A “Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win” lyceum sponsored by NCCU’s Lyceum Series and the student group Emancipated Minds spurred a “peoples march” to the Durham police station on March 27 to protest treatment of Ishmael Kennedy. About 200 students and community members marched.

Kennedy, who had already been released on bond, was charged earlier that day with resisting arrest, after an incident with Durham Police Officer Lamont Minor.

According to business junior Cedric Jones, vice president of Emancipated Minds, Kennedy was punched in the mouth numerous times by Officer Minor. He has filed a complaint with the police department.

Mutulu Olugabala, a member of the political rap group dead prez, and Fred Hampton Jr, son of the influential Black Panther leader Fred Hampton Sr. spoke at the lyceum.

“We have to become the presidents of our community.” said Olugabala, a 30-year-old Raleigh native.

According to Olugabala, many of dead prez’s lyrics are based on ideas drawn from the teachings of Fred Hampton Sr., founder of the Chicago branch of the Black Panther Party.

“The Chairman,” as Hampton Sr. was called, organized what Hampton Jr. called “the real deal rainbow coalition.”

Since the death of his father in 1969, Hampton Jr. has honored his father’s legacy by fighting for the freedom of African Americans. Many African American prisoners are what he called “political prisoners of war.”

According to Hampton, there is a “prison industrial complex” that profits from the incarceration of African American men.

Olugabala pursued a black nationalist theme.

“This is not a red, white and blue affair, but red, black, and green affair,” he said referring to the colors of the African flag. “We are creating a revolutionary culture.”

According to Olugabala, African Americans need to “turn off the radio, and tune into what is going on in our community.”

“I think way more students should have come out tonight,” said sophomore political science major D’Weston Haywood, president of Emancipated Minds.

Sophomore finance major R.J. Blankenship agreed.