Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. 2021)
Won 2 Academy Awards®, 6 nominations
You can kill a revolutionary but you can’t kill the revolution.
In Judas And The Black Messiah, FBI informant Will O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton.
Working in partnership with Chairman Fred Hampton, Jr., the campaign changed the narrative by educating audiences on the true history and positive contributions of the Black Panther Party, honored the revolutionary legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton, and bolstered the movement for Black Lives.
The Campaign: Working in partnership with Chairman Fred Hampton Jr, our campaign educated audiences on the true history and positive contributions of the Black Panther Party, honored the legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton, and connected both Hampton’s and the Party’s revolutionary work to the movement for Black lives.
By cultivating meaningful and substantive relationships with members of Congress, local officials, and educators, the Judas and the Black Messiah impact campaign sought to change the narrative and shifted the perspective of Americans, who were taught a false history of the revolutionary group.
The Results: In Illinois, Cook County’s president publicly recognized the contributions of Fred Hampton while the campaign helped to landmark the Hampton House, creating a lasting monument to truth. On the national level, members of Congress recognized the BPP’s contributions publicly for the first time ever during a Congressional Tri-Caucus briefing organized by the campaign.
Through strategic partnerships with schools, community partners, and educational events, Participant created an Education Guide that continues to bring the story of Judas and the Black Messiah to students nationwide.
The film was nominated for 6 Academy Awards® and won for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song.
To learn more about the film and impact campaign, check out the full case study here.
We produced social media content featuring renowned activists Linda Sarsour, DeRay Mckesson, Akua Njeri, Fredrika Newton and others in conversation with cast members gave audiences an opportunity to revisit the true history about the Back Panther Party and explore its connection to today’s grassroots movements for liberation.
Press Highlights:
CNN, “Judas and the Black Messiah director draws parallels between 1960s and now”
Essence Magazine, “Fred Hampton’s Son Wants You to Know the Real Legacy of His Father and the Black Panther Party”
ASSOCIATED PRESS – “Fred Hampton childhood home gets historical landmark status”
Refinery29 “Judas And The Black Messiah Was a Start — Now, It’s Time To Celebrate the Women of the Black Panther Party”
NowThis “Remembering the Founder of the Black Panther Party”
BET – “Fred Hampton’s Illinois Childhood Home Designated Historical Landmark”
BLAVITY “Childhood Home Of Fred Hampton Officially Designated As Historical Landmark”
Awards:
Anthem Awards 2022, Winner, Arts, Education, Culture – Best Local Awareness
Shorty Impact Awards 2021, Winner, Entertainment Partnership
Fast Company World Changing Ideas 2022, Honorable Mention, Media and Entertainment
Webby Awards 2022, Nominee, Social Content/Campaign – Public Service & Activism
Shorty Awards 2022, Bronze, Social Good Campaign
Inc Best in Business 2021, Winner, Entertainment
digital content produced
In partnership with filmmaker/director MALAKAI, we produced a 10 minute video with Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. and Mother Akua about the legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. and the Black Panther Party. This short film was featured on HBO’s Streaming platform for viewers of JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH to dig deeper into the true history behind the movie.
Linda Sarsour in conversation with Shaka King, originally featured on Instagram and then optimized for all social platforms and included on HBO Max’s platform.
Daniel Kaluuya caught up with Pastor Michael McBride, Director of Urban Strategies for Faith In Action and co-founder of Live Free USA to discuss the Black Panther Party and the movement today.
Additional Creative Content
Second Installment of “A Revolutionary Act” directed by Malakai. Meet Eva Maria Lewis, Kaleb Bautman, and Carlil Pittman, three of Chicago’s incredible organizers following the footsteps of Chairman Fred Hampton by serving their communities with love.
Former member of the Illinois Black Panther Party Mother Akua, #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah star Dominique Fishback, and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham (771k followers) reflect on the role of women in the movement, what it was like to represent Mother Akua’s story on screen and continuing the fight for Black liberation.
Women History Month Instagram Live. We kicked off Women’s History Month with an Instagram Live featuring Dominique Fishback in conversation with youth activist Eva Maria Lewis centering the stories of women of the movement, then and now. Their conversation was followed by an intergenerational discussion between Eva Maria, Fredrika Newton (former Black Panther Party member and widow of its co-founder Dr. Huey P. Newton), and youth activist Nupol Kiazolu, on how the legacy of the Black Panther Party lives on in the youth activists of today.