Hijacking and Incarceration
In February 1969, Ervin hijacked a plane to Cuba to evade prosecution for allegedly trying to kill a Ku Klux Klan leader. While in Cuba and Czechoslovakia, Ervin became disillusioned with state socialism. After several unsuccessful attempts, the American government eventually extradited Ervin and brought him to the U.S. to face trial. Ervin was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Ervin first learned about anarchism while in prison in the late 1970s. He read numerous anarchist books, and his case was adopted by the Anarchist Black Cross, a political prisoner support organization. While in prison, Ervin wrote several anarchist pamphlets, including "Anarchism and the Black Revolution," which has been reprinted many times and may be his best-known work.
Eventually, Ervin's legal challenges and an international campaign led to his release from prison after 15 years.
Read more about this topic: Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin