On Dec. 4, 1969, a 14-man team of police officers raided Fred Hampton’s apartment in Chicago, Illinois on the pretense that there were illegal guns. No illegal guns were ever found. When the raid was over, Defense Captain Mark Clark, the Peoria, Illinois Leader of the Black Panther Party, and Chairman Fred Hampton, the Chicago, Illinois Leader of the Black Panther Party were dead.
“Rest in Power Kings.”
This website is dedicated to the memory of our brother, Defense Captain Mark Clark and his comrade, Chairman Fred Hampton
REMEMBERING MARK CLARK
ACTIVIST
Mark Clark became an activist at the young age of 15 years old. He was the captain of the Peoria NAACP Youth Program. In the 1969 Chicago Tribune, Mr. John Gwynn, former president of the state and local chapters of the NAACP, stated that Mark could call to order when older persons and adults could not.
VISIONARY
Mark Clark was a visionary way before his time. He always thought outside the box and knew how to inspire others. Mark was excellent at listening attentively to others to help resolve problems within the community. His vision for the BPP was to create social and economic equality for all and to defend his community.
LEADER
Mark Clark was a natural born leader. He had been fighting his whole life as a teen and as a young adult for social justice and economic equality. So becoming the Peoria Black Panther Party Leader was a perfect fit for him. Mark was a leader that gave his life fighting for the liberation of oppressed people.
REVOLUTIONARY
Defense Captain Mark Clark was a true revolutionary in every sense of the word. Mr. John Miller, former member of the Peoria BPP once stated,” Mark could have been anything he wanted: He was smart, athletic, and talented, but he chose to give his life for the people. You can’t give any more than that.”
“There are many who will talk about the injustice in this country, but only a few will do something about it; which one are you?”
Mark Clark 1969
As the last living relative that was in the Peoria BPP, I felt it was my duty to honor my brother Mark in word and in deed. Since there were many conversations that I was privy to, of which I knew no one else had personal first-hand knowledge, I wanted to share that information with the public. ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW THE WHOLE TRUTH!
It was a painful experience having to re-hash the tragedy of my brother Mark’s death, but I wanted people to know who Mark was, and why he went to Chicago on that fateful day on December 4, 1969.
In the very first chapter of my book, which is titled, “A Family in Trauma, ” I share the heart-breaking story of when our family found out that Mark had been murdered. And in Chapter 11, I share the very disturbing conversations we had with Mark when we dropped him off in Chicago.
That was the last time both my mother and I, saw Mark alive. A week later he was dead. To purchase your copy on Amazon, just click the link below: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CPJJFNZ