Raymond Hewitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raymond Hewitt
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| Born | January 1, 1941 |
| Died | March 2, 1988 (aged 47) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Masai |
| Occupation | Activist, Teacher |
| Political party | Black Panther Party |
| Movement | Black Power Movement |
| Spouse(s) | Ester Soriano |
| Children | 4 |
Raymond "Masai" Hewitt (born January 1, 1941 – died March 2, 1988) was an American activist. He was an important leader in the Black Panther Party. This group worked for civil rights for African Americans.
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Who Was Raymond "Masai" Hewitt?
Before joining the Black Panther Party, Hewitt was a teacher. He was also an activist who believed in socialist ideas. He worked with a group called United Front. This group taught its members self-defense, like karate.
Hewitt joined the Black Panther Party in 1967. He was given the title of Minister of Education. The Panthers thought Hewitt had a strong understanding of political ideas.
Facing Challenges from the FBI
Raymond Hewitt became a target of COINTELPRO. This was a secret program run by the FBI. The FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, wanted to weaken groups like the Black Panther Party.
In 1970, the FBI created a false story about Hewitt. They spread rumors about actress Jean Seberg. Seberg supported the Black Panther Party and was friends with Hewitt. The false story was printed in newspapers and magazines.
Seberg became very upset after reading the story. She gave birth to her baby early. Sadly, the baby girl died a few days later. Seberg held a funeral to show that the rumors were not true.
Later, Seberg and her husband sued a magazine for spreading lies. A court ordered the magazine to pay them money. The court also told the magazine to print the judgment in their publication.
Leaving the Black Panther Party
By 1973, Hewitt started to disagree with how the Black Panther Party was run. He felt that Huey P. Newton, another leader, made most of the decisions. Hewitt believed the party's main committee was just agreeing with Newton.
Hewitt openly shared his concerns in a meeting. He said the committee was not truly making decisions together. Because of this, Newton removed Hewitt from his role as Minister of Education. Hewitt left the party soon after.
Hewitt continued to be an activist for the rest of his life. He worked with groups that helped people in Southern Africa. He also supported human rights in Los Angeles and the Philippines.
Raymond Hewitt's Family Life
Raymond Hewitt had one daughter with Elaine Brown. She was also a leader in the Black Panther Party. Hewitt was married to Ester Soriano. They had three sons together.
