WHY THE FBI MURDERED FRED HAMPTON

Fred Hampton - assassinated December 4, 1969 - is the true definition of an African revolutionary. He rose to prominence in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party. He also later created the anti-racist, anti-classist multicultural political organisation known as the Rainbow Coalition.

A Marxist–Leninist, Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat: “Nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.” A charismatic orator and true grassroots leader, his community work was identified as a radical threat by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In 1969, The FBI led an operation to assassinate him - he was drugged, shot and killed in his bed during a predawn raid at his Chicago apartment. A civil lawsuit was later filed on behalf of the survivors and Fred’s relatives.

Continued….His legacy remains influential with multiple movies and documentaries about him - the latest being a Hollywood production staring Daniel Kaluyya: Judah and the Black Messiah.

Rest in Power Freddy!

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REMEMBERING FRED HAMPTON

On 4 December 1969, 21-year-old Fred Hampton, one of the most charismatic leaders African people the world over have ever known, was assassinated in a raid orchestrated by the Chicago Police Department and the US Federal Bureau of Investigations, known as the FBI.

Hampton, born on 30 August 1948, in Chicago, was a visionary leader who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and equality for Africans in the United States. After being a young and dynamic voice in the Civil Rights Movement, Hampton rose to prominence through his involvement in the Black Panther Party, becoming chairman of the Illinois chapter.

Under Hampton's leadership, the BPP initiated the Free Breakfast for Children Programme, providing thousands of African children with nutritious meals before school began.

Continued….At the core of Hampton's ideology was the belief in self-defence and self-determination for Africans. He advocated for the right to bear arms and defended the community against police brutality, urging others to do the same. Hampton's fearless approach to confronting systemic oppression made him a symbol of resistance and hope.

His assassination was a blow to the Black Panther Party and to the larger struggle for African liberation. Yet, the ideas and principles Hampton championed continue to reverberate through the halls of history.

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FATHER OF AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Seydou Keïta is celebrated as one of Africa’s greatest photographers. Through his lens, he captured the dreams and aspirations of the people who sat before him and left behind a visual legacy that captivated generations.

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HUMAN RIGHTS OR JUST WHITE RIGHTS?

From the French revolutionary government’s enslavement of Haitian people to today’s televised Israeli collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza, it is clear that the West’s conception of human rights does not extent to us. African Stream's William Sakawa breaks down the past and present of the West's lethal double standards in Africa and beyond.

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KENYAN POLITICIAN FLIES IN TO BUILD MUD CLASSROOM

You have seen Kenya’s president call for ‘tightening of belts’ while sporting a $2800 belt. In another bizarre display, his interior minister, Mr Kithure Kindiki, flew a chopper to build a mud classroom at a school in his home county of Tharaka-Nithi a few years ago. Many argue the fuel expense alone would have covered the cost for brick-walled classrooms instead.

This is a microcosm of the Kenya Kwanza administration. As the government hiked taxes and stripped subsidies of key commodities like fuel, it exempted aircraft parts from taxation. Instead of strengthening the management of government companies, there is a renewed push to privatise, eliciting fears of the creation of a brand new class of oligarchs.

Continued…. Meanwhile government officials have embarked on countless trips abroad. President William Ruto and his deputy have incurred a staggering KSh 1.3 billion ($8.5 million) in travel costs, having made 51 trips to 34 countries between July 1st, 2022 and June 30th, 2023 since coming to government

Many feel betrayed, as the government seems to be taking a 180-degree turn from its campaign promises which pledged a ‘bottoms-up’ approach. For now, it seems only wealth is being transferred from the bottom-up.

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KENYAN MP WANTS TIGHT SKIRTS BANNED

Kenya’s parliament recently got a ‘dressing down’ from the speaker - who berated lawmakers for wearing traditional African clothes rather than more Western attire. But for one MP, that wasn’t enough. He took it upon himself to use his time in parliament to beseech the speaker also to ensure that ancillary staff in the building change the way they dress. In particular, he objected to the short skirts worn by canteen staff. Given all the urgent problems Kenya is facing right now - from the cost-of-living crisis and sky-high taxes to the heavy government debt - that was enough to make the blood of African Stream’s Brenda Mwai boil. Watch her react to Geoffery Kiringa’s speech and give the Kenyan MP a piece of her mind. Do you agree with her?

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GENIUS NIGERIAN GIRL

Watch how Nigerian teen Faith Odunsi went genius mode in Season 4 of a game show called, ‘Cowbellpedia,’ in 2018.

Our only thought would be don’t succumb to the myth that we are not intelligent and that we need people from the West to do our maths for us, especially not our maths!

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I mean he ain't lying!

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EL SALVADOR JOINS AFROPHIBIA RACE

Any African who has travelled around the world knows how difficult it is getting from point A to point B 'while African.' Before traveling to almost any country outside the continent, Africans are subjected to some of the most cumbersome visa applications processes on planet earth. Weeks, even months can go by before an approval or denial is issued. However, if you are lucky enough to get the visa, then you still must deal with equally difficult transit regulations if your ticket is not a direct flight to your destination. It seems like countries are competing against each other to see who can implement the most hostile visa requirements to Africans. And El Salvador seems to have become a strong contender for the championship noscript.

Continued…. In early November, the Central American country announced that it was going to impose a $1130 travel fee on each and every African and Indian transiting through its airports. Authorities claim that the exorbitant fee is earmarked for improving aviation infrastructure in the country, but many wonder why only Africans and Indians are being subjected to this fee. Well, if it looks and smells like racism, it probably is. Watch our African sister, Tanekalouit-Touraouet, react to this strange fee.

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