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Marcus Albert Foster

Case from Oakland, CA dated Nov 06, 1973

Victim Details

Marcus Albert Foster

Male

Black / African American

Oakland

CA

1973-11-06

50

Marcus

Albert Foster

07/12/2026

Case Description

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Marcus Albert Foster, an influential educator and the first Black superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District, was tragically assassinated on November 6, 1973, at the age of 50. Foster was leaving a school board meeting when he and his deputy, Robert Blackburn, were ambushed by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a radical leftist group. Foster was shot multiple times with bullets laced with cyanide, leading to his immediate death, while Blackburn was severely injured but ...
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Links to Additional Sources (3)

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  • Dr. Marcus Foster | The Philadelphia Award
  • Marcus Foster, School Principal born - African American Registry
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    Forum Posts (3)

    Have you all ever heard about the cyanide bullets used in Marcus Foster's assassination? It's honest... ...Read More
    03/21/2024
    I'm really thinking about how the SLA totally misunderstood Marcus Foster's intentions. It's just be... ...Read More
    02/10/2024
    I've been diving deep into the Marcus Foster case, and one aspect that really stands out to me is ho... ...Read More
    10/05/2023
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