NEWS ADVISORY
August 11, 2008
For Immediate Release
Baltimore-Eddie Boyd, 2006 Green Party candidate for Governor, passed away this morning at 2:17 AM at Good Samaritan Hospital of lung cancer.
Eddie had suffered renal failure and cardiac arrest before passing this
Monday morning.
Almost exactly one year ago, Eddie was diagnosed with cancer in the leg.
The cancer had spread from his leg to his lungs. For years, Eddie
complained of pain in his leg, and for years, the Veterans Administration
Hospital in Baltimore City had failed to inform him that he had cancer.
We mourn the loss of our dear friend, whom we greatly admired. Eddie was
the first Green Party candidate for Governor in Maryland history as well
as the first African-American candidate to ever run in a gubernatorial
general election. Eddie was always upbeat in his fight.
Services to honor Eddie are pending.
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NEWS ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
More Information and Biography on the Late Eddie Boyd
Baltimore-Eddie Boyd, Jr. was born on August 24, 1961 in Miami, Florida. Eddie served in the United States Navy soon after high school.
After being discharged from the military, Eddie soon became involved with the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), a homeless advocacy organization founded by noted homeless advocate, the late Mitch Snyder. Eddie served on the board of the CCNV, and Eddie himself was also homeless before joining CCNV.
Eddie resided in Vermont before moving to Baltimore, where he began his recovery from drug addiction and began to help homeless veterans, some who were addicted to drugs. He also worked in the anti-war and counter-recruitment movements. Eddie slept in a ditch with Cindy Sheehan and other activists at Camp Casey in Crawford, TX right outside of George W Bush?s ranch. (Link is below, click on ?video stream?)
http://www.democracynow.org/2005/8/22/former_homeless_veteran_describes_how_horrors
Eddie was working as a temporary agency recruiter before he became the Green Party candidate for Governor in 2006. Eddie?s issues included: re-installing BGE rate caps and re-regulating BGE, equity of funding for all Maryland schools, opposition to the ICC, opposition to the death penalty, among other issues. He tirelessly worked on his campaign reaching many people who felt powerless against our state and nation?s corrupt political system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-xBTC99kbI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLCkE8C5Rck
Eddie and his campaign staff protested Maryland Public Television when he was excluded from the gubernatorial debates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv0ipA1z8yU
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1630251860984772078
http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2006/101606Greens.shtml
Eddie, however, was able to participate in an NAACP forum for the 2006 Gubernatorial candidates in which he uttered his famous line, ?O?Malley, Ehrlich, what?s the difference? They both eat from the same trough.?
Almost exactly one year ago (late July 2007), Eddie was taken by ambulance to the Union Memorial Hospital Emergency room complaining of chest pain. He was diagnosed with cancer in the leg, by this time, the cancer had spread to his lungs.
For years, Eddie complained of pain in his leg, and for years, the Veterans Administration Hospital in Baltimore City had failed to inform him that he had cancer.
For most of the past year, Eddie has been hospitalized. He cheerfully fought against cancer and for justice until the end of his life.
?Eddie went through some very rough times in his life, but he had an inner strength and beauty that outlasted everything, even cancer,? says Maryland Green Party co-chair, Maria Allwine.
Excerpt from CityPaper story, "Where's the Party?" (10/24/07, E. Sullivan):
"A lot of people in Boyd's predicament would have put their political interests aside and focused on getting better. But Boyd's battle with cancer, exhausting as it has been for him, has given him intensity and focus. More than ever, he's one of America's down and out citizens--with no health care except for the VA, and no ability to pay for better treatment, he is one of millions that would benefit from the Green Party's suggestion that the nation employ a single-payer health-care system that would provide the same quality of care to everyone, regardless of income or employment status.
He sits up in bed a bit and pulls the blankets up over his chest to talk about why now, more than ever, he feels the need to promote the Green Party to anyone who will listen. Even fellow hospital patients."
Eddie passed away on Monday, August 11 at 2:17 AM at Good Samaritan Hospital of lung cancer. He would have been 47 later this month.
Eddie Boyd, per his request, is being cremated and memorial services are being planned in both Baltimore, Maryland and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Donations in Eddie?s name can be made to either:
Power to the People Committee
Cynthia McKinney for President;
Joan Christian, Treasurer;
P.O. Box 311759;
Atlanta Georgia 31131-1759
Or
Cindy Sheehan for Congress
1260 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94103
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