Social Justice
Childhood home of Fred Hampton gets historical landmark status
The Illinois childhood home of Fred Hampton, the iconic Black Panther Party leader who was fatally shot during a 1969 police raid at his apartment, has been designated a historical landmark.
The Illinois childhood home of Fred Hampton, the iconic Black Panther Party leader who was fatally shot during a 1969 police raid, has been designated a historical landmark.
Childhood home of Fred Hampton historic landmark
Organizers of the Save The Hampton House initiative, led by Hampton’s son Fred Hampton Jr., and his mother Akua Njeri, announced that the Maywood Village Board voted to recognize the house as a historical landmark.
The unanimous decision was the culmination of a yearlong campaign that was inspired by the Academy Award-winning film about Hampton and his murder called “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
The designation is part of a broader effort to see the Black Panther Party and the U.S. Black liberation struggle represented alongside landmarks to the nonviolent civil rights movement. Organizers plan to transform the site into a place where the works of the Black Panther Party can be displayed.
”The fight to save and maintain the Hampton House is bigger than a building and more significant than a structure,” said Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. in a statement included in the news release.
“Amongst other purposes, it serves as a major aspect of preserving the extraordinary legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton, the Black Panther Party, and that of service to the people in general.”
Police raid
Hampton was asleep at a residence on the West Side of Chicago in the early morning hours of Dec. 4, 1969, when he and fellow Black Panther leader Mark Clark were fatally shot during what authorities said at the time was the execution of a search warrant to find explosives and weapons.
A federal investigation determined that nearly 100 shots were fired through the walls, doors and windows while just one shot appeared to have been fired by someone inside the residence.
The county’s top prosecutor, an assistant and several officers at the scene were indicted on charges of obstruction of justice and later acquitted.
Evidence later surfaced showing the FBI worked alongside the Chicago police and other law enforcement agencies to tail the Black Panther Party.
As a result, a federal judge approved a $1.85 million settlement to Hampton and Clark’s families and survivors of the raid, to be paid by the city of Chicago, Cook County and the federal government.
----------------------------------------------------------
Connect with Unheard Voices on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube
Download the app on Google Play or ITunes.
----------------------------------------------------------
Unheard Voices Magazine is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
-
Health & Wellness3 weeks ago
Amber Nicole Thurman died from delayed care due to Georgia’s abortion laws, says family
-
Culture2 weeks ago
New Wu-Tang Clan concert film returns to Wilmington before PBS release
-
Entertainment3 weeks ago
‘OWN For the Holidays’ returns for its sixth year with three original movies for a festive 2024 season
-
Culture4 weeks ago
3 Chambers Fest celebrates the fusion of hip-hop, martial arts, and anime culture
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Lil Scrappy, Big Freedia, Mia X, Cookie Nasty, and more artists partner with Hip Hop Caucus for a Political Rap Cypher
-
Culture3 weeks ago
Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) is accepting submissions for 2025 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize and Creative Baltimore Fund grant program
-
Entertainment3 weeks ago
CHURCHY series starring Kevin “KevOnStage” Fredericks renewed for a second season
-
Culture5 days ago
Hip Hop Caucus Highlights Success of 2024 Respect my Vote! Campaign