Carl Hampton

Carl Hampton (December 17, 1948–July 26, 1970) was a civil rights leader and head of the People's Party II, a precursor to the Houston chapter of the Black Panther Party. During his time leading the organization, the local chapter established community programs to offer food and medicine to Black Houstonians.[1]

Hampton was killed at the age of 21 by gunfire discharged by Houston Police Department officers from a rooftop near the People's Party II headquarters located at the 2800 block of Dowling Street (known today as Emancipation Boulevard). The incident leading to Hampton's death began on July 17, when police surrounded the headquarters after a series of minor incidents, leading to a ten-day standoff that would end in a gun fight.[2] Throughout the standoff, community members rallied to show support and raise bail for the activists.[3]

Much of Houston's Black community cast doubt on the police version of events surrounding Hampton's death, as more than 30 groups called for, among other demands, the firing of the police chief Herman Short.[4] A grand jury chose not to indict.[5] Discussion of the circumstances of his death continue in the Houston community.[6][7]

  1. ^ Hannibal Smith, Camilo (February 17, 2016). "Remembering Houston's Black Panthers 'We were just saying that they needed to stop killing us'". Houston Chronicle.
  2. ^ Lee; Green, Larry; Mitch (August 21, 1970). "The Police Allowed Her to Keep the Money" (PDF). The Texas Observer.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Boney, Jeffrey (July 29, 2020). "The Assassination of Carl Hampton: Remembering another Victim of Police Brutality…50 Years Later". Houston Forward Times.
  4. ^ Johnson, Thomas (July 29, 1970). "HOUSTON BLACKS DENOUNCE POLICE". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Hannibal Smith, Camilo (February 17, 2016). "Remembering Houston's Black Panthers 'We were just saying that they needed to stop killing us'". Houston Chronicle.
  6. ^ Gonzalez, J.R. (July 26, 2010). "The death of Carl Hampton". Houston Chronicle.
  7. ^ "Interview with James Aaron". Civil Rights in Black & Brown by Texas Christian University.