The Chairman (Fred Hampton)
oil on canvas
The Chairman is an oil on canvas tribute to the influential Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. Hampton was born in 1948 on the outskirts of Chicago's west side. His brilliance became evident when he became president of his local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at age 19.
Following Malcolm X’s assassination in 1965, Hampton joined the Black Panther Party to fight for justice. This artwork celebrates Hampton's belief in action over words and the initiatives he developed, such as providing free breakfasts for underprivileged children and taking a strong stance against police brutality and discrimination.
The Chicago Police assassinated Hampton in 1969, under the direction of the FBI's COINTELPRO.* The artist’s work pays homage to the injustices Hampton faced and seeks to immortalize the unyielding spirit Hampton embodied—a legacy that resonates with the artist and countless others.
*COINTELPRO: a counterintelligence program from 1956 to 1971 that undermined groups posing threats to U.S. politics. Specifically targeting civil rights, feminist movements, socialist and communist parties, and nationalist groups, the program employed covert methods like surveillance, infiltration, disinformation, harassment, and disruption of political activities.