#ResistanceRoots Today in history, 1969: Black Panther leader Fred Hampton is killed in a predawn raid by Chicago Police with help from the FBI. More than 90 gunshots were sprayed into the apartment, also killing Panther Mark Clark and seriously wounding several others. /1 - ThreadSky

bambooshooti.bsky.social • 84 days ago

#ResistanceRoots

Today in history, 1969: Black Panther leader Fred Hampton is killed in a predawn raid by Chicago Police with help from the FBI. More than 90 gunshots were sprayed into the apartment, also killing Panther Mark Clark and seriously wounding several others. /1

Comments

bambooshooti.bsky.social•84 days ago

Police initially claimed that they had engaged in a gun battle with the Black Panthers. However, ballistic evidence showed that all but one of the bullets came from the police. The police also shot holes in the front door from inside the apartment to stage the “gunfight.” /2

bambooshooti.bsky.social•84 days ago

The raid was part of an effort by law enforcement to undermine the Black Power movement and discredit civil rights activists. They were especially focused on preventing the rise of a “messiah” to unite the movement and considered Hampton to be such a potential leader. /3

bambooshooti.bsky.social•84 days ago

The media was complicit in this campaign, focusing coverage on the Black Panthers’ violent rhetoric and the fact that they were armed. However, the Panthers were involved in many nonviolent activities, including helping the needy and preaching political empowerment. /4

sherrillann.bsky.social•83 days ago

I was 17, living 10 minutes from DC when they burnt down their own neighborhoods. My dad was furious, mom and I were interested in learning why it happened. As white suburbanites, we were very confused.
Looking back, it was a lack of imagination.

bambooshooti.bsky.social•84 days ago

The incident caused public outrage and investigations into the FBI’s attempts to dismantle the Panthers and other Black organizations. Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat, saying, “Nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.” /end