The Rainbow Coalition

Founded by Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. in the spring of 1969, the original Rainbow Coalition was a revolutionary alliance between the Illinois Black Panther Party, the Young Lords Organization (Puerto Rican), and the Young Patriots Organization (Appalachian white).

Key leaders included Fred Hampton (BPP), Jose "Cha Cha" Jimenez (Young Lords), and William "Preacherman" Fesperman (Young Patriots). The coalition's ideology was rooted in class solidarity across racial lines against shared oppression.

Together they ran free health clinics, free breakfast programs, food pantries, and legal services. The Rainbow Coalition model later inspired Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Hampton's ability to unite people across racial lines was precisely what made him dangerous to the FBI.