Our radio adaptation of the film, The Murder of Fred Hampton, produced by filmmakers Mike Gray and Howard Alk, provides a glimpse into the life of Hampton and the Illinois Black Panther Party.

On December 4th, 1969, exactly 50 years ago, Black Panthers Fred Hampton, age 21, and Mark Clark, age 22, were shot to death by Chicago police.

In an infamous moment in Chicago's history and politics, over a dozen policemen burst into Hampton's apartment while its occupants were sleeping, killing Hampton and fellow Panther Mark Clark, and brutalizing the other occupants.

As Deputy Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, Hampton built a solid reputation as a community organizer and brilliant speaker. The FBI, threatened by the activities of the BPP and its dynamic youth leaders, set on a course to neutralize the organization and anyone they deemed a threat to the agenda of white supremacy.

"You can jail the revolutionary, but you can't jail the revolution…You might murder a freedom fighter like Bobby Hutton, but you can't murder freedom fighting." – Fred Hampton.

Featuring:

Fred Hampton
Bobby Rush
Rennie Davis
Edward Hanrahan

Credits:

Special thanks to Facets DVD and Filmmakers Mike Gray and Howard Alk
Host: Anita Johnson
Executive Director: Jina Chung
Engineer: Jeff Emtman
Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain

Music:

"Grand Caravan", Blue Dot Sessions elling Easements Viola Trio Long", Barbara Bernstein
"Long Cory", Cory

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Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.