New Haven Armory Black Panther Trail

The 1969 Murder of Alex Rackley and the Associated Trial

The event centered around the 1969 murder of Alex Rackley, a member of the Black Panther Party, and the subsequent murder trial and protests. At the time, the FBI’s COINTELPRO program was actively infiltrating Black Panther chapters with informers and agents provocateurs. Rackley was falsely accused of being an informer, leading to his abduction, interrogation, and torture by a rogue party member. He was later taken to a field and murdered.

The Arrests and Trial

Following Rackley’s murder, the police arrested not only the perpetrators—two of whom confessed while the third was found guilty—but also Black Panther leaders Ericka Huggins and Bobby Seale, despite no evidence linking them to the crime. Huggins and Seale faced trial, with the government seeking the death penalty. The case became a focal point for nationwide protests and ignited debates over whether Black revolutionaries could receive fair trials in America. Even Yale’s president at the time expressed skepticism about the fairness of the trial. The proceedings ultimately ended in a mistrial due to a deadlocked jury, with a judge—despite his prior opposition to civil rights figures—siding with the Panthers.

First Stop: Ethan Gardens

The first stop on the trail is Ethan Gardens, an apartment complex that once operated as a tenant cooperative under the ambitious but often unfulfilled Great Society programs. The local Black Panther headquarters was located in one of the apartments, and it was in the basement of this building that Rackley was tortured and interrogated. The challenges in achieving the Great Society’s goals led the civil rights movement to reevaluate whether deeper systemic changes were necessary.

Second Stop: New Haven State Courthouse and the May Day Protest

The second stop is the New Haven state courthouse at Elm and Church streets, the site of the trial of Ericka Huggins and Bobby Seale. The trial featured the longest jury selection process in U.S. history at the time. Across the street, on New Haven Green, a massive protest took place on May Day 1970, drawing radical activists from across the country. The city shut down in fear of violence, with the National Guard called in under orders that they would not face discipline if they shot anyone. The Nixon administration sent observers to monitor the situation. However, thanks to coordinated behind-the-scenes efforts by the Black Panthers, Yale officials, and student activists—groups that typically did not collaborate—the anticipated violence was prevented. Just one day later, however, the National Guard shot and killed two protesters at Jackson State, followed by the infamous Kent State massacre on May 4, where four protesters lost their lives.

Third Stop: PROJECT MORE

The final stop is PROJECT MORE on Grand Avenue, an organization led by Warren Kimbro, one of Rackley’s confessed killers, after he completed his prison sentence. Kimbro transformed PROJECT MORE into a national model for prison reentry, helping former offenders rebuild their lives and become productive members of society. His work reflected the very goals that the Black Panthers had marched for decades earlier, emphasizing rehabilitation, community support, and social justice.

This site is open to the public.