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This week, musician Mistah F.A.B., activist Fredrika Newton and several other members of the Oakland community were on hand for the unveiling of a bust honoring Dr. Huey P. Newton.
“You are all here today to witness history,” philanthropist and activist Gina Belafonte said during the ceremony.
Designed by Dana King, the gold sculpture features the profile of the late political revolutionary. In all gold, the bust shine as it celebrates the life and legacy of Newton.
“It just glowed, like he did,” Newton's widow, Fredrika, told the Associated Press.
“His skin just glistened.”
The Black Panther Party is a world renowned political group that emerged in the city of Oakland 55 years ago. The group strived to provide resources for underserved Black and brown communities while offering community programs, self-defense classes and other educational opportunities. Tragically, Black Panther Party Co-Founder Huey P. Newton was shot and killed in Oakland at the age of 47. Over time, Newton's memory and legacy have been remembered through music, fashion, television and much more. Thirty-two years after his death, the city of Oakland has unveiled the first permanent installation honoring Newton.
“Huey was maybe the only man I’ve ever known that was a truly free man,” Newton's older brother, Melvin, explained to the Associated Press.
“He was universal. He felt that no one could be on his back, if he stood up. And he always stood ramrod straight.”
Newton's legacy is heavily tied to his work with the Black Panther Party. However, his widow, Fredrika, wants the world to know him as well-rounded person who experienced ups, downs, highs and lows.
"I would like for people to see him as a total human being ... he wasn’t just an iconic figure in a wicker chair. This was a man with vulnerabilities, with feelings, with insecurities, with frailties, just like anybody," Fredrika Newton added.
Those interested in seeing the bust in person can visit Dr. Huey P. Newton Way and Mandela Parkway in Oakland, California.
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