ABC Presents THE FBI AND THE PANTHER
"The FBI and the Panther" - In 1969, a running battle between the Department of Justice, the Nixon White House and the Black Power movement reached its height. Patterns of infiltration, wiretapping and violence marked that year. The special episode features powerful firsthand accounts that chronicle how the Black Panther Party established itself and became so influential in 1969; how their agenda evolved; what the Panthers represented to African Americans; and why the White House deemed them a threat. "The FBI and the Panther" airs TUESDAY, MAY 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network and will be available streaming and on demand.
The documentary spotlights the gripping and deeply personal story of the life and death of a charismatic 21-year-old Panther leader named Fred Hampton. Hampton was gunned down as he slept, having been drugged and set up by a police informant. As the bullets flew, his pregnant girlfriend tried to shield him with her body. A full 50 years after Fred's death, his then unborn child, Fred Hampton Jr., returns to the scene with his mother who recalls in vivid detail her attempts to save him.
"The FBI and the Panther" also details the story of the violent raid on Panther headquarters in Los Angeles that year, from the perspective of Black Panthers who were involved and an LAPD officer wounded in the shootout. Young Black Lives Matter leaders, along with former police and Black Panthers, describe a violent battle that unfolded between the FBI and the militant, charismatic and ill-fated young Black Panthers. Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Cullors and recording artist Tariq Trotter of The Roots talk about how this chapter of American history continues to shape the story of race in America today.
The series director and executive producer is Jeanmarie Condon for Lincoln Square Productions. Fatima Curry is senior producer on "The FBI and the Panther" and is directed by Cyndee Readdean.
