The suburban Chicago home where slain Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton grew up has been designated a historical landmark by the village of Maywood.
The vote follows a yearlong campaign that was tied to the Academy Award-winning film about Hampton and his 1969 death during a police raid in Chicago called "Judas and the Black Messiah." It's also part of a broader effort to further recognize the Black Panther Party's role in the civil rights movement.
Hampton was killed during a raid of his Chicago apartment. Later, many of those involved in the raid faced criminal charges. They were acquitted but the families of Hampton and others were awarded a nearly $2 million settlement by a federal judge.
Congressman Bobby Rush, who is a former Black Panther, had been an advocate for the preservation of the home. He was quite pleased with the ruling.
"This is a great and historic day. Saving the Hampton House from demolition will help us preserve Fred Hampton's extraordinary legacy and a significant portion of the legacy of the Black Panther Party here in Illinois. The spirit of Chairman Fred lives," Rush said in a statement.
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