Bobby Hutton

Black and white photograph of a Bobby Hutton's head

Bobby Hutton, born in 1950, became the first member of the Black Panther Party and eventually rose to become its treasurer. At 18, Hutton was involved in an ambush of Oakland Police to get revenge after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., only two days prior. After a 90 minute shootout, the Panthers surrendered. During the arrest process, Hutton was shot 12 times by police leading to him becoming a martyr for the movement. An unofficial holiday has been celebrated in Hutton’s honor in Oakland Park annually since 1998.