University of Virginia Library

Huey Newton Cancels Speech
Due To Contract Differences

By Holly Smith
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Intense negotiation between the Black
Panther Party and the University Union
concerning Huey Newton's proposed
speech in University Hall ended yesterday
with the cancellation of the event.

Mr. Newton is the co-founder and
Minister of Defense for the Black Panther
Party. He was released from jail in August
after being imprisoned since 1967 on
manslaughter charges.

The speech had been set for Saturday
night, November 21, in University Hall.
The University Union, after being
approached last Thursday by a group of
students hoping to bring Mr. Newton
here, agreed to sponsor his speech and
provide the necessary capital.

Negotiations continued through
yesterday afternoon; however the terms
specified in the Panther contract could
not be met by the University.

Two major Panther stipulations,
according to Union President Clay Spencer,
could not be agreed to by University officials
because of state and federal laws.

The Panthers required that all security
arrangements "be controlled by the Black
Panther Party, its members, and appointed
aids." D. Alan Williams, vice-president for
student affairs, explained that since the
University Union had rented the central
auditorium they could have Panther security in
that area; however the offices and other
facilities within the Hall could not be turned
over to the Panther guards. Also the University
could not guarantee that state or federal
plainclothesmen would not be in the building.

The second requirement included giving the
Black Panthers the right to search each person
entering the building to check for firearms.
University officials pointed out that in a
function such as this, open to the general public
and taking place in a public building, it would
be a violation of an individual's Constitutional
rights to require that he be frisked.

Union officials worked through Panther
D.C. area Captain Charles Brunson who acted as
Mr. Newton's agent. Mr. Newton will be flying
out from Oakland, California this week to give
other speeches on the East coast and to address
the Revolutionary Peoples Constitutional
Convention November 27-29 meeting in
Washington. The stipulations for security set by
the party for Mr. Newton's proposed
appearance in Charlottesville are standard
procedures for speeches by high-ranking party
members.

Mr. Newton is making speeches across the
country to help raise funds for the Peoples'
Convention. If the contract had been finalized,
Mr. Newton would have received $2,500 plus
75 per cent of the gross. The Union
encountered the problem in renting University
Hall for the speech. Had an agreement been
reached on security procedures the event could
have gone on as scheduled.

Photo By W. E. Jackson

Huey Newton

Black Panther Minister Of Defence

When asked if there are any regulations or
review boards concerning who speaks at the
University, Robert Canevari, Dean of Students,
replied that none exist. "Kunstler and Ruben
spoke here last spring. If any curtailment were
going to be exercised it seems to me it would
have been done at that time."