Luke LaManna

It had been a rough few months without Fred. He was capable of juggling a hundred things at once and rallying a room to action. Without him, it was hard to keep everything going. Meetings were unfocused, the chapter lacked direction, and new recruits were already beginning to fall away.

But Debra was doing everything she could to keep the chapter afloat, spending practically every waking minute at headquarters. She was halfway down the block when several police cars whizzed past her and screeched to a halt outside their building.

But Debra was doing everything she could to keep the chapter afloat, spending practically every waking minute at headquarters. She was halfway down the block when several police cars whizzed past her and screeched to a halt outside their building.

Deborah stopped dead and watched in terror as officers jumped out of their cars and aimed their guns at headquarters, yelling for everyone inside to get down. She wanted to turn and run, but she knew that would only draw attention to herself. One of the cops might recognize her as Fred's girlfriend. The safest thing she could do was keep her head down and keep walking.

Deborah stopped dead and watched in terror as officers jumped out of their cars and aimed their guns at headquarters, yelling for everyone inside to get down. She wanted to turn and run, but she knew that would only draw attention to herself. One of the cops might recognize her as Fred's girlfriend. The safest thing she could do was keep her head down and keep walking.

She crossed the street and listened helplessly as glass shattered and the sounds of fighting erupted from inside the building. She could hear the police racing up the steps and bursting into Fred's office. She picked up the pace, praying none of the police would look her way. Then she heard a gunshot.

She crossed the street and listened helplessly as glass shattered and the sounds of fighting erupted from inside the building. She could hear the police racing up the steps and bursting into Fred's office. She picked up the pace, praying none of the police would look her way. Then she heard a gunshot.

She looked back and saw police dragging panthers out of their building, throwing them into cop cars. One of the cops had Bill O'Neill in handcuffs. More gunshots sounded, police and Panthers were yelling, glass was breaking, and the upstairs air conditioning unit came crashing down onto the sidewalk. Deborah turned the corner, feeling sick.

She looked back and saw police dragging panthers out of their building, throwing them into cop cars. One of the cops had Bill O'Neill in handcuffs. More gunshots sounded, police and Panthers were yelling, glass was breaking, and the upstairs air conditioning unit came crashing down onto the sidewalk. Deborah turned the corner, feeling sick.

She didn't know if any of her friends had been hurt in the gunfight, or even killed. Privately, she wondered what would have happened to her and the baby if she had arrived five minutes earlier. She might not be so lucky next time. Two weeks later, on August 14th, a young lawyer named Jeff Haas walked into the People's Church on Ashland Avenue, just a couple miles from Black Panther headquarters.

She didn't know if any of her friends had been hurt in the gunfight, or even killed. Privately, she wondered what would have happened to her and the baby if she had arrived five minutes earlier. She might not be so lucky next time. Two weeks later, on August 14th, a young lawyer named Jeff Haas walked into the People's Church on Ashland Avenue, just a couple miles from Black Panther headquarters.

Jeff was two years out of law school and had been doing civil justice work in his free time. As a white man, Jeff was in the minority at the church, which was filled to the brim with Black Panthers. They'd been using the church as a meeting space ever since headquarters was raided. Jeff had driven past the building that morning. It was full of debris and riddled with bullet holes.

Jeff was two years out of law school and had been doing civil justice work in his free time. As a white man, Jeff was in the minority at the church, which was filled to the brim with Black Panthers. They'd been using the church as a meeting space ever since headquarters was raided. Jeff had driven past the building that morning. It was full of debris and riddled with bullet holes.

The Panthers had been working to clean the space up, but they still had a long way to go. Jeff spotted a colleague of his sitting in a pew near the back of the church and snuck in beside him. The colleague had invited Jeff to the church that morning. Their law firm was representing Fred Hampton and had recently appealed his conviction to the state Supreme Court.

The Panthers had been working to clean the space up, but they still had a long way to go. Jeff spotted a colleague of his sitting in a pew near the back of the church and snuck in beside him. The colleague had invited Jeff to the church that morning. Their law firm was representing Fred Hampton and had recently appealed his conviction to the state Supreme Court.

Two days ago, Jeff's colleague got Fred released from prison on bond while they waited to hear whether the court would uphold a sentence. Jeff wanted to hear Fred speak since their law firm would likely be doing more pro bono work for the Panthers in the future.

Two days ago, Jeff's colleague got Fred released from prison on bond while they waited to hear whether the court would uphold a sentence. Jeff wanted to hear Fred speak since their law firm would likely be doing more pro bono work for the Panthers in the future.

jeff believed in social justice and he was intrigued by everything he'd heard about the 20 year old black panther chairman but he wasn't convinced that someone so young was capable of leading a revolution a minute later fred walked to the pulpit the room exploded with applause someone shouted free fred hampton and the rest of the church joined in stomping their feet and chanting fred smiled warmly and told the crowd

jeff believed in social justice and he was intrigued by everything he'd heard about the 20 year old black panther chairman but he wasn't convinced that someone so young was capable of leading a revolution a minute later fred walked to the pulpit the room exploded with applause someone shouted free fred hampton and the rest of the church joined in stomping their feet and chanting fred smiled warmly and told the crowd

i'm free the answering cheers were so loud that the wall shook jeff couldn't help but join in with the applause fred assured his fellow panthers that nothing would stop him from pursuing their mission he told them to stand and in an instant the entire church was on its feet jeff was impressed fred really knew how to mobilize a crowd Fred held up his right hand and told the crowd to do the same.