We are publishing the following essay on the life and work of Fred Hampton to coincide with Black History Month, 2008.

Irvington, NJ – “Forty acres and a mule!” and “You stole us. You sold us. You owe us,” chanted here, Feb. 23, demanding reparations for African American people. The march was sponsored by the People’s Organization for Progress (POP) and the New Black Panther Party.

Chapel Hill, NC – Haley Koch and six community activists had their first court date June 1, for their participation in the Tom Tancredo and Virgil Goode protests that took place in April. These protests were in response to a far right-wing organization, Youth for Western Civilization, that brought two anti-immigration speakers, Tom Tancredo and Virgil Goode, to the University of North Carolina campus within a week of each other. Hundreds of students and activists protested the racism, xenophobia and white supremacy that these speakers promoted and seven demonstrators were arrested by campus police in response. They all pleaded not guilty, even after being offered a deal by the district attorney which would lighten their sentence in return for admission of guilt. The seven are standing strong in their belief that they did no wrong in protesting racism and white supremacy on UNC’s campus and will represent themselves in their next court date, Sept. 14.

Chicago, IL – Juan y Henry Johnson han pasado casi toda su vida de adultos en prisión y también luchando contra las acusaciones de un asesinato que no cometieron.

Chicago, IL – Hundreds of Latino students from the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) and Chicago high schools packed into the UIC Forum on Oct. 27 to defend their right to an education. The occasion was a hearing on the Status of Latinos at UIC held by the Illinois Latino Legislative Caucus.

Bridgeview, IL – Fans of the Chicago Fire major league soccer team sent the team owners a message that the fans will not tolerate racism from security guards towards Latino fans. Sector Latino is a Chicago Fire supporter group which is made up primarily of Mexican youth. Since their founding in 2005, they have been treated differently than the other supporter groups at Toyota Park, the home stadium of the Fire. They’ve complained of aggressive searches and being followed around the stadium by security guards.

an Juan, Puerto Rico – Enthusiastically chanting, “Sí se puede!” hundreds of Latinos from across the U.S. came together here for the historic founding convention of the SEIU International Latino Caucus, Dec. 9-10. The mission statement of the International Latino Caucus urges organizing for the political and economic power for Latino working class families.

Premiering March 18, Walkout is a powerful film created by HBO on the Chicano student walkouts that shook Los Angeles in 1968. Directed by Edward James Olmos, the film is an inspiring depiction of one of the most important episodes in the Chicano national movement.

Los Angeles, CA – More than 500 marched here, Aug. 27, in a mass march and rally demanding an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Other demands included that the U.S. get out of Latin America and an end to U.S. military recruiting of Latino youth in high schools. Organized by Latinos Against War In Iraq, SEIU Local 660, National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida, MECHA and other community and labor groups, protesters marched from Belvedere Park in East Los Angeles to a rally at Salazar Park.

Los Angeles, CA – On Aug. 27, Latinos Against War In Iraq, SEIU Local 660, National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida, MECHA and other community and labor groups will participate in a mass march and rally to demand an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The demands also include that the U.S. get out of Latin America and an end to U.S. military recruiting of Latino youth in high schools. The protest will start at 10 a.m. in Belvedere Park, East Los Angeles and will m arch to Salazar Park for rally at noon.

For nearly five months in the fall and winter of 1968-1969, San Francisco State College was paralyzed by a student strike.

Walkout is the new HBO film about the famous East Los Angeles school walkouts in March, 1968. Thousands of Chicano students stayed away from school over two weeks to protest the racist school conditions, high dropout rate, overcrowded conditions, lack of books etc. The demands were for bilingual education, Chicano studies, hiring of Chicano teachers and administrators, better facilities, new schools, an end to the high dropout rate, an end to tracking students into the manual arts and in support of more college prep classes. The walkouts resulted in many victories and reforms to the Los Angeles school district.

Los Angeles, CA – Students and parents in East Los Angeles want decent schools. Centro CSO has been organizing for over two years to pressure the Los Angeles Unified School District to build a new high school in Boyle Heights to relieve the extremely overcrowded conditions at Roosevelt High School. The L.A. Unified School District will present the preliminary design at a community meeting at the Utah Street School on April 14.

Los Angeles, CA – Fernando Suarez Del Solar, from Escondido, father of Jesus Aleberto Suarez del Solar Navarro, a U.S. Marine killed in Iraq, spoke at a rally Aug. 30, in Hollenbeck Park in the heart of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles. Mr. Solar has been an active vocal critic of the U.S. war on Iraq and the high casualty rate of Latinos in the war.

Los Angeles, CA – Demanding “Escuelas si, guerra no!” – yes to schools no to war – one hundred parents, students and teachers attended a teach-in and rally, June 4. Latinos Against the War, El Centro CSO and the Roosevelt Revolutionary Students group of East L.A.'s Roosevelt High School sponsored the event.

Los Angeles, CA – The Latino community has taken a strong stand against the Bush war drive and invasion against the people of Iraq. Here in Los Angeles, a new group, named Latinos Against War In Iraq – LAWII – was formed and immediately plunged into a series of demonstrations.

Fight Back! interviewed Carlos Montes, one of the founders and former Minister of Information of the Brown Berets National Office in East Los Angeles from 1967 to 1970. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Brown Berets emerged as one of the most powerful and militant organizations in the Chicano liberation movement. Like the Black Panther Party, the Brown Berets were hit hard by government repression. This interview brings out a part of our history that is rarely taught in schools and some lessons for today’s activists from our movement’s past.

Los Angeles, CA – Marking the anniversary of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium Against War, hundreds of people took to the streets of Highland Park on Aug. 24, chanting “Raza Si, Guerra No!” – bringing life to a popular chant from the Viet Nam War era. They marched in one of Los Angeles's oldest communities, which is dotted by monuments to those who died in past U.S. wars. Throughout Aztlan (the southwestern United States), commemorations of the massive Aug. 29 Chicano Moratorium Against War took place. Thousands participated in events, many of which were covered by mainstream newspapers and television stations during the 2 weeks surrounding Aug. 29

Los Angles, CA – Aug. 29 marks the 32nd anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium. A little more than three decades ago, the largest Chicano/a mobilization ever took place to protest the Vietnam War. Large numbers of Chicanos were sent to fight the people of Vietnam. The people's movement challenged U.S. foreign policy, the high casualty rate of Chicanos in Vietnam and the negative effects that the war had on our community at home.