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Say his name.
Part of confronting our history is challenging the narrative (or lack thereof) and ways in which we were taught to see the Black Panther Party as a group of violent militant Black extremists. You can come to your own conclusion upon unlearning but do the work and open your mind
A conversation on the prevailing mainstream narrative of the #BPP must be spoken about in the context of why their existence was even needed and how law enforcement systematically enflamed the tension and violence around the #BPPs presence through programs, namely COINTELPRO
The need to “prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement” tells you exactly the degree to which law enforcement feared and would refuse to allow any sort of unity amongst Black groups fighting for civil rights.
"The purpose of this new counterintelligence endeavour is to expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit or otherwise neutralise the activities of black-nationalist, hate-type organisations and groupings, their leadership, spokesmen, membership and supporters."
The directive was loud and clear. Panthers, MLK, Malcolm X and many more were a threat to the peace of a country failing to respect the humanity/rights of its most discriminated against citizens. Fred Hampton, young as he was, was thoroughly investigated and his group infiltrated
Rather than work hand in hand toward Civil Rights and push the country forward, the FBI further perpetuated an anti-Black climate that would at minimum threaten and at worst cost Black leaders’ lives.
We don’t learn about COINTELPRO in school, but instead we learn about unquestioned reverence for MLK & buy into a misleading narrative that he was adored in his time. We don’t learn that his nonviolent protests, that people claim to honor today, made him a top target w/i the FBI
We don’t learn that at 21, when he was executed by law enforcement in a raid, Fred Hampton was able to inspire a wide ranging coalition to fight for human rights and that his charisma had limitless potential to influence the political landscape
Rather than learning a complete history of the Black Panthers and their numerous survival programs meant to uplift the Black community, we reduce the Black Panther Party to violent Black people and absolve the government of any wrongdoing in dealing with them.
Fred Hampton, like many others, was taken from us much too soon. I’m not asking you to blindly support/endorse everything that Black Panthers stood for but learning the entirety of who they were/how FBI targeted them is a must if we’re committed to unlearning what we were taught
