Fred Hampton

Who Was Fred Hampton?

Fred Hampton joined the Black Panther Party in 1968 and quickly ascended the ranks, becoming a prominent figure in both the Chicago chapter and on a national level. Unfortunately, his activism and leadership made him a target for law enforcement. In the early hours of December 4, 1969, police raided Hampton’s apartment, resulting in his death at the age of 21. A subsequent investigation revealed that police fired nearly 100 rounds during the raid, with only one bullet originating from inside the apartment. It was also uncovered that Hampton had been under surveillance by the FBI prior to his death.

Early Life and Education

Frederick Allen Hampton was born on August 30, 1948, to Francis and Iberia Hampton. There is some discrepancy regarding his birthplace, with sources listing Chicago and its suburbs—such as Summit, Maywood, or Blue Island, Illinois—as well as Shreveport, Louisiana, according to a book on the Black Panther Party. Hampton grew up in a close-knit family with an older brother and sister. His family had a personal connection with the family of Emmett Till prior to Till’s tragic murder in 1955. When Hampton was ten years old, his family relocated to Maywood, another suburb of Chicago.

Hampton attended Irving Elementary School and Proviso East High School, where he demonstrated leadership by heading the school’s Interracial Committee. He notably protested the school’s practice of only nominating white girls for homecoming queen, successfully advocating for the inclusion of Black candidates.

After graduating with honors from Proviso East High School, Hampton pursued pre-law studies at Triton Junior College. He furthered his education at Crane Junior College (later known as Malcolm X College) and the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle.

Hampton also led the Youth Council of the NAACP’s West Suburban chapter, significantly increasing its membership to over 500. He campaigned for a community pool in Maywood, which led to his arrest for “mob action” following a demonstration in 1967.

Involvement in the Black Panther Party

In November 1968, Hampton played a key role in establishing the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, where he served as chairman. Despite being only 20 years old, he became a respected leader within the Party, thanks in large part to his exceptional public speaking skills and extensive experience in community organizing, which included his work with the NAACP.

As a member of the Black Panther Party, Hampton organized various community services, such as free breakfast programs and health clinics. He was instrumental in forming a “Rainbow Coalition” that united the Panthers with local gangs, including the Puerto Rican Young Lords and the white Young Patriots, who were descendants of families that had migrated from Appalachia. However, Hampton’s rising profile and achievements drew increased scrutiny from law enforcement agencies.

FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover labeled the Black Panther Party as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country,” expressing concern over the emergence of a leader capable of unifying the militant nationalist movement. In response to these perceived threats, the Bureau’s Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) sought to discredit and undermine Black organizations and their leaders. Just two weeks before his death, Hampton was placed on the FBI’s Agitator Index, which identified individuals considered potential threats to national security.

Local law enforcement also targeted Hampton. In January 1969, while he was appearing on television, Chicago police arrested him on an outstanding traffic warrant. Later that year, he faced trial for allegedly stealing ice cream bars in Maywood in 1968—a charge he denied. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to two to five years in prison. Tensions escalated between the Panthers and the police after a shootout in November 1969 resulted in the deaths of two officers and a Black Panther. Although Hampton was out of town during the incident, authorities linked him to the Party and the violence.

As other party members faced incarceration or were killed, and with key leaders like Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale preoccupied with their legal battles, Hampton emerged as a national spokesman for the Black Panther Party shortly before his tragic death.

Death and Aftermath

On December 4, 1969, Fred Hampton was in his apartment on Chicago’s West Side, accompanied by several fellow members of the Black Panther Party, including his pregnant fiancée, Akua Njeri (then known as Debra Johnson). At approximately 4:45 a.m., a dozen police officers executed a search warrant targeting alleged illegal weapons at the location. Shortly after they forcibly entered the apartment, Mark Clark, another Black Panther, was fatally shot in the heart.

Prior to the raid, police had received a layout of Hampton’s apartment from William O’Neal, an FBI informant who had infiltrated the Panthers. Allegations suggest that O’Neal had also administered a sleep-inducing barbiturate to Hampton on the night of the raid. As officers advanced to Hampton’s bedroom, they discharged their weapons, hitting Hampton but narrowly missing Njeri. Following their removal from the room, Njeri reported overhearing officers claim that Hampton was “barely alive” before hearing two shots followed by the declaration, “He’s good and dead now.”

Despite the absence of any illegal weapons, the seven surviving Panthers—four of whom sustained injuries—were arrested on charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder. In the aftermath, the Black Panther Party organized tours of the apartment, as it had not been sealed off by law enforcement. The police had initially claimed they were responding to gunfire, a narrative that was subsequently discredited; what were purportedly bullet holes were actually identified as nail heads.

By 1970, charges against the surviving Panthers were dismissed, and a federal grand jury investigation revealed that police had discharged between 82 and 99 rounds, with only one shot coming from the apartment’s occupants. Cook County State’s Attorney Edward Hanrahan, who had orchestrated the raid, faced indictment for obstruction of justice in 1971, along with an assistant and twelve officers involved. However, none of these charges led to convictions.

Hanrahan was ultimately voted out of office in 1972, signaling a shift in Chicago’s political landscape that would culminate in the election of Harold Washington, the city’s first Black mayor, in 1983. That same year, a settlement was reached, with the city of Chicago, Cook County, and the federal government agreeing to pay $1.85 million to the families of Hampton and Clark, as well as the survivors of the raid, in a ruling that recognized a conspiracy against the Black Panther Party and violations of the plaintiffs’ civil rights.

Hampton’s funeral took place on December 9, 1969, at the First Baptist Church of Melrose Park, attended by over 5,000 mourners. Reverend Jesse Jackson was among those who delivered eulogies.

Legacy and Film Adaptations

The legacy of Fred Hampton has been captured in various media, including the 1971 documentary The Murder of Fred Hampton and the 2021 film Judas and the Black Messiah, directed by Shaka King and featuring Daniel Kaluuya in the role of Hampton. Additionally, Hampton was portrayed by Kelvin Harrison Jr. in the 2020 film The Trial of the Chicago 7.

In 1970, the community pool that Hampton had championed was named in his honor. The Chicago City Council further recognized his contributions by designating December 4 as “Fred Hampton Day” in both 1990 and 2004.

Personal Life

Hampton’s son, Fred Hampton Jr., was born just weeks after his father’s untimely death.