Luke LaManna

Her school was bringing Fred Hampton and other Black Panthers to give a talk on campus. Deborah's heart skipped a beat. This was how she was going to meet Fred. Later, she told her friends at the Black Student Union about the talk. But to her surprise, some didn't want to go. They said they were busy with schoolwork, but others were more honest. The Black Panthers could mean trouble.

The cops trailed them and sometimes broke up their events with billy clubs. Not even a college campus felt safe from potential violence. Deborah was disappointed, but she decided to go anyway. A few days later, she entered the back of the school auditorium. The room was packed. Deborah scanned the crowd for an open seat and found one in the front row.

The cops trailed them and sometimes broke up their events with billy clubs. Not even a college campus felt safe from potential violence. Deborah was disappointed, but she decided to go anyway. A few days later, she entered the back of the school auditorium. The room was packed. Deborah scanned the crowd for an open seat and found one in the front row.

The Black Panthers filed in, wearing their iconic uniform, leather jackets, and matching black berets. Fred led the charge. Deborah thought he looked even taller than on TV, and he gave off the kind of confidence that felt magnetic. Every eye followed him to the front of the room.

The Black Panthers filed in, wearing their iconic uniform, leather jackets, and matching black berets. Fred led the charge. Deborah thought he looked even taller than on TV, and he gave off the kind of confidence that felt magnetic. Every eye followed him to the front of the room.

And when he began to talk about serving his community and empowering the people, Deborah felt herself leaning forward in her chair. Deborah could have sworn Fred glanced at her and that the corner of his mouth twitched with a smile. After the talk was over, Deborah worked up the courage to go up and say hello. When she shook Fred's hand, she felt a bolt of electricity run up her arm.

And when he began to talk about serving his community and empowering the people, Deborah felt herself leaning forward in her chair. Deborah could have sworn Fred glanced at her and that the corner of his mouth twitched with a smile. After the talk was over, Deborah worked up the courage to go up and say hello. When she shook Fred's hand, she felt a bolt of electricity run up her arm.

She had spent months dreaming of meeting this man, and now her premonition was becoming reality. A few months later, in late spring, Deborah sat in a folding chair at Black Panther headquarters in Chicago. She was taking notes as one of the Panthers gave a lecture on the party's beliefs.

She had spent months dreaming of meeting this man, and now her premonition was becoming reality. A few months later, in late spring, Deborah sat in a folding chair at Black Panther headquarters in Chicago. She was taking notes as one of the Panthers gave a lecture on the party's beliefs.

Deborah joined the Black Panthers right after Fred's speech at Wright College and had been doing her best to handle the steep learning curve that came with joining the party. She had political orientation classes like these a few times a week. All the new recruits would pile into headquarters and a senior member, sometimes Fred himself, would talk about the party's politics.

Deborah joined the Black Panthers right after Fred's speech at Wright College and had been doing her best to handle the steep learning curve that came with joining the party. She had political orientation classes like these a few times a week. All the new recruits would pile into headquarters and a senior member, sometimes Fred himself, would talk about the party's politics.

On top of these classes, Debra was expected to volunteer at their free meals program and at the free medical clinic. Plus, she was still juggling her college workload. She had never been more busy, but she loved it. She also loved Fred. The two of them had started dating after they met on campus. Deborah fanned herself with her notebook.

On top of these classes, Debra was expected to volunteer at their free meals program and at the free medical clinic. Plus, she was still juggling her college workload. She had never been more busy, but she loved it. She also loved Fred. The two of them had started dating after they met on campus. Deborah fanned herself with her notebook.

There were so many new Panthers crammed into headquarters that the room felt stuffy. The uptick in membership was thanks to Fred, and it wasn't just Deborah who thought so. Everybody knew Fred was the one drawing in dozens of recruits. Plus, Fred was making alliances with other groups outside the Panthers, too.

There were so many new Panthers crammed into headquarters that the room felt stuffy. The uptick in membership was thanks to Fred, and it wasn't just Deborah who thought so. Everybody knew Fred was the one drawing in dozens of recruits. Plus, Fred was making alliances with other groups outside the Panthers, too.

He'd formed the Rainbow Coalition with a Puerto Rican turf gang called the Young Lords and a group of white Southern leftists called the Young Patriots. It was no wonder that headquarters was usually bursting at the seams.

He'd formed the Rainbow Coalition with a Puerto Rican turf gang called the Young Lords and a group of white Southern leftists called the Young Patriots. It was no wonder that headquarters was usually bursting at the seams.

senior panther stopped his lecture to sip some water and deborah looked out the window there she spotted a two-tone sedan parked on the curb with two middle-aged white men sitting in the front seat deborah rolled her eyes the cops were here again cops were always hanging around headquarters sometimes they followed recruits out of the building just to intimidate them

senior panther stopped his lecture to sip some water and deborah looked out the window there she spotted a two-tone sedan parked on the curb with two middle-aged white men sitting in the front seat deborah rolled her eyes the cops were here again cops were always hanging around headquarters sometimes they followed recruits out of the building just to intimidate them

A few recruits had even been roughed up. And on top of that, the headquarters phone lines were being tapped. Deborah knew the cops saw the Panthers as a threat to society. Many Panthers wondered if a larger government agency was behind it all, like the FBI. A lot of the college chapter thought there could already be an undercover cop or FBI informant among their ranks. They had to be careful.