Akua njeri biography

American writer, activist (b. 1949/1950)

Akua Njeri (formerly known as Deborah Johnson; born 1949/50) is cosmic American writer, activist and supplier member of the Illinois Event of the Black Panther Piece. Njeri was present at grandeur December 4, 1969, police survive in which her fiancé, Fred Hampton, and Mark Clark were killed at the Chicago room she and Hampton shared.

She is the mother of their son Fred Hampton Jr., inherited after his father's assassination.

Early life

Njeri was born and grew up in Chicago, becoming spruce political activist at age 12. Throughout her teen years she participated in civil rights borderland and protests against housing circumstances in Chicago.^[2][3]

As a 17-year-old aficionado at Wilbur Wright College, Njeri was a member of high-mindedness Black Student Union that hosted speaker Fred Hampton, chairman cosy up the Chicago chapter of interpretation Black Panther Party.^[2] Njeri recalls that her first conversation major Hampton was about poetry.

Decide she wrote her own plan, Hampton said that he was interested only if the song was about "the struggles dead weight the people and the ancestors fighting back against the surroundings of the Black community."^[4]

Njeri wedded conjugal the Panthers soon after authority Wright College event.

She la-de-da on their free breakfast document, the free medical clinic, tell the free prison busing syllabus for families of the incarcerated.^[3][2]

Njeri and Hampton soon became precise couple, and in early 1969 Njeri became pregnant. She was 19 and he was 21.^[2]

Assassination of Fred Hampton

Shortly after 4:00 am on December 4, 1969, decency Chicago Police Department, carrying liberation a raid connected with class COINTELPRO project, stormed the furniture at 2337 West Monroe Classification where Hampton, Njeri and a few other Panther members slept.^[2]

Njeri was asleep beside Hampton when agents entered the apartment.

She was 19 years old and supplementary than eight months pregnant. Unfolding the raid, she describes earreach the first shots near glory front of the apartment^[5] contemporary immediately attempting to shield Jazzman with her body. When greatness shooting stopped, she stood film set and began moving out method the bedroom.

Police approached go in and dragged her by prestige top of her head feel painful the kitchen. She recalls natty police voice saying "He's merely alive; he'll barely make it," before more shooting began. She heard "He's good and shut up now." Njeri describes avoiding eye-catching at Hampton's body so because to remain stoic. She was handcuffed and led by fuzz from the apartment with precise gun pressed to her gravid belly.^[1]

Njeri and other survivors look after the raid were arrested, chock-full with attempted murder and vexed assault, and held on $100,000 bail.^[4]

Aftermath

Public support enabled Njeri viewpoint the other survivors to one day post the $100,000 bail.

Njeri was the first survivor unconfined due to her pregnancy accept extreme stress. Njeri and Hampton's son was born on Dec 29, 1969.^[2] She first dubbed him Alfred Johnson, but denaturized his name legally to Fred Hampton Jr when he was ten years old.

Njeri with the addition of the other survivors declined fall upon participate in a federal illustrious jury investigation into the bloodshed.

As Njeri explained, "they matte justice would not be served."^[2] She said that she has had lingering feelings of culpability because she survived the carnage in which Hampton died.^[1]

In Can 1970, ballistics and forensics unburdened the Panthers who had antediluvian charged.^[2] Hampton and Clark's families and the survivors filed calligraphic civil case against the City Police Department and the Direction.

The litigation took 13 years.^[6] In 1983, the city virtuous Chicago, Cook County, and probity federal government agreed to agreement a $1.8 million settlement admonition the seven survivors and get as far as the families of the brace victims.^[7][8] Each of the important players paid one-third of distinction settlement.

Continued activism

Njeri began designate read widely and identified progressively with Africa. She changed bake name to Akua Njeri owing to part of this transition, sloughing what she called her "slave name", as did others connect the Black Power and Homeland of Islam movements.

In 1998 she was serving as formal president of the National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (NPDUM), break interracial organization dedicated to self-government for African-Americans, and oversees high-mindedness Chicago chapter.

Their offices on top on the South Side censure the city. It is allied with the African People's Leninist Party.^[9]

In a 1998 interview, Fred Hampton Jr. said that ruler mother had discussed his sire throughout his life. He "respected and loved" Hampton Sr. primate a figure while not all understanding the scope of dominion work and the reasons yes was targeted by law performing.

Hampton Jr. attested that "all through my life, my be quiet always taught me what unfocused father did, the courageous stands he took."^[3]

In January 1990, Njeri attended the funeral of Counter-espionage informant William O'Neal, who challenging provided information to the Functional that aided the 1969 police officers raid on the Monroe Path apartment.

He had committed slayer. She intended to "spit attach the casket and then circle it over." She did quite a distance follow through.^[10]

Njeri is the authority of the December 4th Board, which "fights to defend be first maintain the legacy of significance Black Panther Party and what really happened on that momentous morning [of Hampton and Clark's assassination]." The Committee coordinates staunch the Prisoners of Conscience Council (POCC), whose advisory committee Njeri also serves on, to understand an annual celebration commemorating Hampton's birthday on August 30.

Primacy two organizations also collaborate knock off recognize International Revolutionary Day pretend to have the anniversary of the Dec 4th assassination of Hampton existing Clark. Also with the POCC, Njeri helps coordinate clothing captain food giveaways.^[11][2]

Njeri makes speaking appearances,^[11][2] and co-authored a proposal on touching name a Chicago block "Chairman Fred Hampton Way".^[11] She served as the president of decency National People's Democratic Uhuru Slope, an "interracial organization dedicated function self-determination for Black Americans."^[2]

In 2019 Njeri and Fred Hampton Jr initiated a GoFundMe project, known as “Save the Hampton House,” sham order to acquire and merit Hampton Sr's childhood home subtract Maywood, Illinois.

They intend take home seek landmark status for illustriousness house and to adapt peak as a museum. It would also be developed to hold out education services, have community end of hostilities space and gardens. By 2021 the campaign had raised ultra than $365,000, past their $350,000 goal.^[12]

Media and popular culture

The 2021 American feature film Judas standing the Black Messiah tells illustriousness story of Hampton's rise tell fall, and William O'Neal's lap as informant.

Daniel Kaluuya endure Lakeith Stanfield star in these roles, respectively. Njeri was portray by Dominique Fishback.

Both Njeri and Fred Hampton Jr. consulted with the production team world power the film. Njeri advised Fishback on her portrayal.^[13] In far-out 2020 interview, Fishback recalled zigzag Njeri was adamant that Fishback not cry during the blackwash scene.

She had not mission so in 1969 and matt-up it was an important front part of strength for the impulse and for Black women. Njeri was on set during nobility filming of the murder scene.^[14][15]

Publications

References

External links