Martyred Houston Panther leader honored
http://www.workers.org/2010/us/houston_panther_0812/
By Gloria Rubac
Aug 6, 2010
Carl B. Hampton, the leader of People's Party II in Houston, was
assassinated by the Houston police 40 years ago on July 26. His life
and legacy, however, are very much alive in the hearts and actions of
those who worked with him, those who remember him and those who
treasure his history but were not yet born when he was killed.
The Carl B. Hampton 40th Anniversary Memorial Committee organized
five days of activities from July 22 to 26. These events brought
together former leading Black Panther Party members from around the
country, Houston activists who knew and worked with Hampton, and
hundreds of people from all over this city who were eager to learn
about Houston's revolutionary African-American history.
In 1969, while in Oakland, Hampton discovered and was inspired by the
BPP, and he decided to begin a chapter in Houston. Since the BPP was
not then authorizing new chapters, he created People's Party II in
recognition that the BPP was the "first People's Party." He began
organizing in early 1970, but months after PPII opened, Houston
police assassinated Hampton.
After Hampton's death, due to his great sacrifice, the BPP leadership
granted chapter status to PPII and it became known as the Houston
chapter of the Black Panther Party.
"Carl Hampton was only 21 when he was gunned down, but he was
educated and wise beyond his years," said Charles "Boko" Freeman, who
organized PPII with Hampton and was a leader of Houston's BPP chapter.
The 40th anniversary commemorations began with a Black Panther Party
art exhibit with framed front pages of more than 50 newspapers
illustrated by BPP Minister of Culture Emory Douglass; revolutionary
art by Freeman; historical photography and posters. Douglass and
former Panther Billy X Jennings gave an art presentation with more
than 150 slides of revolutionary art that chronicled the BPP's
history. Freeman had reproduced prints of his beautiful painting
depicting Hampton's life, which were available to participants.
Playwright Parnell Herbert presented his new production of "The
Angola 3," about three BPP members and political prisoners in
Louisiana's Angola State Prison. The audience responded very
enthusiastically to the play.
John King, the only one of the Angola 3 who has been released from
prison, was an honored guest at the play. The other two, Herman
Wallace and Albert Woodfox, have been in solitary confinement for
more than 37 years for a crime they did not commit. (www.angola3.org)
Community rally, gravesite remembrance
The main event was a community rally at Emancipation Park, which is
across the street from the first BPP headquarters. A highlight was
the introduction of Hampton's son, Maasai, who was six months old
when his father was gunned down. Maasai, who was on the
commemoration's planning committee, thanked all the activists there
for teaching him about his father's history. Hampton's sister and
nieces were also introduced.
Emotions ran high as six of the Houston members of the PPII/BPP took
the stage. Bobby Reed, Claude Frost, Sensei Benton, Loretta Freeman,
Bunchy Crear and Freeman received a warm standing ovation.
A guest speaker was Kathleen Cleaver, the first woman member of the
Black Panther Party Central Committee, who is currently a law
professor at Emory University School of Law.
Panthers United for Revolutionary Education sent a special message of
solidarity from Texas' notorious death row. It was read by Regina
Guidry, a member of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement.
Also attending the rally were former members of the John Brown
Revolutionary League and the Mexican American Youth Organization.
Hampton had organized Houston's Rainbow Coalition in 1970 with these
two groups, and they held many joint protests and rallies.
Other events were a Strategies for Change Conference at Texas
Southern University and a Panther Film Festival, organized by BPP
historian and archivist Jennings. That was held at the SHAPE Community Center.
The final event took place on July 26, exactly 40 years after
Hampton's murder. His comrades, family and supporters gathered at his
gravesite to remember and speak about his contributions to the
Panthers, to African-American history and to the revolutionary
movement of the 1960s. Former Panther Geronimo ji Jaga sent a special
message from Tanzania, which Benton read.
Dr. Charles E. Jones, founding chair of the Department of
African-American Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta,
presented his newly released booklet in honor of Hampton at the
commemorative events. Its title is "Arm Yourself or Harm Yourself:
People's Party II and the Black Panther Party in Houston, Texas."
Dr. Jones wrote, "[T]he perseverance, dedication and courage of the
members are undisputable. They left a legacy of self-defense,
multi-racial coalition politics, and community empowerment built in
the face of rampant police repression. ... Most importantly, these
young African-American men and women dared to challenge racial
oppression and to struggle on behalf of black and other oppressed people."
Source: www.itsabouttimebpp.com
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