HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'The Big Cigar' on Apple TV+: Inside Huey P Newton's two marriages and his tragic death

Here's everything you need to know about the marital life of Huey P. Newton, a leader of African-American revolution

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, was initially married to Gwen Fontaine before marrying Fredrika Newton, who became widowed after his death in 1989.

'The Big Cigar', the latest miniseries available on Apple TV+, chronicles the manhunt for Huey P. Newton (played by André Holland).

While the biographical thriller series sheds light on his struggles as an African American revolutionary and political activist, here's a brief insight into his personal life.

Huey P. Newton married Gwen Fontaine in 1974

In 1973, Huey faced accusations of murdering a 17-year-old prostitute, as reported by Smithsonian Magazine in its report dated August 22, 2023.

He and his then-girlfriend, Gwen Fontaine (played by Tiffany Boone in Apple TV+'s 'The Big Cigar'), escaped the country and eventually reached Cuba where they were welcomed as revolutionary comrades.

In 1974, Huey and Gwen got married and struggled to make ends meet. The couple ended up working ten hours a day in a cement factory and lived in a very tiny place.

The duo ended their marriage in September 1983.

Huey P. Newton abruptly proposed to Fredrika Newton

Fredrika Newton joined the Black Panther Party in 1969 through her mother and first met Huey P. Newton in 1970.

Despite love blossoming between both, they parted ways when Fredrika left Huey and his party in 1973 and went back to school at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, while Huey had to flee the country with Gwen.

Shortly after his divorce from Gwen, Newton abruptly called Fredrika and asked her to marry him. Though at that time, she was grappling with the tragic death of her mother, she accepted Newton's proposal without thinking much as she was still in love with him.

The duo got married a week later in Reno, Nevada.

How did Huey P. Newton die?

Huey P. Newton and Fredrika Newton's marriage lasted until his death in 1989. Newton, aged 47, was shot to death in Oakland.

In 1991, Tyrone Robinson was convicted for Newton's murder and was sentenced to a prison term of 32 years to life.

Newton then established the Huey P. Newton Foundation, a non-profit educational organization in 1993. She still lives in Oakland, serving as the Foundation's President.

'The Big Cigar' trailer

'The Big Cigar' is available to stream on Apple TV+, from May 17 onwards