BLACK PANTHERS – HUEY! (FRANCE, 1968) directed by French filmmaker Agnes Varda the film transports you to the pivotal Free Huey rally held on February 17th, 1968 (Newton's birthday), at Oakland Auditorium in Alameda, California. Newton, the charismatic young college student who, along with Bobby Seale, created the Black Panther Party, had been jailed for allegedly killing a police officer. His arrest--widely believed at the time to be a setup--galvanized Party support throughout the nation and led to a boom in Party membership, bringing a new level of public attention to the Panthers' cause. Over 5,000 people attended the rally, which featured Party leaders and guest speakers including Eldridge Cleaver, Bobby Seale, James Forman, Bob Avakian, Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown and Ron Dellums. Through stark un-editorialized footage, this documentary chronicles the speakers outlining the Party's platform goals, their strategies for freeing Newton from jail and more.

BLACK PANTHER NEWSREELS (USA, 1968): The California Newsreel was an underground alternative to the commercial broadcast media of the 1960's. These unique clips provide a chilling look at the California racial environment of 1968, including demonstration scenes outside the Alameda County Jail. A rare in-jail interview with Huey P. Newton, is featured, with Eldridge Cleaver and Bobby Seale also offering perspectives on the Panthers and what they perceive as police brutality on the black community.

1.       OFF THE PIGS

2.      MAY DAY

3.      REPRESSION

THE MURDER OF FRED HAMPTON (USA, 1971) Originally going into production with the working title Black Panther, the filmmakers intended to cover the rise of the Black Panther Party’s Illinois chapter, with a focus on its charismatic leader, Fred Hampton. In the middle of production, the trajectory of the film pivoted quickly when, in the early dawn of December 4, 1969, at the direction of Cook County State’s Attorney Edward V. Hanrahan, officers raided Hampton’s apartment on Chicago’s west side, murdering Hampton and fellow Panther Mark Clark in their sleep. After Hampton was assassinated, the film suddenly became a two-part document of a stillborn revolutionary moment. The first half is an affecting portrait of Hampton; the leader is captured delivering speeches on social revolt and racism before large, rapturous crowds. The second part becomes an audacious piece of investigative journalism, making a compelling case that the police intentionally murdered Hampton, since they feared his oratorical power more than anything.