Black revolutionary Houstonians met this past weekend to observe the anniversary of the assassination of Carl Hampton, Chairman of People’s Party II, cousin of Fred Hampton, and a courageous organizer for Black self-determination. From a report:

To mark the 38th anniversary of Carl’s death, around 20 people drove to the cemetery in north Houston where Carl Hampton is buried. People placed flowers on his grave and a number of elders who were contemporaries of Carl Hampton spoke about his life and dedication to revolutionary change.

Speakers included Peoples Party II members James Aaron, Ayana and Sensei, who read a statement from Boko Freeman, and an amazing anonymous letter from someone who meet Carl in response to his death. Also long time community activists Ester King and Ovide Duncatel, and other community activists from that time who I have never met before, but all had stories about the significance of Carl to their lives and struggles.

We then drove back to the location of the Peoples Party II house, where folks from the Station Museum had set up a tent to hide from the shade, drink lemonade and read about Peoples Party II. In the evening, we walked together to the site of the Black Panther Party house (After Carl was killed they Peoples Party II was accepted as a Black Panther Party Chapter and they got a new office on Dowling Street, and later moved to 4th Ward just West of downtown) and then to the side of Wolf’s department store where Carl Hampton was shot by a sniper from a window of St. John’s Church.

There was more speaking, including some who had spoke earlier as well as the lawyer who represented Carl Hampton and a number of the black radical activists in Houston, as well as a man who was 10 years old when Carl Hampton was killed who perform a poem he had written about being inspired by the Black Panther Party.

“People’s Party II” was a name chosen in recognition of what Carl Hampton said was the first People’s Party, the Black Panthers. Photos at Houston Indymedia.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!