Some of you no doubt remember the ubiquitous posters of Black Panther cofounder Huey Newton seated on a thronelike rattan chair in 1967 wearing a natty black beret and black leather jacket while holding a spear in his left hand and a rifle in his right. It was a time of “blood in the streets; black people were getting killed by the police, and the economic disparity coming out of segregation was deplorable,” explains The Big Cigar executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois. “Huey’s life was at stake every day, and it was a tumultuous time for Black America.
” The controversial Panther leader’s many good works included setting up schools and feeding kids in Oakland California while being under constant assault by the FBI, but his story had more problematic incidents, including several trials for murder—which lead to hung juries, dismissal and a conviction for voluntary manslaughter that was overturned. The bio of Newton and the Party is not ignored, but this series’ focus takes place in 1974,when successful and professed radical filmmaker Bert Schneider (a fine Alessandro Novola ), who produced Easy Rider and the anti-Vietnam War documentary Hearts and Minds, decided to sprite Newton (a superbly charismatic Andre Holland ), then a fugitive from a second murder charge, out of the States to Cuba under the pretense of making a movie about the island supposedly titled The Big Cigar . “The story I’m about to tell you is true,” Newton, who narrates the show, says.