Solidaritees

Biography

At an early age, Fred Hampton became involved in his community and his eloquence and commitment allowed him to gain credibility with his peers. In addition to teaching daily political education classes and organizing weekly rallies, Fred Hampton was also involved in the BPP's People's Clinic and played a key role in the BPP's Free Breakfast Program. Due to his increasing popularity and appeal to marginalized people, Fred Hampton and Black Panther Party members became targets of an FBI terror campaign (COINTELPRO). In the early hours of December 4, 1969, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were murdered by agents of COINTELPRO with the cooperation of the Chicago police. Murdered at 21 years of age, Fred Hampton was remembered by Jesse Jackson at his funeral with the following words:

When Fred was shot in Chicago, black people in particular, and decent people in general, bled everywhere.