Book Signing HUEY P. NEWTON’S FAMILY: Roots of a Revolutionary Suicide

Hon. Lise Pearlman (ret.) was the first Presiding Judge of the California State Bar Court and a former California trial lawyer. Following her retirement from the bench, Judge Pearlman has become a best-selling author and nationally recognized speaker on famous 20th century trials whose books have won multiple awards in the categories of law, U.S. History, and multicultural nonfiction.

Join us as Lise Pearlman debuts her latest book Huey P. Newton Family: Roots of a Revolutionary Suicide at Merritt College in Oakland, CA where their student lounge is named for Huey Newton and Bobby Seale with a painting of Huey on his wicker throne hanging on the wall. It is also where Melvin Newton, brother of Huey P. Newton, was the first head of ethnic studies and is now an Emeritus Professor.

This event is open to the public, however we do ask you reserve a ticket for your complimentary refreshments and for us to track room capacity.

This book puts Huey P. Newton’s experiences and those of his family into historical context. It starts with Walter Newton’s heritage and his wife Armelia Johnson Newton’s family back- ground from their primarily African roots: to their Caucasian ancestors; to the slavery of their African-American ancestors; to their upbringing in the segregated South; their hard-scrabble adult lives in Arkansas and Louisiana in the early 20th century; their move West to Oakland as part of the Great Migration; the racism they faced in California; Huey and Melvin Newton’s disparate school experiences; Huey’s teenage years: his involvement in the Afro-American Association’s informal studies of Black authors; Melvin’s role in creating a pioneering ethnic studies program at Oakland’s Merritt College; the formation of the Black Panther Party; the shootout with two Oakland police officers for which the Panther leader was arrested and that became the focus of international attention to the treatment of Black men by the American justice system; Huey Newton’s historic 1968 death penalty trial; his Mafia phase; his subsequent Cuban exile; his frayed and reestablished family relationships: his death; the M**der trial of his assailant; and Huey Newton’s extraordinary lasting impact.

Info: Please use this time to find your seats, grab your complimentary refreshments, and meet Author Lise Pearlman as she signs copies of her new book.

Info: Hear from Melvin Newton and Lise Pearlman as they share their stories and read an excerpt from the new book.

Info: This is your chance to open up the conversation and ask our hosts your questions.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Merritt College, 12500 Campus Drive, Oakland, United States