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. "Meeting the Poppy character, and if we stayed with her an entire episode just in that environment in Marin, you would just have no idea.". Everything from Shirts, Hoodies, Embroidered hats and more. 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. [12], "2022 East Asia Super League format to include new GBA basketball team franchise with local players", "East Asia Super League Debuts Season 1 of Premier Home-and-Away Pan-Regional League in 2022", "East Asia Super League wants to bring professional basketball team to Hong Kong", "EASL looking to rise as world's third-biggest league", "EASL Greater China rep to see action in PBA", "Bay Area Dragons' Myles Powell, Liu Chuanxing look forward to playing in PBA", "PBA to welcome first foreign guest team in 22 years", "Hong Kong's Bay Area Dragons to join PBA as guest team", "Bay Area Dragons appoint NBL legend Goorjian as head coach", "Bay Area goes for kill vs San Miguel Beer", "Ginebra pulls off Game 7 rout of Bay Area before biggest PBA crowd ever", "Cholo Villanueva tapped as Bay Area Dragons deputy coach", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bay_Area_Dragons&oldid=1142250832, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 09:53. He is an Oakland treasure that will be sorely missed. 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. 242-393-5718 Double Dragon Chinese Restaurant, Nassau Double Dragon is a family oriented restaurant dedicated to serving fresh, high quality Dim Sum & Chinese cuisines.All of our Dishes are made-to-order to ensure the freshness of each meal. 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. The bikes shiny chrome finish stood out against bright paint, each a different color. They wore black, grease-stained Levis and vests with their signature patch: a green dragon against a gold background. (Aaron Mendelson/KQED) In front of his hotel room, Ali Ar Rasheed takes in the scene. Were like family to each other, said Levingston, whos in his 70s. Many of the riders here are affiliated with clubs, like Los Angeles Divided Time and Chosen Few, Sacramentos Aftermath and Fresnos Unknown Riders. Real-life California is packed with motorcycle clubs, from the notorious Hells Angels (founded in Fontana, with its best-known chapter in Oakland) to the hundreds of clubs that crisscross the state on bikes today. 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. VIDEO 00:35. New report shows thousands of workers have left downtown San Francisco, California high schooler fatally stabbed in classroom fight, Nostalgic Bay Area chain Caspers Hot Dogs closing Walnut Creek restaurant. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Nate Gartrell covers crime, politics, and corruption in Contra Costa County. The group, which initially started out as a car club in the late 1950s, rides customized Harley Davidson motorcycles (also known as choppers) and is a well-loved fixture of West Oakland. Stay in touch. They really interact with the young kids out here in East Oakland and with families.. They nevertheless built up a positive reputation in the . You wear out man! But hes still there. A lot, to be honest. I remember staying up late making hamburgers and hot dogs for these cats into the wee hours of the morning to feed these guys after they would come from the club.". East Bay Dragons motorcycle club going to court. The East Bay Dragons MC started in 1959 to become an African -American motorcycle club riding. Topics Selection,Research, Editing, Correction Policy and Ethics, Hells Angels Death being treated as a homicide, Harley-Davidson is pulling out of India the worlds biggest motorcycle market. Members of The East Bay Dragons must own and ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The East Bay Dragons had already established a strong presence within communities in East Oakland. Chosen Few Motorcycle Club- Photography by Gold Mustache Photography, Elliot M. Gold. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club has gunned its Harleys through the meanest streets of Oakland, California, since the 1950s. Dealers at the time wouldnt sell Harleys to black customers, Levingston wrote, so they would buy them used. He passed in July 2020. Theyd often find them in peoples garages or under houses, Harper said. packs - $55.00 (16) 10 oz. 1965. all that is interesting Members of the East Bay Dragons, one of the first all-black . IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? Many club members could only have access to the family car either during the weekends or late at night. Like the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and Flaming Knights Motorcycle Club,[15] their club name is prominently displayed in red text over a yellow background, however, the Dragons are not affiliated with either club in any way be it "dominant MC" or "support MC" and was founded prior to both clubs. Letters: Plethora of problems | Creating AL | Provenance of woke | Teen girls | Public bank As Levingston recalled in his 2004 autobiography, Soul on Bikes, most families in the '50s couldn't afford the luxury of having more than one vehicle. Three Bay Area men, including justice reform activist, plead guilty in Norteo RICO murder case, Californias hardest to book campground isnt in a famous park. [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. 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. via East Bay Dragons/Flickr. 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. . 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.. 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. Bob Stokstad Photo. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. The club moved in and out of garages and warehouses before buying a hall in the 8700 block of then-East 14th Street in 1977. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club has gunned its Harleys through the meanest streets of Oakland, California, since the 1950s. OAKLAND Willie Harper still remembers the first time he saw the East Bay Dragons then an emerging motorcycle club roll through the streets of West Oakland. 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. Rapid demise of Dilbert no surprise to some who were watching The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland in 1959. Nelson is cousin of cofounder and EBD President Tobie Livingston. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 29: East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club members pose for a group photo before their meeting at the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. Now the club is suing to recoup those funds, which includes cash to pay for the planned list of featured rappers, singers, and comedian:Whodini, Too Short, Doug E Fresh, Richie Rich, Dru Down, Tony Tone Toni, and Mark Curry, according to the civil complaint. Brand New. The music and the soundtrack are different just to kind of show all the facets of this one character with Octavia.". Richard Serrell or better known as his stage name Richie Rich is a rapper from Oakland, California. Malone has been a member for 30 years and the club is turning 60 this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. Crime and Public Safety | Click To See Our Other Locations Below: Location Address; 1: Double Dragon Chinese Restaurant: East Bay Street (close to Paradise Island Bridge) 2: Incident at Iowa Biker Gathering making the news. 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. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? EXCLUSIVE: Rockmond Dunbar, the director-producer of the feature film Pastor Brown, has optioned Tobie Gene Levingston's autobiographical book Soul On Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC And The . Now the club is suing to recoup those funds, which includes cash to pay for the planned list of featured rappers, singers, and comedian:Whodini, Too Short, Doug E Fresh, Richie Rich, Dru Down, Tony Tone Toni, and Mark Curry, according to the civil complaint. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club of Oakland, California, started in the 1950s as a car club. Terms of Use | Every November they hold an annual turkey drive for Thanksgiving, providing turkeys and other food staples for families in need. And Harper has been a member of the club since. In Spring of 1967, East Bay Dragons member Joe Louis opened up Papa Joes Soul Food a few short blocks from the clubhouse. Thats how this clubhouse got built and why it will stick around, he said. A historical photo of the East Bay Dragons. The toughest moments for Levingston and the Dragons came in the 1980s, as crack ripped through East Oakland. Other makes of motorcycles are not allowed. Rasheed is a member of the East Bay Dragons. A strong message about friendship to the community from Oakland, CA Legends, Toby Gene Levingston (East Bay Dragons MC President) and Sonny Barger (Hells Ang. Mr. Bill Hayes, Jim Quattlebaum, Dave Nichols. (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. "So I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area, and I just kind of thought, well, what do I know?" United Bikers Clubhouse. Before Rosa Parks took her historic bus ride and 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 . The weekend is known as the Halfway Run -- because of Fresnos location roughly halfway between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. But through all the changes, the Dragons stuck with the same man as president: Tobie Gene Levingston. The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and seven members have failed to have the attempt to seize three of their clubhouses thrown out of court. This year marks the Dragons 55th year as a motorcycle club, and they enjoy elder statesman status among the black motorcycle set. The reason for this is for their manageable size and very tame, personable dispositions. The group was actually one of the first of its kind. They include riding for breast cancer, AIDS awareness, and violence awareness. Check out the home to the first African-American motorcycle club in the nation, founded in 1959. All I say: Dont you get your butt outta here and get in and get out and jump and run off. Related Articles The Black Panthers earliest headquarters was just a few blocks from the Dragons clubhouse. CLICK HERE if you cant view the gallery in a mobile device. East Bay Dragons. When Huey P. Newton went to jail for the 1967 shootout between the Oakland cops and the Panthers, many members of the Dragons attended Free Huey rallies at De Fremery Park. After constant harassment and profiling from the local police, Levingston had considered disbanding the car club. Off work, he enjoys playing in bands, busking and karaoke. 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. 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. Levingston and his four brothers were born in Louisiana to a sharecropper father who made the migration West, along with thousands of other black American families, in the 1950s. Unlike some of their "outlaw" counterparts, the members of this club have planted deeper roots in the community and, consequently, have supportive neighbors. Both the Phoenixes and the P. League+ champions of Taiwan were designated by the EASL as Greater China's representatives.. He attends Acts Full Gospel Church in East Oakland and is a retired member of the East Bay Dragons MC, . Founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and chief of staff David Hilliard often came in and ate in Joes restaurant. Part of Parnells character is rooted in her fathers life. The club is turning 60 this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland in 1959. We are a group of east bay area D&D adventurers looking to start or join groups of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. The Dragons were originally formed as the Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes, a franchise team for the East Asia Super League, representing Greater China. Michael Dregni, Hunter S. (CON) Thompson, Sonny Barger, Evel Knievel, Jean Davidson, Arlen Ness MotorBooks International, 7 Feb 2010, "East Bay Community Remembers Trailblazing Founder of All-Black Motorcycle Club", "CHOSEN FEW & EAST BAY DRAGONS - AMERICA'S BLACK BIKER SET REVISITED", "Riding with LA motorcycle club 'The Defiant Ones', "Women as Property - and Other Issues - in New Black Motorcycle Club Doc, 'Outcast Forever' (Available on VOD)", "The Black Panthers and the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club - Quarto Drives", "Golden State Warriors Celebrate NBA Championship with "Dub Nation" - Oakland Post", "The Rise and Fall of a Motorcycle Club Icon Turned Coke Trafficker", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_Bay_Dragons&oldid=1106240115, This page was last edited on 23 August 2022, at 19:58. For now, though, Levingstons going strong at 80, and looking to buy his next Harley: a three-wheeler. Crime and Public Safety | 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. 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. 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 . By Erin Baldassari OAKLAND Willie Harper still remembers the first time he saw the East Bay Dragons then an emerging motorcycle club roll through the streets of West Oakland. And for an MC, especially one featuring all black men during a notorious time of civil unrest in America, the representation given to this East Bay community is an uncommon one. It sits on a bright yellow square with a green dragon and red lettering of the club's name, underscored by the word "Oakland.". Oakland was all rock n roll and chromed-out cars at the time, Tobie Gene Levingston wrote in his memoir, Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set. So, he decided to start a car club, and the Dragons were born. Is the vulgar anti-Tesla sign on my neighbors truck illegal? Write a review about a product or service associated with this EAST BAY DRAGONS MC OAKLAND CALIFORNIA trademark. Youre in a brotherhood for life.. The club is turning 60 years this weekend at the same and only location it was founded in East Oakland. VR EXPERIENCE. Their founder, Tobie Gene Levingston, remained president until hisdeath last year. 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. 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