Young Patriots Organization

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (October 2006)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The Young Patriots Organization of the United States, originally lead by Jack "Junebug" Boykin, and later, William "Preacherman" Fesperman, was a highly political organization of Appalachian youths in the 1960s and 1970s that allied itself with Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party and Jose "Cha-Cha" Jimenez of the Young Lords Organization. Together they helped to form the Rainbow Coalition (unrelated to Jesse Jackson's later Rainbow/PUSH Coalition), in several United States cities.

They originated in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, though later spread to other cities, wore a rebel confederate flag on their blue jean jackets and berets, and fought against racism.

The Young Patriots participated in demonstrations against police brutality and housing discrimination in one of the poorest areas of Chicago.

== FOR FURTHER READING ==

Books: Philip s. Foner, ed. The Black Panthers Speak pp.239-244 Theorharis and Woodard, ed. Freedom North: Black Freedom Struggles Outside the Southpp.54-56

Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar Black Power: Radical Politics and African American Identitypp. 178-180

Articles: James Tracy The Original Rainbow Coalition: An Interview With Bobby Lee (http://www.areachicago.org/p/issues/solidarities/original-rainbow-coalition/) AREA Chicago, September/October 2006

Film: American Revolution 2, 1969, director: Michael Grey.