The Story of Ari Merratazon EP 1 -The African American Folklorist Newspaper

Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Radio

An American Hero & Anti-Hero Talks Reparations - The Story of Ari Merratazon

Most of you are familiar with the movie Dead Presidents starring Larenz Tate. I bet you don’t know that Tate’s character was inspired by the real-life story of decorated war hero and Vietnam Blood, Haywood Kirkland - now known as Ari Merratazon. According to Mr. Merratazon, the heart of his life story actually began where the movie ended. If you remember the movie, it ended with Larenz Tate’s character being sentenced to prison after being convicted of robbing an armored truck. Mr. Merratazon did serve time in prison for armed robbery, however, it was to raise money for the Black liberation movement which he became a part of shortly after leaving the military. While in prison, Mr. Merratazon founded the Incarcerated Veterans Assistance Organization and was personally honored in the White House by then-President Jimmy Carter. There’s a laundry list of amazing accomplishments in Mr. Merratazon’s storied life, however, he is most proud of his work as a reparationist. He is a “soldier” dedicated to achieving reparations for the descendants of Africans enslaved in the United States. Everyone should know his story and his current reparations work. Courtland W. Hankins, III (aka The President of Hip Hop) recently sat down with Mr. Merratazon to talk about his life and the reparations movement.