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There's an old story,
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and it's used in
various cultures, where
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a group of blind men
approach an elephant
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and try to describe him.
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The first man approaches the
elephant, touches its side,
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and says, it feels like a wall.
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The next man touches
a tusk and says,
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the elephant must
be like a spear.
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Another blind man touches
the trunk and says,
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it feels like a snake.
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And that is quite often what
happens with our descriptions
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of the Black Panther Party.
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We know the party we were
in and not the entire thing.
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We were making history and
it wasn't nice and clean.
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It wasn't easy.
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It was complex.
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From Chicago, Illinois,
the mighty Chi-Lites.
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For
God's sake, you
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got to give more
power to the people.
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There's some people up
there hogging everything.
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The thing
that led to the Panthers
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was what we were seeing
on television every day...
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attack dogs, fire
hoses, bombings.
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We stand on the eve of a
black revolution, brothers.
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Now we
have the emergence
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of voices within the
community that were saying,
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we're not going to continue
to turn the other cheek.
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You tell them white
folk in Mississippi
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that all the scared
niggers are dead.
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We want black power.
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We want black power.
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This
was a revolutionary time.
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50 countries in the world
gained their independence
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in the decade before the
founding of the Black Panther
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Party.
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This was the time when
people are getting drafted
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to go and fight in Vietnam.
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So if somebody's
coming and saying well,
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if you're going
to fight, why not
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fight right here in LA
or Oakland, you know?
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00:02:07,165 --> 00:02:09,900
That made a lot of sense.
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You couldn't be
absent and see what we saw.
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We couldn't unsee it.
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I was a cocktail waitress
in a white strip club
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two years before I joined
the Black Panther Party.
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How did that happen?
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The rage was in the streets.
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It was everywhere.
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We're
not gonna get nothing.
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Not by sitting around
here and just doing
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these sit-in
demonstrations and nothing.
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People are not going
to do anything.
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But how are
we going to do it?
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By violence.
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Violence.
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By uprising, having
a revolution.
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Just with blood, you know.
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Let everybody
bleed a little bit.
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Relations
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00:03:02,754 --> 00:03:05,090
between police and Negroes
throughout the country
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are getting worse.
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One of the cities most
troubled by animosity
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between police and Negroes
is Oakland, California.
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People always talked about
freedom and what that means
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00:03:23,975 --> 00:03:25,243
during that time period.
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Being black in America meant
that you didn't walk down
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the street with the
same sense of safety
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and the same sense of
privilege as a white person.
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There was absolutely
no difference
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in the way the police treated
us in Mississippi than they
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did in California.
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They may not have called
you nigger everyday,
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but they treated you the same
way they did in Mississippi.
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The
police jump on you,
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00:03:50,635 --> 00:03:53,939
beat you up, put the
gun at your head.
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This is what we were going
through on a daily basis.
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When I
first met Huey and Bobby,
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they were in the process
of forming an organization
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for primarily self-defense.
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We didn't plan to have a
nationwide organization
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or anything like that.
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We were organizing, dealing
with the problems in Oakland.
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We use the
Black Panther as our symbol
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because the nature of panther,
panther doesn't strike anyone,
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but when he's assailed upon
that he'll back up first.
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But if the aggressor continues
then he'll strike out.
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Huey
had studied the law.
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In Oakland at that
particular time,
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anyone could carry a firearm
who did not have a felony
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conviction at the time.
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00:04:48,325 --> 00:04:50,127
The firearm could
not be concealed.
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It had to be in the open.
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The California Penal Code,
section 12020 through 12027,
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00:04:55,933 --> 00:04:58,269
and also the Second Amendment
of the Constitution,
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guarantees the citizen
a right to bear arms
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on public property.
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Huey said
we're going to carry our guns
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00:05:05,944 --> 00:05:07,746
and we're going to
follow the police.
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00:05:07,779 --> 00:05:11,916
And if they stop someone,
we're going to stop.
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We're going to maintain
a legal distance
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and we're going to observe
the so-called law officers
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in performance of their duties.
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We were in
the car and driving around,
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having fun.
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We would... we was looking
at the pretty women
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and chasing the sisters.
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Then something might happen, and
then all of a sudden the focus
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would just become serious.
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We're
coming around the corner.
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Stay facing where you are.
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We would stop.
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We would get out of the cars.
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We would walk up to the scene.
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Those who had rifles
would carry them
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in the open, clearly visible.
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We would stand at a,
a distance where
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the police couldn't say
that we were interfering
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with their arrest or their
detention of the individual
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and, make sure that
there was no brutality.
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We stood back with our
weapons, ready to throw down
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if necessary.
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They would, take the weapon
and pass it across like this,
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and it would sweep... pass
right over the officer.
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No
one would do anything
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until a policeman ejected
a round in the chamber.
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Then we would all eject
rounds in the chamber,
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and all up and
down the street you
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could hear this clackity-clack,
clack, clack, clack.
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00:07:00,892 --> 00:07:05,397
And then when the traffic
stop or the incident's over,
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00:07:05,430 --> 00:07:08,466
they'd bring the weapon
down across by you like this
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and get back in their
car and drive off.
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It was pretty intimidating.
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00:07:15,005 --> 00:07:19,910
We referred to ourselves
as the vanguard,
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00:07:19,944 --> 00:07:24,449
and we were setting, by example,
a new course that we wanted
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the entire community to follow.
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00:07:31,221 --> 00:07:33,591
No one wants to touch
the legitimate hunter,
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00:07:33,623 --> 00:07:37,127
but we've got to protect
society from nuts with guns.
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When bands of armed
people with loaded weapons
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can move about our streets,
intimidating and frightening
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citizens, then I
think we should act.
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00:07:46,404 --> 00:07:48,540
And we intend to act.
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It's my intention to make it a
misdemeanor to have, loaded
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00:07:52,743 --> 00:07:57,082
rifles and shotguns and
weapons in public places.
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The
police department
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00:07:58,548 --> 00:08:01,318
had went to a local congressman
to get a bill written.
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00:08:01,351 --> 00:08:03,787
So Huey called me up and says,
we have to go to Sacramento.
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00:08:03,820 --> 00:08:05,690
It was conceived
as a media event
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00:08:05,723 --> 00:08:10,428
that the press is always at
the California state capitol.
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No one really
wanted Huey himself to go,
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00:08:13,897 --> 00:08:17,701
because Huey was kind of a
quick-tempered firebrand.
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Bobby was a little
more cautious.
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And it was like, look.
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You know, you've
been great so far,
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but you might blow it up there,
and bad things could happen.
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We caravaned to Sacramento.
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I think there were about 30 of
us altogether, and most of us
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had weapon.
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We was on the
state capitol on the lawn,
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and Ronald Reagan...
then the governor
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of the state of California...
was there about 10 feet away
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00:09:01,878 --> 00:09:04,849
from us holding a
press conference
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00:09:04,882 --> 00:09:10,121
with these young, like,
parochial school kids.
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00:09:10,153 --> 00:09:13,857
And what happened, as
soon as the press seen us
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they gravitated
from Ronald Reagan
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over to where the Panthers was.
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The Black Panther
Party for Self Defense
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calls upon the American
people in general,
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00:09:21,799 --> 00:09:23,233
and the black people
in particular,
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00:09:23,267 --> 00:09:26,371
to take careful note of
the racist California
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00:09:26,403 --> 00:09:29,907
legislature which is now
considering legislation aimed
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at keeping the black people
disarmed and powerless
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00:09:32,676 --> 00:09:34,945
at the very same
time racist police
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00:09:34,978 --> 00:09:38,516
agencies throughout the country
are intensifying the terror,
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00:09:38,549 --> 00:09:41,752
brutality, murder, and
repression of black people.
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00:09:41,786 --> 00:09:43,188
The
state assembly was
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00:09:43,220 --> 00:09:45,722
in the midst of a heated debate
when the young Negroes, armed
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with loaded rifles,
shotguns and pistols,
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marched into the capital.
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00:09:49,392 --> 00:09:51,796
When we got in
the halls, you have to imagine,
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00:09:51,829 --> 00:09:55,333
there's 100 cameras... still
cameras, print media people...
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00:09:55,366 --> 00:09:56,467
backing up.
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00:09:56,499 --> 00:09:57,901
And I'm saying, where is
the spectator section?
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And the press says
this way, Bobby.
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00:10:01,873 --> 00:10:04,776
Some party members got ahead
of me with shotguns, pistols
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00:10:04,809 --> 00:10:08,379
and wound up on the actual
floor of the California State
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00:10:08,411 --> 00:10:09,513
legislature.
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00:10:09,546 --> 00:10:10,915
They're heavily armed.
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00:10:10,948 --> 00:10:13,351
Whether their weapons are loaded
or not, nobody seems to know.
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00:10:26,730 --> 00:10:28,265
The
armed group, who said
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00:10:28,299 --> 00:10:30,235
they were members of
the Black Panther Party,
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00:10:30,267 --> 00:10:32,202
retreated to a service
station several blocks
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00:10:32,235 --> 00:10:33,403
from the capital.
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00:10:33,436 --> 00:10:35,505
I remember this one cop
came down on a motorcycle,
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and he's seen all
these guns, and he
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00:10:37,108 --> 00:10:39,510
got on the... on the thing.
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00:10:39,542 --> 00:10:41,645
And that's when they
started to swoop down
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00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:43,348
on us from everywhere.
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00:10:43,381 --> 00:10:45,717
You have no right to
take my gun away from me.
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00:10:45,749 --> 00:10:47,684
You don't know the
constitutional right?
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00:10:47,718 --> 00:10:48,786
Sure we do.
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00:10:48,819 --> 00:10:50,688
We're well aware of
the constitutionality.
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00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,291
I would like to
have my gun back.
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00:10:53,324 --> 00:10:55,560
Why do you believe the
legislature is racist?
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00:10:55,593 --> 00:10:57,228
Because, you know,
you're a part of it.
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00:10:57,261 --> 00:10:57,929
Isn't it obvious?
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00:10:57,961 --> 00:10:59,696
This is a white system.
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00:10:59,729 --> 00:11:02,099
The
news got to everyone
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00:11:02,132 --> 00:11:05,469
in the black community who
had a television, everyone
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00:11:05,502 --> 00:11:07,504
who had a radio.
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00:11:07,537 --> 00:11:11,441
It was in every newspaper
across the nation.
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00:11:11,474 --> 00:11:15,479
It put us on center stage.
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00:11:15,512 --> 00:11:17,916
I don't think
that loaded guns is the way
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00:11:17,949 --> 00:11:19,950
to solve a problem
that should be solved
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00:11:19,983 --> 00:11:21,819
between people of good will.
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00:11:21,852 --> 00:11:24,389
And anyone who would approve
of this kind of demonstration
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00:11:24,421 --> 00:11:25,389
must be out of their mind.
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00:11:31,127 --> 00:11:33,397
When I
heard about Sacramento,
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00:11:33,430 --> 00:11:37,502
I was like, damn,
these brothers are bad.
219
00:11:37,535 --> 00:11:40,538
They're here up in Sacramento,
in the capital, packing?
220
00:11:48,211 --> 00:11:52,015
The boldness,
the courageousness about it,
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00:11:52,049 --> 00:11:56,721
the arrogance of it... that put
a whole new face on things.
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00:11:56,753 --> 00:11:59,423
I said man, I want to be part
of this, whatever that is.
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00:12:04,060 --> 00:12:05,863
Yeah, I
walked into the office
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00:12:05,896 --> 00:12:08,700
and told them I wanted to
join the Black Panther Party,
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00:12:08,733 --> 00:12:11,902
and they kind of laughed.
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00:12:11,935 --> 00:12:14,705
I didn't know that there
were any other women
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00:12:14,738 --> 00:12:17,675
in the party at that time.
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00:12:17,708 --> 00:12:19,810
But then I asked them,
could I have a gun?
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00:12:22,246 --> 00:12:24,415
I was a
student at Lincoln University
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00:12:24,448 --> 00:12:27,518
outside Philly when I first
heard about the Black Panther
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00:12:27,550 --> 00:12:28,618
Party.
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00:12:28,651 --> 00:12:32,690
I found my friend, John
Huggins, and I said,
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00:12:32,723 --> 00:12:35,560
we need to leave
this stupid campus.
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00:12:35,593 --> 00:12:37,027
We have work to do.
235
00:12:37,060 --> 00:12:40,498
We got in John Huggins'
little hooptie car
236
00:12:40,531 --> 00:12:44,035
and we drove across the
country from New York,
237
00:12:44,068 --> 00:12:45,670
and when we got
to the west coast
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00:12:45,703 --> 00:12:49,607
we joined the Black
Panther Party.
239
00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,643
What we
want, what we believe.
240
00:12:52,675 --> 00:12:55,012
Point
number one, we want freedom.
241
00:12:55,046 --> 00:12:57,248
We
want decent housing.
242
00:12:57,281 --> 00:12:59,584
We want an
an education for our people.
243
00:12:59,617 --> 00:13:01,319
We
want an immediate end
244
00:13:01,352 --> 00:13:02,653
to police brutality.
245
00:13:02,685 --> 00:13:04,855
People joined
for all kinds of reasons,
246
00:13:04,888 --> 00:13:08,792
but the Panthers have a 10 point
platform or program that really
247
00:13:08,825 --> 00:13:12,262
was sort of like the fundamental
sort of organizing tool
248
00:13:12,296 --> 00:13:13,464
and orientation tool.
249
00:13:17,334 --> 00:13:19,536
The civil
rights movement was basically
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00:13:19,570 --> 00:13:20,872
a southern movement.
251
00:13:20,905 --> 00:13:23,174
So when you had an
organization like the Panthers
252
00:13:23,206 --> 00:13:26,943
who were taking on things like
housing and welfare and health,
253
00:13:26,977 --> 00:13:28,579
that was stuff that
people in the north
254
00:13:28,612 --> 00:13:31,549
could relate to
and rally behind.
255
00:13:31,581 --> 00:13:33,016
Our attack was not
256
00:13:33,050 --> 00:13:35,319
only against white
supremacy, but it was also
257
00:13:35,352 --> 00:13:36,687
about capitalism.
258
00:13:36,719 --> 00:13:40,724
We actually thought that the
way in which capitalism created
259
00:13:40,757 --> 00:13:44,528
a working class that was
kept absolutely destitute...
260
00:13:44,561 --> 00:13:45,796
was that was wrong.
261
00:13:45,829 --> 00:13:48,833
So we took the position
that in order for us to free,
262
00:13:48,866 --> 00:13:50,368
that system had
to be dismantled.
263
00:13:50,401 --> 00:13:53,371
We could not be free in a
system that had oppressed us
264
00:13:53,403 --> 00:13:54,438
in the first place.
265
00:13:54,472 --> 00:13:55,940
So you have to get
rid of that system.
266
00:14:01,112 --> 00:14:03,247
We were
not after the church folks.
267
00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,049
We were not after
the Muslim folks.
268
00:14:05,081 --> 00:14:06,550
We wanted the brother
on the corner,
269
00:14:06,584 --> 00:14:09,119
the brother who's getting his
head banged in every weekend
270
00:14:09,152 --> 00:14:10,320
by the police.
271
00:14:10,353 --> 00:14:12,623
We wanted the brother who
was going to jail... just
272
00:14:12,656 --> 00:14:14,758
snatched out of this
car for a traffic ticket
273
00:14:14,791 --> 00:14:15,926
because he was black.
274
00:14:15,959 --> 00:14:16,894
That's who we were after.
275
00:14:19,597 --> 00:14:24,635
We get
calls from Atlanta, Nashville,
276
00:14:24,667 --> 00:14:29,606
Raleigh, North Carolina, from
Washington, DC, Bridgeport,
277
00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,044
Connecticut... every city,
small or large, you could think
278
00:14:33,076 --> 00:14:35,745
of wanted a chapter of
the Black Panther Party.
279
00:14:47,925 --> 00:14:50,995
We would send members
of the organization
280
00:14:51,027 --> 00:14:55,700
to help connect them to us.
281
00:14:55,733 --> 00:14:57,568
But it was destabilizing
in the sense
282
00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,037
that it was somewhat chaotic,
the way the party was growing.
283
00:15:01,070 --> 00:15:05,075
And it was too fast and too big.
284
00:15:05,108 --> 00:15:07,078
There
was no screening process.
285
00:15:07,110 --> 00:15:08,578
There was no, why are you here?
286
00:15:08,612 --> 00:15:10,748
What do you expect to have
happen while you're here?
287
00:15:10,781 --> 00:15:12,150
What are you trying
to accomplish?
288
00:15:12,182 --> 00:15:13,850
There was none of that.
289
00:15:13,883 --> 00:15:16,720
Members came from whoever
just came in off the street.
290
00:15:16,753 --> 00:15:19,223
The downside, of course,
was we had no idea who
291
00:15:19,256 --> 00:15:22,593
any of these people were.
292
00:15:22,626 --> 00:15:24,862
We didn't have time for a
whole lot of, who are you?
293
00:15:24,895 --> 00:15:26,264
What are you doing?
294
00:15:26,296 --> 00:15:27,632
We need... you want to do this?
295
00:15:27,665 --> 00:15:28,065
Fine.
296
00:15:28,098 --> 00:15:28,466
Here.
297
00:15:28,498 --> 00:15:28,899
Go.
298
00:15:33,671 --> 00:15:35,339
This week on
"Firing Line", my guest
299
00:15:35,372 --> 00:15:37,642
is Mr. Eldridge Cleaver,
the information minister
300
00:15:37,675 --> 00:15:40,611
of the Black Panthers.
301
00:15:40,643 --> 00:15:43,013
Eldridge Cleaver
comes out with this book,
302
00:15:43,046 --> 00:15:47,618
"Soul on Ice," a series
of his essays from prison,
303
00:15:47,651 --> 00:15:50,353
and the New York Times
says that it's brilliant,
304
00:15:50,387 --> 00:15:53,123
it gets on to
the best seller list.
305
00:15:53,156 --> 00:15:55,626
So when Eldridge
joined the Panthers,
306
00:15:55,658 --> 00:15:57,060
the Panthers had
gotten themselves
307
00:15:57,094 --> 00:15:58,963
a star, a literary star.
308
00:15:58,996 --> 00:16:00,364
I've been called
309
00:16:00,397 --> 00:16:03,568
by the National Review, the
of the Black
310
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:04,834
Panther Party.
311
00:16:04,868 --> 00:16:07,872
And all of this is an attempt
to undermine the party
312
00:16:07,905 --> 00:16:12,843
or to give it a bad
presentation to the public.
313
00:16:12,876 --> 00:16:15,613
Huey Newton always
had this vision.
314
00:16:15,646 --> 00:16:17,882
He was the visionary
of the party.
315
00:16:17,915 --> 00:16:21,084
Bobby Seale, he had
the personality.
316
00:16:21,118 --> 00:16:23,353
Eldridge Cleaver
was the person who
317
00:16:23,387 --> 00:16:27,291
made the party credible
to black intellectuals,
318
00:16:27,324 --> 00:16:30,394
to the white, left
intellectuals.
319
00:16:30,426 --> 00:16:34,197
You know, all of them
loved Eldridge Cleaver.
320
00:16:34,230 --> 00:16:35,966
They understood what
he was talking about,
321
00:16:35,999 --> 00:16:38,802
or at least they
thought they did.
322
00:16:38,835 --> 00:16:41,272
Eldridge
had this incredible ability
323
00:16:41,305 --> 00:16:43,774
to encapsulate a thought
in a few sentences
324
00:16:43,806 --> 00:16:47,677
and form it into an artistic
statement that pointed right...
325
00:16:47,710 --> 00:16:49,846
that stabbed right into
the heart of the enemy,
326
00:16:49,879 --> 00:16:51,181
and he did that all of the time.
327
00:16:53,383 --> 00:16:54,851
Now, was he always correct?
328
00:16:54,884 --> 00:16:56,253
No.
329
00:16:56,286 --> 00:16:59,390
And I say that Ronald Reagan is
a punk, a sissy, and a coward,
330
00:16:59,422 --> 00:17:01,858
and I challenge him to a duel.
331
00:17:01,892 --> 00:17:03,861
I challenge him.
332
00:17:03,893 --> 00:17:08,598
I challenge him to a duel
to the death or until he
333
00:17:08,632 --> 00:17:11,102
says Uncle Eldridge.
334
00:17:11,134 --> 00:17:12,769
Was he insane?
335
00:17:12,803 --> 00:17:14,005
Fuck yeah.
336
00:17:14,037 --> 00:17:17,540
That boy was crazy, and he
got a lot of people hurt.
337
00:17:17,574 --> 00:17:19,977
And I give him his
choice of weapon.
338
00:17:20,009 --> 00:17:23,446
He could use a gun, a knife, a
baseball bat or a marshmallow,
339
00:17:23,479 --> 00:17:25,583
and I'll beat him to death
with the marshmallow.
340
00:17:25,615 --> 00:17:28,752
That's how I feel
about him, see?
341
00:17:28,786 --> 00:17:30,654
Now see,
they are not going
342
00:17:30,688 --> 00:17:34,492
to be able to control Eldridge.
343
00:17:34,525 --> 00:17:38,929
Eldridge was a Rottweiler,
uncontrollable personality.
344
00:17:38,961 --> 00:17:41,331
Who could be in an
organization with Eldridge
345
00:17:41,364 --> 00:17:43,300
and he not be the leader?
346
00:17:43,334 --> 00:17:43,735
Nobody.
347
00:17:46,870 --> 00:17:48,339
And that's basically
how it ended up.
348
00:18:01,117 --> 00:18:02,986
A pool of blood marks
349
00:18:03,019 --> 00:18:06,856
the spot where 23-year-old
officer John Frey was found
350
00:18:06,890 --> 00:18:09,427
fatally wounded
from four gunshots.
351
00:18:09,459 --> 00:18:11,394
The shooting happened
at 5:00 AM,
352
00:18:11,428 --> 00:18:14,498
approximately where I'm
standing, on 7th Street
353
00:18:14,530 --> 00:18:17,834
in the heart of
Oakland's Negro ghetto.
354
00:18:17,867 --> 00:18:20,337
The suspect, charged with
murder and attempted murder,
355
00:18:20,371 --> 00:18:23,474
is Huey Newton, 25-year-old
leader of the Black
356
00:18:23,507 --> 00:18:25,875
Panthers for Self Defense.
357
00:18:25,909 --> 00:18:28,278
Newton is hospitalized
in serious condition
358
00:18:28,312 --> 00:18:31,349
and under heavy guard.
359
00:18:31,382 --> 00:18:33,817
We went up to Highland
Hospital and it
360
00:18:33,851 --> 00:18:37,888
looked like every police
in America was there.
361
00:18:37,921 --> 00:18:43,827
We didn't know for sure
if Huey was dead or alive.
362
00:18:43,861 --> 00:18:45,062
We didn't sleep that night.
363
00:18:45,094 --> 00:18:46,631
Nobody slept that
night, I don't think.
364
00:18:50,433 --> 00:18:51,868
As
he was handcuffed
365
00:18:51,901 --> 00:18:55,873
to a gurney going into surgery,
he was arrested for murder
366
00:18:55,905 --> 00:18:57,642
and expected to face execution.
367
00:19:01,144 --> 00:19:02,747
A lot of the other Panthers were
368
00:19:02,779 --> 00:19:07,117
in jail because of the protests
that they'd done in Sacramento,
369
00:19:07,151 --> 00:19:11,689
so Eldridge was the only
available spokesperson
370
00:19:11,721 --> 00:19:14,057
for the Black Panther Party.
371
00:19:14,091 --> 00:19:15,760
The
Black Panther Party
372
00:19:15,793 --> 00:19:19,296
demands that
Huey P. Newton be set free,
373
00:19:19,328 --> 00:19:21,765
and we wish to
make it very clear
374
00:19:21,798 --> 00:19:23,933
that if he is
not set free, there
375
00:19:23,967 --> 00:19:27,036
is little hope of
avoiding open, armed war
376
00:19:27,069 --> 00:19:31,141
on the streets of California
and sweeping across this nation.
377
00:19:31,174 --> 00:19:32,942
We said, well, Huey's in jail.
378
00:19:32,976 --> 00:19:34,311
He's facing the death penalty.
379
00:19:34,344 --> 00:19:36,380
What can we do?
380
00:19:36,412 --> 00:19:39,650
I think the initial slogan
was Huey must be set free.
381
00:19:39,682 --> 00:19:43,653
Eventually it got
shortened to free Huey.
382
00:19:43,687 --> 00:19:46,157
Black is beautiful.
383
00:19:46,190 --> 00:19:47,158
Free Huey!
384
00:19:47,190 --> 00:19:49,626
Set our warrior free.
385
00:19:49,660 --> 00:19:50,628
Free Huey!
386
00:19:50,661 --> 00:19:53,096
Black is beautiful.
387
00:19:53,130 --> 00:19:54,565
Free Huey!
388
00:19:54,597 --> 00:19:56,533
Set our warrior free.
389
00:19:56,566 --> 00:19:58,134
Free Huey!
390
00:19:58,168 --> 00:20:00,405
It became a huge movement.
391
00:20:03,774 --> 00:20:04,909
Free Huey!
392
00:20:04,941 --> 00:20:07,377
Black is beautiful.
393
00:20:07,411 --> 00:20:08,845
Free Huey!
394
00:20:08,879 --> 00:20:11,315
Set our warrior free.
395
00:20:11,347 --> 00:20:12,315
Free Huey!
396
00:20:12,348 --> 00:20:14,784
Black is beautiful.
397
00:20:14,817 --> 00:20:15,752
Free Huey!
398
00:20:15,786 --> 00:20:17,720
Set our warrior free.
399
00:20:17,754 --> 00:20:18,689
Free Huey!
400
00:20:18,721 --> 00:20:19,789
Today there
401
00:20:19,823 --> 00:20:21,358
were a number of free
Huey Newton rallies
402
00:20:21,391 --> 00:20:22,726
across the nation.
403
00:20:22,758 --> 00:20:26,363
You did not have to be a member
of the Black Panther Party.
404
00:20:26,395 --> 00:20:28,699
All you had to be
was a human being.
405
00:20:28,731 --> 00:20:32,235
People of all kinds took
up that cry, Free Huey.
406
00:20:41,745 --> 00:20:43,981
The Examiner
made a report back here
407
00:20:44,014 --> 00:20:46,817
in the last Sunday's paper
that we were anti-white,
408
00:20:46,850 --> 00:20:49,219
that we hold no bones...
this is a quote... hold
409
00:20:49,253 --> 00:20:52,223
no, pick no bones
about being anti-white.
410
00:20:52,256 --> 00:20:54,859
This is a bold faced lie.
411
00:20:54,892 --> 00:20:57,260
We don't hate nobody
because of their color.
412
00:20:57,294 --> 00:20:59,330
We hate oppression.
413
00:20:59,363 --> 00:21:04,067
We hate murder of black
people in our communities.
414
00:21:04,101 --> 00:21:05,835
The people just turned out.
415
00:21:05,869 --> 00:21:08,172
They wanted to help us, they
wanted to give us money,
416
00:21:08,205 --> 00:21:09,473
they wanted us to come speak.
417
00:21:09,506 --> 00:21:14,378
It was this gathering
of connection
418
00:21:14,411 --> 00:21:17,046
to the Black Panthers that
was different to before.
419
00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,718
We've
got to free Huey.
420
00:21:20,750 --> 00:21:24,654
We've got to free Huey.
421
00:21:24,688 --> 00:21:28,092
We've got to free Huey.
422
00:21:28,124 --> 00:21:30,527
We've got to free Huey.
423
00:21:30,561 --> 00:21:31,996
Everybody!
424
00:21:32,028 --> 00:21:34,931
We've got to free Huey.
425
00:21:34,965 --> 00:21:36,334
We've got to free Huey.
426
00:21:42,338 --> 00:21:46,576
We were a phenomenon... the way
427
00:21:46,610 --> 00:21:51,048
that we walked and
talked and dressed.
428
00:21:51,081 --> 00:21:51,716
We had swagger.
429
00:22:00,123 --> 00:22:02,258
It was a rhythm.
430
00:22:02,292 --> 00:22:04,862
It was a rhythm to how we spoke.
431
00:22:04,894 --> 00:22:06,663
It was a rhythm
to how we walked,
432
00:22:06,697 --> 00:22:08,565
and the people recognized it.
433
00:22:08,598 --> 00:22:11,534
We stood out.
434
00:22:11,567 --> 00:22:14,637
Outside of that, on the street,
they'd... ooh that's a butt ugly
435
00:22:14,671 --> 00:22:15,205
person.
436
00:22:15,238 --> 00:22:16,440
Ooh, they ugly.
437
00:22:16,472 --> 00:22:20,877
But in the Party it was just
something that gave them
438
00:22:20,911 --> 00:22:22,479
this tremendous sex appeal.
439
00:22:28,485 --> 00:22:30,888
The Panthers
didn't invent the idea of black
440
00:22:30,921 --> 00:22:32,189
is beautiful.
441
00:22:32,221 --> 00:22:35,491
People had started wearing
afros and dashikis...
442
00:22:35,525 --> 00:22:37,061
but one of the things
the Panthers did
443
00:22:37,094 --> 00:22:40,930
was that urban
black is beautiful,
444
00:22:40,963 --> 00:22:45,068
and that look just
blew people away.
445
00:22:45,102 --> 00:22:47,638
If you were a young
black man living in the city
446
00:22:47,671 --> 00:22:49,606
anywhere, you wanted
to be like this.
447
00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,075
You wanted to dress like this,
you wanted to act like this,
448
00:22:52,109 --> 00:22:53,344
you wanted to talk like this.
449
00:22:53,376 --> 00:22:54,544
You wanted to be this.
450
00:22:54,577 --> 00:22:56,412
It's a standard of
aggressiveness, of militance,
451
00:22:56,446 --> 00:23:00,718
of just forcefulness that's
the sort of standard we
452
00:23:00,750 --> 00:23:01,685
haven't had in the past.
453
00:23:09,191 --> 00:23:10,960
But figuratively
speaking, you're
454
00:23:10,994 --> 00:23:12,863
not about to become a Panther.
455
00:23:12,895 --> 00:23:13,830
No.
456
00:23:13,863 --> 00:23:15,699
Not today or
tomorrow, at any rate.
457
00:23:15,731 --> 00:23:17,000
Maybe the day after.
458
00:23:29,011 --> 00:23:31,381
This brother here,
myself, all of us
459
00:23:31,414 --> 00:23:32,915
were born with
our hair like this,
460
00:23:32,949 --> 00:23:35,518
and we just wear it like this.
461
00:23:35,552 --> 00:23:37,087
The reason for it,
you might say,
462
00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,757
is like a new awareness
among black people
463
00:23:39,789 --> 00:23:41,892
that their own
natural appearance...
464
00:23:41,924 --> 00:23:44,228
physical appearance,
is beautiful.
465
00:23:44,260 --> 00:23:46,430
Black people are aware now.
466
00:23:46,462 --> 00:23:47,498
They're proud of it.
467
00:23:47,530 --> 00:23:49,132
It's pleasing to them.
468
00:23:49,165 --> 00:23:49,799
Dig it?
469
00:23:49,833 --> 00:23:51,000
Isn't it beautiful?
470
00:23:51,034 --> 00:23:52,002
All right.
471
00:24:06,917 --> 00:24:08,385
You're
472
00:24:08,418 --> 00:24:12,022
talking about people who
are teenagers... 17, 18, 19,
473
00:24:12,055 --> 00:24:15,359
20... that's the bulk of
the Panthers are teenagers.
474
00:24:15,392 --> 00:24:17,795
So the fact that
we were so young
475
00:24:17,827 --> 00:24:20,129
and the fact that this
hadn't happened before... I'm
476
00:24:20,162 --> 00:24:23,666
not certain that we
recognized how startling it
477
00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:25,169
looked to other people.
478
00:24:28,671 --> 00:24:30,106
Dear Mr. Newton,
479
00:24:30,140 --> 00:24:33,877
I'm a 13-year-old black girl and
I want to be a Black Panther.
480
00:24:33,910 --> 00:24:36,080
I wish you would fill me in.
481
00:24:36,113 --> 00:24:38,782
Does it matter what
your religion is?
482
00:24:38,815 --> 00:24:41,919
What are some qualifications
to be a Black Panther?
483
00:24:41,951 --> 00:24:45,655
PS... write me back personally.
484
00:24:45,689 --> 00:24:47,091
I was taught
485
00:24:47,123 --> 00:24:50,059
to be proper... behave yourself.
486
00:24:50,093 --> 00:24:52,462
You're going out in
public, to always know
487
00:24:52,496 --> 00:24:55,099
that the white
man was listening.
488
00:24:55,132 --> 00:24:58,267
With the Black Panthers
coming to the scene,
489
00:24:58,301 --> 00:25:02,473
it was just a completely
different message.
490
00:25:02,506 --> 00:25:05,809
As a 12-year-old,
you know... what?
491
00:25:05,842 --> 00:25:10,280
You had this whole
other portrayal of self,
492
00:25:10,313 --> 00:25:11,982
and just digging it.
493
00:25:17,888 --> 00:25:20,324
Photographers took advantage.
494
00:25:20,356 --> 00:25:21,624
I mean, they took our pictures.
495
00:25:21,658 --> 00:25:22,926
They put them on newspapers.
496
00:25:22,959 --> 00:25:24,527
They put them on magazines.
497
00:25:24,561 --> 00:25:27,865
And that look that we
projected... you know,
498
00:25:27,898 --> 00:25:30,334
the big Afro, the
leather jacket,
499
00:25:30,366 --> 00:25:32,635
the shades... that became a hit.
500
00:25:36,038 --> 00:25:40,610
And obviously, photographers
were drawn to the Panthers.
501
00:25:40,643 --> 00:25:43,447
Well, we hear a great deal
about the Black Panthers.
502
00:25:43,479 --> 00:25:44,413
Black Panthers.
503
00:25:44,447 --> 00:25:45,114
Black Panthers.
504
00:25:45,148 --> 00:25:46,183
The Black Panthers.
505
00:25:46,216 --> 00:25:49,486
The Black Panthers
were absolutely unique.
506
00:25:49,518 --> 00:25:50,586
The Black Panthers.
507
00:25:50,620 --> 00:25:51,588
The Black Panthers.
508
00:25:51,621 --> 00:25:52,723
Black Panthers.
509
00:25:52,756 --> 00:25:53,422
The Black Panther Party.
510
00:25:53,456 --> 00:25:54,525
Black Panther movement.
511
00:25:54,557 --> 00:25:55,526
Black Panther Party.
512
00:25:55,558 --> 00:25:57,094
Black Panthers.
513
00:25:57,126 --> 00:26:00,563
I think the Black Panthers
really understood the media.
514
00:26:00,596 --> 00:26:01,764
They knew what we were after.
515
00:26:01,797 --> 00:26:06,536
They knew what we
were focusing on.
516
00:26:06,569 --> 00:26:08,004
The Panthers has amounted to...
517
00:26:08,037 --> 00:26:09,238
The Black Panther Party.
518
00:26:09,271 --> 00:26:10,640
Many people know
of the Panthers.
519
00:26:10,673 --> 00:26:13,876
You might say
that we exploited the Black
520
00:26:13,910 --> 00:26:14,911
Panthers.
521
00:26:14,944 --> 00:26:16,646
But I think there's
a lot of evidence
522
00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,683
that they used us
to their advantage.
523
00:26:20,717 --> 00:26:24,755
They were able to
establish their legitimacy
524
00:26:24,787 --> 00:26:25,955
as a voice of protest.
525
00:26:25,988 --> 00:26:27,857
The Chairman of the
Black Panther Party.
526
00:26:27,891 --> 00:26:29,293
And here he is.
527
00:26:35,798 --> 00:26:37,934
We have a film of your
breakfast program.
528
00:26:37,968 --> 00:26:39,670
Is this without sound also?
529
00:26:39,702 --> 00:26:40,937
Yeah.
530
00:26:40,970 --> 00:26:41,438
I think so.
531
00:26:41,470 --> 00:26:42,471
All right.
532
00:26:42,505 --> 00:26:43,473
Would you... would
you comment on this?
533
00:26:43,506 --> 00:26:43,908
Yes.
534
00:26:50,447 --> 00:26:51,882
Yeah, this
535
00:26:51,914 --> 00:26:54,851
is a free breakfast
for children program,
536
00:26:54,884 --> 00:26:57,253
and they're preparing the food
there early in the morning.
537
00:26:57,286 --> 00:26:59,488
It's about two hours
work in the morning.
538
00:26:59,521 --> 00:27:01,891
These party members primarily
set this whole program up,
539
00:27:01,924 --> 00:27:04,193
and then we get involved as
many of the community people
540
00:27:04,227 --> 00:27:07,064
as we can.
541
00:27:07,096 --> 00:27:09,565
Who all wants tea?
542
00:27:09,598 --> 00:27:11,067
Put more tea in, little brother.
543
00:27:11,101 --> 00:27:12,202
Come on it, little sister.
544
00:27:12,235 --> 00:27:15,171
Y'all can sit down and
get something to eat.
545
00:27:15,205 --> 00:27:16,740
Studies
came out saying
546
00:27:16,773 --> 00:27:19,343
that children that didn't have
a good breakfast in the morning
547
00:27:19,375 --> 00:27:22,144
were less attentive at school
and less inclined to do well
548
00:27:22,178 --> 00:27:23,814
and suffered from fatigue.
549
00:27:23,846 --> 00:27:27,283
I mean, there was all
sorts of scientific reasons
550
00:27:27,316 --> 00:27:30,887
to have a good breakfast
in the morning.
551
00:27:30,921 --> 00:27:34,423
And we just simply
took that information,
552
00:27:34,457 --> 00:27:37,428
and a program was developed
serving breakfast to children.
553
00:27:40,796 --> 00:27:43,633
After my
father came home from Vietnam
554
00:27:43,667 --> 00:27:46,403
and was discharged from the
army and couldn't get work,
555
00:27:46,436 --> 00:27:48,705
we were going through
a very hard time.
556
00:27:48,738 --> 00:27:52,609
Food was kind of... you know,
just the everyday necessities
557
00:27:52,642 --> 00:27:54,143
were hard.
558
00:27:54,177 --> 00:27:56,947
I was embarrassed to
go, but when you went,
559
00:27:56,979 --> 00:28:00,750
you know, kids are all laughing,
and then all of a sudden
560
00:28:00,784 --> 00:28:03,085
the stigma... or
whatever you thought
561
00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,055
was the stigma... went
away, and you really
562
00:28:06,088 --> 00:28:09,792
got to see that yes, this is
what the Black Panthers are.
563
00:28:15,765 --> 00:28:18,134
We were showing
love for our people.
564
00:28:18,168 --> 00:28:20,671
You know, if you have a
child, if you'd know that hey,
565
00:28:20,703 --> 00:28:23,906
these men and women are going
to feed my child in the morning,
566
00:28:23,940 --> 00:28:24,807
that's a big deal.
567
00:28:31,715 --> 00:28:34,117
The breakfast
program actually really caught
568
00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:35,084
on.
569
00:28:35,117 --> 00:28:37,653
It served about
20,000 meals a week
570
00:28:37,687 --> 00:28:40,958
to young people in 19
different communities.
571
00:28:40,990 --> 00:28:43,359
So it wasn't a fly
by night thing.
572
00:28:43,392 --> 00:28:45,796
It really, actually was
making a difference.
573
00:28:55,171 --> 00:28:57,708
Just at the moment
that the Panthers are turning
574
00:28:57,740 --> 00:29:00,509
toward survival programs...
towards free breakfast
575
00:29:00,543 --> 00:29:03,046
programs, free clinics,
and free food programs that
576
00:29:03,078 --> 00:29:05,081
will help them reconnect
with the black community
577
00:29:05,114 --> 00:29:08,919
and build their membership,
and repudiating this earlier
578
00:29:08,951 --> 00:29:12,055
advocacy of armed self
defense and police patrols...
579
00:29:12,087 --> 00:29:14,223
J Edgar Hoover
attacks the Panthers.
580
00:29:19,328 --> 00:29:23,599
Hoover saw any form of
black organizing as a threat
581
00:29:23,632 --> 00:29:26,402
to the status quo as he saw it.
582
00:29:26,436 --> 00:29:28,605
Change that would have
involved equality,
583
00:29:28,638 --> 00:29:30,707
that would have put power
in black people's hands,
584
00:29:30,739 --> 00:29:34,643
was very much a
threat to Hoover.
585
00:29:34,677 --> 00:29:37,781
He started something
called COINTELPRO,
586
00:29:37,814 --> 00:29:41,517
directed against what he called
black nationalist hate groups.
587
00:29:41,551 --> 00:29:45,255
COINTELPRO was the abbreviation
of Counter
588
00:29:45,287 --> 00:29:47,591
Intelligence Program.
589
00:29:47,623 --> 00:29:49,759
The purpose of this new
590
00:29:49,793 --> 00:29:54,598
counterintelligence endeavour is
to expose, disrupt, misdirect,
591
00:29:54,631 --> 00:29:57,934
discredit or otherwise
neutralize the activities
592
00:29:57,967 --> 00:30:00,504
of black nationalists.
593
00:30:00,536 --> 00:30:02,104
Neutralize could
594
00:30:02,138 --> 00:30:05,042
mean making somebody
an informant
595
00:30:05,075 --> 00:30:08,644
or putting somebody in jail
or having somebody killed.
596
00:30:13,048 --> 00:30:18,055
Hoover was sending
letters to various offices
597
00:30:18,087 --> 00:30:21,257
almost on a weekly basis
to come up with new ideas
598
00:30:21,290 --> 00:30:24,594
to go after members of
the Black Panther Party.
599
00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,304
245 of the
290 COINTELPRO actions
600
00:30:34,336 --> 00:30:37,306
were against the Black Panthers.
601
00:30:37,340 --> 00:30:40,677
One of the mandates was do
not make this program public.
602
00:30:40,709 --> 00:30:44,847
Do not tell anybody
that it exists.
603
00:30:44,881 --> 00:30:47,584
FBI has
a memo that states
604
00:30:47,616 --> 00:30:52,555
the objectives of
counterintelligence operations.
605
00:30:52,588 --> 00:30:55,124
One is to prevent
the rise of what
606
00:30:55,158 --> 00:30:58,328
they call the black messiah... a
single charismatic leader that
607
00:30:58,361 --> 00:31:00,497
could unify the movement.
608
00:31:00,529 --> 00:31:05,201
They want to prevent the appeal
of radical political movement
609
00:31:05,235 --> 00:31:09,473
to black youth, and
they wanted to isolate
610
00:31:09,506 --> 00:31:12,476
these groups to prevent them
from gaining respectability
611
00:31:12,508 --> 00:31:13,876
in the black community.
612
00:31:13,910 --> 00:31:18,648
And they were very explicit
in stating these goals.
613
00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:20,584
We were followed every day.
614
00:31:20,616 --> 00:31:21,784
We were harassed.
615
00:31:21,817 --> 00:31:24,386
Our phones were tapped.
616
00:31:24,420 --> 00:31:27,224
Our families were harassed.
617
00:31:27,257 --> 00:31:30,927
My parents were both
visited by the FBI.
618
00:31:30,959 --> 00:31:33,130
We must create suspicion
619
00:31:33,162 --> 00:31:35,664
with respect to their
respective spouses,
620
00:31:35,698 --> 00:31:37,934
and your imagination
and resourcefulness
621
00:31:37,967 --> 00:31:41,104
must be employed in order for
the Bureau to be successful.
622
00:31:43,805 --> 00:31:46,977
They would
send letters to my wife,
623
00:31:47,009 --> 00:31:49,145
and the letters
would say that Landon
624
00:31:49,179 --> 00:31:51,648
is sleeping with this woman
or sleeping with that woman
625
00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,183
or sleeping with
the other women.
626
00:31:54,217 --> 00:31:57,153
Then when I got arrested,
the FBI came to me and said,
627
00:31:57,187 --> 00:31:57,954
ha, look.
628
00:31:57,987 --> 00:31:59,156
We've got all this evidence.
629
00:31:59,189 --> 00:32:01,925
All these people are gonna
flip and turn on you.
630
00:32:01,958 --> 00:32:04,527
We're gonna execute you,
because we got you now.
631
00:32:04,561 --> 00:32:05,929
We're going to execute you.
632
00:32:05,961 --> 00:32:14,270
But if you will be an informant
for us, then we'll let you go.
633
00:32:14,304 --> 00:32:16,006
My
recruitment by the FBI
634
00:32:16,038 --> 00:32:19,408
was very efficient...
very simple, really.
635
00:32:19,441 --> 00:32:23,613
I'd stolen a car and went
joyriding over the state limit,
636
00:32:23,645 --> 00:32:27,082
and they had a potential
case against me,
637
00:32:27,115 --> 00:32:30,886
and I was looking for an
opportunity to work it out.
638
00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,757
And a couple of months
later that opportunity
639
00:32:33,789 --> 00:32:38,027
came when the FBI agent
Roy Mitchell asked me to,
640
00:32:38,061 --> 00:32:41,531
go down to the local office
of the Black Panther Party
641
00:32:41,564 --> 00:32:45,134
and try to, gain membership.
642
00:32:45,168 --> 00:32:47,737
The FBI wanted to
destroy the Panthers.
643
00:32:47,769 --> 00:32:52,575
They absolutely saw the
Panthers as the vanguard
644
00:32:52,609 --> 00:32:58,915
of a very, very threatening and
violent revolutionary movement.
645
00:32:58,948 --> 00:33:02,686
They absolutely wanted this
organization to be destroyed.
646
00:33:05,455 --> 00:33:10,327
The FBI was coming around
my mother-in-law and my wife,
647
00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:14,798
and for me to stop
that kind of activity,
648
00:33:14,831 --> 00:33:17,901
I stopped going home,
and a lot of other people
649
00:33:17,933 --> 00:33:21,805
did also, to protect
their families.
650
00:33:21,837 --> 00:33:24,840
You could kind of in a sense say
that we abandoned our families
651
00:33:24,873 --> 00:33:25,709
for the Panther Party.
652
00:33:28,311 --> 00:33:30,247
You might have a
three bedroom apartment
653
00:33:30,279 --> 00:33:32,449
that might have 10 Panthers
staying there and sharing
654
00:33:32,481 --> 00:33:33,616
bedrooms.
655
00:33:33,650 --> 00:33:36,419
The living room was
basically also a bedroom.
656
00:33:36,451 --> 00:33:38,387
We
called them Panther pads.
657
00:33:38,421 --> 00:33:41,056
Somebody would be
on 24 hour security.
658
00:33:41,090 --> 00:33:43,893
Somebody was responsible
for cleaning the place.
659
00:33:43,926 --> 00:33:48,598
Often it was a rotating
list of responsibilities.
660
00:33:48,631 --> 00:33:50,867
It was a sense of
community that we created.
661
00:34:11,087 --> 00:34:13,456
The rank and file was
the every day members
662
00:34:13,489 --> 00:34:16,726
that did the daily
work of the Party.
663
00:34:16,759 --> 00:34:18,527
They the ones that
made the Party,
664
00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,997
the back breakers, the ones
you put all the work on.
665
00:34:30,038 --> 00:34:32,341
Panthers realized
we have to live together
666
00:34:32,375 --> 00:34:34,244
to protect one
another, and we have
667
00:34:34,277 --> 00:34:38,348
to also be committed to
this thing, to this cause,
668
00:34:38,381 --> 00:34:42,085
to this movement,
24 hours a day.
669
00:34:42,118 --> 00:34:43,820
The rank and file...
670
00:34:43,852 --> 00:34:46,121
whatever orders that came
down from our captains
671
00:34:46,154 --> 00:34:49,625
and lieutenants, we did
that, because that spirit was
672
00:34:49,658 --> 00:34:53,562
in us to stay in this
movement to our death,
673
00:34:53,596 --> 00:34:55,332
or if it meant going to jail.
674
00:34:55,364 --> 00:34:57,600
So whatever they told
us to do, we did it.
675
00:35:13,582 --> 00:35:15,517
I was in
labor, cooking breakfast
676
00:35:15,551 --> 00:35:19,288
for the breakfast program.
677
00:35:19,321 --> 00:35:23,425
So I was between contractions
flipping pancakes.
678
00:35:23,459 --> 00:35:25,194
I would spend all the day
679
00:35:25,227 --> 00:35:28,597
answering the phones, even after
I had my son, when I came back
680
00:35:28,631 --> 00:35:29,866
to work.
681
00:35:29,899 --> 00:35:31,634
I used to have to jump him
up and down really heavy,
682
00:35:31,667 --> 00:35:33,136
because it just
wouldn't stop crying
683
00:35:33,169 --> 00:35:34,270
as I'm answering the phone.
684
00:35:34,303 --> 00:35:35,270
You name it.
685
00:35:35,303 --> 00:35:37,840
I cleaned freezers
with a toothpick.
686
00:35:37,873 --> 00:35:40,009
And that's how I'd answer
the phone... Black Panther
687
00:35:40,042 --> 00:35:41,310
Party national headquarters.
688
00:35:41,343 --> 00:35:42,311
Black Panther Party
central headquarters.
689
00:35:42,344 --> 00:35:42,879
Can I help you?
690
00:36:00,096 --> 00:36:01,464
Dear Huey, when
691
00:36:01,497 --> 00:36:04,167
I joined the party I was
thrilled about becoming part
692
00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,803
of an organization that
believes in the quality of men
693
00:36:06,835 --> 00:36:08,538
and women.
694
00:36:08,571 --> 00:36:11,940
It bothers me that there are
brothers who still view women
695
00:36:11,973 --> 00:36:14,309
as sexual objects.
696
00:36:14,343 --> 00:36:16,578
We should have no men in
the Black Panther Party
697
00:36:16,611 --> 00:36:19,482
who feel this way... or
women, for that matter.
698
00:36:22,151 --> 00:36:24,486
One of the
ironies of the Black Panther
699
00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:28,792
Party is that the image is
the black male with the jacket
700
00:36:28,825 --> 00:36:32,227
and the gun, but the reality
is the majority of the rank
701
00:36:32,261 --> 00:36:35,665
and file at, by the end
of the '60s are women.
702
00:36:35,698 --> 00:36:38,368
Everybody knows that all the
people don't have liberties,
703
00:36:38,401 --> 00:36:40,437
all the people
don't have freedom,
704
00:36:40,469 --> 00:36:42,305
all the people
don't have justice,
705
00:36:42,337 --> 00:36:44,973
and all the people don't have
power, so that means none of us
706
00:36:45,006 --> 00:36:47,042
do.
707
00:36:47,076 --> 00:36:48,978
The Black
Panther Party certainly
708
00:36:49,011 --> 00:36:52,181
had a chauvinist
tone, and so we tried
709
00:36:52,214 --> 00:36:55,919
to change some of the
clear gender roles
710
00:36:55,951 --> 00:37:02,191
so that women had guns and men
cooked breakfast for children.
711
00:37:02,225 --> 00:37:03,125
Did we overcome it?
712
00:37:03,158 --> 00:37:04,294
Of course we didn't.
713
00:37:04,326 --> 00:37:06,094
As I like to say, we
didn't get these brothers
714
00:37:06,127 --> 00:37:08,230
from revolutionary heaven.
715
00:37:08,263 --> 00:37:10,165
"Black Panther Newspaper"?
716
00:37:10,198 --> 00:37:11,066
Panther paper!
717
00:37:21,277 --> 00:37:23,546
The paper was
the lifeblood of the Party.
718
00:37:23,578 --> 00:37:24,847
That's why we survived.
719
00:37:24,881 --> 00:37:27,917
We sold the papers
at $0.25 back then.
720
00:37:27,950 --> 00:37:30,018
It cost maybe $0.12 to print it.
721
00:37:30,051 --> 00:37:32,321
The other 12 and 1/2 cent
went to the various chapters
722
00:37:32,355 --> 00:37:33,756
and branches.
723
00:37:33,788 --> 00:37:35,658
That's how we
basically survived.
724
00:37:35,690 --> 00:37:37,192
The Party paper went
725
00:37:37,225 --> 00:37:40,762
places Party members would never
get to go to, and be reaching
726
00:37:40,796 --> 00:37:42,431
people we would never see.
727
00:37:42,464 --> 00:37:44,867
But the paper get there
some kind of way or other.
728
00:37:44,901 --> 00:37:47,370
So it was very important
to get the paper out.
729
00:37:47,402 --> 00:37:50,006
Los Angeles, 2,850.
730
00:37:50,038 --> 00:37:51,306
New Haven, 3,000.
731
00:37:51,339 --> 00:37:53,609
When we were
loading boxes or bundling
732
00:37:53,643 --> 00:37:54,777
papers or whatever
we were doing,
733
00:37:54,810 --> 00:37:56,446
we did it in an
assembly line fashion,
734
00:37:56,478 --> 00:37:58,747
and we would just start
singing, you know it.
735
00:37:58,781 --> 00:38:01,784
Ain't no mountain high enough.
736
00:38:01,817 --> 00:38:05,555
Ain't no valley low
enough to keep me
737
00:38:05,587 --> 00:38:10,125
from getting this paper to
you... or whatever we would do.
738
00:38:10,158 --> 00:38:11,994
We would change the
lyric just a little bit.
739
00:38:12,027 --> 00:38:13,663
You know...
It's your thing.
740
00:38:13,696 --> 00:38:15,297
Do what you want to do.
741
00:38:15,330 --> 00:38:18,267
Why do you keep tell me
what the... and then
742
00:38:18,301 --> 00:38:20,636
we'd say what to do.
743
00:38:20,669 --> 00:38:21,904
Panther paper!
744
00:38:21,937 --> 00:38:26,508
This man needs some help
with human beings.
745
00:38:26,542 --> 00:38:30,145
In the paper
everything came together.
746
00:38:30,178 --> 00:38:32,648
We had the platform... the ten
point platform was in there.
747
00:38:32,681 --> 00:38:34,149
You know, it was
the first thing you
748
00:38:34,183 --> 00:38:35,451
see when you open up the paper.
749
00:38:35,484 --> 00:38:37,719
We want an end to the
robbery by the white man
750
00:38:37,752 --> 00:38:38,921
of our black community.
751
00:38:38,955 --> 00:38:40,757
That's what we talking
about, like number 3.
752
00:38:40,790 --> 00:38:43,426
Number 4, we want decent housing
fit to shelter human beings.
753
00:38:43,459 --> 00:38:43,993
You dig?
754
00:38:44,026 --> 00:38:46,094
I can dig that.
755
00:38:46,127 --> 00:38:49,031
And it explained who we were
and what... what we were about,
756
00:38:49,064 --> 00:38:50,065
what our goals were.
757
00:38:50,098 --> 00:38:51,200
Tell me, ma'am.
758
00:38:51,232 --> 00:38:53,001
Do you read the Black
Panther Party newspaper?
759
00:38:53,035 --> 00:38:53,803
Yes I do.
760
00:38:53,835 --> 00:38:54,736
Why?
761
00:38:54,770 --> 00:38:57,040
Because I'm black
and I'm proud.
762
00:38:57,073 --> 00:38:59,042
What do you
like best about the paper?
763
00:38:59,075 --> 00:39:01,243
Because they're a proud
people and I love them.
764
00:39:12,288 --> 00:39:14,257
For me
there was only one reason
765
00:39:14,290 --> 00:39:16,392
to read the Panther
newspaper, and that was
766
00:39:16,424 --> 00:39:19,027
to see Emory's illustrations.
767
00:39:19,060 --> 00:39:22,497
His paintings, his
caricatures, his illustrations
768
00:39:22,531 --> 00:39:24,500
literally gave us the story.
769
00:39:33,676 --> 00:39:36,578
Well to me, you
would respond to the artwork
770
00:39:36,611 --> 00:39:40,916
because it was a reflection
of them in the artwork itself,
771
00:39:40,950 --> 00:39:43,419
because you were putting them
on the stage as the characters
772
00:39:43,451 --> 00:39:46,089
and the heroes in the images.
773
00:39:46,122 --> 00:39:48,558
They could see their brother,
or they could see their uncle
774
00:39:48,591 --> 00:39:49,392
in the images.
775
00:39:58,500 --> 00:40:00,937
Through the breakfast programs,
through the other programs
776
00:40:00,969 --> 00:40:02,738
that we had, the
health clinics, people
777
00:40:02,772 --> 00:40:05,308
come in and talk about how
they can't pay their bills
778
00:40:05,341 --> 00:40:11,513
or they need child care... that
teardrop symbolized that pain
779
00:40:11,547 --> 00:40:13,983
that I observed.
780
00:40:14,015 --> 00:40:15,350
Even through their
pain there was
781
00:40:15,384 --> 00:40:18,154
this strength and
determination and conviction
782
00:40:18,187 --> 00:40:20,323
to still battle on.
783
00:40:20,355 --> 00:40:24,093
So we're trying to put that
into the artwork itself.
784
00:40:29,799 --> 00:40:32,001
Emory
was our social realism.
785
00:40:32,033 --> 00:40:36,471
He gave you a sense of
bravery, resilience, courage,
786
00:40:36,504 --> 00:40:38,407
and most of all, beauty.
787
00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:40,009
That was what I
loved about Emory.
788
00:40:50,518 --> 00:40:55,123
It was Huey and Bobby's idea
to draw a pig drawing that
789
00:40:55,156 --> 00:40:58,527
would symbolize the police.
790
00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:03,865
So the first pig I did
was one on the four hoofs.
791
00:41:03,899 --> 00:41:05,567
It just came to me
one night, why don't I
792
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:07,803
stand it up on two hoofs?
793
00:41:07,837 --> 00:41:10,206
I'll put a bandolier...
a gun bandolier
794
00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:14,277
on with the holster and a
badge and the flies around it,
795
00:41:14,310 --> 00:41:16,978
and that became the
symbol... icon of the pig.
796
00:41:17,011 --> 00:41:18,647
It took on a life of its own.
797
00:41:18,681 --> 00:41:21,050
Revolution has come.
798
00:41:21,082 --> 00:41:22,050
Off the pigs!
799
00:41:22,084 --> 00:41:24,953
Time to pick up the guns.
800
00:41:24,986 --> 00:41:27,355
Off the pigs!
801
00:41:27,388 --> 00:41:29,825
That rhetoric
didn't bother us when
802
00:41:29,859 --> 00:41:33,328
it was spoken by the Panthers.
803
00:41:33,361 --> 00:41:36,298
Power to the people.
804
00:41:36,332 --> 00:41:36,966
Off the pigs!
805
00:41:36,998 --> 00:41:39,301
Power to the people.
806
00:41:39,335 --> 00:41:40,436
Off the pigs!
807
00:41:40,468 --> 00:41:44,673
But when it was picked
up by college students,
808
00:41:44,707 --> 00:41:49,212
them saying it, that
definitely bothered us.
809
00:41:49,245 --> 00:41:53,149
Power to
the people Off the pigs!
810
00:41:53,181 --> 00:41:55,618
Power to the people.
811
00:41:55,651 --> 00:41:57,687
Off the pigs!
812
00:41:57,719 --> 00:42:01,457
I was a sergeant
patrolling in the projects,
813
00:42:01,489 --> 00:42:05,026
and there was the
cutest little girl.
814
00:42:05,060 --> 00:42:07,797
So I stopped to say hello,
and I said hi, honey.
815
00:42:07,830 --> 00:42:08,931
How are you doing today.
816
00:42:08,964 --> 00:42:12,301
And she looked at me and
she said, fuck you, pig.
817
00:42:12,334 --> 00:42:14,770
And I thought, we
have lost it, man.
818
00:42:14,803 --> 00:42:16,305
We have flat lost it.
819
00:42:19,375 --> 00:42:20,977
Anybody that criticized
820
00:42:21,009 --> 00:42:24,613
the police, especially that
didn't have fear of saying it,
821
00:42:24,647 --> 00:42:26,982
probably made the police angry.
822
00:42:34,857 --> 00:42:36,526
It was us against them.
823
00:42:36,558 --> 00:42:37,493
That became the theme.
824
00:42:40,962 --> 00:42:43,064
We have
seen the pig on the scene.
825
00:42:43,098 --> 00:42:44,366
We know what he's like.
826
00:42:44,399 --> 00:42:46,835
We know what he's capable
of... just being a damn pig,
827
00:42:46,868 --> 00:42:50,672
oinking and beating
and walking the street.
828
00:42:50,705 --> 00:42:53,108
The police
must be brought under control
829
00:42:53,142 --> 00:42:54,910
by any means
necessary, including
830
00:42:54,944 --> 00:42:56,078
through force of arms.
831
00:42:56,111 --> 00:42:59,047
These racist, gestapo
pigs have to stop
832
00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:01,483
brutalizing our community or
we're going to take up guns,
833
00:43:01,517 --> 00:43:03,152
we're going to drive them out.
834
00:43:03,185 --> 00:43:05,121
That tendency to keep
835
00:43:05,154 --> 00:43:07,757
escalating the
rhetoric... that was
836
00:43:07,790 --> 00:43:09,525
a major part of the
growth of the party,
837
00:43:09,558 --> 00:43:11,794
but it was also a
destructive force,
838
00:43:11,826 --> 00:43:13,796
because you were
always upping the ante.
839
00:43:13,828 --> 00:43:16,765
I say
guns, pick up the guns,
840
00:43:16,799 --> 00:43:20,268
pick up the guns and
put the pigs on the run.
841
00:43:20,301 --> 00:43:21,770
Pick up the guns.
842
00:43:21,803 --> 00:43:24,239
Boom, boom,
843
00:43:24,272 --> 00:43:26,776
It brought
all the repression down on them
844
00:43:26,808 --> 00:43:29,812
before they were
prepared to handle it.
845
00:43:29,844 --> 00:43:32,781
I just want to deal with
black, and black liberation.
846
00:43:32,814 --> 00:43:34,950
My sin is picking
up my damn gun...
847
00:43:34,984 --> 00:43:38,120
and I'm a mother...
having my baby
848
00:43:38,152 --> 00:43:40,156
in one hand, my
gun in the other,
849
00:43:40,189 --> 00:43:42,959
and then I'm here motherfuckers
to get what's mine.
850
00:43:51,033 --> 00:43:52,401
The
voice that called
851
00:43:52,433 --> 00:43:55,337
for justice and brotherhood
has been stilled.
852
00:43:55,370 --> 00:44:00,408
Men of all races now must
join together in this hour
853
00:44:00,442 --> 00:44:03,012
to deny violence its
victory and to fulfill
854
00:44:03,044 --> 00:44:04,012
the vision of brotherhood.
855
00:44:10,785 --> 00:44:12,854
The effect of the
death of Martin Luther
856
00:44:12,888 --> 00:44:15,625
King on the Panthers was
overwhelming in the sense
857
00:44:15,658 --> 00:44:22,064
that once King was
assassinated, and the way
858
00:44:22,096 --> 00:44:28,370
he was assassinated so publicly,
it shattered many, many people.
859
00:44:30,739 --> 00:44:33,009
They'd killed
their last chance for me
860
00:44:33,042 --> 00:44:35,011
to be peaceful with them.
861
00:44:35,044 --> 00:44:38,547
They'd killed their last
chance for negotiation.
862
00:44:38,580 --> 00:44:40,783
They killed the man
who walked through hell
863
00:44:40,815 --> 00:44:45,087
to try to get along with
you, and you kill him?
864
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:47,489
That was our champion.
865
00:44:47,522 --> 00:44:50,825
You killed whatever
hope I had in you,
866
00:44:50,859 --> 00:44:53,596
and I have no more
use for you... none.
867
00:45:07,076 --> 00:45:08,611
I believe that there
868
00:45:08,643 --> 00:45:12,480
was a decision made that
some response on the part
869
00:45:12,513 --> 00:45:14,216
of the Black Panther
Party has to be
870
00:45:14,248 --> 00:45:17,085
made to what happened to King.
871
00:45:17,118 --> 00:45:18,453
Eldridge Cleaver was
872
00:45:18,486 --> 00:45:21,589
worried that if the Panthers
didn't take decisive action
873
00:45:21,622 --> 00:45:23,425
they would cease
to be the vanguard.
874
00:45:23,459 --> 00:45:27,330
So we had this idea of actually
actively attacking the police.
875
00:45:30,098 --> 00:45:32,167
He goes and he approaches
members of the Party
876
00:45:32,201 --> 00:45:35,771
in Oakland, and all of the older
people refused to participate.
877
00:45:35,803 --> 00:45:37,706
They knew that this
would be suicide.
878
00:45:37,739 --> 00:45:40,241
But the youngest member of the
party, little Bobby Hutton,
879
00:45:40,274 --> 00:45:44,180
decides to follow
Eldridge into battle.
880
00:45:44,212 --> 00:45:46,614
Little Bobby called me...
Big Man,
881
00:45:46,647 --> 00:45:47,983
I need a weapon.
882
00:45:50,752 --> 00:45:55,725
I gave him a Winchester 12-gauge
pump shotgun that I had,
883
00:45:55,757 --> 00:46:01,029
and I told him, well, be
careful out there, you know.
884
00:46:01,062 --> 00:46:02,664
Watch yourself.
885
00:46:02,698 --> 00:46:07,268
And he said OK, I
will, and he left.
886
00:46:07,301 --> 00:46:11,439
And then first thing
in the morning, I,
887
00:46:11,473 --> 00:46:12,708
have the radio on.
888
00:46:12,741 --> 00:46:14,110
The Oakland
police stated
889
00:46:14,143 --> 00:46:16,445
that they were fired upon
during a routine investigation
890
00:46:16,477 --> 00:46:20,382
into a suspicious person, and
after a short search cornered
891
00:46:20,415 --> 00:46:24,586
Hutton and Eldridge Cleaver in
the basement of a nearby house.
892
00:46:24,620 --> 00:46:26,989
A tear
gas canister blew up,
893
00:46:27,022 --> 00:46:30,326
and the basement they were
hiding in caught on fire.
894
00:46:30,359 --> 00:46:32,361
They decided they didn't
want to burn to death.
895
00:46:32,393 --> 00:46:34,629
They would rather surrender.
896
00:46:34,663 --> 00:46:37,700
Eldridge told Bobby Hutton
to take off all your clothes
897
00:46:37,732 --> 00:46:39,968
so they can't see you're
concealing a weapon.
898
00:46:40,002 --> 00:46:42,538
When you surrender,
take off everything.
899
00:46:42,571 --> 00:46:47,009
But Bobby was embarrassed,
and he just took off his shirt
900
00:46:47,042 --> 00:46:48,011
and he kept on his pants.
901
00:46:50,645 --> 00:46:52,348
Bobby Hutton came
out with his hands
902
00:46:52,381 --> 00:46:56,685
in the air... first member
who walked out of the house
903
00:46:56,718 --> 00:46:57,719
and was gunned down.
904
00:47:03,192 --> 00:47:05,161
My heart sank.
905
00:47:05,194 --> 00:47:10,933
He was only 17 years old,
and one of the first people
906
00:47:10,966 --> 00:47:13,368
to get killed in the
party, and so young.
907
00:47:16,672 --> 00:47:19,975
In essence, I felt
that I went out and got
908
00:47:20,007 --> 00:47:22,911
my little brother killed.
909
00:47:22,944 --> 00:47:27,315
What if I'd not
given him the weapon?
910
00:47:27,348 --> 00:47:32,521
Those are some of the demons
that, were in my closet.
911
00:47:36,692 --> 00:47:40,463
Shot down like a common
animal, he died a warrior
912
00:47:40,495 --> 00:47:43,331
for black liberation.
913
00:47:43,364 --> 00:47:47,002
In the name of brotherhood
and survival, remember Bobby.
914
00:47:47,035 --> 00:47:51,940
That could have been
my son lying there,
915
00:47:51,973 --> 00:47:55,743
and I'm going to do
as much as I can.
916
00:47:55,777 --> 00:48:01,617
I'm going to start right now
to inform white people of what
917
00:48:01,649 --> 00:48:03,651
they don't know.
918
00:48:03,685 --> 00:48:07,288
For the Black Panther Party,
it was crisis and chaos,
919
00:48:07,321 --> 00:48:12,794
because this was the first time
that this had ever happened.
920
00:48:12,828 --> 00:48:18,634
There had been no Panther
murdered by police.
921
00:48:18,667 --> 00:48:20,201
We
want non-violence,
922
00:48:20,234 --> 00:48:23,305
just like Martin Luther King...
but non-violence on the part
923
00:48:23,337 --> 00:48:24,707
of who?
924
00:48:24,739 --> 00:48:30,011
To sit and watch ourselves to
be slaughtered like our brother?
925
00:48:30,044 --> 00:48:33,581
We must defend ourselves,
as Malcolm X said,
926
00:48:33,614 --> 00:48:34,450
by any means necessary.
927
00:48:41,189 --> 00:48:43,424
After
the loss of Bobby Hutton,
928
00:48:43,457 --> 00:48:46,728
Eldridge was ordered to
surrender to San Francisco
929
00:48:46,761 --> 00:48:51,700
police to go back to prison,
but on November 28, 1968,
930
00:48:51,732 --> 00:48:57,172
he didn't turn himself in,
and he was not to be found.
931
00:48:57,205 --> 00:48:59,607
Mrs. Cleaver, do you
know where your husband is?
932
00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:00,742
No.
933
00:49:00,776 --> 00:49:01,977
When was the
last time you saw him?
934
00:49:02,009 --> 00:49:03,344
Sunday night.
935
00:49:03,377 --> 00:49:05,046
It's rumored that
Eldridge is out of the country.
936
00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:06,315
Do you think this is possible?
937
00:49:06,348 --> 00:49:08,384
No, I don't think so.
938
00:49:08,417 --> 00:49:10,052
And so the mystery remains...
939
00:49:10,085 --> 00:49:12,254
where is Eldridge Cleaver?
940
00:49:12,286 --> 00:49:14,522
It's entirely possible that
his wife and lawyer really
941
00:49:14,556 --> 00:49:15,658
do not know.
942
00:49:15,690 --> 00:49:18,361
To the law, he is simply
a fugitive from justice.
943
00:49:24,933 --> 00:49:26,536
He
had gone to Algeria.
944
00:49:34,076 --> 00:49:35,978
There's nothing the
United States government
945
00:49:36,011 --> 00:49:37,513
can do to us in Algeria.
946
00:49:37,546 --> 00:49:40,748
They don't have diplomatic
relations with Algeria.
947
00:49:40,781 --> 00:49:44,786
We could function openly,
politically, in Algeria,
948
00:49:44,819 --> 00:49:47,522
so we opened our international
section of the Black Panther
949
00:49:47,556 --> 00:49:47,957
Party.
950
00:49:51,627 --> 00:49:53,094
The Black Panthers
951
00:49:53,127 --> 00:49:58,366
were welcomed by all sorts
of liberation movements.
952
00:49:58,399 --> 00:50:01,736
The North Vietnamese, who were
moving into a newer embassy,
953
00:50:01,770 --> 00:50:04,406
gave their old embassy
to the Panthers.
954
00:50:04,439 --> 00:50:07,442
And the Black Panthers,
of course,
955
00:50:07,475 --> 00:50:09,010
loved being accepted like this.
956
00:50:12,614 --> 00:50:14,950
In Eldridge
Cleaver's successful attempt
957
00:50:14,982 --> 00:50:16,618
to establish an
international wing,
958
00:50:16,652 --> 00:50:19,321
he's able to do some things
that are very important.
959
00:50:19,353 --> 00:50:21,156
Malcolm X and other
black nationalists
960
00:50:21,189 --> 00:50:24,158
had talked about forging
those types of alliances.
961
00:50:24,192 --> 00:50:26,594
The Panthers actually did it.
962
00:50:29,830 --> 00:50:32,066
We wish you
victory in your struggle.
963
00:50:32,100 --> 00:50:32,901
Thank you.
964
00:50:36,238 --> 00:50:37,839
And we
hope to receive you
965
00:50:37,872 --> 00:50:39,207
in liberated Saigon.
966
00:50:39,241 --> 00:50:42,111
And tell them that I hope to
receive them in Washington, DC.
967
00:50:42,143 --> 00:50:43,779
At that time America
968
00:50:43,812 --> 00:50:47,882
was being demonized considerably
because of the war in Vietnam.
969
00:50:47,915 --> 00:50:52,553
So here we are, black Americans
who are opposed to all of this.
970
00:50:52,587 --> 00:50:55,858
We're the counter to
the United States.
971
00:50:55,890 --> 00:50:59,127
We were able to connect
with North Koreans,
972
00:50:59,160 --> 00:51:01,796
with Vietnamese,
with the Chinese,
973
00:51:01,830 --> 00:51:04,500
and with also many African
liberation movements.
974
00:51:04,533 --> 00:51:07,469
And many people came
to see us there.
975
00:51:07,502 --> 00:51:08,937
We came over here
976
00:51:08,969 --> 00:51:12,440
to do what we can to
communicate to you
977
00:51:12,473 --> 00:51:15,477
what's happening in our
struggle in the United States.
978
00:51:15,509 --> 00:51:18,046
I think a lot of what
draws these groups together
979
00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:20,348
is a kind of
anti-American sentiment.
980
00:51:20,381 --> 00:51:23,418
If you want to really shake
the American establishment,
981
00:51:23,451 --> 00:51:26,120
you want them to think
that they are in danger,
982
00:51:26,154 --> 00:51:29,325
that a revolutionary
new world is on its way.
983
00:51:29,357 --> 00:51:31,026
The Panthers are
certainly the people
984
00:51:31,058 --> 00:51:32,761
you're going to support.
985
00:51:32,794 --> 00:51:34,596
Since the United
States of America
986
00:51:34,629 --> 00:51:36,998
is the backbone of
oppression in the world,
987
00:51:37,031 --> 00:51:41,336
the blows that we strike against
the empire there will also
988
00:51:41,370 --> 00:51:44,707
aid the liberation struggles
in Africa, Asia, and Latin
989
00:51:44,739 --> 00:51:46,408
America as we aid ourselves.
990
00:51:49,745 --> 00:51:52,647
Face the Nation...
a spontaneous and unrehearsed
991
00:51:52,681 --> 00:51:55,451
news interview with the chief
of staff of the Black Panther
992
00:51:55,484 --> 00:51:57,553
Party, David Hilliard.
993
00:51:57,585 --> 00:51:59,421
Your minister of
information is now
994
00:51:59,453 --> 00:52:01,589
in exile... Eldridge Cleaver.
995
00:52:01,622 --> 00:52:03,157
You speak with him
often on the phone.
996
00:52:03,190 --> 00:52:03,826
Is that correct?
997
00:52:03,859 --> 00:52:05,027
Well, you know I do.
998
00:52:05,060 --> 00:52:06,362
They tap the phones.
999
00:52:06,395 --> 00:52:08,697
The phone is probably hooked
up through the White House.
1000
00:52:08,730 --> 00:52:11,400
The leaders of the party,
its national leadership,
1001
00:52:11,433 --> 00:52:14,570
sits with David Hilliard.
1002
00:52:14,602 --> 00:52:17,105
Bobby Seale is in
and out of prison,
1003
00:52:17,138 --> 00:52:21,109
Huey Newton is in jail... at this
point for a number of years...
1004
00:52:21,143 --> 00:52:25,247
and Eldridge Cleaver
is in Algeria.
1005
00:52:25,279 --> 00:52:29,917
David was someone
who was considered
1006
00:52:29,951 --> 00:52:35,724
a... you can say he
was a sound storekeeper.
1007
00:52:35,756 --> 00:52:38,393
He kept the shop in order.
1008
00:52:38,426 --> 00:52:39,928
Richard Nixon is
the chief spokesman
1009
00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:43,031
of the American people,
and if the man is not
1010
00:52:43,064 --> 00:52:45,401
responsible for the
people in government
1011
00:52:45,433 --> 00:52:48,069
like the FBI agencies
or the local police,
1012
00:52:48,102 --> 00:52:51,506
then he should stand up and,
let the American people know
1013
00:52:51,540 --> 00:52:54,209
that they do not endorse the
kind of campaigns that's been
1014
00:52:54,241 --> 00:52:55,377
waged against black America.
1015
00:53:01,783 --> 00:53:05,788
Nixon is elected
with a sense of a mandate
1016
00:53:05,821 --> 00:53:08,924
to crack down, and
he feels that it
1017
00:53:08,957 --> 00:53:15,397
is his personal charge after
the '68 election to repress.
1018
00:53:15,430 --> 00:53:19,868
This is a nation of laws, and
as Abraham Lincoln has said,
1019
00:53:19,901 --> 00:53:23,238
no one is above the law,
no one is below the law,
1020
00:53:23,270 --> 00:53:25,140
and we're going to
enforce the law.
1021
00:53:25,172 --> 00:53:27,008
And Americans should
remember that if we're
1022
00:53:27,042 --> 00:53:28,243
going to have law and order.
1023
00:53:28,276 --> 00:53:29,844
The
Nixon administration
1024
00:53:29,877 --> 00:53:35,017
gives J. Edgar Hoover even
more of a sense that he can
1025
00:53:35,049 --> 00:53:38,286
repress without restriction.
1026
00:53:38,319 --> 00:53:40,922
Do you feel the
nation is in trouble?
1027
00:53:40,955 --> 00:53:42,591
I think very definitely it is.
1028
00:53:42,623 --> 00:53:43,792
But what is the answer?
1029
00:53:43,825 --> 00:53:47,261
The answer is vigorous
law enforcement.
1030
00:53:47,294 --> 00:53:48,262
That's the only answer.
1031
00:53:48,296 --> 00:53:49,431
That's the only answer.
1032
00:53:49,464 --> 00:53:50,666
How about justice?
1033
00:53:50,698 --> 00:53:53,468
You hear a lot about justice
with law enforcement.
1034
00:53:53,502 --> 00:53:57,306
Justice is merely
incidental to law and order.
1035
00:54:00,308 --> 00:54:02,411
FBI director
J. Edgar Hoover today
1036
00:54:02,444 --> 00:54:04,846
asserted that the Black
Panthers represent the greatest
1037
00:54:04,879 --> 00:54:06,547
internal threat to the nation.
1038
00:54:06,580 --> 00:54:09,084
Hoover said the Panthers have
perpetrated numerous assaults
1039
00:54:09,116 --> 00:54:11,719
on police and have engaged
in violent confrontations
1040
00:54:11,752 --> 00:54:13,087
throughout the country.
1041
00:54:13,120 --> 00:54:15,356
When Hoover
identified the Black Panther
1042
00:54:15,390 --> 00:54:18,759
Party as the number one threat
to the national security
1043
00:54:18,792 --> 00:54:20,194
of the United States
at a time when
1044
00:54:20,227 --> 00:54:25,233
they're fighting in Vietnam, you
know, of course that was crazy.
1045
00:54:25,267 --> 00:54:28,870
But it was politically
very effective,
1046
00:54:28,904 --> 00:54:32,841
and it says to law enforcement
at the local level,
1047
00:54:32,873 --> 00:54:34,375
we can take the gloves off now.
1048
00:54:34,408 --> 00:54:37,645
We don't have to respect
the civil liberties
1049
00:54:37,678 --> 00:54:39,581
and we can go after them
with everything we got.
1050
00:54:50,558 --> 00:54:52,928
One of the
executive orders of the Panther
1051
00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:55,897
Party was that we was
to defend ourselves
1052
00:54:55,931 --> 00:55:00,068
from unwanted attacks,
and not allow the police
1053
00:55:00,100 --> 00:55:02,303
to just forcibly come in.
1054
00:55:02,337 --> 00:55:05,140
If the tear gas
is thrown, here's
1055
00:55:05,172 --> 00:55:06,575
your water and your eye mask.
1056
00:55:06,607 --> 00:55:08,109
Keep this on you.
1057
00:55:08,143 --> 00:55:09,211
OK.
1058
00:55:09,243 --> 00:55:11,145
Nobody's coming in the
front door... nobody.
1059
00:55:11,178 --> 00:55:12,146
No gas.
1060
00:55:12,180 --> 00:55:14,515
Nobody gets on the
roof,.
1061
00:55:14,549 --> 00:55:16,285
Well, I just wish they
would come tonight.
1062
00:55:16,317 --> 00:55:17,652
Yeah, well, I
want them to come.
1063
00:55:24,359 --> 00:55:27,462
The Panthers were a
criminal organization,
1064
00:55:27,495 --> 00:55:30,565
were violent, and they
wanted to kill cops.
1065
00:55:30,598 --> 00:55:32,567
That's all I needed to know.
1066
00:55:32,600 --> 00:55:34,635
About 40 policemen
arrived on the scene
1067
00:55:34,669 --> 00:55:37,239
and began surrounding the
Black Panther headquarters.
1068
00:55:37,272 --> 00:55:41,109
They were trying to change
government as we know it
1069
00:55:41,142 --> 00:55:44,078
to terrorist activity.
1070
00:55:44,111 --> 00:55:48,649
We took a very proactive stance
in combating what we considered
1071
00:55:48,683 --> 00:55:52,087
a terrorist organization.
1072
00:55:52,120 --> 00:55:56,391
I think the FBI
manipulated the police,
1073
00:55:56,424 --> 00:55:58,727
and the FBI arranged
for the Black Panthers
1074
00:55:58,759 --> 00:56:02,763
to get guns through informants.
1075
00:56:02,797 --> 00:56:08,236
They would convince the police
that the Panthers had weapons.
1076
00:56:08,268 --> 00:56:10,205
They had to go in and
be ready to be shot at,
1077
00:56:10,238 --> 00:56:12,575
so the police went in
and shot at them first.
1078
00:56:15,643 --> 00:56:18,613
You'd hear
about raids taking place
1079
00:56:18,647 --> 00:56:21,248
against Black Panther offices.
1080
00:56:21,281 --> 00:56:22,683
They were coming to kill us.
1081
00:56:22,716 --> 00:56:24,285
Police say there
1082
00:56:24,319 --> 00:56:26,922
was sniper fire throughout
the early morning hours,
1083
00:56:26,955 --> 00:56:29,157
so they moved in cautiously
and then began shooting.
1084
00:56:29,189 --> 00:56:31,459
The
Black Panther police shootout
1085
00:56:31,493 --> 00:56:33,594
lasted 30 minutes.
1086
00:56:33,627 --> 00:56:35,062
It was obvious
that the government
1087
00:56:35,096 --> 00:56:39,735
had made a decision that this
was all-out attack on the Black
1088
00:56:39,768 --> 00:56:40,869
Panther Party.
1089
00:56:40,902 --> 00:56:42,537
Every significant office
is going to be raided.
1090
00:56:42,569 --> 00:56:43,638
It's going to be bombed.
1091
00:56:43,672 --> 00:56:45,140
It's going to be shot.
1092
00:56:45,172 --> 00:56:47,008
They're going to
be mass arrests.
1093
00:56:47,042 --> 00:56:49,611
In the
pre-dawn hours in Chicago
1094
00:56:49,643 --> 00:56:51,613
today, police and
Negroes fought a...
1095
00:56:51,645 --> 00:56:53,814
Police
and Black Panthers clash
1096
00:56:53,848 --> 00:56:55,616
in Houston, New Orleans,
and other cities.
1097
00:56:55,649 --> 00:56:58,285
For the Black Panther Party
it was a crisis situation,
1098
00:56:58,319 --> 00:57:00,956
because we didn't have
the resources to handle
1099
00:57:00,989 --> 00:57:02,825
all these arrests
and all these trials.
1100
00:57:17,105 --> 00:57:19,208
Contributions
to Panther Defense Fund?
1101
00:57:23,044 --> 00:57:26,381
Contributions to the
Panther Defense Fund?
1102
00:57:26,413 --> 00:57:29,017
They're trying to either
wipe out the Panther Party
1103
00:57:29,049 --> 00:57:33,522
by jailing all the members and
wiping them out economically,
1104
00:57:33,555 --> 00:57:36,325
financially, or violently,
through killing them.
1105
00:57:39,259 --> 00:57:43,864
After all, they're just...
they're just Negroes, you know.
1106
00:57:43,897 --> 00:57:48,135
In other cities the Panthers
were under physical attack
1107
00:57:48,169 --> 00:57:50,471
from police departments.
1108
00:57:50,504 --> 00:57:54,408
But New York City, it was going
to handle its Panther problem
1109
00:57:54,442 --> 00:57:56,044
differently.
1110
00:57:56,076 --> 00:57:58,814
They created a
conspiracy case that
1111
00:57:58,846 --> 00:58:03,484
allowed them to arrest the
entire leadership of the New
1112
00:58:03,518 --> 00:58:06,154
York City Black Panther Party.
1113
00:58:06,187 --> 00:58:09,725
A New York grand jury has
indicted 21 alleged Black
1114
00:58:09,757 --> 00:58:13,261
Panthers on charges of plotting
several bombings in the city
1115
00:58:13,294 --> 00:58:14,429
tomorrow.
1116
00:58:14,462 --> 00:58:16,565
On April 2, 1969,
1117
00:58:16,598 --> 00:58:20,134
in, pre-dawn raids,
21 Black Panthers
1118
00:58:20,167 --> 00:58:24,105
were charged with all kinds
of terrorist activity.
1119
00:58:24,138 --> 00:58:26,540
These are some of
the men the police are accusing
1120
00:58:26,573 --> 00:58:28,042
of being involved
in the plot, which
1121
00:58:28,076 --> 00:58:30,978
could have wounded or killed
scores of busy New Yorkers.
1122
00:58:31,011 --> 00:58:33,848
12 men were arrested today,
two are already in jail,
1123
00:58:33,881 --> 00:58:35,716
and seven more are
still at large.
1124
00:58:35,750 --> 00:58:38,920
And so the Panther 21 started.
1125
00:58:38,953 --> 00:58:41,156
I had just
turned 16 years old,
1126
00:58:41,189 --> 00:58:43,924
but I had already
become a section leader.
1127
00:58:43,957 --> 00:58:46,427
When they first kicked in the
door of my grandmother's house
1128
00:58:46,460 --> 00:58:48,462
at 4 o'clock in the
morning, I thought wow,
1129
00:58:48,495 --> 00:58:49,964
I'm important enough
to be arrested.
1130
00:58:49,997 --> 00:58:52,900
I'm a real Panther now.
1131
00:58:52,933 --> 00:58:56,171
There was a feeling that
it was a badge of honor.
1132
00:58:56,203 --> 00:58:57,571
This
1133
00:58:57,605 --> 00:59:00,375
was the most important
place in the nation
1134
00:59:00,408 --> 00:59:02,777
at that time for the Party.
1135
00:59:02,810 --> 00:59:05,814
It was spreading all
over the east coast...
1136
00:59:05,846 --> 00:59:10,685
from New Haven, Baltimore,
everywhere, it was spreading.
1137
00:59:10,718 --> 00:59:14,790
This group, 21 people,
was the leadership
1138
00:59:14,823 --> 00:59:20,395
of the New York area, all tied
up in court with $100,000 bails
1139
00:59:20,428 --> 00:59:23,765
which none of them could make.
1140
00:59:23,797 --> 00:59:28,335
We were facing
360 plus years in prison,
1141
00:59:28,368 --> 00:59:33,207
and I began to feel
and accept the fact
1142
00:59:33,241 --> 00:59:35,643
that I was going to spend the
rest of my life in prison.
1143
00:59:35,676 --> 00:59:37,011
The Black Panther Party
1144
00:59:37,044 --> 00:59:39,313
is riddled with
informers who are
1145
00:59:39,346 --> 00:59:42,484
intent on creating
situations in order
1146
00:59:42,517 --> 00:59:46,154
to bring forth such indictments
in an attempt to destroy...
1147
00:59:46,187 --> 00:59:48,924
Are you saying that
they try to frame them?
1148
00:59:48,957 --> 00:59:50,424
No question about it.
1149
00:59:50,457 --> 00:59:53,327
I mean, I told the jury
that maybe the police
1150
00:59:53,361 --> 00:59:54,096
started the Party.
1151
00:59:58,265 --> 01:00:00,034
People who've come
back to New York
1152
01:00:00,067 --> 01:00:03,337
are going to work full
time until the Panther 21
1153
01:00:03,370 --> 01:00:07,541
and the people accused are
allowed to get a fair trial.
1154
01:00:07,575 --> 01:00:10,178
We spent a lot of
time building awareness
1155
01:00:10,210 --> 01:00:11,379
and doing fundraisers.
1156
01:00:11,411 --> 01:00:14,281
And then we had to have
high profile fundraisers,
1157
01:00:14,314 --> 01:00:16,183
because this kind of
money that we needed
1158
01:00:16,216 --> 01:00:17,752
couldn't come from
the black community.
1159
01:00:24,826 --> 01:00:26,895
We would wind up
doing fundraisers
1160
01:00:26,928 --> 01:00:29,598
at places like Jane
Fonda's townhouse
1161
01:00:29,631 --> 01:00:34,201
so that we could raise money
for the Legal Defense Fund.
1162
01:00:34,234 --> 01:00:35,736
We'd all be in our
leather jackets.
1163
01:00:35,770 --> 01:00:37,505
We all would have our berets.
1164
01:00:37,538 --> 01:00:38,907
Some of us would be packing.
1165
01:00:38,939 --> 01:00:42,042
Some of us wouldn't.
1166
01:00:42,076 --> 01:00:44,446
The only people that would
speak would be the two people
1167
01:00:44,478 --> 01:00:45,846
that was designated to speak.
1168
01:00:45,879 --> 01:00:47,181
They would speak.
1169
01:00:47,214 --> 01:00:49,950
The rest of us would just
line the walls, fold our arms,
1170
01:00:49,984 --> 01:00:52,754
and look like Black Panthers...
like, you know,
1171
01:00:52,786 --> 01:00:54,622
we was ready to kill somebody.
1172
01:00:54,656 --> 01:00:57,459
And them stars, they
loved that shit.
1173
01:00:57,491 --> 01:00:59,894
They just ate that
shit up, you know.
1174
01:01:06,134 --> 01:01:09,304
After a 13-month trial
1175
01:01:09,337 --> 01:01:11,239
where New York state
spent millions of dollars
1176
01:01:11,272 --> 01:01:15,277
and put dozens of witnesses and
hundreds of pieces of evidence,
1177
01:01:15,310 --> 01:01:19,614
a jury deliberated
for three hours.
1178
01:01:19,647 --> 01:01:23,652
The jury have
considered all the counts
1179
01:01:23,685 --> 01:01:26,688
and charges against
the defendants
1180
01:01:26,721 --> 01:01:29,324
and have found them not guilty.
1181
01:01:34,761 --> 01:01:38,533
There were
156 not guilty verdicts.
1182
01:01:42,002 --> 01:01:44,405
It was astonishing.
1183
01:01:44,439 --> 01:01:46,707
Courtroom erupted.
1184
01:01:46,741 --> 01:01:48,610
The city erupted.
1185
01:01:48,643 --> 01:01:53,148
There were people dancing in
the streets as word spread.
1186
01:01:53,181 --> 01:01:54,582
Come on over.
1187
01:01:54,614 --> 01:01:59,453
Jury, defendants, everybody,
we're all here... 640 Broadway.
1188
01:01:59,486 --> 01:02:01,555
Most of the
defendants have been in jail
1189
01:02:01,589 --> 01:02:03,692
for more than two
years, unable to raise
1190
01:02:03,725 --> 01:02:05,160
the high bail set for them.
1191
01:02:05,192 --> 01:02:07,161
The trial lasted eight months.
1192
01:02:07,194 --> 01:02:08,729
The jury
reached its verdict
1193
01:02:08,763 --> 01:02:11,433
of innocent on all counts
in less than four hours,
1194
01:02:11,466 --> 01:02:14,102
concluding the longest criminal
proceeding in New York state
1195
01:02:14,134 --> 01:02:15,169
history.
1196
01:02:15,203 --> 01:02:16,771
What it was on the
part of the jury to me...
1197
01:02:16,803 --> 01:02:20,040
I don't know how each individual
juror feels... but together they
1198
01:02:20,073 --> 01:02:23,744
have rejected, once and
for all, a society which
1199
01:02:23,777 --> 01:02:25,613
refuses to allow change.
1200
01:02:25,645 --> 01:02:28,749
They said, you must allow
people to get together and think
1201
01:02:28,783 --> 01:02:31,518
about changing life
and the way they live.
1202
01:02:31,551 --> 01:02:33,921
And it's a beautiful victory.
1203
01:02:39,826 --> 01:02:42,529
Even as the New
York 21 are being acquitted,
1204
01:02:42,562 --> 01:02:46,567
you're seeing smaller trials,
other trials pop up really
1205
01:02:46,600 --> 01:02:48,502
all over the country.
1206
01:02:48,535 --> 01:02:50,871
Some of them result in
acquittals, some of them
1207
01:02:50,904 --> 01:02:53,274
result in convictions,
but this really
1208
01:02:53,306 --> 01:02:55,676
consumes most of
the Party's energy.
1209
01:02:55,710 --> 01:02:58,179
People were afraid to join.
1210
01:02:58,212 --> 01:03:00,281
They knew that it
was infiltrated.
1211
01:03:00,314 --> 01:03:03,785
They knew that they would
be watched immediately.
1212
01:03:03,817 --> 01:03:07,756
They were afraid of being
prosecuted unjustly.
1213
01:03:07,788 --> 01:03:11,158
Nobody wants to go near such
an organization that's so hot.
1214
01:03:28,176 --> 01:03:29,576
I was
part of planning
1215
01:03:29,609 --> 01:03:32,546
a demonstration against
Vietnam at the 1968
1216
01:03:32,580 --> 01:03:36,183
Democratic Convention
in Chicago.
1217
01:03:36,216 --> 01:03:39,653
Bobby Seale was
invited to speak.
1218
01:03:39,687 --> 01:03:44,826
The revolution in this
country at the time
1219
01:03:44,859 --> 01:03:50,031
is in fact people coming
forth to demand freedom.
1220
01:03:53,634 --> 01:03:55,637
He then left and didn't
have anything
1221
01:03:55,669 --> 01:03:59,807
to do with the demonstrations
or riots or confrontations
1222
01:03:59,841 --> 01:04:05,212
in Chicago, but he was arrested
on the advice of the FBI,
1223
01:04:05,245 --> 01:04:10,017
and he was later
indicted for that speech.
1224
01:04:10,051 --> 01:04:11,518
Bobby
Seale asked to have
1225
01:04:11,551 --> 01:04:14,955
his... to postpone the trial
until his lawyer, Charles Gary,
1226
01:04:14,989 --> 01:04:16,458
could come to Chicago.
1227
01:04:16,491 --> 01:04:18,726
The judge refused,
and then Bobby said well,
1228
01:04:18,759 --> 01:04:20,361
I'll represent myself.
1229
01:04:20,393 --> 01:04:22,029
It started when Seale demanded
1230
01:04:22,062 --> 01:04:24,364
to cross examine a
prosecution witness,
1231
01:04:24,397 --> 01:04:27,434
accusing the judge of denying
his constitutional rights
1232
01:04:27,468 --> 01:04:29,337
to defend himself.
1233
01:04:29,370 --> 01:04:32,040
The judge ordered him to
sit down and be quiet,
1234
01:04:32,073 --> 01:04:35,310
but the fiery Black Panther
leader continued to cry out.
1235
01:04:51,359 --> 01:04:54,696
The judge told
the marshals to hold him down,
1236
01:04:54,728 --> 01:04:57,799
and that started several
days of insanity.
1237
01:04:57,832 --> 01:04:59,634
This
stuff is a lie.
1238
01:04:59,667 --> 01:05:01,603
We have a right to.
1239
01:05:01,636 --> 01:05:04,005
I'll represent myeslf.
1240
01:05:04,038 --> 01:05:06,774
He kept insisting on
his right to represent himself,
1241
01:05:06,806 --> 01:05:08,942
and the judge's
response to that was
1242
01:05:08,975 --> 01:05:13,147
to order the bailiffs to put
gaffer tape over his mouth
1243
01:05:13,181 --> 01:05:16,751
and tie him to his chair.
1244
01:05:16,783 --> 01:05:20,387
I mean, it couldn't have been
more definitive if they had
1245
01:05:20,421 --> 01:05:23,223
put a sign on him saying slave.
1246
01:05:23,256 --> 01:05:25,626
You know.
1247
01:05:29,830 --> 01:05:32,634
But it turned out
Bobby could make noise and say
1248
01:05:32,667 --> 01:05:35,036
things through the gag.
1249
01:05:53,154 --> 01:05:54,055
Stop the trial.
1250
01:05:54,087 --> 01:05:55,323
Stop the trial.
1251
01:05:55,355 --> 01:05:56,491
Stop the trial.
1252
01:05:56,524 --> 01:05:57,458
Stop the trial.
1253
01:05:57,491 --> 01:05:58,893
Stop the trial.
1254
01:05:58,926 --> 01:05:59,861
Stop the trial.
1255
01:05:59,893 --> 01:06:00,828
Stop the trial.
1256
01:06:00,861 --> 01:06:01,796
Stop the trial.
1257
01:06:01,828 --> 01:06:03,230
Stop the trial.
1258
01:06:03,263 --> 01:06:05,866
One of the most amazing
phenomena of that time
1259
01:06:05,899 --> 01:06:10,872
was outside the federal court
building there was a plaza.
1260
01:06:10,904 --> 01:06:13,408
It was right in
the heart of town,
1261
01:06:13,440 --> 01:06:15,542
right in the middle of the loop.
1262
01:06:15,576 --> 01:06:20,281
And these kids were coming down
from the courtroom, and they...
1263
01:06:20,314 --> 01:06:22,317
with fire in
their eyes, having just
1264
01:06:22,350 --> 01:06:24,419
seen that madness up there.
1265
01:06:24,451 --> 01:06:31,426
And all of a sudden, one
day this black orator...
1266
01:06:31,459 --> 01:06:33,995
who at that time
was 20 years old...
1267
01:06:34,027 --> 01:06:36,930
starts talking to these
people, and all of a sudden
1268
01:06:36,964 --> 01:06:38,466
it's like a magnet.
1269
01:06:38,498 --> 01:06:43,705
The deputy chairman of the
Illinois Black Panther Party,
1270
01:06:43,738 --> 01:06:44,672
Fred Hampton.
1271
01:06:52,046 --> 01:06:56,417
And I just want to tell you
that the chairman of the Black
1272
01:06:56,450 --> 01:06:59,386
Panther Party is
going to be ungagged
1273
01:06:59,419 --> 01:07:04,625
and they're going to have to
take those chains off him.
1274
01:07:04,658 --> 01:07:06,160
Bobby Seale's going
through all types
1275
01:07:06,192 --> 01:07:10,198
of physical and mental
torture, but that's all right,
1276
01:07:10,230 --> 01:07:13,433
because we said even before
this happened and we're
1277
01:07:13,466 --> 01:07:16,203
going to say it after this,
and after I'm locked up
1278
01:07:16,236 --> 01:07:17,939
and after everyone's
locked up, that you
1279
01:07:17,971 --> 01:07:22,676
can jail a revolutionary,
but you can't jail a revolution.
1280
01:07:22,710 --> 01:07:25,546
Right.
1281
01:07:25,578 --> 01:07:28,216
You may run a liberator like
Eldridge out the country,
1282
01:07:28,248 --> 01:07:31,319
but you can't run a
liberation out the country.
1283
01:07:31,352 --> 01:07:34,321
You might murder a freedom
fighter like Bobby Hutton,
1284
01:07:34,355 --> 01:07:36,257
but you can't murder
freedom fighting.
1285
01:07:36,290 --> 01:07:40,228
Whatever
It was, Fred had it.
1286
01:07:40,261 --> 01:07:42,830
When he got up in front
of a group of people,
1287
01:07:42,863 --> 01:07:46,067
the words just flowed.
1288
01:07:46,100 --> 01:07:49,170
You were awash in the words, OK?
1289
01:07:49,203 --> 01:07:50,371
It was like that.
1290
01:07:50,404 --> 01:07:52,573
And I don't care how many
people were there... it's
1291
01:07:52,605 --> 01:07:54,609
like he was talking to you.
1292
01:07:54,642 --> 01:07:58,111
That's a dangerous person.
1293
01:07:58,145 --> 01:08:00,614
He wasn't above us.
1294
01:08:00,647 --> 01:08:02,283
He was one of us.
1295
01:08:02,315 --> 01:08:04,986
I'm the deputy chairman of the
State of Illinois Black Panther
1296
01:08:05,018 --> 01:08:06,286
Party, Fred Hampton.
1297
01:08:06,319 --> 01:08:07,988
By
the time he was 17,
1298
01:08:08,022 --> 01:08:12,727
he was the head of the
NAACP youth branch.
1299
01:08:12,760 --> 01:08:17,498
He was already experienced
by the time the Illinois
1300
01:08:17,531 --> 01:08:20,134
chapter of the Panther
Party was formed,
1301
01:08:20,166 --> 01:08:24,771
so he was a natural
choice to lead it.
1302
01:08:24,804 --> 01:08:28,209
We say all power to all people.
1303
01:08:28,242 --> 01:08:30,044
Fred spoke in the
People's Church
1304
01:08:30,077 --> 01:08:33,815
in August of 1969, and
I was in the crowd.
1305
01:08:33,848 --> 01:08:37,118
Toward the end of his speech,
he said, everybody stand up,
1306
01:08:37,151 --> 01:08:38,118
and we did.
1307
01:08:38,152 --> 01:08:39,754
And he says, now
raise your right hand.
1308
01:08:39,787 --> 01:08:41,622
Say this... I am
a revolutionary.
1309
01:08:41,654 --> 01:08:43,925
I am a revolutionary.
1310
01:08:43,957 --> 01:08:46,294
And I couldn't say it,
because I thought to myself,
1311
01:08:46,327 --> 01:08:47,528
I'm a lawyer for the movement.
1312
01:08:47,560 --> 01:08:48,763
I'm not a revolutionary.
1313
01:08:48,795 --> 01:08:52,399
And then he said it again...
I am a revolutionary.
1314
01:08:52,433 --> 01:08:54,167
And by the third
or fourth time, I
1315
01:08:54,201 --> 01:08:56,270
was saying a
revolutionary as loud
1316
01:08:56,303 --> 01:09:00,541
as anybody else in the room.
1317
01:09:00,573 --> 01:09:02,977
We say white power
to white people.
1318
01:09:03,010 --> 01:09:04,445
White power
to white people.
1319
01:09:04,478 --> 01:09:05,880
Brown power to brown people.
1320
01:09:05,912 --> 01:09:07,348
Brown power
to brown people.
1321
01:09:07,380 --> 01:09:08,615
Yellow power to yellow people.
1322
01:09:08,648 --> 01:09:10,117
Yellow power
to yellow people.
1323
01:09:10,151 --> 01:09:11,352
Black power to black people.
1324
01:09:11,385 --> 01:09:13,187
Black power
to black people.
1325
01:09:13,220 --> 01:09:16,257
We say Panther power
to defend our Party.
1326
01:09:16,290 --> 01:09:17,625
A lot of us thought
1327
01:09:17,657 --> 01:09:20,861
that we were on the eve of
a revolutionary situation
1328
01:09:20,894 --> 01:09:23,230
here in the United States.
1329
01:09:23,264 --> 01:09:24,899
We used to call,
the Panther Party
1330
01:09:24,931 --> 01:09:27,734
the vanguard of the movement,
because they were out
1331
01:09:27,768 --> 01:09:28,770
in the forefront.
1332
01:09:28,803 --> 01:09:32,239
They were kind of
setting the pathway.
1333
01:09:32,273 --> 01:09:35,042
The things that
that we would
1334
01:09:35,075 --> 01:09:37,478
face some repression
for, they would face it
1335
01:09:37,510 --> 01:09:39,246
10 times as great.
1336
01:09:39,279 --> 01:09:42,916
They were, sacrificing
their... oftentimes
1337
01:09:42,950 --> 01:09:44,251
their lives in the struggle.
1338
01:09:44,285 --> 01:09:46,019
And these people, this class
1339
01:09:46,053 --> 01:09:47,121
have divided themselves.
1340
01:09:47,153 --> 01:09:48,488
They say I'm black and
I hate white people.
1341
01:09:48,522 --> 01:09:50,224
I'm white and I
hate black people.
1342
01:09:50,256 --> 01:09:52,225
I'm Latin American and
I hate hillbillies.
1343
01:09:52,259 --> 01:09:54,629
I'm a hillbilly
and I hate Indians.
1344
01:09:54,662 --> 01:09:56,531
So we're fighting
amongst each other.
1345
01:09:56,563 --> 01:09:58,365
Fred
Hampton, here in Chicago,
1346
01:09:58,398 --> 01:10:00,434
was the main voice
for racial unity.
1347
01:10:00,468 --> 01:10:01,969
The
Black Panther Party
1348
01:10:02,001 --> 01:10:04,906
stood up and said that we
don't care what anybody said.
1349
01:10:04,938 --> 01:10:06,506
We don't need to
fight fire with fire.
1350
01:10:06,540 --> 01:10:08,009
Yes, we better
fight fire with water.
1351
01:10:08,041 --> 01:10:09,477
Yes, we're going to fight
racisim not with racism,
1352
01:10:09,510 --> 01:10:11,312
but we're going to
fight with solidarity.
1353
01:10:11,345 --> 01:10:14,715
We worked with organizations
such as the Young Lords...
1354
01:10:14,747 --> 01:10:18,185
a Puerto Rican street gang
that had become political...
1355
01:10:18,219 --> 01:10:21,589
and the Young
Patriots, hillbillies,
1356
01:10:21,621 --> 01:10:23,023
Appalachian white boys.
1357
01:10:36,437 --> 01:10:39,806
Bob Lee, who was our
deputy field marshal,
1358
01:10:39,840 --> 01:10:41,776
had a meeting with them,
and he was explaining
1359
01:10:41,809 --> 01:10:43,111
why we should work together.
1360
01:10:59,126 --> 01:11:00,761
The
coalition that Fred
1361
01:11:00,794 --> 01:11:03,264
was building in
Chicago represented
1362
01:11:03,296 --> 01:11:06,399
the Latinos, the poor
whites and poor blacks.
1363
01:11:06,433 --> 01:11:08,836
But also, because he
had been in the NAACP,
1364
01:11:08,868 --> 01:11:11,605
he had linkages with folks who
in the congregations, or church
1365
01:11:11,639 --> 01:11:14,075
folks, and with
working class folks.
1366
01:11:14,108 --> 01:11:16,777
So Fred was building a
broad-based coalition
1367
01:11:16,809 --> 01:11:18,479
in Chicago, and
that was the threat.
1368
01:11:27,187 --> 01:11:30,424
J. Edgar Hoover most
feared young whites uniting
1369
01:11:30,456 --> 01:11:32,325
with the blacks' struggle.
1370
01:11:32,358 --> 01:11:35,062
And he was most
afraid of, what
1371
01:11:35,095 --> 01:11:40,301
he called a black messiah,
rising up out of this movement.
1372
01:11:43,571 --> 01:11:46,040
Fred Hampton
was very good at running
1373
01:11:46,072 --> 01:11:46,973
an organization.
1374
01:11:47,006 --> 01:11:48,942
He could delegate
responsibility.
1375
01:11:48,975 --> 01:11:50,510
He could spot talent.
1376
01:11:50,544 --> 01:11:52,446
The one thing that
he failed to spot,
1377
01:11:52,479 --> 01:11:57,351
however, was the FBI
plant... who was, of course,
1378
01:11:57,384 --> 01:11:58,219
his personal bodyguard.
1379
01:12:04,491 --> 01:12:05,960
I routinely supplied
1380
01:12:05,992 --> 01:12:11,431
whatever floor plans or diagrams
I could, to the FBI.
1381
01:12:11,465 --> 01:12:14,068
I... that started in June, 1969.
1382
01:12:14,100 --> 01:12:17,138
I mean, they had a floor plan
and keys to the Black Panther
1383
01:12:17,170 --> 01:12:17,604
headquarters.
1384
01:12:22,509 --> 01:12:26,613
December 3, 1969, there was
a rally at the People's Church
1385
01:12:26,647 --> 01:12:28,215
on the west side of Chicago.
1386
01:12:28,247 --> 01:12:30,084
And it was one of those
rallies where Fred
1387
01:12:30,117 --> 01:12:32,353
gave one of those speeches.
1388
01:12:32,385 --> 01:12:33,720
I don't believe I'm
1389
01:12:33,754 --> 01:12:35,189
going to die in a car wreck.
1390
01:12:35,221 --> 01:12:37,123
I don't believe I'm going
to die from slipping
1391
01:12:37,157 --> 01:12:38,092
on a piece of ice.
1392
01:12:38,125 --> 01:12:39,460
I don't believe that
I'm going to die
1393
01:12:39,492 --> 01:12:41,795
because I've got a bad heart.
1394
01:12:41,828 --> 01:12:43,598
Why don't you heal
for the people?
1395
01:12:43,630 --> 01:12:45,165
Why don't you struggle
for the people?
1396
01:12:45,198 --> 01:12:46,567
Why don't you die
for the people?
1397
01:12:50,069 --> 01:12:53,006
Close to 12 midnight,
William O'Neal
1398
01:12:53,040 --> 01:12:56,077
came and picked me up
and brought me back
1399
01:12:56,109 --> 01:12:58,912
to our apartment.
1400
01:12:58,946 --> 01:13:03,050
Chairman Fred had been running
24/7 trying to organize,
1401
01:13:03,082 --> 01:13:04,285
so he fell asleep.
1402
01:13:07,287 --> 01:13:12,393
I was 8 and 1/2 months
pregnant with our son,
1403
01:13:12,425 --> 01:13:14,394
so I fell asleep too.
1404
01:13:17,398 --> 01:13:19,634
Police attached
to the Cook County State's
1405
01:13:19,666 --> 01:13:22,469
Attorney's office raided
a Chicago apartment
1406
01:13:22,502 --> 01:13:25,038
shared by two high ranking
members of the Black Panther
1407
01:13:25,072 --> 01:13:27,308
Party before dawn today.
1408
01:13:27,340 --> 01:13:29,910
The police were acting on a
tip that a supply of weapons
1409
01:13:29,943 --> 01:13:33,147
was in the apartment.
1410
01:13:33,179 --> 01:13:35,982
The state's
attorney recreated
1411
01:13:36,015 --> 01:13:39,219
the layout of the
Panther apartment
1412
01:13:39,252 --> 01:13:41,589
and, made
arrangements for them
1413
01:13:41,621 --> 01:13:44,691
to produce his version
of what happened.
1414
01:13:44,724 --> 01:13:45,725
He stands up.
1415
01:13:45,759 --> 01:13:48,562
I stepped over and
I put the machine...
1416
01:13:48,595 --> 01:13:49,897
In short bursts.
1417
01:13:49,929 --> 01:13:52,700
We realized that there are
still some people remaining...
1418
01:13:52,733 --> 01:13:54,669
And before I could
get past the threshold,
1419
01:13:54,702 --> 01:13:58,005
there were three shots
fired from the rear bedroom.
1420
01:13:58,037 --> 01:14:00,907
The immediate, violent,
criminal reaction
1421
01:14:00,940 --> 01:14:04,679
of the occupants in shooting
at announced police officers
1422
01:14:04,711 --> 01:14:06,946
emphasizes the
extreme viciousness
1423
01:14:06,979 --> 01:14:09,183
of the Black Panther Party.
1424
01:14:09,215 --> 01:14:12,652
So does their refusal to cease
firing at the police officers
1425
01:14:12,685 --> 01:14:15,422
when urged to do
so several times.
1426
01:14:15,456 --> 01:14:17,958
When the 15-minute
gun battle was over,
1427
01:14:17,991 --> 01:14:19,827
two Black Panthers were dead.
1428
01:14:19,859 --> 01:14:22,796
Police and Panthers differ
about what happened.
1429
01:14:27,100 --> 01:14:30,304
In the apartment, we
received no warning,
1430
01:14:30,336 --> 01:14:37,745
no tear gas... nothing to offer
us to surrender or come out.
1431
01:14:37,778 --> 01:14:42,382
Bullets start coming through
the walls... plaster flying.
1432
01:14:42,416 --> 01:14:44,051
Saw bullets coming,
I mean, looked
1433
01:14:44,084 --> 01:14:48,555
like the front of the apartment,
from the kitchen area.
1434
01:14:48,589 --> 01:14:52,727
They were... the police
were just shooting.
1435
01:14:52,760 --> 01:14:56,263
This cop stepped to the
door with a sub-machine gun
1436
01:14:56,295 --> 01:14:59,666
and you could see
was a silhouette.
1437
01:14:59,700 --> 01:15:05,473
And the muzzle flash
as he fired, you know,
1438
01:15:05,505 --> 01:15:09,276
a fully automatic
weapon into, a room
1439
01:15:09,309 --> 01:15:10,878
that was barely six feet wide.
1440
01:15:14,081 --> 01:15:16,050
I laid
on top of Chairman Fred,
1441
01:15:16,082 --> 01:15:20,254
and I could feel even through
him the mattress vibrating.
1442
01:15:20,287 --> 01:15:22,857
You could feel the
bullets gong into you.
1443
01:15:22,889 --> 01:15:26,893
I just knew we'd be
dead, everybody in there.
1444
01:15:26,926 --> 01:15:31,564
Cop stepped back in and,
fired off another round, hit me
1445
01:15:31,598 --> 01:15:33,000
in the hips.
1446
01:15:33,032 --> 01:15:37,036
Everything was like this,
it was just going so fast.
1447
01:15:37,069 --> 01:15:38,872
We told them we were
wounded, and they said
1448
01:15:38,906 --> 01:15:40,373
come out with your hands up.
1449
01:15:40,407 --> 01:15:44,211
One of them grabbed my robe
and they swung it open and say
1450
01:15:44,243 --> 01:15:44,879
what do you?
1451
01:15:44,912 --> 01:15:46,814
We got a broad here.
1452
01:15:46,846 --> 01:15:48,549
And then another
one grabbed my hair
1453
01:15:48,581 --> 01:15:52,385
and slung me into
the kitchen area.
1454
01:15:52,419 --> 01:15:56,157
I heard a voice say,
he's barely alive.
1455
01:15:56,189 --> 01:15:57,991
He's... he'll barely make it.
1456
01:15:58,024 --> 01:16:00,527
They started shooting again.
1457
01:16:00,560 --> 01:16:04,364
I heard a sister scream
and they stopped shooting.
1458
01:16:04,398 --> 01:16:07,135
Police said he's
good and dead now.
1459
01:16:20,913 --> 01:16:25,152
The police made what must
be a historic type of blunder
1460
01:16:25,184 --> 01:16:27,287
in leaving the apartment open.
1461
01:16:27,321 --> 01:16:31,625
So right away people
went in there.
1462
01:16:31,657 --> 01:16:38,865
I stepped into the
living room and there
1463
01:16:38,898 --> 01:16:42,535
was blood, Fred's blood,
pouring from... all the way
1464
01:16:42,568 --> 01:16:45,138
from the bedroom in
the very back of house,
1465
01:16:45,171 --> 01:16:49,910
out into... from the kitchen
into the living room.
1466
01:16:52,078 --> 01:16:53,647
It was
like a slaughterhouse
1467
01:16:53,679 --> 01:16:56,983
and there was blood
all over the place.
1468
01:16:57,017 --> 01:17:01,855
When we lifted the mattress
up to look underneath,
1469
01:17:01,889 --> 01:17:05,560
three 45-caliber machine gun
slugs fell out of the mattress.
1470
01:17:09,028 --> 01:17:12,131
Only one shot came
from a Panther weapon,
1471
01:17:12,165 --> 01:17:14,535
because Mark Clark,
a young kid who
1472
01:17:14,568 --> 01:17:17,538
answered the door
was shot in the heart
1473
01:17:17,571 --> 01:17:20,440
as he answered the
door and the gun
1474
01:17:20,474 --> 01:17:24,511
dropped and went off
through the ceiling.
1475
01:17:24,544 --> 01:17:27,948
All of the splinters were
coming into the apartment.
1476
01:17:27,980 --> 01:17:30,384
So we said, this was a shoot-in.
1477
01:17:30,416 --> 01:17:31,718
It wasn't a shootout.
1478
01:17:31,751 --> 01:17:33,319
There's gas that
the police department
1479
01:17:33,353 --> 01:17:35,489
uses as standard equipment
that nobody can stand
1480
01:17:35,522 --> 01:17:36,924
to stay in the room with it.
1481
01:17:36,956 --> 01:17:38,758
They could have shot
four canisters of gas
1482
01:17:38,791 --> 01:17:41,094
and then waited outside
for everybody to come out.
1483
01:17:41,127 --> 01:17:43,363
Then this was,
this was planned?
1484
01:17:43,397 --> 01:17:46,834
This was a plan to
get Fred Hampton?
1485
01:17:46,867 --> 01:17:49,203
All indications
to me personally
1486
01:17:49,236 --> 01:17:52,773
that this was, obviously
a political assassination.
1487
01:17:52,805 --> 01:17:56,477
I don't think anybody would
have expected the police
1488
01:17:56,510 --> 01:17:59,647
to commit just murder.
1489
01:17:59,679 --> 01:18:01,615
It takes a certain kind
of guy to carry that out.
1490
01:18:05,585 --> 01:18:08,255
They lied about what
happened that night.
1491
01:18:08,287 --> 01:18:10,223
Much of what they
said happened couldn't
1492
01:18:10,256 --> 01:18:12,826
have happened the way
they say that it happened.
1493
01:18:12,858 --> 01:18:14,694
Today many blacks
came to the house
1494
01:18:14,728 --> 01:18:17,364
where Fred Hampton was
killed to see for themselves.
1495
01:18:17,397 --> 01:18:18,832
Don't touch nothing.
1496
01:18:18,864 --> 01:18:21,868
Don't move nothing because
we want to keep everything
1497
01:18:21,902 --> 01:18:23,604
just the way it is.
1498
01:18:23,636 --> 01:18:25,672
They fired through the
door and hit the brother
1499
01:18:25,706 --> 01:18:26,739
through the door.
1500
01:18:26,773 --> 01:18:29,310
The brother was shot
four or five times,
1501
01:18:29,343 --> 01:18:31,345
though after they
came through the door,
1502
01:18:31,377 --> 01:18:33,647
they shot him again to
make sure he was dead.
1503
01:18:33,679 --> 01:18:37,050
This is where our chairman had
his brains blown out as he,
1504
01:18:37,084 --> 01:18:41,322
laying in bed sleeping
at 4:30 in the morning.
1505
01:18:41,354 --> 01:18:44,625
I do not intend to
quibble about that account.
1506
01:18:44,657 --> 01:18:46,393
Do you know
that it's the truth?
1507
01:18:50,229 --> 01:18:54,801
The account that we gave
of the events is the truth.
1508
01:18:54,835 --> 01:18:57,938
It was a death squad
that did this raid.
1509
01:18:57,970 --> 01:19:01,741
It was a police death
squad, and the whole thing
1510
01:19:01,774 --> 01:19:05,446
was set up by the FBI.
1511
01:19:05,479 --> 01:19:09,450
The FBI gave William
O'Neal a $300 bonus
1512
01:19:09,483 --> 01:19:13,453
because of his information being
so valuable and not available
1513
01:19:13,487 --> 01:19:15,489
for any other source.
1514
01:19:15,522 --> 01:19:19,559
Internally, the FBI was bragging
and taking credit for the raid.
1515
01:19:19,593 --> 01:19:22,162
Publicly they were denying any
knowledge or participation.
1516
01:19:39,679 --> 01:19:41,815
The funeral of
the slain Panther leader
1517
01:19:41,848 --> 01:19:44,451
was marked by angry
eulogies, including
1518
01:19:44,483 --> 01:19:47,520
one from Ralph Abernathy, head
of the non-violent Southern
1519
01:19:47,554 --> 01:19:49,590
Christian Leadership Conference.
1520
01:19:49,622 --> 01:19:52,558
Enjoy your peace,
Freddie, because there
1521
01:19:52,591 --> 01:20:00,000
will be no peace in this land
until freedom comes to all.
1522
01:20:00,032 --> 01:20:07,673
We are going to trample
these streets with our feet.
1523
01:20:15,381 --> 01:20:20,420
The last message that I
think that Fred would've,
1524
01:20:20,453 --> 01:20:24,157
wanted everybody to
hear... and that is I am...
1525
01:20:24,190 --> 01:20:25,559
I am.
1526
01:20:25,591 --> 01:20:26,759
A revolutionary.
1527
01:20:26,792 --> 01:20:28,694
A revolutionary.
1528
01:20:28,728 --> 01:20:29,395
I am.
1529
01:20:29,429 --> 01:20:34,568
I am a revolutionary.
1530
01:20:34,600 --> 01:20:40,907
I am a revolutionary.
1531
01:20:40,940 --> 01:20:44,745
I am...
1532
01:20:48,514 --> 01:20:51,084
We didn't know
when it was going to happen,
1533
01:20:51,117 --> 01:20:55,354
but we felt there was
something about to happen.
1534
01:20:55,388 --> 01:21:00,394
We were filling up sandbags,
fortifying the headquarters,
1535
01:21:00,426 --> 01:21:03,996
putting sand in the
walls, putting sandbags
1536
01:21:04,029 --> 01:21:08,000
around the entrance
to the office.
1537
01:21:08,033 --> 01:21:11,205
Well, we were actually trying
to build a tunnel to the sewer
1538
01:21:11,237 --> 01:21:13,506
line.
1539
01:21:13,540 --> 01:21:16,609
If the police
attacked us, we were
1540
01:21:16,643 --> 01:21:18,679
going to escape into the
sewers, and you know,
1541
01:21:18,711 --> 01:21:20,880
we were going to set
charges on the building
1542
01:21:20,913 --> 01:21:24,384
and blow the building
after we left.
1543
01:21:24,416 --> 01:21:26,586
It seemed like it was
more... it was more,
1544
01:21:26,620 --> 01:21:28,755
police presence around.
1545
01:21:28,787 --> 01:21:30,424
We were getting stopped more.
1546
01:21:30,456 --> 01:21:33,026
We were getting harassed more.
1547
01:21:33,059 --> 01:21:34,495
I think they found out
1548
01:21:34,528 --> 01:21:37,531
that it was a different
climate for them here.
1549
01:21:37,563 --> 01:21:41,167
We'd stop them, we'd search
them, we'd shake them down.
1550
01:21:41,201 --> 01:21:43,036
And I think we did
establish that we
1551
01:21:43,068 --> 01:21:44,404
were the dominating force.
1552
01:21:47,706 --> 01:21:50,143
The Special Weapons
and Tactics concept
1553
01:21:50,176 --> 01:21:52,712
was formed in 1966.
1554
01:21:52,746 --> 01:21:56,116
The original SWAT team in the
United States... or anywhere,
1555
01:21:56,148 --> 01:21:58,684
for that matter... was
the LAPD SWAT team.
1556
01:21:58,718 --> 01:22:03,556
And in, this particular
case, this was the first time,
1557
01:22:03,590 --> 01:22:08,929
the SWAT team was activated
to serve a high risk warrant.
1558
01:22:16,036 --> 01:22:19,306
It was decided that a no-knock
warrant would be utilized,
1559
01:22:19,339 --> 01:22:23,376
and surprise would be the
element that you would use.
1560
01:22:23,410 --> 01:22:27,814
A very close friend was working
intelligence, and he told me,
1561
01:22:27,846 --> 01:22:29,916
he said, Pat, these guys
think they're going up
1562
01:22:29,950 --> 01:22:31,617
against some street hoodlums.
1563
01:22:31,651 --> 01:22:32,653
He said, they're not.
1564
01:22:32,685 --> 01:22:34,453
They're fighters and
they're shooters.
1565
01:22:34,487 --> 01:22:37,724
Don't be at the door.
1566
01:22:37,756 --> 01:22:42,028
I am on watch on the roof,
and it's a real quiet night.
1567
01:22:42,062 --> 01:22:43,430
Everything is just still.
1568
01:22:43,462 --> 01:22:46,233
You don't hear anything.
1569
01:22:46,265 --> 01:22:48,734
The access to that roof
on the other side... pow!
1570
01:22:48,768 --> 01:22:49,736
It breaks open.
1571
01:22:49,769 --> 01:22:51,104
By the time I was
swinging around
1572
01:22:51,136 --> 01:22:52,438
I'm seeing the lights on me.
1573
01:22:52,471 --> 01:22:54,440
They had a big light,
and I'm hearing
1574
01:22:54,474 --> 01:22:56,243
the whole... freeze, freeze!
1575
01:22:56,276 --> 01:22:57,443
Still, drop it!
1576
01:22:57,477 --> 01:23:02,181
And the front door
blew open... went boom!
1577
01:23:02,215 --> 01:23:04,718
Well, Pat had went
in the gun room.
1578
01:23:04,751 --> 01:23:06,853
We had a Thompson
sub-machine gun,
1579
01:23:06,885 --> 01:23:09,723
put it down with that
Thompson... wa wa wa wa wa wa wa.
1580
01:23:09,755 --> 01:23:15,061
And he sprays across
the... across
1581
01:23:15,095 --> 01:23:16,196
the roof.
1582
01:23:16,229 --> 01:23:17,297
You could see it in the
light from the street.
1583
01:23:17,330 --> 01:23:18,966
And I was seeing, it
was like... at the time,
1584
01:23:18,998 --> 01:23:20,701
man, I'm going to
tell you, that instance,
1585
01:23:20,733 --> 01:23:22,768
it was the best
music I ever heard.
1586
01:23:22,801 --> 01:23:25,171
And then all of a sudden
my gun just went off.
1587
01:23:25,205 --> 01:23:26,406
I don't know what happened.
1588
01:23:26,438 --> 01:23:28,341
The gun just went off,
you know, so we had them
1589
01:23:28,375 --> 01:23:30,109
in flank in front.
1590
01:23:30,143 --> 01:23:32,312
And then Paul Redd got down.
1591
01:23:32,345 --> 01:23:36,216
He got busy, and we drove
them out the front door.
1592
01:23:36,248 --> 01:23:42,788
Three officers were
down and the gun fight
1593
01:23:42,822 --> 01:23:45,192
continued as the officers
were drug out of the way
1594
01:23:45,224 --> 01:23:48,562
by other officers.
1595
01:23:48,595 --> 01:23:52,499
Peaches and Tommy were two
sisters that were there.
1596
01:23:52,532 --> 01:23:54,501
They went into
the communication,
1597
01:23:54,533 --> 01:23:57,203
which is, you know, start
calling the news media
1598
01:23:57,237 --> 01:23:59,172
and calling national
headquarters
1599
01:23:59,205 --> 01:24:02,776
and calling everybody
they could call.
1600
01:24:02,809 --> 01:24:04,745
Five minutes after 10,
1601
01:24:04,778 --> 01:24:09,116
about four and 1/2 hours after
the original raid this morning.
1602
01:24:09,148 --> 01:24:10,249
All right.
1603
01:24:10,282 --> 01:24:13,319
Running down the street
now toward the building.
1604
01:24:13,353 --> 01:24:15,322
Going to see what's going on.
1605
01:24:15,354 --> 01:24:21,060
There are police officers, look
like Vietnam combat uniforms,
1606
01:24:21,094 --> 01:24:25,431
with automatic weapons,
calling us back.
1607
01:24:25,465 --> 01:24:27,467
Shotguns everywhere
you can look.
1608
01:24:27,500 --> 01:24:29,036
I looked at the TV.
1609
01:24:29,068 --> 01:24:33,105
Channel 5 had it on live.
1610
01:24:33,139 --> 01:24:35,809
So I'm feeling like I
can sneak in the back
1611
01:24:35,841 --> 01:24:40,080
and join them some kind of way...
it's crazy as I'm thinking.
1612
01:24:40,112 --> 01:24:43,049
There's a large
group of people right now.
1613
01:24:43,082 --> 01:24:44,817
They're putting the
pressure on the police
1614
01:24:44,850 --> 01:24:47,121
to allow us to stay so
we can witness this.
1615
01:24:50,122 --> 01:24:51,558
When the police was
1616
01:24:51,590 --> 01:24:53,259
trying to creep up
on the side, you
1617
01:24:53,292 --> 01:24:56,330
could see them, their reflection,
through the windows
1618
01:24:56,362 --> 01:24:57,096
across the street.
1619
01:24:59,733 --> 01:25:02,469
When they got close
enough, they would tell me,
1620
01:25:02,501 --> 01:25:03,870
OK, throw it now, throw it now.
1621
01:25:03,903 --> 01:25:06,440
Then they'd throw the damn bomb
out the window and the police,
1622
01:25:06,473 --> 01:25:08,207
they'd blow up and
they'd run back and shit.
1623
01:25:11,478 --> 01:25:16,049
We see this little cloud of
smoke come, and it just moved.
1624
01:25:16,081 --> 01:25:16,983
And that's the tear gas.
1625
01:25:20,153 --> 01:25:23,123
Back in those days everybody
smoked all the time.
1626
01:25:23,156 --> 01:25:27,728
So what we did was we put the
cigarette butts in our nose
1627
01:25:27,760 --> 01:25:31,197
to filter out the fumes.
1628
01:25:31,230 --> 01:25:34,166
We're looking right
at the Panther headquarters.
1629
01:25:34,200 --> 01:25:35,836
The devastation is astounding.
1630
01:25:35,868 --> 01:25:38,471
The whole front of the building
has been shot up... bullet holes
1631
01:25:38,505 --> 01:25:40,607
all over the place,
front door smashed down,
1632
01:25:40,639 --> 01:25:42,575
screens ripped out.
1633
01:25:42,608 --> 01:25:45,010
I got shot here,
got shot in the arm,
1634
01:25:45,044 --> 01:25:46,846
missed... they missed
my head here.
1635
01:25:46,880 --> 01:25:48,547
I got buckshot all in me.
1636
01:25:48,581 --> 01:25:50,183
They shot that
room up, you know.
1637
01:25:50,215 --> 01:25:51,484
So this arm was dead.
1638
01:25:51,518 --> 01:25:53,920
So now I'm up there
with just one arm,
1639
01:25:53,952 --> 01:25:55,522
bleeding all down
the face and stuff.
1640
01:25:58,390 --> 01:25:59,625
But I'm alive.
1641
01:25:59,658 --> 01:26:02,562
I felt free.
1642
01:26:02,595 --> 01:26:05,599
I felt absolutely free.
1643
01:26:05,631 --> 01:26:09,068
And I was a
free Negro, you know.
1644
01:26:09,102 --> 01:26:12,238
I was making my own rules.
1645
01:26:12,272 --> 01:26:13,172
You couldn't get in.
1646
01:26:13,206 --> 01:26:14,241
I couldn't get out.
1647
01:26:14,273 --> 01:26:18,444
But in my space, I was the king.
1648
01:26:18,478 --> 01:26:24,283
In that little space
I had, I was the king.
1649
01:26:24,317 --> 01:26:30,857
And that's what I
felt. You understand?
1650
01:26:30,889 --> 01:26:32,024
That's what I felt.
1651
01:26:37,397 --> 01:26:41,334
We had riflemen across
the street... on the roofs
1652
01:26:41,367 --> 01:26:42,669
across the street.
1653
01:26:42,702 --> 01:26:45,005
They were shooting
into the... well,
1654
01:26:45,037 --> 01:26:47,674
the shooting ports
of the building
1655
01:26:47,706 --> 01:26:49,108
that the Panthers had created.
1656
01:26:49,142 --> 01:26:52,211
Panthers, on the other hand,
were shooting back out.
1657
01:26:55,547 --> 01:27:00,719
Tommy had come downstairs
and she was laying behind me,
1658
01:27:00,752 --> 01:27:02,087
like in a T.
1659
01:27:02,121 --> 01:27:06,526
You could see, a sunbeam
went across her legs like that.
1660
01:27:06,559 --> 01:27:08,395
So like, you need to move.
1661
01:27:08,428 --> 01:27:11,096
And she... you know, she didn't,
she just kept talking and shit.
1662
01:27:11,130 --> 01:27:13,333
Next thing, you
hear a shot go off.
1663
01:27:13,366 --> 01:27:15,702
The bullet went through
both her legs, like that.
1664
01:27:15,734 --> 01:27:20,540
So you know, at this time we
had pretty much got shot out.
1665
01:27:20,572 --> 01:27:22,209
You know, we were
saving enough bullets
1666
01:27:22,242 --> 01:27:23,944
that when they came
in the door that we
1667
01:27:23,977 --> 01:27:27,046
would have some bullets to
shoot back with, you know.
1668
01:27:27,080 --> 01:27:28,582
And I mean, it
was like... it wasn't
1669
01:27:28,614 --> 01:27:31,184
like it took no brain
scientist to figure out,
1670
01:27:31,216 --> 01:27:32,919
well, this shit is over with.
1671
01:27:32,952 --> 01:27:37,324
We were talking about
giving up, and, you know,
1672
01:27:37,357 --> 01:27:39,158
all the brothers saying
well, man, I'm ain't
1673
01:27:39,192 --> 01:27:40,393
going out there, man.
1674
01:27:40,425 --> 01:27:41,495
I'm not giving up.
1675
01:27:41,528 --> 01:27:43,597
And for like 30 minutes,
it just want around.
1676
01:27:43,630 --> 01:27:44,998
I'm not going out first.
1677
01:27:45,031 --> 01:27:46,500
And I'm not going out first.
1678
01:27:46,532 --> 01:27:47,800
We'll die in this motherfucker.
1679
01:27:47,834 --> 01:27:49,669
I'm not going out first.
1680
01:27:49,702 --> 01:27:51,071
Peaches said I'll go out there.
1681
01:27:51,104 --> 01:27:52,405
And I said, Peaches.
1682
01:27:52,438 --> 01:27:54,174
She said, no, I'll go.
1683
01:27:54,206 --> 01:27:56,308
There's a white
flag coming out the door.
1684
01:27:56,341 --> 01:27:57,176
It's a woman.
1685
01:27:57,210 --> 01:27:58,979
She's holding her hands up.
1686
01:28:01,813 --> 01:28:05,985
And she went
outside and Peaches gave up.
1687
01:28:06,019 --> 01:28:08,355
And when they didn't
shoot Peaches there,
1688
01:28:08,388 --> 01:28:10,524
we came out one at a time.
1689
01:28:10,556 --> 01:28:11,992
That's how that went.
1690
01:28:17,863 --> 01:28:22,268
It was a big glorious shootout,
but after they raided us
1691
01:28:22,301 --> 01:28:25,671
they had all the
players locked up.
1692
01:28:25,705 --> 01:28:27,107
All of the main players
was in jail.
1693
01:28:33,078 --> 01:28:35,982
We
want Huey out today.
1694
01:28:36,014 --> 01:28:38,919
We want Huey out today.
1695
01:28:38,952 --> 01:28:40,387
For
about three years,
1696
01:28:40,420 --> 01:28:42,822
the Black Panthers have
used Huey Newton's name
1697
01:28:42,854 --> 01:28:45,257
for a rallying cry,
demanding that he
1698
01:28:45,291 --> 01:28:48,628
be freed from jail, where he
is held on a charge of killing
1699
01:28:48,661 --> 01:28:49,828
a police officer.
1700
01:28:49,862 --> 01:28:52,933
The words "free Huey
Newton" have been chalked
1701
01:28:52,965 --> 01:28:56,268
and spray painted on a
thousand fences and walls.
1702
01:28:56,301 --> 01:28:58,537
This spring, the
California Supreme Court
1703
01:28:58,571 --> 01:29:01,741
found some errors in his
trial and ordered a new trial.
1704
01:29:08,413 --> 01:29:10,817
When the case was
given to the jury,
1705
01:29:10,849 --> 01:29:13,786
they were sequestered for
four days to deliberate.
1706
01:29:24,229 --> 01:29:26,465
It was extremely tense.
1707
01:29:26,498 --> 01:29:30,870
You could feel the energy
and the tension in the air.
1708
01:29:30,903 --> 01:29:33,473
People were talking about doing
all types of things, you know.
1709
01:29:33,505 --> 01:29:36,209
And Oakland could
explode, you know.
1710
01:29:36,242 --> 01:29:39,279
Matter of fact, every
city across America
1711
01:29:39,312 --> 01:29:42,448
could explode that day.
1712
01:29:42,482 --> 01:29:46,019
The Panthers had been getting
ready for guerrilla warfare,
1713
01:29:46,051 --> 01:29:48,220
and they said
the sky's the limit
1714
01:29:48,254 --> 01:29:50,055
if the jury convicted him.
1715
01:29:50,089 --> 01:29:51,491
We want Huey!
1716
01:29:51,523 --> 01:29:52,959
We want Huey!
1717
01:29:52,992 --> 01:29:54,427
We want Huey!
1718
01:29:54,460 --> 01:29:55,862
We want Huey!
1719
01:29:55,894 --> 01:29:57,796
We want Huey!
1720
01:29:57,830 --> 01:30:00,033
Shouting
we want Huey now,
1721
01:30:00,065 --> 01:30:01,934
the crowd got their wish.
1722
01:30:01,968 --> 01:30:04,437
At this hour Huey
Newton is a free man.
1723
01:30:12,111 --> 01:30:16,015
Everybody
was just jubilant that day.
1724
01:30:16,049 --> 01:30:21,287
Finally he gets to walk out
of that jail a free man.
1725
01:30:21,319 --> 01:30:24,890
The sky was the limit
and the sky turned blue.
1726
01:30:35,367 --> 01:30:38,404
The image that was mobilized
to create the Free Huey movement
1727
01:30:38,438 --> 01:30:41,174
gave Huey almost mythic
status in the Party.
1728
01:30:41,206 --> 01:30:43,575
He had become an
image and not a man,
1729
01:30:43,608 --> 01:30:47,846
and that gave him power that
ultimately proved dangerous.
1730
01:30:47,880 --> 01:30:49,349
Come to the clinic
1731
01:30:49,381 --> 01:30:50,750
tomorrow for an appointment.
1732
01:30:56,288 --> 01:30:57,724
He
came out focusing
1733
01:30:57,756 --> 01:31:00,826
on returning to the survival
program, the breakfast
1734
01:31:00,859 --> 01:31:04,063
program, the free health
clinics, free food
1735
01:31:04,096 --> 01:31:07,000
program, and the sickle cell
anemia research program.
1736
01:31:10,135 --> 01:31:13,540
I remember Huey P. Newton
saying the Black Panther Party
1737
01:31:13,572 --> 01:31:15,507
was not going to last.
1738
01:31:15,541 --> 01:31:17,677
He said the organization
was going to get destroyed,
1739
01:31:17,710 --> 01:31:19,112
based on the way we were.
1740
01:31:19,144 --> 01:31:21,380
We were very aggressive,
and we kind of
1741
01:31:21,413 --> 01:31:23,349
realized that this wasn't
going to last long.
1742
01:31:26,452 --> 01:31:29,622
We know those are
not revolutionary programs.
1743
01:31:29,654 --> 01:31:32,091
They are, at best,
survival programs.
1744
01:31:32,125 --> 01:31:36,162
We know that the people are
in jeopardy of genocide,
1745
01:31:36,194 --> 01:31:38,965
and that if they
do not survive then
1746
01:31:38,997 --> 01:31:41,468
it won't be possible to
bring about revolution.
1747
01:31:41,501 --> 01:31:45,438
We were really
trying to connect more
1748
01:31:45,470 --> 01:31:48,273
with the people
in the community.
1749
01:31:48,306 --> 01:31:50,977
And this was,
this was a big push.
1750
01:31:51,010 --> 01:31:57,550
And there was probably some
people who were not happy.
1751
01:31:57,582 --> 01:32:00,319
We have a breakfast for
children program here.
1752
01:32:00,353 --> 01:32:02,922
But that's not what the Black
Panther Party is all about,
1753
01:32:02,955 --> 01:32:04,290
you see.
1754
01:32:04,322 --> 01:32:07,760
I don't agree with saying that
the Black Panther Party,
1755
01:32:07,794 --> 01:32:09,496
supports breakfast for
children and that's
1756
01:32:09,528 --> 01:32:10,796
all that we're about, you know.
1757
01:32:10,830 --> 01:32:12,498
Don't talk about
this other thing.
1758
01:32:12,532 --> 01:32:15,034
The Black Panther Party is for
overthrowing the United States
1759
01:32:15,067 --> 01:32:16,269
government.
1760
01:32:16,301 --> 01:32:18,772
Those people who were on
the other side of this issue
1761
01:32:18,804 --> 01:32:21,607
politically did not see
the Black Panther Party
1762
01:32:21,640 --> 01:32:23,742
as a vehicle for social service.
1763
01:32:23,776 --> 01:32:26,746
We saw it as a vehicle for
political transformation,
1764
01:32:26,778 --> 01:32:29,181
radical change...
for revolution.
1765
01:32:29,215 --> 01:32:31,384
So we couldn't get
excited about survival.
1766
01:32:37,189 --> 01:32:38,791
Eldridge Cleaver, who...
1767
01:32:38,825 --> 01:32:40,693
while sitting comfortably
in Algeria...
1768
01:32:40,725 --> 01:32:42,862
was assailing the Black Panther
Party as being weak,
1769
01:32:42,894 --> 01:32:45,031
and it didn't have
any more muscle,
1770
01:32:45,063 --> 01:32:48,834
and it was a reform
organization, a breakfast
1771
01:32:48,867 --> 01:32:51,804
for children club,
and he denounced the Party
1772
01:32:51,837 --> 01:32:54,006
and he denounced the
administrator... chief
1773
01:32:54,040 --> 01:32:55,841
administrator of the
Party at that time, who
1774
01:32:55,875 --> 01:32:57,176
was David Hilliard.
1775
01:32:57,210 --> 01:33:00,580
He wanted to have even more
blood shed, which was not
1776
01:33:00,612 --> 01:33:03,582
endearing us to the community.
1777
01:33:03,616 --> 01:33:06,019
There were also problems
with the Panther 21
1778
01:33:06,051 --> 01:33:06,719
case.
1779
01:33:06,751 --> 01:33:08,254
There were legal fees.
1780
01:33:08,287 --> 01:33:10,523
And there became questions
about how much of the money
1781
01:33:10,555 --> 01:33:12,591
that was raised
for the Panther 21
1782
01:33:12,625 --> 01:33:16,328
was actually getting back
to defend the Panther 21.
1783
01:33:16,362 --> 01:33:20,600
We wrote an open letter really
criticizing national leadership
1784
01:33:20,632 --> 01:33:23,236
and Huey P. Newton.
1785
01:33:23,269 --> 01:33:24,938
And the response of
national leadership...
1786
01:33:24,970 --> 01:33:26,538
and in particular
Huey P. Newton...
1787
01:33:26,572 --> 01:33:28,775
was to kick out the Panther 21.
1788
01:33:28,808 --> 01:33:32,212
They were expelled
from the Panther Party.
1789
01:33:32,245 --> 01:33:36,748
Eldridge came to the
defense of the Panther 21.
1790
01:33:36,782 --> 01:33:38,651
The Black Panther
1791
01:33:38,684 --> 01:33:42,154
Party has split it into two
factions, namely the Cleaver
1792
01:33:42,188 --> 01:33:44,924
and Newton supporters.
1793
01:33:44,956 --> 01:33:48,026
This dissension offers an
exceptional opportunity
1794
01:33:48,059 --> 01:33:50,696
to aggravate and
possibly neutralize
1795
01:33:50,729 --> 01:33:53,131
through counterintelligence.
1796
01:33:53,165 --> 01:33:56,836
The FBI was picking at Huey
and picking at Eldridge.
1797
01:33:56,868 --> 01:33:58,770
And I don't know who
else they were picking at
1798
01:33:58,804 --> 01:34:01,241
to create this
sense of distrust.
1799
01:34:01,273 --> 01:34:03,041
In the future,
1800
01:34:03,075 --> 01:34:06,312
submit counterintelligence
proposals against the Cleaver
1801
01:34:06,345 --> 01:34:09,315
faction in the Black
Panther Party designed
1802
01:34:09,348 --> 01:34:12,252
to widen the existing
rift, effectively
1803
01:34:12,285 --> 01:34:17,724
driving a wedge between
Newton and Eldridge Cleaver.
1804
01:34:17,756 --> 01:34:21,727
Ensure this mailing cannot
be traced to the Bureau.
1805
01:34:21,760 --> 01:34:23,962
What we thought
the FBI wanted to do
1806
01:34:23,996 --> 01:34:28,067
was kill us, blow up
our offices, shoot us.
1807
01:34:28,099 --> 01:34:31,169
I don't think we
understood exactly how
1808
01:34:31,202 --> 01:34:34,673
insidious their project was.
1809
01:34:34,706 --> 01:34:36,875
They created a
culture of paranoia
1810
01:34:36,908 --> 01:34:38,577
which was
incredibly destructive.
1811
01:34:38,611 --> 01:34:41,447
In this sense, it was the
ultimate intelligence success,
1812
01:34:41,479 --> 01:34:43,950
being able to pit the
Party against itself.
1813
01:34:43,983 --> 01:34:45,685
And the Panthers
internal conflict
1814
01:34:45,718 --> 01:34:48,654
would soon erupt in
the mainstream media.
1815
01:34:48,688 --> 01:34:50,290
Good morning.
1816
01:34:50,322 --> 01:34:52,925
Yes, it's AM all
right, and this is
1817
01:34:52,959 --> 01:34:55,295
Jim Dunbar with Nancy
Fleming and Gary Bentley.
1818
01:34:55,327 --> 01:34:58,096
We had become
aware of some sort
1819
01:34:58,130 --> 01:35:06,205
of a rift that had come to
pass between Huey and Eldridge.
1820
01:35:06,237 --> 01:35:10,542
We had booked Huey and
arranged the call from Eldridge
1821
01:35:10,576 --> 01:35:15,113
in Algeria to take
advantage of that.
1822
01:35:15,147 --> 01:35:18,251
We've got lots of things coming
up here on AM this morning...
1823
01:35:18,283 --> 01:35:19,852
lots of things that
you'll like to see,
1824
01:35:19,885 --> 01:35:22,388
and we're looking forward to
them too, right here on AM.
1825
01:35:22,420 --> 01:35:24,589
I'll not try to sugarcoat this.
1826
01:35:24,622 --> 01:35:28,126
We thought this is a wonderful
opportunity to build audience,
1827
01:35:28,160 --> 01:35:30,863
and so we decided to go
ahead and put the two of them
1828
01:35:30,895 --> 01:35:31,297
together.
1829
01:35:59,925 --> 01:36:02,795
Huey's goal in having
Eldridge on the show
1830
01:36:02,827 --> 01:36:06,398
was to show people that he and
Eldridge were on the same page.
1831
01:36:06,431 --> 01:36:09,769
And Eldridge sabotaged
that, so Huey was livid.
1832
01:36:09,801 --> 01:36:11,536
He was embarrassed.
1833
01:36:11,569 --> 01:36:13,305
He was furious.
1834
01:36:13,339 --> 01:36:16,743
And so within 10 minutes
or so he called back.
1835
01:37:01,153 --> 01:37:03,990
It was a split in the
party, and within days we
1836
01:37:04,023 --> 01:37:06,225
began to feel just
how bad it was.
1837
01:37:06,257 --> 01:37:09,694
Someone has to be disciplined,
and my recommendation
1838
01:37:09,728 --> 01:37:12,698
is to discipline
Eldridge Cleaver...
1839
01:37:12,730 --> 01:37:15,134
not for the criticism
itself, but,
1840
01:37:15,166 --> 01:37:18,571
the way in which
it was presented.
1841
01:37:18,604 --> 01:37:20,239
The
word got back to us
1842
01:37:20,272 --> 01:37:22,774
that Eldridge had put out the
edict that the streets were not
1843
01:37:22,808 --> 01:37:24,777
supposed to safe for Panthers.
1844
01:37:24,809 --> 01:37:28,947
Whether he said that or not...
he was in Algeria, we were here.
1845
01:37:28,980 --> 01:37:29,881
Who knows?
1846
01:37:29,915 --> 01:37:30,783
It was chaos.
1847
01:37:36,554 --> 01:37:40,559
It was certain chapters
that stayed with Huey.
1848
01:37:40,593 --> 01:37:43,528
Many of the people who followed
Eldridge leave the party
1849
01:37:43,562 --> 01:37:45,631
and go underground.
1850
01:37:45,663 --> 01:37:47,966
And then some people just
were confused and frustrated
1851
01:37:48,000 --> 01:37:49,301
and walked away.
1852
01:37:49,335 --> 01:37:51,636
They don't know which faction
of the Black Panther Party
1853
01:37:51,670 --> 01:37:55,207
to follow or if they should
deal with Panthers at all.
1854
01:37:58,510 --> 01:38:01,813
The Party
had leaders who at that point
1855
01:38:01,846 --> 01:38:05,151
were not worthy of the
dedication of their followers.
1856
01:38:05,184 --> 01:38:08,020
And I think that
that was probably
1857
01:38:08,053 --> 01:38:10,489
the worst aspect
of the Party, is
1858
01:38:10,523 --> 01:38:12,058
that I think some
of the followers
1859
01:38:12,090 --> 01:38:14,160
felt betrayed by their leaders.
1860
01:38:17,162 --> 01:38:22,501
And the split becomes so deep
that it erupts, in some cases,
1861
01:38:22,535 --> 01:38:25,770
into violence, into fights
and into shootings,
1862
01:38:25,804 --> 01:38:26,639
between Panthers.
1863
01:38:30,509 --> 01:38:32,778
This is exactly
what the Bureau, in fact,
1864
01:38:32,810 --> 01:38:35,413
wanted to see happen
in the first place.
1865
01:38:35,447 --> 01:38:38,751
This was part of what the
COINTELPRO operations were
1866
01:38:38,783 --> 01:38:39,751
really all about.
1867
01:38:42,388 --> 01:38:44,724
J. Edgar Hoover,
in particular, says
1868
01:38:44,756 --> 01:38:47,026
we've been pitting people
against each other.
1869
01:38:47,059 --> 01:38:48,728
That's all worked
out really well.
1870
01:38:48,760 --> 01:38:51,863
But you know, now we don't even
have to worry about it anymore.
1871
01:38:51,897 --> 01:38:54,500
Now they're just going to
keep it going on their own
1872
01:38:54,532 --> 01:38:56,535
and we can step
back a little bit
1873
01:38:56,568 --> 01:38:59,371
and just let them play it out.
1874
01:39:03,341 --> 01:39:04,844
In the midst of all
of this turmoil,
1875
01:39:04,876 --> 01:39:07,714
the Panthers decide to go in a
really radically new direction.
1876
01:39:10,582 --> 01:39:12,417
Bobby Seale, the
Black Panther leader,
1877
01:39:12,451 --> 01:39:14,921
has been in trouble with
the law for many years.
1878
01:39:14,953 --> 01:39:18,323
He's been in prison on some
charges, acquitted on others.
1879
01:39:18,357 --> 01:39:21,260
And now he's trying to make
a new career for himself.
1880
01:39:21,292 --> 01:39:23,528
He wants to be mayor
of Oakland, California,
1881
01:39:23,562 --> 01:39:25,898
where the Black
Panther movement began.
1882
01:39:25,930 --> 01:39:26,933
It
was nice meeting you.
1883
01:39:26,965 --> 01:39:28,133
OK,
nice meeting you.
1884
01:39:28,166 --> 01:39:28,767
All right, then.
1885
01:39:28,800 --> 01:39:29,102
How you all doing?
1886
01:39:36,207 --> 01:39:37,643
The Panthers decide
1887
01:39:37,675 --> 01:39:40,712
to call members to
Oakland in an effort
1888
01:39:40,746 --> 01:39:43,716
to run Bobby Seale for mayor
of Oakland and Elaine Brown
1889
01:39:43,748 --> 01:39:45,885
for city council.
1890
01:39:45,917 --> 01:39:48,353
Don Seale,
member of the central committee
1891
01:39:48,386 --> 01:39:50,723
of the Black Panther
Party, called me
1892
01:39:50,755 --> 01:39:53,725
at the Baltimore
chapter office and told
1893
01:39:53,759 --> 01:39:58,163
me to begin closing down
all of our programs.
1894
01:39:58,197 --> 01:40:04,270
So we were instructed to cease
and desist all Party operations
1895
01:40:04,303 --> 01:40:06,639
and to bring as
many Party members
1896
01:40:06,671 --> 01:40:08,808
from Baltimore out to
Oakland as possible.
1897
01:40:11,809 --> 01:40:13,446
Ultimately they roll the die.
1898
01:40:13,479 --> 01:40:17,416
They assume that if they're
successful in this campaign,
1899
01:40:17,448 --> 01:40:19,484
this might help to transform
one American city.
1900
01:40:19,518 --> 01:40:22,622
This might be the
blueprint for the future.
1901
01:40:22,654 --> 01:40:23,989
But they do roll the die.
1902
01:40:24,023 --> 01:40:26,792
The numbers were
dwindling, and therefore
1903
01:40:26,825 --> 01:40:29,428
the force of the
Party was dwindling.
1904
01:40:29,461 --> 01:40:33,199
So it only made sense to
consolidate everything
1905
01:40:33,232 --> 01:40:36,935
and to say, what can we
do with what we have?
1906
01:40:36,969 --> 01:40:38,571
We laid down the
guns two years ago.
1907
01:40:38,604 --> 01:40:40,206
We don't need guns,
we said, because we
1908
01:40:40,238 --> 01:40:42,707
knew we had the ability to
really organize and educate
1909
01:40:42,741 --> 01:40:44,977
the people and
show them, really,
1910
01:40:45,010 --> 01:40:48,080
some of the concrete things
we can do in the community.
1911
01:40:48,112 --> 01:40:49,848
Initially, the
idea of Bobby running for mayor
1912
01:40:49,881 --> 01:40:50,515
seemed ridiculous.
1913
01:40:53,152 --> 01:40:54,953
Black Panther
leader Bobby Seale
1914
01:40:54,987 --> 01:40:58,724
ran second in his race for
mayor of Oakland, California,
1915
01:40:58,756 --> 01:41:00,225
but Seale polled
just enough votes
1916
01:41:00,259 --> 01:41:03,129
to force a runoff with the
conservative incumbent John
1917
01:41:03,162 --> 01:41:04,196
Reading.
1918
01:41:04,229 --> 01:41:05,031
I think we were shocked
1919
01:41:05,063 --> 01:41:06,398
when he ended up in a runoff.
1920
01:41:06,431 --> 01:41:09,301
But as we got into
the campaign and as he
1921
01:41:09,335 --> 01:41:11,770
started doing his campaign
runs, as Elaine started
1922
01:41:11,804 --> 01:41:14,340
doing her campaign speeches,
as people started getting...
1923
01:41:14,372 --> 01:41:17,609
we started galvanizing
people's enthusiasm,
1924
01:41:17,643 --> 01:41:19,078
it started looking
like he might win.
1925
01:41:34,393 --> 01:41:36,962
Part of the
strategy for the campaign
1926
01:41:36,995 --> 01:41:39,864
was to increase the
number of black voters
1927
01:41:39,898 --> 01:41:42,368
on the rolls in Oakland.
1928
01:41:42,401 --> 01:41:45,037
We sent people out into the
community going door to door,
1929
01:41:45,069 --> 01:41:48,741
walking the streets,
registering people to vote en masse.
1930
01:41:48,773 --> 01:41:50,475
And we
went to the churches,
1931
01:41:50,509 --> 01:41:53,446
and we went to the dope houses,
and we went to the streets,
1932
01:41:53,479 --> 01:41:55,548
and we went everywhere
where the people were,
1933
01:41:55,581 --> 01:42:00,653
trying to organize people to
vote for Bobby and Elaine.
1934
01:42:04,555 --> 01:42:06,658
They run
an amazing campaign.
1935
01:42:06,692 --> 01:42:08,894
Bobby Seale used to
ride buses in Oakland
1936
01:42:08,926 --> 01:42:10,629
and do stump speaking
on the bus.
1937
01:42:10,662 --> 01:42:12,999
And they really took it to the
streets in a different way.
1938
01:42:15,968 --> 01:42:17,635
Bobby
had made a promise
1939
01:42:17,669 --> 01:42:20,372
that he was going to give
away 10,000 bags of groceries
1940
01:42:20,406 --> 01:42:22,375
with a chicken in every bag.
1941
01:42:22,407 --> 01:42:25,377
And that was a takeoff on
FDR's a chicken in every pot.
1942
01:42:27,612 --> 01:42:29,381
We counted
up and we found out
1943
01:42:29,415 --> 01:42:33,786
last night it was 6,882 bags we
actually gave away last night.
1944
01:42:33,818 --> 01:42:36,621
And I think that the
voter registration is
1945
01:42:36,654 --> 01:42:38,491
running neck and neck with it.
1946
01:42:38,523 --> 01:42:41,059
I'm sure of that, because of a
lot of... it blew our minds,
1947
01:42:41,093 --> 01:42:42,928
so many black people in
the black community's
1948
01:42:42,961 --> 01:42:43,796
unregistered to vote.
1949
01:42:46,497 --> 01:42:48,166
It was amazing, because they
1950
01:42:48,200 --> 01:42:50,635
were able to register between
20,000 and 50,000 people
1951
01:42:50,669 --> 01:42:51,770
to vote.
1952
01:42:51,804 --> 01:42:54,273
They basically turned
their survival programs
1953
01:42:54,305 --> 01:42:55,907
into a get out the
vote apparatus.
1954
01:43:07,085 --> 01:43:10,022
But in the end,
it wasn't enough.
1955
01:43:10,054 --> 01:43:12,657
Mayor John Reading
of Oakland, California
1956
01:43:12,690 --> 01:43:16,261
was reelected yesterday in a
runoff against Bobby Seale,
1957
01:43:16,295 --> 01:43:17,696
the Black Panther leader.
1958
01:43:17,729 --> 01:43:19,031
Don Oliver has that story.
1959
01:43:21,733 --> 01:43:23,769
Looking at the mood
in Bobby Seale's
1960
01:43:23,801 --> 01:43:25,837
headquarters, you would
have thought he won.
1961
01:43:25,871 --> 01:43:27,206
You know what somebody told me?
1962
01:43:27,238 --> 01:43:28,573
What did they tell us, Bobby?
1963
01:43:28,607 --> 01:43:31,243
They say, we don't care
how the election goes.
1964
01:43:31,276 --> 01:43:32,611
Bobby Seale is for.
1965
01:43:32,644 --> 01:43:34,246
And they told me
this, it blew my mind.
1966
01:43:34,278 --> 01:43:37,081
You're still our mayor, and
we're going to.
1967
01:43:40,085 --> 01:43:41,453
Power to the people.
1968
01:43:44,523 --> 01:43:47,393
Plan A was for
Bobby to win, Elaine to win,
1969
01:43:47,425 --> 01:43:49,727
and our slate to win.
1970
01:43:49,760 --> 01:43:55,033
There wasn't... as far as I
could remember... a plan B.
1971
01:43:55,067 --> 01:44:01,439
Once we lost the campaign
there was kind of a...
1972
01:44:01,473 --> 01:44:02,073
there was a void.
1973
01:44:05,210 --> 01:44:07,846
It was
in theory a great idea
1974
01:44:07,880 --> 01:44:10,583
that you could marshal
this army of organizers
1975
01:44:10,616 --> 01:44:11,884
to come to Oakland.
1976
01:44:11,916 --> 01:44:14,853
But for the most part, when
all the chapters come back
1977
01:44:14,886 --> 01:44:17,790
to Oakland, the Panthers
as a national phenomena
1978
01:44:17,822 --> 01:44:19,691
really, cease.
1979
01:44:24,929 --> 01:44:26,831
After the elections in Oakland,
1980
01:44:26,864 --> 01:44:30,736
Huey Newton is known to
have some erratic behavior.
1981
01:44:30,769 --> 01:44:32,104
People who were
very close to him
1982
01:44:32,136 --> 01:44:35,474
would say that it depends
on the day you meet him.
1983
01:44:35,506 --> 01:44:39,143
Some days Huey Newton could
be a brilliant, thoughtful
1984
01:44:39,176 --> 01:44:41,412
political strategist and
committed to the liberation
1985
01:44:41,446 --> 01:44:43,515
of the black people,
and another day he
1986
01:44:43,549 --> 01:44:45,283
could be self-serving
and thuggish.
1987
01:44:45,317 --> 01:44:49,054
I was one of the folks who
oriented new Panther members,
1988
01:44:49,086 --> 01:44:51,055
and I oriented them
by telling them
1989
01:44:51,089 --> 01:44:54,193
about what a wonderful
person Huey was
1990
01:44:54,225 --> 01:44:57,228
and about how he was
the leader of our party,
1991
01:44:57,261 --> 01:45:01,232
never knowing what
the hell he was.
1992
01:45:01,265 --> 01:45:05,870
We had created the cult of the
personality around a fucking
1993
01:45:05,903 --> 01:45:06,304
maniac.
1994
01:45:09,174 --> 01:45:11,243
He surrounded himself
with former prisoners,
1995
01:45:11,276 --> 01:45:14,647
and they became
his inner retinue.
1996
01:45:17,248 --> 01:45:22,987
Around 1973,
we created a special unit
1997
01:45:23,020 --> 01:45:26,457
that would protect
our leaders and do
1998
01:45:26,491 --> 01:45:29,828
other kinds of
activities related
1999
01:45:29,861 --> 01:45:34,198
to what Huey Newton called
the sterner stuff of politics.
2000
01:45:34,232 --> 01:45:35,868
We're going to take
over the underworld,
2001
01:45:35,901 --> 01:45:39,837
the underground apparatus
of the city of Oakland.
2002
01:45:39,871 --> 01:45:44,209
We were shaking down
the drug dealers, pimps.
2003
01:45:44,242 --> 01:45:47,779
Some people were
like, stick up men.
2004
01:45:47,813 --> 01:45:49,549
It was bringing in revenue.
2005
01:45:52,884 --> 01:45:55,554
As he became
more and more addicted
2006
01:45:55,586 --> 01:46:00,658
to multiple substances, I
don't think he wanted to live
2007
01:46:00,692 --> 01:46:04,162
and I don't think he wanted
the Party to live anymore.
2008
01:46:04,196 --> 01:46:09,134
From there on, you know, he was
less and less the Huey I knew,
2009
01:46:09,166 --> 01:46:15,573
and more and more
listening to his demons.
2010
01:46:15,607 --> 01:46:17,309
If
Huey wanted to see you
2011
01:46:17,341 --> 01:46:18,743
or you wanted to
see Huey, you had
2012
01:46:18,777 --> 01:46:21,714
to come to his penthouse,
which meant that you went up
2013
01:46:21,746 --> 01:46:24,115
in his elevator, which
meant that you were searched
2014
01:46:24,148 --> 01:46:25,350
before you got up there.
2015
01:46:25,384 --> 01:46:26,752
And when you got
up there then you
2016
01:46:26,785 --> 01:46:30,421
were confronted by this
maniac in his penthouse
2017
01:46:30,455 --> 01:46:35,126
who did all kinds of things
to people... physical assault,
2018
01:46:35,160 --> 01:46:38,997
sexual assault, pistol whipping,
threatening to kill.
2019
01:46:41,666 --> 01:46:45,071
He also became very abusive
to the people around him.
2020
01:46:48,005 --> 01:46:49,341
He abused people like Bobby.
2021
01:46:52,277 --> 01:46:55,814
There were changes
in the organization.
2022
01:46:55,846 --> 01:46:57,248
Bobby Seale left.
2023
01:46:57,282 --> 01:46:59,718
There were a lot of people who
had been in the organization
2024
01:46:59,751 --> 01:47:02,755
from the beginning,
and, and they left.
2025
01:47:04,790 --> 01:47:06,325
Then
there was a time
2026
01:47:06,358 --> 01:47:13,431
when he was violent with
me, and that was why
2027
01:47:13,465 --> 01:47:17,435
I left the Black Panther Party.
2028
01:47:17,469 --> 01:47:20,706
I said goodbye as
I left, but I left.
2029
01:47:24,076 --> 01:47:26,578
Dear Huey,
I've been in the party
2030
01:47:26,611 --> 01:47:29,281
for 9 and 1/2 years,
but I've come
2031
01:47:29,313 --> 01:47:31,416
to a crossroads in my life.
2032
01:47:31,450 --> 01:47:34,219
One path is the Party
and the other path
2033
01:47:34,251 --> 01:47:35,420
is my personal happiness.
2034
01:47:35,453 --> 01:47:37,255
I know you're busy,
2035
01:47:37,288 --> 01:47:39,457
but I see our
party falling apart
2036
01:47:39,491 --> 01:47:42,394
and nothing is being done
to stop this from happening.
2037
01:47:42,426 --> 01:47:44,162
It was absolutely devastating
2038
01:47:44,196 --> 01:47:47,700
for me to leave the
Black Panther Party.
2039
01:47:47,733 --> 01:47:50,502
I felt guilty that I
hadn't, you know,
2040
01:47:50,535 --> 01:47:52,638
stayed to do something...
I wasn't sure what.
2041
01:47:55,974 --> 01:47:57,109
There was no other life.
2042
01:47:57,142 --> 01:47:59,412
There was no other
thing greater.
2043
01:48:03,281 --> 01:48:04,750
Then I learned to
live in a world
2044
01:48:04,782 --> 01:48:09,887
where there was no
Black Panther Party.
2045
01:48:09,920 --> 01:48:11,856
Our
children are growing up.
2046
01:48:11,889 --> 01:48:14,225
Half the children don't
know their parents,
2047
01:48:14,259 --> 01:48:17,529
or their parents don't
know their children.
2048
01:48:17,562 --> 01:48:19,832
I want to spend more
time with my son.
2049
01:48:19,864 --> 01:48:22,468
So many are on
the verge of leaving because we
2050
01:48:22,501 --> 01:48:25,237
suffer from loneliness,
lack of personal lives
2051
01:48:25,269 --> 01:48:27,572
and extreme poverty.
2052
01:48:27,605 --> 01:48:29,575
Everybody wanted
this gun toting
2053
01:48:29,608 --> 01:48:34,580
image of the big black...
big bad black Shaft guy
2054
01:48:34,612 --> 01:48:36,247
jumping through the
window and then, you
2055
01:48:36,281 --> 01:48:38,382
know, beating everybody up.
2056
01:48:38,416 --> 01:48:45,524
I refute that as the image
that was put upon us.
2057
01:48:45,556 --> 01:48:47,658
I'm not Shaft.
2058
01:48:47,692 --> 01:48:51,029
You know, as a black
man, that's all I am.
2059
01:48:51,062 --> 01:48:54,733
I'm just a black man.
2060
01:48:54,765 --> 01:48:56,535
Dear Huey, you know
2061
01:48:56,568 --> 01:49:00,272
I trust that I have felt a
virtually infinite respect for,
2062
01:49:00,304 --> 01:49:04,375
belief in, support of
the Black Panther Party.
2063
01:49:04,408 --> 01:49:09,680
I meant well... God knows I
meant well and tried... them too.
2064
01:49:09,714 --> 01:49:13,118
Haven't we all,
one way or another?
2065
01:49:13,151 --> 01:49:15,720
The great strength of
the Black Panther Party
2066
01:49:15,754 --> 01:49:20,792
was its ideals and its
youthful vigor and enthusiasm.
2067
01:49:20,826 --> 01:49:22,361
The great weakness
of the Party was
2068
01:49:22,394 --> 01:49:26,465
its ideals and its youthful
vigor and its enthusiasm.
2069
01:49:26,497 --> 01:49:28,299
That sometimes can
be very dangerous,
2070
01:49:28,332 --> 01:49:30,434
especially when you're up
against the United States
2071
01:49:30,468 --> 01:49:31,870
government.
2072
01:49:55,894 --> 01:49:57,362
If there's anything
2073
01:49:57,394 --> 01:49:59,864
I can do that would truly
progress the people,
2074
01:49:59,898 --> 01:50:01,733
let me know.
2075
01:50:01,765 --> 01:50:04,268
I may not be a member of
the Black Panther Party,
2076
01:50:04,301 --> 01:50:07,839
but I will always
be a Black Panther.
2077
01:50:07,872 --> 01:50:09,607
All power to the people.
2078
01:50:09,640 --> 01:50:12,010
Peace and freedom to the world.
2079
01:50:16,547 --> 01:50:18,916
We made mistakes.
2080
01:50:18,950 --> 01:50:23,087
We charged ahead too fast and
were too arrogant sometimes.
2081
01:50:23,121 --> 01:50:29,027
We certainly underestimated
the police and the government
2082
01:50:29,059 --> 01:50:33,297
in terms of their response
to the Black Panther Party.
2083
01:50:33,331 --> 01:50:36,702
But I think what remains true,
the central guiding principle,
2084
01:50:36,734 --> 01:50:40,139
was an undying love
for the people.
2085
01:51:17,175 --> 01:51:19,177
The Black Panther Party platform
2086
01:51:19,210 --> 01:51:24,181
and program... what we
want, what we believe.
2087
01:51:24,215 --> 01:51:28,487
We want decent housing fit for
the shelter of human beings.
2088
01:51:32,489 --> 01:51:34,326
We want education
for our people.
2089
01:51:37,429 --> 01:51:39,564
We want an immediate end
2090
01:51:39,596 --> 01:51:42,667
to police brutality and
murder of black people.
2091
01:51:46,004 --> 01:51:51,410
We what land, bread, housing,
education, clothing, justice,
2092
01:51:51,443 --> 01:51:52,544
peace.
164150
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