Thug Life Army

It was Dec. 4, 1969, an early morn, when most people turn over in their sleep, when a creeping death squad of Chicago cops raided an apartment on Monroe St., in a premeditated plan to murder Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton, 21-year old leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and a master organizer.

Sleeping beside him was his young wife, Deborah, and sleeping within her, under her heart, was a Black baby boy, who was swimming in a salty sea, inches away from the father that his eyes would never see, alive.

For Chicago cops, aided and abetted by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI, and a traitorous Black snitch, were determined that Fred Hampton would not live another day. The cops (Black cops among them!) shot over 100 bullets into the apartment, killing Fred, and Capt. Mark Clark, a young Panther visiting Chicago from Peoria, Illinois. Typically, the cops lied for weeks about the raid, until independent investigations proved it wasn''t a shoot-out, but a shoot-in, with cops firing 100 shots, and a Panther, Capt. Clark, firing one, as they came through the door. Panthers were shot in their beds. Fred was dosed with secobarbitol, a barbituate, laced into his soda by Panther traitor, William O''Neal. He slept through his own assassination by government agents!

Some 3 weeks later, Fred's wife would give birth to their son, who would come to be known as Fred Hampton, Jr., a young man who, like his martyred father, has a deep and abiding love for his people, and is an energetic organizer and gifted speaker. I asked was he put down with his Dad's Panther and political history at an early age, or was he ''protected'' by not being told things until he was older[?]:

Well, basically upbringing, upbringing and organization. In other words, my Mama and the Movement played key roles in my upbringing. To be informed and impacted not only by the Chairman, Fred, but as well the organization he was a part of, the Black Panther Party. Powerful impact that they had not only on African people but humanity in general. And ironically this may even sound, the state played its role also, you know me being informed on the positive contributions. I am talking about everything from coming through colonial schools -- with the fight that they had for us not to know, of the contributions of that those freedom fighters had made.

As well, just the continuing counter insurgency, the continuing attacks from blatant examples. Gangster [Richard] Daley being the mayor of Chicago during the assassination of Chairman Fred. Gangster [Richard] Daley, Jr., his tenure, the legal lynching of myself. The attacks also help create sort of a classroom.

Of today's Black political and community leaders, Fred Hampton, Jr. said:

... [W]e like to say that there are no foregone conclusions, you have to make the distinctions ... from those that the state sanctions "leaders", as opposed to those that, you know what I''m sayin'', that come from the masses. They come from the valley, you know what I''m sayin'', they put into practice the slogan that we like to say, that we work for the people, ah the streets are our office, concrete, that is our desk, and secretary consists of street soldiers. I got a tremendous amount of love and respect for ours here, those on a day-to-day basis, those not as Malcolm would refer to as "responsible leaders." You know what I''m sayin'', the ones the state don''t want you to know about. The ones that are sincere about fighting for freedom and independence of our people and I know also that -- we have to do, we have to create such a groundswell.

He is the spitting image of his father, but most important, the fighting spirit of Fred Hampton seems reborn in him.

Like Fred, Jr., others have been born in the midst of state Terrorism in Black America. Most know of the legendary early hours of TUPAC SHAKUR, born to former Black Panther, Afeni Shakur. Perhaps fewer know of Mike Africa, Jr., the bright son of Mike and Debbie Africa, political prisoners of the August 8th, 1978 police assault on MOVE headquarters. Mike, literally, was born in jail. Indeed, because MOVE women knew that the State would separate mother and child, they hid the birth for several weeks, going down to the mess hall to get extra food for their sister, Debbie, so that her delivery wouldn''t be noticed.

Mike is today a revolutionary, like his mother and father; just as Fred is the son of two revolutionaries. Two sons; two movements; both revolutionaries of the Longest War: for Freedom in the American Empire. (Copyright 2005 Mumia Abu-Jamal)

Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. in Atlanta Sunday, May 29, 2005 - Thursday, June 2, 2005

Check out Young Chairman Fred:

Sunday, May 29, 2005 - Three The Hard Way: "Unforgivable Blackness"

Auburn Avenue Research Library

101 Auburn Ave

Atlanta, GA

Doors open @ 2:45 pm

Featured Speakers: Mukasa Dada (formerly Willie Ricks), Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., Chief Kalonji Jama Changa

Tuesday, May 31 - Feed The People Program w/ Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.

The Royal Peacock (Upper level)

186 Auburn Avenue

Atlanta, GA

Doors open @ 7:30pm

Items to bring:

Monetary Donations (Address money orders to Alexis Lucas), Lunch Brown Paper Bags, Plastic Sandwich Bags, Fruit, Bread, Chicken or Turkey bologna, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Bottled Water, Small bottled Carton Juice, Small Vegetables, Snacks

Directly afterwards One Year Anniversary of POCC Atlanta Celebration w/ Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.

Wednesday, June 1 - Spoken Word, Poetry, Hip Hop w/ Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.

Coffee Net

3100 Highlands Pkwy

Smyrna, GA 30080

Doors open @ 8:00pm

Thursday, June 2 - Organize or Die Tour by Chairman Fred Hampton

Mutana’s Juice Bar

1388 Ralph D. Abernathy

Atlanta, GA

Doors open @ 6:45pm

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL EVENTS

LIMITED SEATING -- BE THERE EARLY!!!

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