Houston — Houstonians gathered on July 26, to remember Carl Hampton on the 55th anniversary of his murder by Houston police.

Hampton wanted to begin a chapter of the Black Panther Party, but the Oakland Panther headquarters told him the party was growing too rapidly and to wait a bit. So Hampton organized a new party, modeling it after the Panthers. He said that the BPP was the number one party of the people, the vanguard party, so he called his new group Peoples Party II.  

On that hot July night in 1970, police and news media were allowed on the roof of the St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church down the block from the office of Peoples Party II. Someone yelled at Hampton to come out into the street.  Gunfire from the church roof erupted, and the 21-year-old Hampton was fatally shot. Three other men were wounded, and two were charged with attempted murder of a police officer.

No cop was ever charged with this planned assassination.

James Aaron, then a 17-year-old activist, became the new chairperson and organized the Panther chapter in Houston. It worked for years, organizing free breakfast programs for children, a number of grocery giveaways, free sickle cell anemia testing and a free pest-control program. Aaron was constantly harassed by police; they eventually framed him, and he wound up serving two years in the penitentiary.

This year’s commemoration was a full day of activities. First, activists, several original Panthers and the Hampton family gathered at Carl Hampton’s gravesite. Panther Bunchy Crear chaired the event; he went into the history of the Panthers and Hampton’s role in bringing the organization to Houston.

 Crear spoke of the international support the BPP had and even spoke about the national library in Beijing, China, having a copy of the Panthers’ newspaper near its entrance. 

Aaron told the crowd: “Carl was the baddest man I ever met — a dedicated revolutionary, a great speaker. I was a youngster who was inspired by him, as so many young people from all around Houston were, to resist. He gave his life for the people, and he died with his gun in his hand!”

Audrey Hampton Bell, Carl Hampton’s sister, spoke for the family and thanked everyone for remembering his legacy every year. She said, “his death left a hole in our family.”

Behind Hampton’s gravestone hung the flags of revolutionary Cuba and of Palestine.

A community reception was then held at Sweet Minds Books and Baked Goods. Delicious pastries and fresh fruit were served. Later a march was held in the Third Ward neighborhood where the Panthers were based. A tour of the assassination site showed everyone the church’s rooftop where the racist cops hid to carry out their plan to remove Hampton from the community.

“It was a great day today,” said Crear. He was a Panther in Houston, then in Oakland for many years, working as the photographer for the Panther newspaper. He also organized the Las Vegas chapter. Now he is the leader of the Black Panther Party Alumni Association in Houston.

Crear told this reporter: “The most exciting part of today was that so many people came out. The youth organized the afternoon events, made the plans and got other young folks to come out for Carl! Carl’s memory will live on in Houston after some of us older activists are gone. That is so exciting that Carl’s legacy will live on with them!”

Youth activist Aisha Shahid who organized some of the events, reported on her Facebook page: “Every step, every chant, every hug, every shared plate of food was a reminder that Carl Hampton lives on through us. Thank you to every single soul who came out, stood tall, showed love, and moved in solidarity—not just for Black people, but for ALL PEOPLE fighting for liberation. We are the future. All Power to the People!”