Bay Area Celebrates Post News Group Publisher Paul Cobb's 70th Birthday

The Bay Area celebrated the 70th birthday of Paul Cobb, publisher of the Post News Group, including the Oakland Post. Paul Cobb grew up in West Oakland  (a childhood friend of poet Marvin X), graduated from

Paul Cobb and SNCC leader Julian Bond, circa 1965, Atlanta

Howard University and spent time in the southern Civil Rights Movement, then returned to the Bay Area and was a founding member of the Donald Warden's Afro-American Association (Maulana Ron Karenga was the Los Angeles representative), the organization that gave birth to the Black Panthers (Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, et al) and the west coast Black Arts Movement (Marvin X). Paul established OCCUR, a social activist organization that fought for jobs on state highway projects. Paul went to jail protesting the non-hiring of Blacks. He also went to jail demanding the Oakland Public Schools hire a black superintendent, which it eventually did, Marcus Foster
(assassinated by the SLA) and later Dr. Ruth Love. 

Paul worked at the Oakland Post, Oakland Tribune and served on the School Board. He eventually bought the Oakland Post and eventually hired Chauncey Bailey as editor. Chauncey Bailey was assassinated in broad daylight on the way to work. Paul did not accept that young black men were solely responsible but puts added blame of the Oakland Police Department, especially when it became known an OPD officer mentored the young men. This same officer officiated the crime scene and led a raid on Your Black Muslim Bakery. Ironically, the raid was scheduled the day before Chauncey was murdered, but was delayed until after. Paul was never called to testify on the activities of his editor. The DA refused to consider the police connection.

Marvin X and Paul Cobb, childhood friends (Marvin writes in the Oakland Post occasionally)

His birthday party was held at Geoffrey's Inner Circle and attended by many Bay Area activists, educators and professionals, including the godfather of California politics, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, former Oakland School Superintendent Dr. Ruth Love, journalist Jerri Lange, publicist Laniece Jones, gallery owner Joyce Gordon, educator/coach Benny Tapscott, Arif Khatib, Maxine and Will Ussery, Ed Howard, Marvin X, et al.

Of course Paul was accompanied by his wife, Gay, who financed the purchase of the Post News Group and is director of Oakland PIC (Private Industry Council).

 San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown attended his longtime friend's 70th birthday party