Today in Labor History February 18, 1970: A jury found the Chicago Seven not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. However, Judge Julius Hoffman still convicted all the defendants with contempt and sentenced them to jail time ranging from 3 months to over 4 years. These were all reversed on appeal. Black Panther Bobby Seale had been a codefendant, but his case was declared a mistrial. Judge Hoffman had ordered him physically gagged during the trial.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #ChicagoEight #BlackPanthers #BobbySeale #riots #DNC #prison

Today in Labor History, February 17, 1942: Huey Newton was born. Together with Bobby Seale, he cofounded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, in Oakland, 1966. They did armed patrols of African American communities to defend them from police violence. They started free breakfast programs for children that became the model for federal programs that came later. Despite accusations that he was a rapist, he was also a fierce critic of sexism, and homophobia, and called on the Panthers to give full support to both the Feminist and LGBTQ movements.

For a really great book on the Panthers' house band, The Lumpen, check out Party Music, by Ricky Vincent.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #blackpanthers #hueynewton #racism #feminism #lgbtq #funk #soul #communism #BlackMastodon #blackhistorymonth

Today in Labor History, February 17, 1942: Huey Newton was born. Together with Bobby Seale, he cofounded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, in Oakland, 1966. They did armed patrols of African American communities to defend them from police violence. They started free breakfast programs for children that became the model for federal programs that came later. Despite accusations that he was a rapist, he was also a fierce critic of sexism, and homophobia, and called on the Panthers to give full support to both the Feminist and LGBTQ movements.

For a really great book on the Panthers' house band, The Lumpen, check out Party Music, by Ricky Vincent.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #blackpanthers #hueynewton #racism #feminism #lgbtq #funk #soul #communism #BlackMastodon #blackhistorymonth