The Date for the Bobby Hutton celebration has changed from April 18th to April 25th

From Clark Bailey, 17 March 1998

Bobby Hutton was the first person to join the Black Panther Party, founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966. He was the beginning, a product of Oakland, California, a manchild who at the age of 16 was dedicated to serving the community. He had a good understanding of the oppression that Afro-Americans face in the United States.

Lil Bobby, as he was called by Party members, also led the delegation of Black Panther Party members on the historic trip to the Capitol in Sacramento, California in 1967, to protest the Mulford Act. The Mulford Act made it illegal to carry guns in public and was a direct response to the Panthers' police patrols in the community.

Bobby Hutton was murdered by the Oakland Police Dept. on April 6,1968, in the famous shoot-out in West Oakland. April 6,1998 will be 30 years since his death. We want to honor his memory by officially changing the name of DeFermery Park to Bobby Hutton Park. People in Oakland, California have referred to the park as Bobby Hutton Park for many years. The Black Panther Party has held over 20 major events in the park since Bobby's death; including free food give-aways, sickle cell anemia testing, and voter registration drives to name a few.

The Bobby Hutton Park Committee is circulating a petition among residents of Oakland, California which will be presented to the Oakland City Council and the City Parks Department. We are asking for an official name change to honor the memory of Lil Bobby Hutton, whose life was taken at age 17 for serving the people of Oakland, California.

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Bobby Hutton Day . Celebrating the life of a young revolutionary De Fermery Park April 18th 1998 ,18th and Adeline St West Oakland, California

Speakers: Bobby Seale, J Hutton (Bobbys older brother)
Music: Boots & the Coup, Big Will Harris, D-rell an much much more.

Sponsored by It's About Time, Black Panther Alumni Committee & The Young Comrades

For more information rasta@calweb.com or billyx@juno.com