Many people are interested to learn what the relation between Fred Hampton and Emmett Till as they share a connection through Fred’s mom.
The biopic Judas and the Black Messiah, which stars BAFTA-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, explores the life and death of Fred Hampton.
One of the scenes in the movie reveals what the relation between Fred and Emmett Till is. Emmett was a 14-year-old boy who was killed in Mississippi in 1955.
So, did Fred and Emmett know each other? Here is their connection explained.
Who were Fred Hampton and Emmett Till?
Fred Hampton was the chairman of the Black Panther Party’s Illinois chapter. He was born in Argo, Illinois in 1948 and grew up mainly in Maywood.
In high school, he voiced his support for Black girls to compete for homecoming queen officials and called out officials to hire more Black teachers and administrators.
In 1968, Bobby Rush, current US Representative and then-Black Panther, noticed Fred and hired him as chairman of Black Panther Party’s Illinois chapter.
According to the Chicago History Museum’s “Encyclopedia of Chicago, the organisation stood against “racism, capitalism and police brutality”.
Emmett Till was 14 years old when he was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman, The Chicago Sun Times has reported.
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Fred Hampton and Emmett Till’s connection explained
Fred Hampton and Emmett Till grew up in the same neighbourhood in Chicago. Fred’s mother used to babysit Emmett which is how their families knew each other.
Fred began working as an activist at the age of 16, which was three years after Emmett’s death.
Another tragic connection that the two share is that they were both mourned at the same funeral house in Chicago. Their funerals were held at A. A. Rayner Funeral Home.
History professor Craig S. McPherson at Georgia State University wrote about Fred and Emmett’s relation in a thesis, and said:
“It was the same city. It was the same funeral home. Some were family members, some were media representatives, and others were members of the community. People had pains of sadness, disappointment, and even anger in their hearts, along with questions about how could this have happened. As mourners moved through side by side with curiosity seekers, A.A. Rayner’s funeral home overflowed throughout the weekend, not just because of who lay dead in front of them, but how he got there.”
Fred and Emmett’s connection explored in Judas and the Black Messiah
The connection of Fred and Emmett is also depicted in the biopic Judas and the Black Messiah.
In one scene, Daniel Kaluuya, who stars as Fred in the movie, speaks about Emmett and says: “There’s people in this world who want to do that to me, or my brother, or my sister? That’s when I knew I had to protect them.
“All he did – all the stuff came from deep love of himself and deep love for the people around him and just thinking that that’s not right. What’s happening is not right, you know? And if we stand still, we will be hurt. So protecting my own and protecting myself and protecting everyone around me is a way of loving me and loving them.”
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