Feb 10: Fred Hampton

August 30, 1948-December 4, 1969

He related to Black History Month in so many ways because he created a movement that went against inequality and police brutality toward people of color.

by Tyreese Haugabrooks

I honestly would say that Fred Hampton has always been one of the most misunderstood individuals as well as an important ambassador to the history of Blacks. As many may not know, Fred Hampton was known for his personal charisma combined with his organizing skills and gift of speech which allowed him to be noticed and quickly rise within the Black Panthers. He was also known for developing the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Organization in which he helped gain its national popularity. According to an article from “Rediscovering Black History”, “Fred Hampton was born on August 30, 1948 in Maywood, Illinois”.Hampton died in 1969 his death was very much so mysterious and claimed to have been seen as an execution then having police action taken place. He was also mistreated such as him being drugged supposedly by O’Neal in his sleep and sleeping through it. Through all the trials of growing up in such a rural environment, he was gifted in academics and athletics in which as a child he wanted to play for the New York Yankees but ended up studying pre-law at Triton Junior College.

However, around this time he became inspired to study law to use it as a defense against police and their brutality. Doing his time in the Organization, he increased the Council’s membership to over 500 members. He also had brokered a nonaggression pact between Chicago’s most powerful and dangerous street gangs which led to him gaining tons of recognition and getting unwanted attention from the FBI which was the reason he got murdered

From my perspective on Fred Hampton, I honestly believe that he was highly important to our culture in history although people didn’t mention or give him the credit he deserved. What made him so important to our culture and Black History was that he was a significant part of our development as a whole in which he helped develop the The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He related to Black History Month in so many ways because he created a movement that went against inequality and police brutality toward people of color. This NAACP movement opened up a lot of opportunities for those who didn’t have a voice or platform to be heard. More than less, Hampton’s leadership abilities were apparent. It also created another accolade which granted him an opportunity from the Party’s Ten Point Program that integrated black self determination and elements of Maoism which motivated Hampton to join and relocate to Chicago.

He was an essential part to the success of Black History. Given to his personal charisma and skills, he became the leader of the Chicago Chapter. Becoming this leader for a such a big chapter gave him many duties such as organizing rallies, working with the People’s Clinic, and for the Free Breakfast Program. Following Hampton’s success with the BBP, it had captured the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Haas recounts the life of Fred Hampton, a community activist radicalized by the antiwar and Black Power movements, who gained a spot on the FBI’s Key Agitator Index. Haas draws parallels with his own upbringing in Atlanta’s upper-middle-class Jewish community, witnessing discrimination but doing nothing to challenge it until he came to Chicago. Haas chronicles the events leading to Hampton’s assassination and the aftermath, the years of investigation, and the discovery of a connection between the Chicago police action and the FBI investigation of black leaders.”