Fred Hampton: A Leading Light

By Desmond Seymour, NAACP College and Young Adult National Organizer

There is a fire that burns in the heart of every individual working to affect change in a system that marginalizes and brutalizes the people in it, as America had once done. There is a burning need to empower oneself and others, it moves like wildfire and melts away the inequalities that separate people across political lines; the resulting firestorm of action undertaken by a group of people to change their conditions is revolution. Like all fires of righteous social change that spread and pave the way for new growth and opportunity there are some flames that burn so brightly that one cannot help but stare in awe at its existence. Fred Hampton was a revolutionary and a flame that was taken far too soon but whose fire blazed a path of change.

Fred Hampton was raised in Maywood, Illinois and would go on to have invaluable impact in Chicago and nationally as a revolutionary icon. In 1966, when Fred Hampton was excelling in both his scholastic and athletic endeavors, the city of Chicago was ripe with inequality.   Fred Hampton served as an NAACP Youth Council President and demonstrated great aptitude at mobilizing and informing his peers on civic initiatives. As a youth leader Fred Hampton’s fire was able to mobilize 500 youth to address poor community facilities and fight for a stronger education resources.

Using the skills he gained as an NAACP Youth President, Fred Hampton continued to do amazing work with the Black Panther party. Fred Hampton successfully negotiated a truce between rival gangs on television and went on to found the Rainbow coalition, comprised of the Black Panther Party, The Young Lords, and The Young Patriots Organization.

In 1968, Fred Hampton was drugged by a William O’neal a member of the Black Panther Party who worked with the police and the FBI. After being drugged, police raided the home where Fred was staying and shot him twice in the head at point blank range after he had already been wounded. Fred Hampton’s flame burned brightly for only 21 years. His potential to set ablaze the inequities of the time and melt down the iron rod of injustice that had been beaten over the backs minority communities is immeasurable.  Fred Hampton represented the blazing path of change that can be burned into soil of inequality and scorch the unmoving leaves of intolerance. The smoldering embers of Fred Hampton’s desire to see better outcomes burns within the Youth Councils and College chapters of the NAACP. Fred Hampton’s life was a revolutionary fire that burned with the heat of action, and the Youth and College Division along with entire NAACP would like to acknowledge his effort, his accomplishments and his sacrifice.