The Week of April 9th, 2006: IN BLACK HISTORY
FRED HAMPTON, JR.
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY EVERYDAY

"You can kill a revolutionary, but you can't kill a revolution!"

The story of Fred Hampton, Jr. is one that began before he was even born. His life is forever overshadowed by the legacy of his father, Fred Hampton, Sr. . On December 4th, 1969, Fred Sr. slept beside his pregnant girlfriend, Akua Njeri. Allegedly drugged with secobarbitol before bedtime, Fred Hampton would never again see the light of day. He was murdered during the early morning hours in the now infamous Chicago Panther House Raid. While Fred Hampton, Jr. was still in his mother's womb, a huge part of his history was taken from him: his father.

In 1990, at the age of 20, Fred Jr. was already extremely active in the same political circles that proved to be deadly for his father. At this time he became the President of the local National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement(NPDUM), joining their fight for the rights of African people in the US.

In March 1992, the government made two separate attempts to indict Fred Hampton, Jr on charges of Murder and Armed Robbery. He was found not guilty of both, much to the dismay of the prosecuting attorney who remarked, "...Fred Hampton Jr., we'll get you yet." In May of that same year, Fred was brought in again. This time he was accused of firebombing a Korean Merchant's store. A corrupt and rushed trial ensues and many aspects of the courtroom procedure hint at the political sensitivity of the accusation. For example, the NPDUM's page says the jury was rigged to exclude those with positive recollections of the BPP and Fred Hampton, Sr., but included those who feared blacks and had been robbed. The judge refused to allow the name "Fred Hampton" to be used in court....read more about Fred Hampton, Jr @ www.providence.edu/afro/students/panther/hamptonjr.html.

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