it comes to paying out those who were wrongfully incarcerated at a whopping $322 million. This beats out conservative Texas who trailing not too far behind liberal New York has an estimated total payout of $155 million according to the National Registry of Exonerations, which is a database that has been tracking wrongful convictions and state payouts since 1989. New York has made some progressive efforts to reconcile with those harmed by the state and out of a total of the 326 claims, 237 have been addressed and repealed. Providing a pathway to justice there has been consistent effort to exonerate those who have been targeted by the state. The effort continues because the struggle is ongoing, and we must reinforce the fact that these situations are not new, nor are they as foreign. They are right here at home.
In the summer of 1967 two prominent figures from Buffalo, New York were thrown into a series of life altering events. Geraldine Pointer and Martin Sostre who owned and operated the Afro-Asian Bookshop, and East West Bookshop were targeted and framed by the Buffalo Police Department after strategic attempts to counteract the Buffalo Rebellion, which took place just a few short weeks prior to the initial arrest of the pair. The bookshops were comforting hubs and pillars of the community for those interested in literary arts and cultural history and creation. East West Bookshop was known for its collection of rock and roll, jazz records and the spiritual embodiment the shop embraced, in addition to the economic force the shop championed as having gathered enough revenue to pay the rent for both of the buildings. The arrest of both parties not only affected the immediate family themselves, but Buffalo's community as a whole. Nonetheless they persisted, and thanks to Geraldine who in solidarity with Buffalo’s University organized the Afro-Asian Bookshop In Exile table at the campus for Martin, who waited over several months before standing trial at the courthouse where they also made an appearance.
Mike Amico, chief of the Narcotics Bureau of the BPD whose main function was to arrest violators of the Narcotic Law confidently made claims on the record that Sostre was a “substantial peddler” who was successfully prosecuted with the help of complaints, intelligence information provided by informants resulting in Sostre’s sentencing to 31-41 years in prison by an all-white jury. The predatory and hegemonic structure known as the “Political Plum” as Sostre would call it sought after Geraldine who later was sentenced to 7-15 years in prison also by an all-white jury due to the state seeking to kidnap and split her away from her children on child neglect convictions when in reality was just a legitimized lashing of Geraldine for her strong stand on resisting state sanctions abuse. Geraldine ended up serving 2 years despite her efforts and those of her comrades, she was also convicted by an all-white jury and imprisoned before being reunited with her children who were forcibly split from their mother during this time unjustly served. Over 57 years later, Geraldine has carried not just this conviction, but as her role in the movement, and without a question deserves exoneration.
Join Ms. Geraldine and the Justice for Geraldine Pointer and Martin Sostre campaign on Thursday, March 20th, at 2PM, at 25 Delaware Ave. for a gathering to demand that the Erie County District Attorney exonerates Geraldine and Martin. We encourage you to learn more about the campaign's Exoneration Initiative and how you can support or assist. For more information on how you can help the Justice for Geraldine Pointer and Martin Sostre campaign, contact James Coughlin at coug7044@gmail.com, visit their Instagram @justiceforgeraldineandmartin and Linktree Justice4Geraldine and Martin where you can find the campaigns statement of purpose which includes this initiative.