“With the last words on my lips, I am … a revolutionary.”

A year ago, I did a tribute post to the late Fred Hampton on Uptownnotes.com and one year later I sit in front of the computer reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Fred Hampton. For me, Hampton represents an idyllic portrait of young organizing, fire, and revolutionary praxis. His life, cut down at the age of 21, reminds us of the power of youth in struggle, but also must bring sobering reality. We’ve got to garner young energy for fighting against oppression and building a different social world but we must also be honest about the stakes of engaging full-on in this struggle. There is little glamorous about authentic revolutionary struggle. There are no pensions, benefits, or cameras for people working from the grassroots to transform communities and the world. In fact, their lives are ones that tend to go uncelebrated and are at best acknowledged in memorial. As I reflect on Chairman Fred Hampton’s life and his work with the Black Panther Party I am glad to continue to grow in understanding of him and struggle. Because that is what he would have wanted…

“If you ever think about me and you ain’t gonna do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind if you’re not going to work for the people. If you’re asked to make a commitment at the age of twenty, and you say I don’t want to make a commitment at the age of twenty, only because of the reason that I’m too young to die, I want to live a little longer, then you’re dead already. You have to understand that people have to pay a price for peace. If you dare to struggle, you dare to win. If you dare not struggle then damn it, you don’t deserve to win. Let me say peace to you if you’re willing to fight for it.”

-Fred Hampton

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Filed under: Activism, Ancestors, BHC, General, Grassroots

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  • http://synthesizing.blogspot.com/ Hena

    did you see the documentary on him? i've been thinking about hampton a lot lately…he really showed that young people do have voices.

  • http://synthesizing.blogspot.com/ Hena

    did you see the documentary on him? i’ve been thinking about hampton a lot lately…he really showed that young people do have voices.

  • junichilockettjr

    Very critical realization of the “outside looking in” syndrome…but the truth of the matter is that it is more devisive for black women to point out the negatives of the MMM as it relates to the relationship between black men and women, especially before Black Men have fully embraced and implemented the positives of the MMM. It is discouraging to many of the brothers and for many of us it causes us to say “Well, we might as keep doing what we've been doing, because our women will never be satisfied… Sounds crazy but its reality…that is the macrocosm of what happens in many black families…very frustrated for us social progression activists…

  • junichilockettjr

    Very critical realization of the “outside looking in” syndrome…but the truth of the matter is that it is more devisive for black women to point out the negatives of the MMM as it relates to the relationship between black men and women, especially before Black Men have fully embraced and implemented the positives of the MMM. It is discouraging to many of the brothers and for many of us it causes us to say “Well, we might as keep doing what we’ve been doing, because our women will never be satisfied… Sounds crazy but its reality…that is the macrocosm of what happens in many black families…very frustrated for us social progression activists…

  • junichilockettjr

    Very critical realization of the “outside looking in” syndrome…but the truth of the matter is that it is more devisive for black women to point out the negatives of the MMM as it relates to the relationship between black men and women, especially before Black Men have fully embraced and implemented the positives of the MMM. It is discouraging to many of the brothers and for many of us it causes us to say “Well, we might as keep doing what we've been doing, because our women will never be satisfied… Sounds crazy but its reality…that is the macrocosm of what happens in many black families…very frustrated for us social progression activists…

  • negritude

    Many thanks.

  • negritude

    Many thanks.