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==External links==
==External links==
{{wikiquote|Huey Newton}}
{{wikiquote|Huey Newton}}
* [http://library.uncg.edu/dp/crg/personBio.aspx?c=153 Civil Rights Greensboro: Huey P. Newton]
* [http://www.africanamericanhistory.tv/videos/playlist/4639-huey-newton Video interview on African American History Channel]
* [http://www.africanamericanhistory.tv/videos/playlist/4639-huey-newton Video interview on African American History Channel]
* [http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/pacificapanthers.html Online audiorecordings and video of Huey Newton via UC Berkeley Black Panther site]
* [http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/pacificapanthers.html Online audiorecordings and video of Huey Newton via UC Berkeley Black Panther site]

Revision as of 20:05, 19 August 2011

Huey Percy Newton, Ph.D.
File:Huey P. Newton.jpg
Born(1942-02-17)February 17, 1942
Monroe, Louisiana, USA
DiedAugust 22, 1989(1989-08-22) (aged 47)
Oakland, California, USA
Cause of deathMurder
Alma materUniversity of California, Santa Cruz, Ph.D. (1980)
OccupationActivist
Known forCo-founder of the Black Panther Party
Political partyBlack Panther Party
Spouse(s)Gwen Fontaine (1974–1983)
Fredrika Newton (1984–1989)

Huey Percy Newton (February 17, 1942 – August 22, 1989) was an American political and urban activist who, along with Bobby Seale, co-founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.

Early life

Newton was born in Monroe, Louisiana, the youngest of seven children to Armelia Johnson and Walter Newton, a sharecropper and Baptist lay preacher. His parents named him after former Governor of Louisiana Huey Long. In 1945, the family settled in Oakland, California.[1] The Newton family was quite poor and often relocated throughout the San Francisco Bay Area during Newton's childhood. Despite this, he contended that his family was close-knit and that he never went without food and shelter as a child. Growing up in Oakland, Newton claimed that "[he] was made to feel ashamed of being black."[1] In his autobiography Revolutionary Suicide, he wrote, "During those long years in Oakland public schools, I did not have one teacher who taught me anything relevant to my own life or experience. Not one instructor ever awoke in me a desire to learn more or to question or to explore the worlds of literature, science, and history. All they did was try to rob me of the sense of my own uniqueness and worth, and in the process nearly killed my urge to inquire."

Although he graduated at Oakland Technical High School in 1960, Newton was illiterate. During his course of autodidacticism, he struggled to read The Republic by Plato. He read it five times to better understand it, and it was this success that inspired him to become a political leader.[2]

As a teenager, he was arrested several times for minor offenses, and by age 14, had been arrested for gun possession and vandalism.[3] Newton supported himself in college by burglarizing homes in the Oakland and Berkeley Hills areas, and committing other petty crimes. Newton once claimed he studied law to become a better criminal.

Founding of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense

As a student at Merritt College in Oakland, Newton became involved in politics in the Bay Area. He joined the Afro-American Association, became a prominent member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Beta Tau chapter, and played a role in getting the first African-American history course adopted as part of the college's curriculum. He read the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Frantz Fanon, Malcolm X, Mao Zedong, and Che Guevara. It was during his time at Merritt College[4] that Newton and Bobby Seale organized the Black Panther Party for Self Defense in October 1966. Based on a coin toss, Seale became Chairman and Newton became Minister of Defense.[5]

The Black Panther Party was an African-American left-wing organization working for the right of self-defense for African-Americans in the United States. The Party achieved national and international impact and renown through their deep involvement in the Black Power movement and in politics of the 1960s and 1970s. The intense anti-racism of the time is today considered one of the most significant social, political and cultural currents in United States history. The group's "provocative rhetoric, militant posture, and cultural and political flourishes permanently altered the contours of American Identity."[6]

Newton adopted what he termed "revolutionary humanism".[7] Although he had earlier visited Nation of Islam mosques, he wrote that "I had had enough of religion and could not bring myself to adopt another one. I needed a more concrete understanding of social conditions. References to God or Allah did not satisfy my stubborn thirst for answers."[8] Later, however, he stated that "As far as I am concerned, when all of the questions are not answered, when the extraordinary is not explained, when the unknown is not known, then there is room for God because the unexplained and the unknown is God."[9]

Newton and the Panthers started a number of social programs in Oakland, including founding the Oakland Community School, which provided high-level education to 150 children from impoverished urban neighborhoods. Other Panther programs included the Free Breakfast for Children Program and others that offered dances for teen-agers and training in martial arts. According to Oakland County Supervisor John George: "Huey could take street-gang types and give them a social consciousness."[10]

Fatal shooting of John Frey

One of the The Black Panther Party's most influential and widely known programs was its armed citizens' patrols to evaluate the behavior of police officers and prevent police brutality.[11] Oakland Police Department officer John Frey had stopped Newton before dawn on October 28, 1967, an attempt to disarm and discourage Panther patrols. After fellow officer Herbert Heanes arrived for backup, shots were fired, and all three were wounded. Heanes testified that the shooting began after Newton was under arrest, and one witness testified that Newton shot Frey with Frey's own gun as they wrestled.[12][13] No gun on either Frey or Newton was found.[13] Newton claimed that Frey shot him first, which made him lose consciousness during the incident.[14] Frey was shot four times and died within the hour, while Heanes was left in serious condition with three bullet wounds. With a bullet wound to the abdomen, Newton staggered into the Kaiser Hospital in Oakland. He was admitted, but was alarmed to find himself handcuffed to his bed.[15] Newton was convicted in September 1968 of voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Frey and was sentenced to 2–15 years in prison. In May 1970, the California Appellate Court reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial. After two subsequent mistrials, the California Supreme Court dropped the case.[15] In his autobiography, "Revolutionary Suicide", Newton claimed that Heanes and Frey were opposite each other and shooting in each others' direction during the shootout. According to journalist Hugh Pearson, Newton boasted to close friend and sociobiologist Robert Trivers that he deliberately killed John Frey and never regretted it.[16]

Writings

Around this time Newton wrote several collections of essays, poems, songs and oral history, some published by the Black Panther Party (see Books, articles, and oral histories, below).

Murder of Kathleen Smith, Assault of Preston Callins

On August 6, 1974, Kathleen Smith, a 17-year-old Oakland prostitute was shot; she died three months later. According to the prosecutor handling the case[17] and other sources Newton shot Smith after a casual exchange on the street during which she referred to him as "Baby", a childhood nickname he hated. He was arrested on murder charges, then released for lack of evidence. In discussion with sociobiologist Robert Trivers, Newton later referred to the killing of Kathleen Smith as "my first non-political murder," and said he felt guilty about it.[18]

Similarly, Newton assaulted his tailor, Preston Callins, after Callins called him "Baby". After posting bond on an arrest for pistol whipping Callins, Newton was again arrested for the murder of Smith but was able to post an $80,000 bond and was released again. Newton and his girlfriend Gwen Fountaine, fled to Havana, Cuba to avoid prosecution for the charges, living there until 1977.[19] Elaine Brown took over as chairperson of the Black Panther Party in his absence.[20] Newton returned to the United States in 1977 to stand trial for the murder of Smith and the assault on Callins.

In October 1977 three Black Panthers attempted to assassinate Crystal Gray, one of the prostitutes present the day of Kathleen Smith’s murder and a key prosecution witness in Newton's upcoming trial. Unbeknownst to the assailants, they attacked the wrong house and the occupant returned fire. During the shootout one of the Panthers, Louis Johnson, was killed and the other two assailants escaped.[21] One of the two surviving assassins, Flores Forbes, fled to Las Vegas Nevada with the help of Panther paramedic Nelson Malloy. Fearing that Malloy would discover the truth behind the botched assassination attempt, Newton allegedly ordered a “house cleaning”, and Malloy was shot in the desert and buried alive. Malloy miraculously recovered from the assault and told police that fellow Panthers Rollin Reid and Allen Lewis were behind his murder attempt.[22] Newton denied any involvement or knowledge and claimed the events “might have been the result of overzealous party members”.[17] During the assault trial Preston Callins changed his testimony several times and eventually told the jury that he did not know who assaulted him. Newton was acquitted of the assault in September 1978 but convicted on two counts of firearm possession. After two trials and two deadlocked juries, the prosecution decided not to retry Newton for Smith’s murder.

People’s Temple

In January 1977, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones visited Newton in Havana.[23] After Jones fled to Jonestown, Guyana, Newton spoke to Temple members in Jonestown via telephone patch supporting Jones during one of the Temple's earliest "White Nights."[24] Newton's cousin, Stanley Clayton, was one of the few residents of Jonestown to escape the 1978 tragedy, during which more than 900 Temple members were ordered by Jones to commit suicide.[24]

Academic achievements

Newton earned a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz in 1974. He was enrolled as a graduate student in History of Consciousness at UC Santa Cruz in 1978, when he arranged to take a reading course from famed evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers, while in prison. He and Trivers became close friends. Trivers and Newton published an influential analysis of the role of flight crew self-deception in the crash of Air Florida Flight 90.[25]

Newton earned a Ph.D. in social philosophy at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1980.[26] His doctoral dissertation was entitled War Against the Panthers: A Study of Repression in America.[27] Later, Newton's widow, Frederika Newton, would discuss her husband's often-ignored academic leanings on C-SPAN's "American Perspectives" program on February 18, 2006.

Death

Relations between Newton and factions within the Black Guerilla Family had been strained for nearly two decades. Former Black Panther members who became BGF members in jail had become disenchanted with Newton for his perceived abandonment of imprisoned Black Panther members and allegations of Newton's fratricide within the party. Newton was addicted to crack cocaine, and his extortion of local BGF drug dealers to obtain free drugs added to their animosity.[28]

On August 22, 1989, Newton was fatally shot on the 1400 block of 9th street in West Oakland by 24-year-old BGF member Tyrone Robinson, a known Oakland drug dealer, [4] during an attempt by Newton to obtain crack cocaine.[26][29] Robinson was convicted of the murder in August 1991 and sentenced to 32 years in prison for the crime.[30]

Robinson claimed that Newton pulled a gun when the two met at a street corner in the neighborhood. OPD Sergeant Mercado said, "But investigators said they found no evidence Newton had been armed." The murder occurred in a neighborhood where Newton, as minister of defense for the Black Panthers, once organized social programs that helped destitute African Americans, such as feeding poor, young children in the community before they headed off to school.

Newton's last words, as he stood facing his killer, were, "You can kill my body, but you can't kill my soul. My soul will live forever!" He was then shot three times in the face by Robinson.[20]

He was interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland.[31]

There are many references to Huey Newton in popular music, including in the songs "Changes" by Tupac Shakur,[32] "Welcome To The Terrordome" by Public Enemy, "Queens Get The Money" by Nas, "Sunny Kim" by Andre Nickatina, "Just A Celebrity" by The Jacka, "Same Thing" by Flobots, "Dreams" and "911 Is A Joke(Cop Killa)" by The Game, "You Can't Murder Me" by Papoose, "Police State" by Dead Prez, "Propaganda" by Dead Prez "We Want Freedom" by Dead Prez, "Malcolm, Garvey, Huey" by Dead Prez, "SLR" by Lupe Fiasco, "Bill Gates Freestyle" by Fabolous feat. Paul Cain, "Huey Newton" by Wiz Khalifa & Currensy,"Hiiipower" by Kendrick Lamar, "My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup, and "Dream Team" by Spearhead. In the comic strip and cartoon show The Boondocks, the main character Huey Freeman, a ten year-old African-American revolutionary, is named after Newton; another reference comes when Freeman starts an independent newspaper, dubbing it the Free Huey World Report.[33] In 1996, A Huey P. Newton Story was performed on stage by veteran actor Roger Guenveur Smith. The one-man play later was made into an award-winning 2001 film directed by Spike Lee.[34]

Bibliography

  • Brown, Elaine. A Taste of Power. (Anchor Books: 1993) ISBN 0-385-47107-6.
  • Foner, Philip S. (editor) The Black Panthers Speak - The Manifesto of the Party: The First Complete Documentary Record of the Panther's Program (Dial, 1970)
  • "People of the state of California, plaintiff & respondent, vs. Huey P. Newton, defendant and appellant: Appellant's opening brief" (ERIC reports)
  • Hilliard, David and Keith and Kent Zimmerman. Huey: Spirit of the Panther (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006)
  • Jeffries, Judson L. Huey P. Newton, The Radical Theorist (University of Mississippi Press, 2002)
  • Pearson, Hugh. Shadow of the Panther: Huey P. Newton and the Price of Black |Power in America (Addison Wesley, 1994)
  • Seale, Bobby. Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton (Random House, 1970)
  • Obituary in The New York Times by Dennis Hevesi, (August 23, 1989). "Huey Newton Symbolized the Rising Black Anger of a Generation"

Books, articles, and oral histories by or with Huey P. Newton

  • Huey Newton Speaks oral history by Huey P. Newton (Paredon Records, 1970)
  • Huey!: Listen Whitey! protest songs/spoken word by Huey P. Newton; produced by American Documentary Films; released by Folkways Records (1972)
  • To Die for the People: The Writings of Huey P. Newton Toni Morrison (Editor) (Random House, 1972)
  • Revolutionary Suicide with J. Herman Blake (Random House, 1973; republished in 1995 with introduction by Blake)
  • Insights and Poems by Huey P. Newton, Ericka Huggins 1975)
  • War Against the Panthers: A Study of Repression in America by Huey P. Newton (Harlem River Press, 1996: the published version of Newton's PhD thesis)
  • The Huey P. Newton Reader David Hilliard and Donald Weise (Editors) (Seven Stories Press, 2002)
  • Essays from the Minister of Defense by Huey P Newton, Black Panther Party, 1968, Oakland (Pamphlet)
  • The Genius of Huey P. Newton by Huey P. Newton, Awesome Records (June 1, 1993)
  • The original vision of the Black Panther Party by Huey P Newton, Black Panther Party (1973)
  • Huey Newton talks to the movement about the Black Panther Party, cultural nationalism, SNCC, liberals and white revolutionaries by Huey P Newton
  • Huey Spirit of the Panther by David Hillard with Keith and Kent Zimmerman (Thunder's Mouth Press)
  • To Die for the People by Huey Newton (City Lights Publishers, 2009)

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b Huey P. Newton biography (retrieved December 24, 2010)
  2. ^ Gates, Anita (February 13, 2002). "An American Panther, In His Own Words". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  3. ^ Jones, Jackie (February 17, 2009). "Black History Month Faces and Places: Huey P. Newton". BlackAmericaWeb.com.
  4. ^ a b Biography Resource Center (2001). "Huey P. Newton". Gale Group Inc. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  5. ^ Seale, Bobby, Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton, p 62
  6. ^ Curtis Stephen. Life of A Party. Crisis ; Sep/Oct 2006, Vol. 113 Issue 5, p30-37, 8p
  7. ^ Stephen C. Finley, Torin Alexander (2009). African American religious cultures. ISBN 9781576074701.
  8. ^ Judson L. Jeffries (2006). Huey P. Newton: The Radical Theorist. ISBN 9781578068777.
  9. ^ Huey P. Newton, David Hilliard, Donald Weise (2002). The Huey P. Newton reader. ISBN 9781583224670.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Nation: The Odyssey of Huey Newton". Time. November 13, 1978.
  11. ^ Westneat, Danny (2005-06-01). "Reunion of Black Panthers stirs memories of aggression, activism". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2006-06-05.
  12. ^ "Witness Says Newton Shot Policeman", New York Times, Aug 8, 1968
  13. ^ a b "State Opens Case of Black Panther", New York Times, Aug 6, 1968
  14. ^ The Huey P. Newton Reader by Huey P. Newton, chapters "crisis: October 28, 1967" and "trial"
  15. ^ a b Hillard, David Huey: Spirit of the Panther Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006.
  16. ^ Pearson, pg 221
  17. ^ a b Time Magazine, The Odyssey of Huey Newton
  18. ^ Pearson, Hugh, (1994) The Shadow of the Panther, p. 268
  19. ^ Wilbur C. Rich (2007). African American perspectives on political science. Temple University Press. ISBN 9781592131099.
  20. ^ a b Pearson, Hugh, (1994) The Shadow of the Panther, p. 315
  21. ^ Gunmen Try To Kill Witness Against Black Panther Leader . The Leader-Post. Oct 25, 1977
  22. ^ COAST INQUIRIES PICK PANTHERS AS TARGET; Murder, Attempted Murders and Financing of Poverty Programs Under Oakland Investigation. New York Times. December 14, 1977
  23. ^ Reiterman, Tim, Tom Reiterman, and John Jacobs. Raven: The Untold Story of Reverend Jim Jones and His People. Dutton, 1982. ISBN 0-525-24136-1. p. 284.
  24. ^ a b Reiterman, Tim, Tom Reiterman, and John Jacobs. Raven: The Untold Story of Reverend Jim Jones and His People. Dutton, 1982. ISBN 0-525-24136-1. p. 369.
  25. ^ Trivers, R.L. & Newton, H.P. Science Digest "The crash of flight 90: doomed by self-deception?" November 1982.
  26. ^ a b "Suspect Admits Shooting Newton, Police Say". Associated Press in New York Times. August 27, 1989. Retrieved 2008-05-12. The police said late Friday that an admitted drug dealer had acknowledged killing Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Newton, Huey P. (June 1, 1980). "War Against The Panthers: A Study Of Repression In America". University of California, Santa Cruz. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  28. ^ Pearson, p. 6
  29. ^ "Newton Death Suspect Linked to Drug World". Durant (OK) Daily Democrat. AP. August 27, 1989. p. 7. Retrieved February 1, 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |pmd= and |trans_title= (help)
  30. ^ Los Angeles Times, 10-10-91, pA22; 12-5-91, pA19.
  31. ^ [1]
  32. ^ Lazerow, Jama (2006). In Search of the Black Panther Party: New Perspectives on a Revolutionary Movement. Duke University: Duke University Press. p. 9. ISBN 0822338904. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Datcher, Michael (October 2003). "Free Huey: Aaron McGruder's Outer Child is Taking on America". Crisis. pp. 41–43.
  34. ^ "Awards for A Huey P. Newton Story". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-06-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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