Fred Hampton, deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, was born on August 30, 1948 and raised in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, Illinois. In high school he excelled in academics and athletics. After Hampton graduated from high school, he enrolled in a pre-law program at Triton Junior College in River Grove, Illinois. Hampton also became involved in the civil rights movement, joining his local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His dynamic leadership and organizational skills in the branch enabled him to rise to the position of Youth Council President. Hampton mobilized a racially integrated group of five hundred young people who successfully lobbied city officials to create better academic services and recreational facilities for African American children.

In 1968, Hampton joined the Black Panther Party (BPP), headquartered in Oakland, California. Using his NAACP experience, he soon headed the Chicago chapter. During his brief BPP tenure, Hampton formed a “Rainbow Coalition” which included Students for a Democratic Society, the Blackstone Rangers, a street gang and the National Young Lords, a Puerto Rican organization. Hampton was also successful in negotiating a gang truce on local television.

In an effort to neutralize the Chicago BPP, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Chicago Police Department placed the chapter under heavy surveillance and conducted several harassment campaigns. In 1969, several BPP members and police officers were either injured or killed in shootouts, and over one hundred local members of the BPP were arrested.

During an early morning police raid of the BPP headquarters at 2337 W. Monroe Street on December 4, 1969, twelve officers opened fire, killing the 21-year-old Hampton and Peoria, Illinois Panther leader Mark Clark. Police also seriously wounded four other Panther members. Many in the Chicago African American community were outraged over the raid and what they saw as the unnecessary deaths of Hampton and Clark. Over 5,000 people attended Hampton’s funeral where Reverends Ralph Abernathy and Jesse Jackson of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference eulogized the slain activist. Years later, law enforcement officials admitted wrongdoing in the killing of Hampton and Clark. In 1990, and later in 2004, the Chicago City Council passed resolutions commemorating December 4 as Fred Hampton Day.

Fred Hampton (Documentary) fred-hampton

Why the US government murdered Fred Hampton

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  • SoylentSnake [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    1 year ago

    Bad news: left work early because of anxiety. Had to use annual leave. sux.

    Good news: got a nearly full set of rings on my fingers and new shoes on the way. What's the next step in my business casual goth journey? thinky-felix Maybe a few short sleeved button downs in a gothy color scheme to put over my black t-shirts and a black sports jacket? Where I go to buy these things? How do I men's fashion this is all new to me help help

    • ilyenkov [she/her, they/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Basically anything I don't get from thrift stores I get off of ebay. If you know your measurements (get a cloth measuring tape) and only buy stuff that has measurements in the listing you can be pretty sure if stuff is gonna fit. Ebay is, in my experience, a particularly good place for buying sports jackets (I might have like 20 sports jackets and blazers...). You can get nice ones for very reasonable prices. I'd avoid polyester, get one made from natural fibers. Also, make sure you're buying a sports jacket and not an orphaned suit coat!

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I forget how but I remember seeing posts back in the day about how to get your measurements from like a men's wearhouse or other cheap suit store, so you've got them done "properly", and then you can use that to figure out what to go.

      • SoylentSnake [he/him, they/them]
        ·
        1 year ago

        this is great advice comrade - the only hurdle is getting my measurements but once that's down I'll definitely give ebay a look. I only really need like one or two to start anyway so my problem could be solved sooner than I thought thinkin-lenin