Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – INTERVIEW: Lanny Smith, Cecil Williams, Fredrika Newton & Fred Hampton Jr. Talk Actively Black Apparel + More
Date: October 24, 2025
Host: The Breakfast Club (DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God)
Guests: Lanny Smith (Actively Black founder), Cecil Williams (civil rights photographer), Fredrika Newton (activist, widow of Huey P. Newton), Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. (activist, son of Fred Hampton, Black Panther legacy)

Episode Overview

This episode features a profound conversation about Black legacy, resistance, and modern entrepreneurship. The Breakfast Club welcomes four guests with deep ties to Black history and activism: Lanny Smith, founder of the purpose-driven apparel brand Actively Black; Cecil Williams, legendary civil rights photographer; Fredrika Newton, Black Panther legacy carrier; and Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., activist and son of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. They discuss the power of images, protecting Black narratives, the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses, and what “revolution” means today. The group shares intergenerational insights on legacy, economic empowerment, and mental health, weaving together stories of past and present movements.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Living History and the Actively Black Fashion Show

• Lanny Smith recounts organizing the Actively Black show at NY Fashion Week, featuring legends like Cecil Williams, Fredrika Newton, and Ruby Bridges walking the runway to reclaim and honor Black legacy in real time.
  • “The response...knowing that this history wasn’t that long ago, like they try to tell us that it was, has been powerful, man. ...We were built with the intention to uplift and reinvest back into the Black community.” [03:13]
• The emotional impact of seeing icons (e.g., Malcolm X and Martin Luther King’s daughters, Ruby Bridges) in the flesh counters the narrative that the civil rights struggle is long past.
  • “That same little girl in that black and white photo is walking right here in front of me.” [06:45]

2. Cecil Williams and the Famous Water Fountain Photo

• Cecil Williams describes his spontaneous yet rebellious act—drinking from a “whites only” water fountain—captured in a now-iconic photo.
  • “I was thirsty. ...But also, this was not the first time I did this. ...I was not satisfied with living in the status quo, in segregation.” [04:16]
• He didn’t feel fear, hiding the developed photograph from his parents for years.
  • “None whatsoever. ...I never sent this picture to Jet [magazine]...I hid it from them and never sent it...” [04:49]
• Reflects on the duality of living among “good white people” and those upholding segregation.
  • “There were many good-hearted white people at the time and they helped support our family. ...It was some people...who treated us as a status quo...” [05:30]

3. Grappling with Racism, Legacy, and Love

• Open discussion on intergenerational trauma and perspectives toward white people.
  • Charlamagne: “Do y’all hate white people?” [07:31]
  • Fred Hampton Jr.: “The motivation for getting up with the first free breakfast programs, free busing, survival programs, was not directed out of hatred for anyone...but again, motivated for love for people.” [09:15]
  • Fredrika Newton: “What motivates people is not hatred, but love for other people. ...What I do hate is white supremacy and the impact on Black community. ...The Black Panther Party service was out of love, out of love for Black people, out of love for oppressed people.” [10:23]

4. Misconceptions about the Black Panther Party

• Fredrika Newton addresses chronic misunderstandings:
  • The Party’s inclusive coalitions and women’s leadership (70% female at one point).
  • False portrayal of the Panthers as racist.
  • Realities of internal growth, youth (average age 17), resistance to misogyny/homophobia.
  • “The fact that Black Panther Party was a racist organization [is a misconception]...We worked in coalition with all organizations whose fight was against oppression.” [11:36]
• Fredrika’s mother—a white Jewish real estate agent—sacrificed her livelihood to work with the Panthers.
  • “My mother’s whole business was dismantled as a result of her work with the party. The FBI has a file this thick on my mother.” [12:51]

5. Guarding the Black Panther Legacy

• Concerns over “white-washing” and commercializing Black activist history.
  • Fred Hampton Jr.: “I gotta sleep with my...political bulletproof vest on...A lot of times it’s nefarious intent or naivety. ...The Black Panther Party wasn’t just some ragtag group of cats...Organization is still up on its own terms.” [15:57]
  • “We have to struggle again, be consistent even when it’s not fashionable.” [16:56]
• The unique struggles in keeping Black power icons from being co-opted or rendered “safe” for mainstream.

6. The Vision and Economics of Actively Black

• Lanny Smith details the mission: cultural reclamation, economic empowerment, and wellness.
  • “I’m trying to rewrite that narrative...that there’s greatness in our DNA...We are more than just our trauma...If we start acting out of that greatness, that’s how we can change things for our community.” [16:56]
  • Requires authentic partnerships and fair licensing to financially support icons’ families and museums.
  • “When we sell apparel, the Black Panther Party Museum gets money. ...Everyone you see up here, Dr. King, Dr. Eliasa Shabazz, I went to them and asked them for permission to put their family members on this gear.” [18:33]

7. Ownership, Respect, and “Buying Black”

• “Black owned” should be a mark of distinction, not a barrier.

  • “Black-owned is not a description, it’s a feature. We are the most creative people on earth. It’s a feature to be Black owned...How do I create something that can uplift my people?” [23:35]

• Importance of economic circulation and accountability in the Black community. “It ain’t reparations, it’s reclamation.”

  • “The McKinsey report...Black people today spend between 20 to 25 billion on apparel and shoes annually...If we turn our global influence inward to something that we own...how powerful is that?” [25:41]

• Cecil Williams on the reciprocal relationship:

  • “When Lanny Smith...came in to photograph us, he said he was going to give us a contribution to our nonprofit museum...we got a check from him...” [25:41]
  • On the power of images:
  • “An image is 8 times more effective than the written language. ...No longer is it gonna be reading, writing, and arithmetic. It’s gonna be reading, writing, and seeing.” [26:57]

8. Intergenerational Responsibility and “We Are Not Our Ancestors”

• Debate over whether today’s generation matches the sacrifice and resilience of previous activists.

  • Lanny Smith: “It pisses me off...when you think about the sacrifices that were made, we can’t stay out of certain stores...I don’t know that...our generation and younger generation showed that we have that level of sacrifice and grit that it takes.” [29:22]
  • Cecil Williams: “Yes...it has not been focused or utilized, but things like this act...will help materialize this.” [28:30]

• Need for unity within the Black community before broader coalitions can thrive.

  • “We have to unite ourselves first...If we can unite first, I think everybody else is going to follow our lead like they always do.” [37:12]

• On reparations and unfinished justice:

  • Fred Hampton Jr.: “No matter...resources can compensate...the most valuable resources that have been stolen from our people are Black bodies...reparations, definitely. Economics...but the political significance is important, too.” [38:15]
  • Fredrika Newton: “It saddens me when I see those posts online...It’s real evidence of lack of education around what our ancestors actually were. ...When you see something so ignorant that says ‘we are not our ancestors,’ you’re actually not. But had you read about what your ancestors actually did...then you would be proud to say, ‘I want to be like my ancestors.’” [39:29]

9. History, Education, and the Next Generation

• The erasure of Black radical history in mainstream curricula.
  • “My grandchildren get no history on revolutionary organizations like the Black Panther Party… we are visual learners.” [41:05]
• The transformational power of seeing icons in person (e.g., Ruby Bridges).
  • “He [grandson] only wears Actively Black to school...he would only wear Nike before.” [41:05]

10. Uplifting Black Farmers and Reclaiming Cotton

• True economic empowerment links the production chain: a specific clothing line uses cotton from Black farmers, countering historical exploitation.
  • “We partnered with Bridgeforth Farms, fifth generation Black farmer...the hoodie I’m wearing right now, it says: Made from cotton grown by Black farmers.” [43:30]
  • “What happens when we reclaim this thing that was once used to enslave us? What if we use that to save us?” [44:31]

11. Innovation, Collaborations, and Protecting the Narrative

• Brand collaborations with estates (Marvel, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, Tupac, Basquiat).
  • “Now the doors have been open...I think that’s the power of what we’re doing with Actively Black. ...My husband [Ali] stood for way more than what he did in the ring. I believe Actively Black can tell a story they can’t tell.” [45:48]
• On the evolving nature of revolution:
  • Fred Hampton Jr.: “People get involved...by inspiration, aspiration, or desperation...There’s a difference between the war and the revolution...Revolution, you gain the mass participation of the masses. These are revolutionary times.” [47:42]
  • History is not nostalgia, and legacy work includes supporting today’s living icons, not just memorials.

12. Revolution and Healing in the Modern Era

• Fredrika Newton reframes revolution as wellness and cultural ownership for her generation.
  • “As a 73 year old woman, my act of revolution looks different than when I was 17...revolution looks like bringing people who wouldn’t ordinarily be together in the same room together. ...[We] have meditation, sound baths…activities so that we can keep ourselves healthy while we fight this war.” [53:28]
• Both Fredrika and Lanny highlight that today's generations have the first "luxury of healing" alongside activism.
  • “I always say I feel like our generation is the first generation that has the luxury of healing. All the previous generations were just trying to survive.” [55:50]

13. Freedom, Fear, and New Generations

• Fredrika Newton reflects on what peace meant to Huey Newton and herself.
  • “Peace, I think, was the absence of any fear...I don’t know that he ever attained [it] in his own life, but I think maybe peace was the absence of...fear about being Black.” [57:06]
• Lanny, expecting a son, worries about inherited fear and “the talk,” emphasizing the need for generational healing and safety.
  • “That fear that we don’t even realize is embedded because we’ve had to deal with it for so long...” [57:46]

14. Supporting Today’s Black Pioneers

• Importance of materially supporting living legends and Black visionaries.
  • Lanny Smith: “I read a story that Rosa Parks was facing eviction in the later part of her life…that pissed me off…how could nobody have been taking care of her?” [59:31]
• “Buying Black” is positioned as collective economic action, not just individual consumerism.
  • “Have some grace for Black founders…We are building from underneath the ground. ...No reason why we shouldn’t have our own Nike.” [59:31]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Cecil Williams:
  “An image is eight times more effective than the written language.” [26:57]

• Fred Hampton Jr.:
  “The Black Panther Party wasn’t just some ragtag group of cats. ...Organization is still up on its own terms.” [15:57]
  “You can kill a revolutionary, but you can’t kill the revolution.” [45:48] (attributed to Fred Hampton Sr.)

• Fredrika Newton:
  “What motivates people is not hatred, but love for other people.” [10:23]
  “If you are not whole, you cannot be impactful or effective. ...We can’t be effective if we’re not taking care of ourselves.” [55:50]

• Lanny Smith:
  “Black-owned is not a description, it’s a feature.” [23:35]
  “If we turn our influence, our global influence inward to something that we own that champions us, how powerful is that?” [25:41]

• On the difference between ancestor generations and today:
  “It saddens me when I see those posts online...it’s evidence of lack of education around what our ancestors actually were...Had you read about what your ancestors actually did...then you would be proud to say, I want to be like my ancestors.” —Fredrika Newton [39:29]

Important Timestamps

• [03:13] — Introduction to guests & the purpose of the Actively Black show
• [04:16] — Cecil Williams’ iconic water fountain photo
• [09:15] — On love, not hate, motivating revolution
• [11:36] — Misconceptions about the Black Panther Party
• [15:57] — Guarding the legacy of the Panthers
• [16:56] — Actively Black’s mission & representation
• [23:35] — The economic case for “Black-owned” as a feature
• [25:41] — The importance of economic circulation and imagery
• [29:22] — “We are not our ancestors” debate
• [43:30] — “Made from cotton grown by Black farmers": The new line’s impact
• [45:48] — Collaborations with Black estates and legacy control
• [47:42] — What revolution means in 2025
• [53:28] — Revolution as wellness & togetherness for future generations
• [57:06] — Huey Newton’s vision of peace
• [59:31] — Supporting living legends; why buying Black matters

Closing

The episode is a masterclass in connecting past struggle to present innovation, underscoring the importance of legacy, narrative power, economic self-determination, and wellness as part of Black revolution. Through their words and lived experiences, the guests urge listeners to act, support Black entrepreneurship, and educate themselves for true empowerment.

Find:

• Actively Black apparel: activelyblack.com
• South Carolina Civil Rights Museum: [search online, donations encouraged]
• Black Panther Party Museum (Oakland, CA) & Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation: Instagram @theblackpantherpartymuseum

Final note: “A picture is worth a thousand words, but action is supreme.” —Minister Dr. Huey P. Newton (quoted by Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.) [63:21]