Emanuel James Brisker, Jr. passed away on September 21, 2023, in Kirkland, Washington, at the age of 80. He loved his family, friends, reading, writing, and bringing people together for a common cause.
Emanuel was born on July 18, 1943, in St. Louis, MS, to Mary, the daughter of Charles Richardson, and Mary James, who met at Southern University in 1938. Emanuel’s childhood was marked by a love of reading and a remarkable articulateness.
EJ came from a long line of educators, doctors, and businesspeople, the Dunnings family of Camden, Arkansas, who raised his mother Mary and her siblings, Thelma and Woody, as well as his great aunt, Eula Britton. In 1956, a new high school was opened and named after EJ’s great aunt, Eula D. Britton. EJ loved his family deeply and, until his last days, spoke of his sister Fern teaching him to dance, his aunt Thelma teaching him to read, and his mother’s strong love, guidance, and support.
After graduating from Beaumont High School in 1958, EJ went on to study Journalism at Morehouse College. After reading an article in the newspaper about Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy brutally murdered and lynched by white men for whistling at a woman, EJ joined the famous civil rights organization called the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He participated in courageous civil rights demonstrations all over Mississippi, becoming extremely committed to the Black freedom struggle in the United States.
EJ’s mother moved to Seattle, Washington, to teach school in 1966, and EJ followed her in January of 1967. As the National Chairman of SNCC, Stokely Carmichael, was invited to Seattle in April of 1967 to inspire involvement in the Black Power movement. EJ knew Stokely from their work organizing voter registration drives among Black folks in rural Mississippi.
When EJ and Stokely greeted each other in Seattle, Stokely asked EJ to lead the SNCC Chapter organizing effort in Seattle. EJ was a gifted and brilliant organizer of Black youth in Seattle, beginning in April of 1967. By January of 1968, he enrolled at the University of Washington, where he, Larry Gossett, and Carl Miller created the first Black Student Union. EJ stated, “The BSU at the University of Washington is organized to end institutionalized racism and establish power, equity, equality, and justice for Black people on this campus.” Under his leadership from 1968 to 1974, Black power had a tremendous impact on the UW campus. In that six-year period, the Black student population grew from less than 60 to more than 1,000 Black students, and the number of Black professors increased from two to more than 60, with the Black Studies class offerings expanding from one to 34.
EJ showed us that Black people could build power through unity, intelligence, and tough organizing. He spent his last years reading, advocating, and working on connecting people for the UW Reflections event in May 2023, the Little Willie John Project, the Law Project, collaborating with the Smithsonian, and countless other projects.
Emanuel is survived by his nephew, Verbon Jones, his wife, Gwen Weldon, his children Toni Jenkins and Landon Conner, and their families, as well as many friends who loved him.
A Celebration of Life and Memorial Services will begin on October 20th at 11:00 am at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Seattle, WA.
In lieu of flowers, we are requesting donations be made to the Emanual J. Brisker, Jr. Memorial Fund, PO Box 1811, Edmonds, WA 98020-1811.
