LIVE CONCERTS ARE BACK AT GEOFFREY'S!
Because of the easing of the COVID restrictions, we're pleased to be able to invite our friends back to our space.
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New Events Coming Soon
Look for announcements here.
Announcements
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As We Re-open from the pandemic, thanking you for your support
This is a shout out and a big thank you to all of our many friends who have come out to support the Inner Circle for our return to live ... -
Join the Friends of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in preserving this Oakland cultural treasure!
Hello, Geoffrey's Inner Circle family! PLEASE NOTE: We have raised more than $45,000 of our $250,000 Go Fund Me goal in only a few weeks!! For those who have already ...
News Of The Day
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Oakland City Council approves plan to hire more police officers
Posted December 8, 2021 from the East Bay Times — The City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to host two additional police academy classes next year and use a ... -
Decades After 'Cultural Genocide,' Residents of Destroyed Russell City Get Apology from Hayward
Posted December 8, 2021 from KQED — By Spencer Whitney — The descendants of a once vibrant, tight-knit community in the East Bay that was wiped off the map to ... -
Oakland’s 2022 election season kicks off—ahead of the usual schedule
Posted December 7, 2021 from Oaklandside — The race to replace Mayor Libby Schaaf is already having an impact on City Council district elections. And plenty is bound to happen ... -
After being pushed out of Google, Timnit Gebru forms her own AI research institute
Posted December 7, 2021 from TechCrunch — Almost exactly one year ago, Timnit Gebru, one of the leaders of Google’s ethics in AI team and one of the foremost experts ... -
Francis Ford Coppola Joins Haitian Oscar Entry ‘Freda’ As Executive Producer
Posted December 7, 2021 from Deadline — Five-time Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola has joined Freda — the Haitian Oscar entry marking the narrative feature debut of actor, singer and ... -
Justice Department files second voting lawsuit against Texas over redistricting
Posted December 7, 2021 from Daily Kos — In less than a month, the Justice Department has filed its second lawsuit against Texas’ voting practices, specifically its redistricting maps. The ... -
Why France faces so much anger in West Africa
Posted December 7, 2021 from BBC News — By Paul Melly, BBC Africa Analyst — It all started so positively. Where have things gone wrong? Why does France now appear ... -
Vallejo police union warns officers leaving at 'unprecedented rate'
Posted December 6, 2021 from KTVU2 News — The Vallejo Police Officers' Association said officers are leaving the police department at an "unprecedented rate" in recent weeks. The police union ... -
Ahmaud Arbery Supporters Push For Conviction Of First Georgia County Prosecutor
Posted December 6, 2021 from BET — Three white men were found guilty on Nov. 24 in the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, as well as other counts, leading to ...
Videos Of The Day
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Paul Robeson sings to Scottish miners
Extract from Mining Review 2nd Year No. 11 (1949) The highlight of this 1949 issue is the visit of American actor and singer Paul Robeson to Woolmet Colliery near Edinburgh. ... -
Larry Vann creator of Oakland Scratch Groove
Larry Vann creator of the Oakland Scratch Groove performing this groove on the Bruce Latimer Show -
Dujuan Armstrong death: Alameda County Sheriff releases body camera video
Armstrong died of asphyxiation while being restrained in custody at Santa Rita Jail on June 24, 2018. His family has been vocal in asking for the police body camera footage ...
Geoffrey Pete And Geoffrey's Inner Circle In The News
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After a rough year, Geoffrey’s Inner Circle to relaunch Sunday night jazz sessions
Posted July 30, 2021 from Oaklandside — Geoffrey Pete was reluctant to ask for help. The namesake proprietor of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle has weathered many a storm since he opened ... -
Oakland Entertainment Veterans Emerge From COVID-19 With New Mission
Posted June 27, 2021 from the Post News Group — By Tony Spires — Oakland, like many major U.S. cities, has been severely impacted by recent unprecedented events. The COVID-19 ... -
Geoffrey’s Inner Circle Not included in City of Oakland Funding Support
Posted June 8, 2021 from the Post News Group — By Geoffrey Pete — Paul Mooney appeared at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle some 30 or more times over the years. His ... -
Live show venues in Oakland—like Geoffrey's—can now apply for emergency funding
Posted April 13, 2021 from Oaklandside — A new federal assistance program will provide over $16 billion in grants to entertainment venues that lost revenue during the pandemic — By ...
Worthwhile Causes That Deserve Your Support
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Support Black Businesses: 10 Black-Owned Businesses Highlighted By Forbes Magazine
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ... -
Forbes: Black-Owned Businesses To Support Part Two
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ... -
Forbes: Black-Owned Businesses To Support Part One
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ...
Snapshots
Celebrating Good Times At Geoffrey's Inner Circle
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Sunday Night Jazz Jam
November 10, 2013 Geoffrey's Inner Circle -
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Marcus Shelby and Tiffany Austin In Concert
December 1, 2018 Geoffrey's Inner Circle Oakland's Finest Black Tie Holiday Ball And Toy Drive -
K. Michelle Performs Bury My Heart
Geoffrey's Inner Circle April 7, 2013 -
Gospel Brunch Featuring The Edwin Hawkins Singers
1996 at Geoffrey's Inner Circle -
Bobby Womack Tribute
November 28, 2015 Geoffrey's Inner Circle
A History Of Geoffrey's Inner Circle
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2018 Jefferson Award Winner Owns Geoffrey's Inner Circle
Oakland Nightclub Owner Hosts Community Members For Free Meals -
A History Of Geoffrey's Inner Circle: The Athenian Nile Club, Part 1
By Joan Tarika Lewis Copyright 1999 To understand the significance of Geoffrey's Inner Circle is to examine, Africa’s story, our-story and history. Why is this important and what does this have to ...
Herman And Dorothy Reid Pete
Honoring The Parents Of Inner Circle Owner Geoffrey Pete
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Herman Rideaux Pete: Outstanding Athlete And Proud Race Man
Herman Pete was a star student athlete in the 1930's, first at Alameda High School and then later at Marin Junior College, excelling in both football and baseball. Pete attended ... -
DOROTHY PETE AT 90
MATRIARCH OF BLACK BERKELEY FAMILY MARKS 90TH BIRTHDAY — From the Berkeley Daily Planet Newspaper, March 9, 2004 — One of the great modern California folk myths is that African-Americans ... -
Dorothy Pete: Her Life In Her Own Words
African American Museum & Library at Oakland oral history interview with Dorothy Reid Pete discussing her family’s history in the Bay Area and her integration of the Oakland YWCA. Dorothy ...
Paul Mooney — August 14, 1941 - May 19, 2021
He Always Left Us Laughing And Then, Laughing, He Left Us
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Video: Paul Mooney - Dropping Knowledge
More from Reelblack's 2010 interview with MR. PAUL MOONEY. In this clip, he talks about the difference between being half-African and half-Black, DNA, his Rip Van Winkle screenplay, Willie Lynch ... -
Steve Harvey, Chris Tucker and more gather for Paul Mooney memorial service in LA
Posted June 28, 2021 from The Grio — Mooney was memorialized during a service at The Hollywood Roosevelt that included a mixture of recorded messages and in-person appearances by Hollywood ... -
Paul Mooney was an elusive figure, but his influence was far-reaching
From The Undefeated — He wrote for some of the greatest Black comedians of our time while making people uncomfortable with his takes on race and culture — By Ashley ... -
Video: The Paul Mooney Awards (2004)
Legendary writer/comedian Paul Mooney took over the 2004 BET Comedy Awards in the way only he can. -
Video: Paul Mooney unfiltered comedy
Paul Mooney is the black, white and brown citizens go to for comic relief with his no holds barred style of comedy, in this video clip watch as Mooney dissect ... -
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Paul Mooney, Oakland-based Comedian and comedy Writer, Dies at 79
Posted May 19, 2021 from Variety — Paul Mooney, the comedian, actor and writer for Richard Pryor, died on Wednesday morning, his representative Cassandra Williams confirmed to Variety. He was 79. ...
Frank Robinson - August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019
He Stood Out In A City Full Of Outstanding Athletes
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Major League Baseball's Tribute To Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson, a trailblazing figure who was Major League Baseball's first African-American manager and one of its greatest players during a career that spanned 21 seasons, died Thursday after a ... -
Frank Robinson, MVP, first black manager, McClymonds great, dies at 83
Posted February 7, 2019 from ESPN — Frank Robinson, the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball and the only player to win MVP in both leagues, has died at ... -
McClymond's Coach Powles’s Athletes—Frank Robinson and others—Found Success
Coach George Powles speaks with McClymonds High School basketball players Frank Robinson and Brady Hord. January 8, 1953. Legendary McClymonds High School coach George Powles provided some last minute tips ... -
Remembering Frank Robinson's Legendary Career
A video tribute.
In Sadness And Respect
Ronald V. Dellums November 24, 1935 – July 30, 2018
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Ron Dellums, In His Own Words
Memorial video first presented May 9, 2019 at memorial services for Congressmember Ron Dellums at the Metropolitan African American Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. -
These Were The Times
Ron Dellums, Congressman/Mayor, West Oakland Elder/Pioneer, and my childhood friend Ed Howard the Producer/Director Filming RonDellums in 1971 in his first campaign to be a congressman and at DeFremery Park. ... -
Ron Dellums, 82, Dies; Unrelenting in Congress, He Upheld Left’s Ideals
Posted August 3, 2018 from The New York Times Ron Dellums, the son of a longshoreman who became one of America’s best-known black congressmen, a California Democrat with a left-wing ... -
Bidding You Good-bye, And Good Rest
Ron Dellums at Geoffrey's Inner Circle on the night Barack Obama was elected -
Gene Hazzard Remembers Ron Dellums
Photos by Oakland photographer Gene Hazzard Click on images to enlarge
Memories Of The Barbecue King Sisters
Beloved founders and owners of Everett & Jones Barbecue, one of Oakland's finest and most famous eating spots
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'The restaurant was her life': mary everett, Owner of Berkeley Everett & Jones, has died
Posted November 21, 2021 from The Chronicle — Mary Everett, who owned and operated the Everett & Jones barbecue restaurant in Berkeley, has passed away following complications due to COVID-19. ... -
Celebrating The Wonderful Life of Dorothy King
Funeral Services for Mrs. Dorothy King Jernegan, Owner of Everett & Jones BBQ Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA. Streamed live on Mar 31, 2021. -
Memories Of Dorothy King
The beloved founder and owner of Everett & Jones Barbecue, one of Oakland's finest eating spots
Honoring Our Freedom Fighters
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John Burris, The Defender-Lion Of The Courthouse
John Burris casts a long shadow both in person and in civil rights law. In 2005 and 2009 he was named one of Californias leading 100 attorneys by the Los ... -
The Unsinkable Willie Brown
It is a fact of American life that when African Americans dominate the landscape in a particular endeavor, they often find that the rules are suddenly changed midstream in order to ... -
Attorney John Burris Mentors Youth
Oakland Civil Rights Attorney John Burris is known for his high profile courtroom battles but another passion is mentoring youth. Originally aired February 14, 2018 on KTVU Click here to ... -
Dennis Pete, Black Prince And Panther
Dennis Pete is one of the older brothers of Inner Circle owner Geoffrey Pete. During the late 1960's, when the Black Panther Party was forming and recruiting young militant Black ... -
The Black Panthers: Black Power In Its Glory
Oakland native Dennis Pete pictured at right in Los Angeles Times article during demonstration on the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse in Oakland. -
Dr. Huey P. Newton Way unveiled in West Oakland
Posted February 18, 2021 from The Oaklandside — By Amir Aziz — Residents, activists, city officials, and community leaders gathered in West Oakland on Wednesday to dedicate a three-block section ...
Acknowledging Those Who Wove The Fabric Of Our Community
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Charles R. Reid Memorial Christmas Party returns to Richmond
The Mercury News Posted December 15, 2017 Note: the following article was published in the Mercury News five years ago, just before the 65th annual holding of the Charles Reid Christmas ... -
Oldest park ranger in the U.S. turns 100
Posted September 23, 2021 from ABC News — Betty Reid Soskin of Richmond, California, celebrated her 100th birthday on Sept. 22. She is a national park ranger and said she’s ... -
A History Of Reid's Records
Reid's Records of Berkeley and Oakland is one of the founding institutions of the Oaktown Sound. INTRODUCTION By Betty Reid Soskin The Story of Reid’s is the story of many ... -
Slim Jenkins Supper Club And Market
Posted from "A Bit Of History" website Harold “Slim” Jenkins was an African American entrepreneur and owner of the renowned Slim Jenkins Supper Club on 7th Street in West Oakland. He saw the ... -
Esther Mabry, The Queen Of Oakland's 7th Street
June 1, 2010 East Bay News Group Esther Mabry, owner and namesake of legendary Esther’s Orbit Room in West Oakland, where blues greats such as B.B. King, Lowell Fulson, Al ... -
Edwin Hawkins, Famed Oakland Gospel Giant, Dead at 74
Statement by Geoffrey Pete on the death of Edwin Hawkins The richness of a city is defined by the historical nature of its culture and people. Without these enduring markers, ...
Important Figures In And From Our Community
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CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MORRIE TURNER ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF WEE PALS
Posted March 4, 2019 from the newsletter of the African American Library & Museum of Oakland — By Marco Frazier The end of February, beginning of March marks the anniversary of ... -
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Rep. Barbara Lee: on 40 Years of Seeking Justice
Posted January 14, 2021 from Outrider — From her first days in Washington, her policy outlook stemmed from Black revolutionary ideas and street activism, something you’ll almost never find in ... -
Dave ‘Davey D’ Cook passes the baton to a new generation
Posted April 26, 2021 from Berkeleyside — Davey D will appear live May 2 in a free Bay Area Book Festival conversation with Jeff Chang about their co-authored YA version ... -
In all things film, it's Ryan Coogler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oakland native Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American film director and screenwriter. His first feature film, Fruitvale Station (2013), won the top ...
Black History All Year Round
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This Woman is Believed to be America's Last Slave
Aunt Sally Smith, also known as Redoshi, was kidnapped as a child from her hometown of Benin, Africa. -
Conversation with a Native Son: Maya Angelou and James Baldwin
Novelist, essayist and outspoken black rights advocate James Baldwin talked about his career with Maya Angelou. -
Baldwin-Buckley race debate still resonates 55 years on
It has been 55 years since civil-rights activist, James Baldwin, and founder of the conservative National Review, William F. Buckley, Jr., met for a debate on race in America. That ... -
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Making Moments Count: The Many Lives of 98-Year-Old Betty Reid Soskin
Posted September 8, 2020 from In The Balance — Susan Lambert talks with Betty Reid Soskin about fighting injustice, following your truth and making every moment count in this beautiful ... -
Betty Reid Soskin reflects on her life and career as a singer, activist and ranger
Posted August 2, 2020 from USA Today — By Autumn Schoolman — Betty Reid Soskin has lived an extraordinary life. At 98 years old, she is the oldest Ranger with the National ... -
Feminism, flour bombs and the first black Miss World
From the February 9, 2020 The Guardian — It was the era of apartheid in South Africa, the civil rights movement in America and women’s liberation in Britain. And they ... -
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Ex-Slave Fountain Hughes Unedited Interview
Audio Recordings of Ex-Slave Fountain Hughes 1949.
Hall Of Musical Giants
Those Notable Music Artists Geoffrey's Inner Circle Admires The Most
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“It Takes a While to Perfect Your Soul”: A Conversation With Sonny Rollins
Posted September 7, 2020 from Tidal — By Lee Mergner — There’s a young man, Aidan Levy, who is writing a biography on you. How are you going to feel ... -
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF THE GREAT JAZZ TRUMPETER LEE MORGAN
Posted February 9, 2020 from The New Yorker — By Richard Brody Some of the best offerings in 2016 New York Film Festival were documentaries. The festival opened with Ava DuVernay’s ...
The Oaktown Sound
The Groups And Individuals Who Shaped The Music Of Our Times
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MASTERPLAN- CLINTON PARK, oakland, CA
Clinton Park is an Oakland neighborhood in the flatlands just east of Lake Merritt. In 1955, Clinton was home to one of the first federal urban renewal projects in the ... -
Rosie Gaines Is Essential To Oakland's Musical History
Oakland's own Rosie Gaines is an American singer and musician. After releasing her first album Caring, she was hired by Prince as a singer, vocalist and keyboard player for the ... -
Oaktown's Got 5 On Luniz
Oakland rap duo Luniz, original named Luni Tunz, consisted of Yukmouth (Jerold Ellis III) and Numskull (Garrick Husbands), two friends who knew each other since junior high. The duo ... -
Oakland's Own Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters began their formal vocal training in their father's church, The Church of God in West Oakland, California. They went on to achieve worldwide ... -
Ise Lyfe, Oakland's Philosopher Warrior
Ise Lyfe (pronounced "Ice Life"), born Isaac Patrick-Francis Brown, is a spoken word and hip-hop artist as well as an educator, community organizer, and activist in his native Oakland, California. He won ... -
Paul Robeson sings to Scottish miners
Extract from Mining Review 2nd Year No. 11 (1949) The highlight of this 1949 issue is the visit of American actor and singer Paul Robeson to Woolmet Colliery near Edinburgh. ... -
Keshia Cole, Our Homegirl With Soul
Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier One of the more genuine R&B singer/songwriters to emerge in the 2000s, Keyshia Cole worked her way up the industry ladder diligently yet quickly, making her major-label debut ... -
Oakland's The Natural Four
The Natural Four Artist Biography by Andrew Hamilton From allmusic.com The Natural Four began their quest for stardom in Oakland, CA, in the mid-'60s, landing their first deal with a local outfit ... -
The Story Of Lenny Williams
Video history of an Oakland music legend.
Our Great Legacy Of Sports Stars
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Oakland Native Damian Lillard Reveals the Unspeakable Tragedies He's Been Playing Through
Posted March 7, 2021 from Yahoo! Life — Without question, this past year has been unlike anything any of us have faced before. But each day, we try our best ... -
Don Barksdale: Ground-Breaking Basketball Player
Don Barksdale was the first African American to play on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Unfortunately, the pro's did not allow black players at that time so he had to ... -
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Joe Morgan—Oakland's Little Baseball Giant
Joe Morgan—A Little Man Playing A Big Man's Game “If I had to go into the draft right now, I never would have gotten a chance. I was 5'5", 140 ... -
Jason Kidd: From Oakland Playgrounds To NBA All-Star And Coach
LOVE OF THE GAME Jason Kidd’s story is a lesson in patience, proof that good things truly do come to those who wait. Jason embodied the qualities of a Hall ... -
Jason Kidd: Homegrown Hero
Posted from The Gold Nugget — Jason Kidd was one of the most decorated recruiting prospects to come out of the Bay Area in the 1990’s. Despite receiving a vast ... -
Curt Flood: The Oakland-Raised Ballplayer Who Fought for Free Agency
Posted August 30, 2021 from The Nation — For his talents on the diamond and his determination off of it, Curt Flood deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. ... -
3 Magnificent Warriors From Oakland's McClymonds High
From The Golden Nuggett — By David Hegler — In the early 1950’s, McClymonds High School in Oakland, California boasted a rich amount of talent in both basketball and baseball. ... -
VADA PINSON – UNDERRATED AND OVERSHADOWED
By Bill Gutman “Vada never got the recognition; he never got any recognition at all. But not one time did I ever hear Vada badmouth anybody about it, never said a ...
