He was only 20 years old when he was appointed. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, he began his activism as a student at Proviso East High School, where he led a boycott to allow Black girls to compete for homecoming queen. The timely story of an FBI snitch and a slain 1960s Black Panther leader Director Shaka King, left, on the set of “Judas and the Black Messiah” with lead actor Daniel Kaluuya. This is not one of them.Â, The tumultuous American days of the Vietnam War, civil rights movement, and fear of communism serve as a backdrop to Judas and the Black Messiah, a modern tale of Caesar and Brutus. Most notably, he provided the feds with a layout of Hampton's apartment, which aided them in planning a search of his property on the grounds of hunting for “illegal weapons”. Fred Hampton was a charismatic, driven young revolutionary who became the chairman of the Black Panther Party's Chicago chapter. Hampton's murder was part of the operation. Though the FBI had Hampton killed, O'Neal was ultimately held responsible for Hampton's assassination within his community. After the police forced her and other survivors out of the bedroom, they moved toward Hampton's lifeless body. Intense from the first scene until the last, this impressive drama starring Oscar frontrunner Daniel Kaluuya is a powerful story of betrayal. Chicago's branch had a 10 Point Plan, which included achieving decent housing, employment, food for Black communities, and an end to police brutality in their neighborhoods. "Â, The FBI's illegal counterintelligence program, known as COINTELPRO, specialized in targeting communist-leaning organizations such as the American Indian Movement, the Socialist Workers' Party, and powerful individual influencers. Hampton was a fearless visionary and curated powerful coalitions to push back against police brutality in his community. Yes, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ is based on a true story. For other inquiries, Contact Us. ", In the film, and in real life, Njeri became pregnant just short of nine months before Fred's assassination. Luckily, Judas and the Black Messiah is changing that.Â, Historical fiction has the potential to tease a history lesson, but we must remember, it's still fiction. Authorities stormed into Hampton's apartment at about 4:45am - and claimed afterwards that they fired several shots after the Panthers first opened fire on them. Fred Hampton was killed on the morning of December 4, 1969, in his sleep during a violent raid, and he had been given a sleeping concoction prior to his death, as seen in Judas and the Black Messiah. The true extent of the FBI's operation was only discovered on the release of the Cointelpro papers in 1971. She continued to be an active member of Chicago's BPP after his death and later changed her name to Akua Njeri. Nearly 5,000 people attended Hampton’s funeral and protests quickly erupted two days after his death, prompting local militia group Weather Underground to destroy police vehicles in Chicago. Judas And The Black Messiah Movie Review : A riveting true story told with cinematic brilliance Times Of India Ronak Kotecha, TNN, Updated: Mar 3, … Judas and the Black Messiah has a title which does not give too much away - unless you know the biblical story it is referring to. The legacy he left behind is still alive and well on the streets of Chicago. A civil lawsuit was filed and reached a settlement of $1.85million which forced the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the federal government to pay out the plaintiffs. In real life, O'Neal didn't drive Hampton around Chicago, but it sure makes for a convenient plot device. Judas and the Black Messiah is a potent story of betrayal. Authorities began monitoring them under the controversial Counter Intelligence Program (known as Cointelpro), set up in the 1950s. Hampton was the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, a political organisation set up in the 1960s to monitor police brutality. "Â, Judas And The Black Messiah: The True Story Explained, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Akua Njeri (a.k.a. Fred Hampton miraculously brought three activist groups together in Chicago: the white, Southern Young Patriots, a local Puerto Rican group called the Young Lords, and his Black Panther Party chapter. The tumultuous American days of the Vietnam War, civil rights movement, and fear of communism serve as a backdrop to Judas and the Black Messiah, a … Her story is a breath of fresh air, as it not only further humanizes Hampton's character, but it depicts a woman's perspective amid the tumultuous backdrop.Â, "[A] lot of times when we think about these freedom fighters and revolutionaries, we don't think about them having families ... and plans for the future," director Shaka King stated, per Smithsonian Magazine. When Bobby Seale and Huey Newton formed the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California, in October 1966, it was initially set up to protect local communities from police brutality and racism. News - With Judas and the Black Messiah star Daniel Kaluuya now a Golden Globe winner, a primer on his character, Black Panther Party official Fred Hampton, … The Staggering True Story Behind Judas and the Black Messiah - Flipboard Judas and the Black Messiah opens and closes with actual interview footage of William O'Neal from the multi-award-winning documentary series … Judas and the Black Messiah, which is in theaters and available on HBO Max February 12, is a tense drama set against the backdrop of the Black Power movement during the late 1960s. After Hampton’s death, she was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault, as were other members of the party who had been inside during the raid. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are household names, but how many have heard the name Fred Hampton or William O'Neal? According to ABC News, she heard the police talking about how someone (presumably Hampton) was still alive. Hampton was asleep beside his fiancee, Akua Njeri (formerly known as Deborah Johnson), at the time - who was eight months pregnant - and he was killed alongside fellow Black Panther member Mark Clark, who was also inside. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In the run-up to the 1950s and 60s, many African American families had moved to Chicago from rural southern states, as part of the Great Migration. It takes place in the late 1960s and follows a man named William O'Neal who is recruited by the FBI to infiltrate the Black Panther Party and spy on its influential chairman, Fred Hampton. Ironically, some Americans, particularly the Black community, needed protection from Hoover.Â. Directed by Shaka King, it follows the Chicago civil rights leader's work to end racism and social injustice against a backdrop of the government and local police's conspiracy to stop him. As an NPR report points out, "You could call these movies timely, except that the issues they confront, from the exploitation of Black American culture to white supremacy in law enforcement, have never not been timely. "Â, Hampton, a self-proclaimed revolutionary, saw a common cause that many could not. By Online News Publisher / February 10, 2021 / Comments Off on Judas and the Black Messiah True Story Print Email. "Â, Unlike most of the people depicted in Judas and the Black Messiah, Njeri is still alive. The new movie Judas and the Black Messiah tells a gripping and powerful true story that many viewers might not have been aware of. Njeri gave actress Dominique Fishback free rein to portray her in the film how she deemed fit, albeit with two pieces of advice: "One, that she did not cry when they assassinated Chairman Fred," Fishback told the Los Angeles Times. The original Black Panther Party was formed in 1966. J. Edgar Hoover honed in on Fred Hampton because he sensed his star power and ability to manifest change. The Strange, True Story of William O’Neal in Judas and the Black Messiah Unaired segments of his 1990 Eyes on the Prize interview shed light on a conflicted man By Nick Pope Half of all adults set to be vaccinated by next week as rollout storms ahead, 'Arctic dome' to bring snow, Met Office warns as Brits enjoy last day of sunshine, Piers Morgan slams 'ridiculous' EU for causing 'panic' over AstraZeneca vaccine, Jihadi bride Shamima Begum ditches Islamic dress for Western clothes, Cop at Sarah murder site shared sick pics & jokes in police WhatsApp group, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The raid portrayed in the film can be somewhat proven by postmortem investigative reports that countered the FBI's official report at the time. Much like the distinctions between the peaceful protest leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the more militantly inclined Malcolm X, there was consternation among the Black community on whether they should use violence as a potential self-defense tactic where needed.Â, The Crowns represented one of the gangs that followed King's teachings, and the BPP were more inspired by Malcolm X. They're used as a sort of foil in the film as an intimidating rival to the Chicago BPP. While Hampton was briefly jailed for stealing ice cream bars for kids in 1968, he continued his work upon his release. O'Neal did, however, become the head of Hampton's security detail, as well as one of his bodyguards, which isn't far off. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Perhaps Hampton's most impressive achievement was persuading Chicago's major street gangs to stop fighting each other. In a 1969 press conference, he notified the public of the nonaggression pact between the gangs, as well as the creation of what would become known as the Rainbow Coalition. When Judas and the Black Messiah dropped on HBO Max and a limited number of movie theaters, it sparked questions among its viewers about what the real story is and how close to it the movie came. This is not one of them. There are some stories better left untold. O'Neal was recruited directly by Mitchell, as portrayed in the film, after a discussion at Cook County Jail, where O'Neal had been arrested for stealing a car and driving across state lines. The real William O'Neal even admitted in his sole documentary interview that it was very difficult as an informant to find things to pin on Fred.Â, The best the police could come up with was a bogus charge for robbing an ice cream truck driver for $71 worth of cold treats inside. From ELLE. Hampton convinced Chicago's most powerful street gangs to stop fighting one another and even to work together. However, O'Neal always denied this. The office of Cook County State's Attorney, Edward Hanrahan, eventually ordered an armed raid on the headquarters on December 4, 1969. The True Story of JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH February 9th, 2021. In the spirit of Judas and the Black Messiah, here’s the true story of Fred Hampton, Bill O’Neal, and the Black Panther Party. As portrayed in the film, and what is now known to be true, is that the FBI directly ordered the hit on Hampton. The legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton is finally coming to the screen. In high school he did a lot to fight racial injustice, including calling for more black teachers and administrators to be hired and even leading walkouts protesting the exclusion of black students from the homecoming queen race. ", Much like in the film, the Panthers endured repeated harassment from the local police at the behest of federal law enforcement. Noticing potential to make a difference, Hampton then headed up the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party in November 1968 - which offered free breakfasts for school kids and a free medical clinic. The mass media, with the help of the FBI and local police, demonized the Panthers, and Fred was seen as a significant threat to the federal government. Fred Hampton's "message of grassroots liberation feels bold and current, as does his mistrust of the police and the state," writes David Sims in The Atlantic. She was miraculously unharmed amid the gunfire. Below is a breakdown of the truth behind the story, as well as when the filmmakers took liberties. Similarly, LaKeith Stanfield, who is 29, plays 20-year-old William O'Neal.Â, Among Fred Hampton's loyal fellow activists in the film, and in real life, was his girlfriend, poet Deborah Johnson. It was widely claimed Hampton had been drugged with a barbiturate by O’Neal the night before, so he didn't wake up when the shots were fired. "Â, O'Neal was notoriously hated for his part in Hampton's demise, according to The African Exponent. The BPP was also very outspoken about their disdain for the Vietnam War. Now, the new Oscar-tipped film tells the story of the activist's fight for social change, before he was betrayed by William O'Neal, an informant for the FBI who infiltrated the party, and was killed. Daniel Kaluuya, who arguably gives the best on-screen performance of his career thus far as Fred Hampton, is currently 32 years old, which is more than a decade older than the real Hampton at the time the story takes place. Deborah Johnson) recalled the event quite vividly. "It was really important to focus on that on the Fred side of things. There is hard evidence that the FBI was following Fred Hampton and that they ultimately bore responsibility for his assassination with cooperation from the Chicago police. The movie is a retelling of the real-life events that led to the 1969 shooting and killing of the 21-year-old African-American activist and Black Panther Party leader, Fred Hampton. Word caught on quickly, and 13 official chapters were formed across the U.S.Â. She then heard more gunshots and another officer say, "He's good and dead now. The true story behind "Judas and the Black Messiah" 1 like • 1 share. 'Judas and the Black Messiah' premieres on HBO Max tonight, and it tells the true story of Black Panthers leader Fred Hampton and FBI informant William O'Neal. Judas and the Black Messiah is based on the true events that led to the state-funded assassination of Fred Hampton in 1969. Judas and the Black Messiah Tells the True Story of the Betrayal of Fred Hampton Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield star in the new film capturing the Black Panther leader's final moments. She was later released from jail with the help of supporters who raised over $100,000 to free her. Hampton plead not guilty and protested that he wasn't even near the scene of the crime when the local police claim it happened. Nevertheless, he went to jail for the alleged crime. "I may be a pretty big mother, but I can't eat no 710 ice-cream bars," Hampton said in an out-of-court statement, as reported by The Nation in 1969.Â, The judge locked him up on the basis that Hampton and the Panthers openly advocated for "armed revolution," which, needless to say, has nothing to do with ice cream. To celebrate his eventual release from jail, Fred made his famous, captivating "I am a revolutionary" speech at a local church, as portrayed in the film.Â, The Crowns are a black Chicago gang in Judas, but it turns out they were fictional. He was responsible for providing the Chicago police with invaluable intel about young activist Fred Hampton and the Chicago chapter of the Black Panthers, as well as the floor plan to Hampton's residence. Fred Hampton became the leader of the Chicago chapter in 1968 after now-U.S. representative and then-BPP member Bobby Rush recruited him after hearing him speak. He went on to study law, hoping to use his knowledge to help defend people and aid his work to fight police brutality. The film's director Kings told audiences at the Sundance film festival that above all, the Black Panthers "were motivated by love". She gave birth to their son, Fred Hampton Jr., 25 days after the infamous FBI raid that left Hampton and other fellow BPP members dead and more of them injured.Â, The FBI was working in conjunction with the Chicago police to take down the Black Panther Party. But why were the Panthers seen as such a threat?Â, The idea that communism and/or socialism could make its way into American society was the FBI's public reasoning behind targeting the group. As part of the FBI's work to silence Hampton, they recruited an ex car thief, William O’Neal, as an informant to infiltrate the Panthers. WITH the words "I am a revolutionary" echoing around a room full of supporters, it seemed nothing could stop Fred Hampton's rise to power. "Very simple really, I stole a car and went joyriding over the state limit. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Here, we retell the real events. With Judas and the Black Messiah star Daniel Kaluuya now a Golden Globe winner, a primer on his character, Black Panther Party official Fred Hampton, who … For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, The Black Panthers' Fred Hampton speaks at a rally in Chicago's Grant Park in September 1969, Chicago police pictured removing Hampton's body following his tragic death, A powerful scene in Judas and the Black Messiah shows Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, speaking to his supporters, Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton (top) and LaKeith Stanfield as William O'Neal in new film Judas and the Black Messiah, Fred Hampton fought for social change with the Black Panthers, Fred Hampton, left, helped unite Chicago street gangs as part of his work, Hampton pictured testifying at a meeting on the death of West Side men in 1969, Daniel Kaluuya in a scene from Judas and the Black Messiah, The film features a series of hard-hitting scenes, including when when they recruit their informant, Dominique Fishback portrays Hampton's fiancee in the film, Hampton's power is seen growing throughout the film before his sudden death, The film's stars (pictured) show how William O'Neal worked as a secret FBI informant, William O'Neal worked as an FBI informant in the case, View of the bedroom after the Chicago police raid and shooting which resulted in the death of Hampton, Bullet holes show the extent of the damage following the raid, Hampton's fiancee with their son, shortly after his death, Hampton's fiancee was later arrested following the raid, but released following help from supporters, Hampton's parents cry during a memorial service for their son, Hampton's fiancee later spoke out about his tragic death, Hampton's son, Fred Hampton Jr, has continued to follow in his footsteps, The New Black Panthers continue to fight for social justice today, ordered an armed raid on the headquarters on December 4, 1969, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). It's … He could bring people together. Judas and the Black Messiah is a spellbinding true story of betrayal and America's turbulent racial reckoning during the 1960s. Mitchell had a 25-year career with the FBI and participated in some other high-profile Chicago cases, but the Hampton assassination is by far what he remains most remembered for. The Panthers became known for their signature leather jackets and black berets, with many members seen patrolling the streets and shadowing police while carrying rifles, in what was later dubbed 'copwatching'. Judas and the Black Messiah tells the true story of the Black Panther Party's activities in Chicago, William O'Neal's FBI-instigated infiltration, and Fred Hampton's tragic death. Together, they were officially known as the Rainbow Coalition of Revolutionary Solidarity. With the film's release, many more will learn about this remarkable man who died much too young.Â, Take the cumulative effect of American troops fighting "communism" in Vietnam, the fear of Russian influence and the House Un-American Activities Committee, Jim Crow laws, and overt institutionalized racial discrimination, and you have the perfect backdrop for a film like Judas and the Black Messiah.Â, These tensions were extremely prevalent in Chicago in 1969, when the film takes place, yet are oddly familiar in our world today. Although Hampton later became well known for his powerful orations, he actually suffered with a speech impediment at a young age, according to The Guardian. Hopefully you've seen the movie by now because... William O'Neal was a petty thief-turned-FBI informant at the time the film takes place. At the end of Judas and the Black Messiah, the documentary Eyes on the Prize: America at the Racial Crossroads 1965-1985 is mentioned. While some may find it shocking that the Bureau would so brazenly carry out such an attack on a U.S. citizen, others are hardly surprised, given Hoover's particularly menacing reputation regarding the lives and demise of many public figures, including Martin Luther King Jr.Â, Hoover claimed, according to UPI's archives, that "organized terror and violence" disrupted the operations of over 225 institutions of higher learning from 1968 to 1969. Judas and The Black Messiah: Key Facts to Know About the True Story February 12, 2021 by Camila Barbeito The historical drama film Judas and the Black Messiah features an … Hampton Jr. now serves as the president and chairman of the Prisoners of Conscience Committee and the Black Panther Party Cubs. Even before Hampton became involved with the activist group, he faced multiple arrests for things like traffic violations. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. We are first introduced to them in a bar scene where Fred and a few of his fellow Panthers approach the leader of the Crowns to attempt to broker peace and possible collaboration.Â, Eventually, Fred did succeed in a similar effort with local Chicago outfits. Judas and the Black Messiah True Story. U.S. District Judge Kocoras spoke to the Chicago Tribune about him, saying, "He had an uncanny ability to get close to people and get them to talk."Â. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield, the drama has already received huge praise as viewers react to the shocking true story. The Coalition provided free breakfasts and offered pro bono legal consultations to the community. Like in the film, Hampton convinced the groups to work together for a common cause: to keep the Chicago police honest and to keep them from further degrading their communities.Â, "We got to face some facts," Hampton said in 1969, according to an article in the Journal of African American Studies. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Fred had the unique ability to speak to different audiences. He became a trusted member of the chapter and worked as head of their security detail.Â, It's pretty near impossible to find footage of O'Neal, with one exception. Ballistics experts also revealed that only one bullet had been fired by the Panthers, as opposed to nearly a hundred shots from police guns. According to The Nation, the real O'Neal did use provocative and violent rhetoric, like suggesting the BPP chapter build an electric chair that they'd use on informants, which is ironic to say the least.Â, The ages of the two main characters were also fudged for casting. Judas And The Black Messiah: The True Story Explained. Judas and the Black Messiah is out now in the US and on HBO Max and will be available to watch in the UK from February 26. Hampton's story, and the FBI's guilt, is only coming to the nation's public attention now, thanks to the film. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​. In a tense scene of the film, Fred and the BPP visit the Crowns' headquarters and are met with suspicion, but Fred's charm ultimately wins the day.Â, There are a few details in the film that are simply used for dramatic effect, much like all stories based on reality.Â, In Judas and the Black Messiah, William O'Neal becomes Fred Hampton's driver shortly after making initial contact with the BPP as an undercover agent. So my child felt that cold steel.”. Get Tickets JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Now Playing. The gang was, however, meant to represent an array of real gangs in Chicago at the time, according to Republic World.Â, Many activist groups crowded the Chicago streets in the late 1960s and would at times clash over simple methods and approaches of how to achieve the change they sought. Nevertheless, some filmmakers do the history part justice better than others. View our online Press Pack. He is working to purchase and restore his father’s old home in Chicago and started a GoFundMe to gather funds from the public. It meant they soon came to the attention of the FBI, and former director J. Edgar Hoover them as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country", in an official memo. Segregation at the time was rife and Hampton began his activism work from a very early age, hosting weekend breakfast meetings for members of his Chicago suburb community from 10 years old. Fred Hampton was cautious and strategic, so the FBI had to get creative in order to justify an arrest to send a message. Hampton's parents had left Louisiana themselves, moving north for a better life before their son's birth in 1948. In the documentary, O'Neal gives his only known on-camera interview, in which he is asked about his time with the FBI. "My recruitment by the FBI was very efficient," O'Neal says in the documentary. He could talk to welfare mothers, to gang kids, to law students, to intellectuals, to young college students. The American biographical drama film, Judas and the Black Messiah has captivated audiences ever since it was released.Helmed by Shaka King, the screenplay of this film is written by King and Will Berson, based on a story by King, Berson, as well as Kenny and Keith Lucas. If you haven't been able to check out the trailer for Judas and the Black Messiah yet, here's the gist: The movie is based on the true story of how Black Panther Party chairman and activist Fred Hampton was betrayed by an FBI informant named William O'Neal in the 1960s.
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