Here's a slice of underground American and African-American history you're unlikely to read in any history book. The turning point for the car club came following an incident at a local party at the Snow Building, a rented hall by the Oakland Zoo, adjacent to the Grass Valley neighborhood of the Oakland Hills. RipTickets - Find Events! Levingston, the son of a sharecropper who had moved West with his family from Louisiana, cherished his Chevy enough to start a car club, inviting his brothers and friends into the fold. MotorBooks International, 15 Dec 2011, Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set, Tobie Levingston, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman, Motorbooks, November 15, 2013, The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club. Unlike other African-American motorcycle clubs and drill teams of the late 1940s and 1950s which rode full-dressers, the East Bay Dragons rode choppers. Read more. Not Now. In 1959, the Chosen Few MC officially formed out in LA on the cusp of the chaotic 60s. In Spring of 1967, East Bay Dragons member Joe Louis opened up Papa Joe’s Soul Food a few short blocks from the clubhouse. Unlike many outlaw motorcycle clubs, the East Bay Dragons do not claim a state as territory by wearing a bottom "rocker". Comment Report abuse. 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. Motorcycles were more practical because they were not depended on by an entire household. [11], The East Bay Dragons were featured in the 2015 victory parade through downtown Oakland commemorating the 2015 NBA Championship of the Golden State Warriors. Long time friend Sonny Barger[4] suggested he switch the club from a car club to a motorcycle club because bikes were more discreet than cars, easier to maintain and cheaper to work on. Concert from 2pm - 8pm. EAST BAY DRAGONS: Defendant: County of Solano, SOLANO COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION and MIKE IOAKIMEDES: Case Number: 4:2020cv04044: Filed: June 17, 2020: Court: US District Court for the Northern District of California: Presiding Judge: Saundra Brown Armstrong: Nature of Suit: Civil Rights: Other: Cause of Action: 28:1331: Jury Demanded By: Plaintiff: RSS Track this … Prospective members who are "hangarounds" are referred to by club members as "rookies" while they are being vetted for membership prior to being voted in as full patch members.[17]. Explore East Bay Dragons's 50 photos on Flickr! 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. Talk:East Bay Dragons. As they tell it -- "The 60s was… Community involvement The Black Panther Party for Self Defense. [16], Since its inception and official establishing as a motorcycle club, the East Bay Dragons have no desire to establish multiple charters 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. Article from flickr.com. Always Open. It sits on a bright yellow square with a green dragon and red lettering of the club’s name, underscored by the word “Oakland.” It’s been worn so much that it’s threadbare and worn away in places, but Joe is not ready to let it go any time soon. The East Bay Dragons’s phone number is (510) 638-9859 What is The East Bay Dragons’s official website? Oakland rapper rapper Richie Rich is a long-standing member of the East Bay Dragons and has featured the club in many of his music videos. (2,399.46 mi) Oakland, CA, CA 94621. 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. Headquartered in Oakland, California the East Bay Dragons have secured their place as modern urban folk heroes alongside the Hell's Angels, the Oakland Raiders, and the Black Panthers. WikiProject Motorcycling (Rated C-class) This article is within the scope of WikiProject Motorcycling, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Motorcycling on Wikipedia. Explore East Bay Dragons' photos on Flickr. Unlike most motorcycle clubs, the East Bay Dragons do not have a "prospect" or "probation" period for prospective members. … After constant harassment and profiling from the local police, Levingston had considered disbanding the car club. Remembering the life and times of East Bay Dragons MC's legendary Tobie Gene Levingston will be very sad for us all. 5,278 people follow this. The East Bay Dragons, LA Defiant Ones and Outcast MC (founded 1969),[9] are the oldest surviving all black motorcycle clubs requiring members to only ride American made motorcycles. The bay is only three miles away from Berk and by boat the time is half an hour and by dragon - ten minutes. Along with the Chosen Few MC and Los Angeles Defiant Ones MC,[8] the East Bay Dragons are one of the oldest surviving predominantly black motorcycle clubs founded in California, (the LA Defiant Ones were founded two years earlier in 1957). 8731 International Blvd. 5 out of 5 stars. The East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club have gunned their Harleys through the mean streets of Oakland, California since the 1950s. The East Bay Dragons MC is an all black, all male, all Harley Davidson riding motorcycle club founded in Oakland, California, in 1959 by founder and former president, Tobie Gene Levingston who died in July 2020. This year marks the Dragons’ 55th year as a motorcycle club, and they enjoy elder statesman status among the black motorcycle set. Log In. Until 1959, most black motorcycle clubs were "Drill Teams" consisting of World War II veterans. East Bay Dragons has uploaded 50 photos to Flickr. 5. Create New Account. The car club did not adopt the official name "Dragons Car Club" until 1958. The east bay is a place on the Lovers Island. During the 1940s and 1950s, the center patch and logo patch of most motorcycle clubs were circular or oval in shape whereas for car clubs, they were square or rectangular shaped. VALLEJO, CA — 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 planned club event at the fairgrounds after hearing that one of its members had associations with the Black Panthers. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Well written and very readable. Community See All. The East Bay Dragons’s headquarters are in 8731 International Blvd, Oakland, California, 94621, United States What is The East Bay Dragons’s phone number? All the original founding members had to buy used bikes. During the Christmas season, they sponsor a toy drive and deliver toys to Oakland children on their bikes, while dressing up as Santa Claus. Private Members Club in Oakland, California. [2], Levingston founded the car club shortly after arriving to Oakland from Louisiana in 1955 with the intent of providing an outlet to keep his younger brother and friends off the rough and tumble streets of Oakland. The East Bay Dragons, LA Defiant Ones and Outcast MC (founded 1969), are the oldest surviving all black motorcycle clubs requiring members to only ride American made motorcycles. Headquartered in Oakland, California the East Bay Dragons have secured their place as modern urban folk heroes alongside the Hell's Angels, the Oakland Raiders, and the Black Panthers. These drill teams performed group routines consisting of stunts and challenging maneuvers weaving in and out of cones and between other motorcyclists. During the initial phases of the creation of the Black Panthers, Newton and Seale approached the East Bay Dragons for ideas and support.[10]. Kurt Sutter has stated that the inspiration for the fictional motorcycle club The Grim Bastards, portrayed by an authentic Black American MC called 1DOWNMC; featured in the television show Sons of Anarchy was loosely based on the East Bay Dragons and their relationship with the Hells Angels that surpassed racial barriers during the 1960s and 1970s. Many club members could only have access to the family car either during the weekends or late at night. 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