Geronimo Ji Jagga

Former Deputy Minister of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Geronimo Ji Jagga joined the Black Panther Party and became bodyguard for Southern California Chapter founder Bunchy Carter. Upon Bunchy’s murder, Geronimo became Deputy Minister of the chapter. After being targeted by the FBI program COINTELPRO, he was tried and convicted of murder and spent 27 years in prison before being freed in 1997 when his conviction was vacated. In the film, Geronimo delivers a never before heard of account about his life as leader of the Southern California chapter. It was his last film interview before he died in 2011.

Bernard Parks Sr.

Former Los Angeles Police Chief

Bernard Parks is a former L.A.P.D. police chief who joined the force in 1965 during the Watts civil unrest. He spent his rookie years as a police officer on a racially divided police force during the rise of the Panther Party in L.A. This included a mission to infiltrate both the Panthers and the US organization. Parks is currently member of the Los Angeles City Council representing South Los Angeles.

Elaine Brown

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Elaine Brown joined the Black Panther Party in Los Angeles in 1968. A chapter secretary and UCLA student in the High Potential Program, she was threatened by a member of the US organization and a fight started that led to the controversial murders of Panthers Bunchy Carter and John Huggins at UCLA. Elaine candidly speakers for the first time in detail on camera about her membership in the L.A. Chapter as well as the events which led to the shootings of her comrades. Elaine is now an author and advocate for juvenile justice.

Katheleen Cleaver

Former Communications Secretary of the Black Panther Party

Kathleen Cleaver was the communications secretary of the Black Panther Party beginning in 1967. She was the wife of Panther Eldridge Cleaver who was the Minister of Information as well as the best friend of Bunchy Carter. Kathleen is now a law professor at the Emory school of Law in Atlanta.

Ericka Huggins

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Ericka Huggins was a L.A. Panther member and wife of slain Panther John Huggins. Ericka Huggins joined the Southern California chapter in 1968. For the first time ever on film, she speaks about her husband’s work in the Party as well as the events surrounding his tragic murder. Ericka is currently a professor of Women’s Studies at Cal State University, East Bay.

Roland Freeman

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Roland Freeman joined the Southern CA chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1967. He is part of the original 20 members and was an active participant in the shootout on December 8, 1969 involving over 300 L.A.P.D. officers and the now infamous L.A.P.D. S.W.A.T. team. Roland was also one of the few original L.A. Panthers who stayed involved with the movement until the end and has lived to tell about it. Roland now works as a director at the Crenshaw Community Sports and Arts Center, a halfway house for troubled youth.

Wayne Pharr

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Wayne Pharr. former member of the L.A. Panthers, is the author of “Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice.” He is the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History and co-director of the Florida Studies Program at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

Jeffrey Everett

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Jeffrey Everett was recruited directly by the Southern California Black Panther Chapter founder and Deputy Minister Bunchy Carter. Jeffrey was a member of a secret security group known as the “Elite Squad” or “security for the security.” Jeffrey is now an Elder in the Church Of God In Christ.

Kumasi

Former Member of the Southern California Black Panther Party for Self Defense

Kumasi is a legendary freedom fighter who was once a leading figure in the street organization  known as the the Slausons. Many of the Slausons went on to join the Los Angeles chapter of the Black Panther Party. Kumasi spent 10 years in the California prison system along with George Jackson, Hugo Pennell, and Chaka.

Wesley Kabaila

Former Vice-Chair of the US Organization

Wesley Kabaila was a proud member of the security arm of the US Organization known as the Simbas who rose in the ranks to become US leader Ron Karenga’s personal bodyguard. He then became Vice-Chair of the organization making him privy to much of the behind the scene goings on that until now have been shrouded in secrecy.

Dr. Scott Brown

Associate Professor, Author

Dr. Scot Brown is an African-American Studies history professor at UCLA and completed the most comprehensive research on the history of the US Organization and their relationship with the Black Panther Party for his book “Fighting for US,” a historical study of the US Organization.

Daniel Johnson

A 21-year-old UCLA senior majoring in political science at the time, Daniel Johnson had chaired the meeting, which was called to discuss the creation “of a balanced advisory committee” and the selection of a director of the planned black studies program–where the shootings that killed two Black Panther members — John J. Huggins, 23, and Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter, 26, took place.