Richard Aoki
Acting
Biography
Richard Masato Aoki was an American civil rights activist best known for his association with the Blank Panther Party. In 2012, documentation was obtained by the Center for Investigative Reporting under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request which indicated that Aoki was an FBI intelligence agent, informing on his fellow Asian activists and on Black Panther Party leaders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.
Known For
A comprehensive and informative historical documentary that chronicles the birth of the Black Panther party during the late 1960s in Oakland. Narrated by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, this documentary provides personal accounts told through rare interviews with original, surviving party members and other key players, who were Merritt students at the time, and features original artwork and photos from the many party publications.
Merritt College: Home of the Black Panthers
A film documenting the life of Richard Aoki, a Japanese-American activist and founding member of the Black Panther Party.