He would have celebrated his 76th birthday today. As chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP) and one of its national leaders, Hampton’s life was marked by unwavering dedication to the cause of racial equality and social justice. Tragically, Fred Hampton met his demise at the hands of Chicago law enforcement officers when he was just 21 years old. His death has been characterized as a premeditated execution, leaving behind an indelible mark on our collective history.
His influence is still felt in Chicago, I talked to several organizers who worked with him.
Can anyone provide resources on learning about him, the BPP more generally? Published works, speeches, etc?
This topic is easily the most under taught topic in American public education, leaving me dreadfully under educated in this history.
- Black Against Empire is probably the most thorough book on the Panthers
- Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party by Bobby Seale. This book was written by Chairman of the Black Panther Party Bobby Seale himself and first published in 1970
- The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther by Jeffrey Haas. Published in 2009, this book was written by Jeffrey Haas, one of the lawyers who represented the Panthers in the trials that followed the death of Chairman of the Illinois BPP Fred Hampton
👑
