Underground Newspapers

The beginning of this new volume, after a hiatus of almost a year (March 1969 to February 1970), of Black Rap, published by Lake Forest College African-American students (Black Students for Black Action), is printed in a new format, offset in a tablid size (8 pp.), vs. the letter-sze ditto reproduction of v. 1. This reflects a new public persona for the journal, moving away from the more artistic (poetry, art, essays) and campus-focused volume 1 content toward a more political, outwardly focused editorial policy, the editorial staff is much the same. More explanation for the change would be the Chciago political context of African-American views on campus, with the Chicago Eioght trial beginning in September of 1969, with Bobby Seale's removal from the trial in November, and then the verdict and sentencing of the five convicted defendants in Febraury 1970. Seale was removed from the trial for his contempt of the court, but ultimately he was released from prison in 1971 and charges were dropped. In Chicago also the Black Panthers, more aggressive than the previous, Dr. King led, Civil Rights antiviolent movement, included Seale and also Fred Hampton (1948-1969). On December 4, 1969 Hampton wazs killed, apparently executed by police in a raid on his apartment, after having complained publicly about States Attorney Ed Hanrahan's war on gangs being excuse to make war on African-American youth. But in February of 1970, the African-American students of Lake Forest College, close to Chicago's Chicago Eight/Seven the trial and assassination by police of Fred Hampton, would have felt alienated and perhaps threatened. There is a reference to firearms, contending they are widely held by whites, at the end of the last page. (When this writer arrived on campus in September of 1972 some lakefront elite members of the community were in fear of invasion of their Lake Forest homes by carloads of Chicago African-Americans, Black Panthers.)

Black Students for Black Action

Black Rap Editorial Board

1970-2

http://www.lakeforest.edu/library/archives/permission.php

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