Huey Freeman
Encyclopedia
Huey Freeman is a fictional character of The Boondocks syndicated
comic strip
written by Aaron McGruder
, as well as the main character and recurrent principal narrator of the animated TV series
of the same name. Politically sapient and borderline militant, Huey, being a self-described revolutionary
left-wing radical, regularly reflects upon current events as well as the plight of African American
s as it relates to a greater American society. Huey's character has often been described as "misanthropic
," and "cynical
," as often presented in his pessimistic personality. He is named after Huey P. Newton
, one of the co-founders and leaders of the Black Panther Party
. He is voiced by actress Regina King
.
Huey, who grew up with his younger brother Riley
(also voiced by King) on the south side of Chicago
, was moved along with his brother to the peaceful, predominately white suburb of Woodcrest, Maryland
by their Granddad
. It strongly suggested that Huey and Riley's birth parents are deceased. This is, in part, based on Robert's dialogue from the first episode stating that he spent the boys' "inheritance" on their new house in Woodcrest.
often touches upon subjects such as politics
, religion
, the media
, business
es and corporations, African-American culture and American society as a whole.
Tending to be cantankerous in both manner and speech, Huey has demonstrated a depth of understanding that would seem to surpass his young age, such as knowing roughly what is going to happen in the future based on the actions and personalities of the people involved. For example, in "The Fund-Raiser," Huey accurately predicts what will become of Riley's candy-selling racket, going so far as to give him a bulletproof vest that eventually saves his life. Oratorically gifted, Huey has shown the ability to seize and hold the attention of entire crowds of people when he wants to do so. He uses this gift during individual interactions as well, during which he can gain a desired effect depending on his intention. In ("The Red Ball"), he is also shown to understand and speak Mandarin.
Huey is depicted as owning a large collection of books and other reading materials, as he often reads the newspaper, watches the televised news and otherwise makes a point to keep up with current events. Huey seems to show some fondness for Star Wars
, and quotes the series often. In ("The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
") he states that he likes Elton John
. On at least one occasion, he demonstrated an aptitude for writing fiction in the form of script writing (he wrote a play entitled The Adventures of Black Jesus in "A Huey Freeman Christmas
"). He has also written poignant letters and emails to public figures imploring them to support various political causes. He has started petitions, made and handed out flyers, and created and edited his own newspaper titled The Free Huey World Report. He uses such media to express his own opinions and ideas, though their impact is generally limited given their nature and his minimal resources.
Shown to be a skilled martial artist
, Huey oftentimes demonstrates on various occasions an ability with nunchaku
, katana
, bo staff, as well as hand to hand combat
that far surpasses the expected capabilities of a ten-year-old. Though he has won several fights against Riley, a pair of theater guards, Stinkmeaner on one occasion(though with the help of his grand father and brother), Ming on another occasion, Uncle Ruckus on the season 3 finale, and his former friend Cairo on another occasion, he has been defeated several times(Stinkmeaner, Luna, Stinkmeaner's crew, and Uncle Ruckus) His fight with Bushido Brown ended in a draw (Bushido Brown left the fight to protect his ward Oprah Winfrey,) Luna was a Kumite fighter and a White Lotus expert, and Stinkmeaner was at the time, a supernatural presence. And though Uncle Ruckus beat Huey the first time it is not shown who won the rematch; the beginning of the fight was the end of the episode. He also fought a few of Winston Jerome's men. Huey regularly beats Riley with ease in their fights, though this could be since he is older and much more disciplined than Riley.
In the Season 1 episode "The Real," Huey has several encounters with a undercover government spy in which he dubs as "The White Shadow." At the end of the episode he is left uncertain whether these encounters were real. The man reappears in the Season 3 finale "It's Goin' Down" to warn Huey that government agents actually are on their way to Woodcrest to apprehend him, forcing him into a desperate attempt to flee the city.
Huey does not consider himself to be religious and has mentioned so several times in the comics. Nevertheless, he very passionately insists that Jesus Christ was black
. As of the third season of the series, the only support he has explicitly given to this theory is that many individuals of African descent lived in the Middle East during the time of Christ.
Huey is shown to admire several historical figures. In ("The Return of the King
") he is the only person who still respects Martin Luther King, Jr.
after King awakens from a 32-year coma
and is misconstrued by the public as a terrorist. As mentioned before, Huey is named after Huey P. Newton
, the co-founder of the Black Panthers. During ("The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
") Huey states that Muhammed Ali is a hero of his. He also has many posters of Che Guevara
, Malcolm X
, MLK
, and Hugo Chavez
. Three figures he has quoted before are Langston Hughes
, Karl Marx
, and Khalil Gibran
.
While Huey is always portrayed as being a left-wing radical, his specific political ideologies are never actually portrayed in detail. On several occasions, such as ("The Block is Hot
,") he has demonstrated a following of Revolutionary Socialism
. This is also backed up because Huey has posters of revolutionary socialists in his room. A belief in Anarchism
is also plausible, as several of his statements have paid respect to it. In ("Or Die Trying...") he teaches a theater ticket taker about Anarcho-Syndicalism
and Marxism
. However, a moderate belief in Black Nationalism
is common, since a desire for a greater unity between the black people of America is a recurring theme. Huey has also quoted Karl Marx
, suggesting an understanding of communism
. In ("The Real") Huey claims to be the founder of 23 radical leftist organizations, including the Black Revolutionary Organization or B.R.O., Africans Fighting Racism and Oppression or A.F.R.O.,and the Black Revolutionary Underground Heroes, or B.R.U.H. In terms of public opinion, the national media within the Boondocks' universe often mistakenly (or rather, satirically) mislabels Huey as a "domestic terrorist" throughout various newscasts seen during the third season.
The only deep insight in Huey's spiritual beliefs is when he believed an innocent man on death row whose release Huey had worked for was about to be executed ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
"). Alone in a field, Huey dropped to his knees and sobbed as he offered up prayers to God
; almost simultaneously, a bizarre chain of events led to the man's sentence being postponed or commuted by the governor
. Upon learning of this, Huey says:
Being extremely pessimistic, Huey is rarely seen smiling in the episodes. He is either in a neutral expression or is seen frowning or shrugging. In season one, Huey was seen smiling when he defeats his brother Riley and in ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
") when he asks Jazmine to come with him to prison (though the smile is quickly replaced with anger toward Jazmine) and twice in ("The Block is Hot
") when he set up his soap box and when he watched Jazmine speak with Ed Wuncler Sr. In season two, he is seen smiling three times. Once was in episode "Home Alone" when Granddad returns home after his trip to Costa Rica. The second and third is in episode "Ballin'" when Riley finally insults the opposing team's star player enough to make her cry. After scoring multiple baskets, Huey is seen smiling at his brother along with Granddad. He is also seen smiling during the timeout that Tom called to congratulate the team on their playing. Other than four instances, Huey has never been caught smiling. This isn't to say that Huey lacks a softer side, as he will take steps to help and protect those he considers friends or family (ex. Tom, Jazmine, Riley, etc.)
Huey is shown to disagree with the popular beliefs of Christmas
. As Christmas has roots in a Pagan holiday, he has suggested Jesus Christ probably hates people for celebrating it. It is assumed that Huey is an agnostic. In the comic strip, he claims that Santa Claus
is an Illuminati
agent working toward The New World Order.
Riley
is Huey's younger brother, and regularly represents everything Huey loathes and generally disapproves of. Huey is politically minded and critical while Riley remains uninterested, showing great affection for many things including gangsta rap, violence, and "bling," that Huey finds to be culturally poisonous. Despite their constant fighting and his disagreement with Riley's beliefs, Huey cares very much for his brother as he usually tries to steer him in the right direction, acts which Riley initially ignores, but results in Riley facing the consequences of his actions later on.
Robert Jebediah Freeman
Robert Freeman
is the paternal grandfather and legal guardian
of Huey and Riley Freeman, who often disagrees with many of Huey's political ideas. While in the comic strip, Huey and his grandfather have a much more affable relationship, in the series
, they are almost constantly at odds, in part due to his constant favoritism shown to Riley, who supports his grandfather's various crazy schemes. Huey seems to offer Granddad advice in certain situations, such as during "Granddad's Fight
", "The S-Word", and "The Story of Thugnificent
," attempts that almost always fall flat.
Jazmine DuBois
Although Jazmine DuBois
and Huey spend a great deal of their time together, Huey often treats Jazmine poorly due to his disdain for her trusting personality and apolitical views. In the TV series
, the two appear to be a lot closer (in fact, she is the only child he is shown to be interacting with outside of Riley), as with Huey confiding in her about his desire to meet up with former best friend Cairo during a planned trip to Chicago ("Wingmen") and Huey allowing her to help him in his plan to free an unjustly imprisoned inmate scheduled to be executed out of prison ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
"), essentially trusting her as an accomplice. Although Huey initially appears to be derisive of her beliefs, his opinion of her improves, and by the end of season 3, she is most likely his only friend. In the nation-wide pandemic during "The Fried Chicken Flu
," she is the only other person he allows to stay at his home (in addition to Granddad and Riley). Huey has also shown a proclivity to empathize with her at times, showing visible concern for her during episodes such as "The Block Is Hot
," when he campaigns for her release from her quasi-child-labor contract and gives her his scarf at the end of the episode when she is cold. For her part, Jazmine appears to appreciate Huey's characteristics, claiming that he is "not like everyone else" ("Fried Chicken Flu"). She is also one of the only people who appear to actually listen to Huey, and was the only one that read the manual he provided during the fried chicken epidemic.
Tom DuBois
Tom DuBois
, Jazmine's father, represents almost everything Huey is primarily against. Tom, being a strait-laced liberal democrat
assistant district attorney
, is part of the structure that Huey views as inhibitive and self-destructive. He also dislikes Tom because he encourages his daughter to conform to a more European look rather than emphasizing the beauty of her African features, as shown when Tom mentions that he's tried everything to make Jazmine's hair more straight. Despite Huey's disagreements with Tom, the two are shown generally to be on good terms as he often acknowledges Huey's intellect and maturity to the extent that he will often turn to Huey for advice on subjects ranging from help with his marriage, politics, and his career as a prosecutor (with Huey supporting Tom's prosecution of R. Kelly for statutory rape.) When he is put in holding for false accusations of murder and finds out that he will be sent to real "butt pounding" jail for the weekend - Tom uses his one phone call to beg Huey to catch the real killer before that day's end.
Ed Wuncler, Sr.
Ed Wuncler serves as a villainous foil for Huey, as Ed Wuncler, Sr., represents indeed everything Huey is against. In spite of this, Wuncler retains a friendly relationship with the Freeman family, despite Huey seeing through his friendly facade as far as the true person Wuncler is inside. Interestingly, Huey considers Wuncler's biases to stem from his greed and influence rather than actual racism.
Ed Wuncler III and Gin Rummy
Huey distrusts Ed and Gin, having seen the two young men perform many criminal and immoral actions and does not hesitate to point out the obvious stupidity behind their careless conduct. He also does not care for the way that they help contribute to Riley's delinquent attitude, leading him to often warn his brother to stay away from them.
Uncle Ruckus
Huey is the only recurring character to consistently show anger towards Uncle Ruckus
, as others are usually confused by his beliefs and non-sequitur statements. Ruckus often views himself as a white man and often aspires to be white. This is due to the claim by his mother, stating that he was adopted by herself and Ruckus' father, Mr. Ruckus. In a later episode of the third season, we meet his mother, father, and two brothers; while his mother continues to strongly insist that he is adopted, his father says otherwise. Mr. Ruckus tells Uncle that he is truly black, and that his mother loves white folks so much, she told Uncle he was adopted so that he could live being happy. In the third season's premiere, neither Huey nor Uncle Ruckus vote for Barack Obama to be elected President, but for different reasons: Ruckus's reason is that Obama is black and he wants McCain to win. Huey, on the other hand, aside from the fact he is not old enough to vote, does not like either one; though he voices little actual opinion during the episode, but it is apparent that he thinks that Obama being President isn't going to change anything as many people presume. Huey and Ruckus both plan on leaving the country in a plan called "Operation Exodus." Huey claims that while he and Ruckus are by no means allies, the association is convenient - Ruckus has a car, and Huey has gas money. Their association is only meant to extend to the Canadian border, at which point they will go their separate ways. The plan fails, however, when agents arrest Uncle Ruckus for threatening Obama. Huey, now unable to get a ride since Ruckus is in lockup, is forced to cancel Operation Exodus.
Michael Caesar
During the comic strip's run, Michael Caesar
(known by his surname
) was Huey's best friend and fellow classmate. Like Huey, Caesar is very much self aware of current events and experienced culture shock
after leaving a big city like New York
, and moving to the predominately white suburb of Woodcrest. Caesar shares many of Huey's political views but lacks his serious demeanor, preferring instead to engage in critical mockery rather than extreme activism. He has yet to appear in the animated TV series
.
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
written by Aaron McGruder
Aaron McGruder
Aaron McGruder is an American cartoonist best known for writing and drawing The Boondocks, a Universal Press Syndicate comic strip about two young African American brothers from inner-city Chicago now living with their grandfather in a sedate suburb, as well as being the creator and executive...
, as well as the main character and recurrent principal narrator of the animated TV series
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
of the same name. Politically sapient and borderline militant, Huey, being a self-described revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
left-wing radical, regularly reflects upon current events as well as the plight of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s as it relates to a greater American society. Huey's character has often been described as "misanthropic
Misanthropy
Misanthropy is generalized dislike, distrust, disgust, contempt or hatred of the human species or human nature. A misanthrope, or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings...
," and "cynical
Cynicism
Cynicism , in its original form, refers to the beliefs of an ancient school of Greek philosophers known as the Cynics . Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and...
," as often presented in his pessimistic personality. He is named after Huey P. Newton
Huey P. Newton
Huey Percy Newton was an American political and urban activist who, along with Bobby Seale, co-founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.-Early life:...
, one of the co-founders and leaders of the Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
. He is voiced by actress Regina King
Regina King
Regina King is an American film and television actress. She is well known for her role as Mary Jenkins's studious daughter, Brenda Jenkins, on the 1980s sitcom, 227, and for her critically acclaimed supporting role in the feature film Jerry Maguire...
.
Huey, who grew up with his younger brother Riley
Riley Freeman
Riley Freeman is a fictional character from the syndicated comic strip The Boondocks written by Aaron McGruder and its TV series adaptation...
(also voiced by King) on the south side of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, was moved along with his brother to the peaceful, predominately white suburb of Woodcrest, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
by their Granddad
Robert Jebediah Freeman
Robert Jebediah "Granddad" Freeman is a fictional character in the animated television show The Boondocks, as well as a regular character in a comic strip of the same name. He lives in the suburb of Woodcrest with his two grandsons, Huey Freeman and Riley Freeman...
. It strongly suggested that Huey and Riley's birth parents are deceased. This is, in part, based on Robert's dialogue from the first episode stating that he spent the boys' "inheritance" on their new house in Woodcrest.
Personality
Huey is a highly intelligent ten-year-old who recognizes and detests the absurdities (both obvious and perceived) of the society in which he lives. His cynicismCynicism
Cynicism , in its original form, refers to the beliefs of an ancient school of Greek philosophers known as the Cynics . Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and...
often touches upon subjects such as politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
es and corporations, African-American culture and American society as a whole.
Tending to be cantankerous in both manner and speech, Huey has demonstrated a depth of understanding that would seem to surpass his young age, such as knowing roughly what is going to happen in the future based on the actions and personalities of the people involved. For example, in "The Fund-Raiser," Huey accurately predicts what will become of Riley's candy-selling racket, going so far as to give him a bulletproof vest that eventually saves his life. Oratorically gifted, Huey has shown the ability to seize and hold the attention of entire crowds of people when he wants to do so. He uses this gift during individual interactions as well, during which he can gain a desired effect depending on his intention. In ("The Red Ball"), he is also shown to understand and speak Mandarin.
Huey is depicted as owning a large collection of books and other reading materials, as he often reads the newspaper, watches the televised news and otherwise makes a point to keep up with current events. Huey seems to show some fondness for Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, and quotes the series often. In ("The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
"The Story of Gangstalicious 2" is an episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. The episode aired on February 4, 2008 and is the last episode from the second season to air in the United States.-Plot:...
") he states that he likes Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. On at least one occasion, he demonstrated an aptitude for writing fiction in the form of script writing (he wrote a play entitled The Adventures of Black Jesus in "A Huey Freeman Christmas
A Huey Freeman Christmas
"A Huey Freeman Christmas" is the seventh episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. It originally aired on December 18, 2005.-Plot:After spending some time teaching the class about the traditional Kwanzaa Harambee salute, Mr...
"). He has also written poignant letters and emails to public figures imploring them to support various political causes. He has started petitions, made and handed out flyers, and created and edited his own newspaper titled The Free Huey World Report. He uses such media to express his own opinions and ideas, though their impact is generally limited given their nature and his minimal resources.
Shown to be a skilled martial artist
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, Huey oftentimes demonstrates on various occasions an ability with nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
, katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, bo staff, as well as hand to hand combat
Hand to hand combat
Hand-to-hand combat is a lethal or nonlethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons...
that far surpasses the expected capabilities of a ten-year-old. Though he has won several fights against Riley, a pair of theater guards, Stinkmeaner on one occasion(though with the help of his grand father and brother), Ming on another occasion, Uncle Ruckus on the season 3 finale, and his former friend Cairo on another occasion, he has been defeated several times(Stinkmeaner, Luna, Stinkmeaner's crew, and Uncle Ruckus) His fight with Bushido Brown ended in a draw (Bushido Brown left the fight to protect his ward Oprah Winfrey,) Luna was a Kumite fighter and a White Lotus expert, and Stinkmeaner was at the time, a supernatural presence. And though Uncle Ruckus beat Huey the first time it is not shown who won the rematch; the beginning of the fight was the end of the episode. He also fought a few of Winston Jerome's men. Huey regularly beats Riley with ease in their fights, though this could be since he is older and much more disciplined than Riley.
In the Season 1 episode "The Real," Huey has several encounters with a undercover government spy in which he dubs as "The White Shadow." At the end of the episode he is left uncertain whether these encounters were real. The man reappears in the Season 3 finale "It's Goin' Down" to warn Huey that government agents actually are on their way to Woodcrest to apprehend him, forcing him into a desperate attempt to flee the city.
Race of Jesus
The race and appearance of Jesus have been discussed on a number of grounds since early Christianity, although the New Testament includes no description of the physical appearance of Jesus before his death and its narrative is generally indifferent to racial appearances.Despite the lack of direct...
. As of the third season of the series, the only support he has explicitly given to this theory is that many individuals of African descent lived in the Middle East during the time of Christ.
Huey is shown to admire several historical figures. In ("The Return of the King
Return of The King (Boondocks episode)
"Return of the King" is the ninth episode of the animated television series The Boondocks, airing on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim programming. It was originally broadcast on January 15, 2006, which would have been Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 77th birthday. The episode's name was taken...
") he is the only person who still respects Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
after King awakens from a 32-year coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
and is misconstrued by the public as a terrorist. As mentioned before, Huey is named after Huey P. Newton
Huey P. Newton
Huey Percy Newton was an American political and urban activist who, along with Bobby Seale, co-founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.-Early life:...
, the co-founder of the Black Panthers. During ("The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2
"The Story of Gangstalicious 2" is an episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. The episode aired on February 4, 2008 and is the last episode from the second season to air in the United States.-Plot:...
") Huey states that Muhammed Ali is a hero of his. He also has many posters of Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
, Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, MLK
MLK
MLK may refer to:*Martin Luther King, Jr. , American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement...
, and Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. Three figures he has quoted before are Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
, Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, and Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
.
While Huey is always portrayed as being a left-wing radical, his specific political ideologies are never actually portrayed in detail. On several occasions, such as ("The Block is Hot
The Block Is Hot
"The Block Is Hot" is the fourteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 12, 2006. This was the last episode to feature Ed Wuncler, Sr. until the third episode of season 3, The Red Ball.-Plot:...
,") he has demonstrated a following of Revolutionary Socialism
Revolutionary socialism
The term revolutionary socialism refers to Socialist tendencies that advocate the need for fundamental social change through revolution by mass movements of the working class, as a strategy to achieve a socialist society...
. This is also backed up because Huey has posters of revolutionary socialists in his room. A belief in Anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
is also plausible, as several of his statements have paid respect to it. In ("Or Die Trying...") he teaches a theater ticket taker about Anarcho-Syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
and Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
. However, a moderate belief in Black Nationalism
Black nationalism
Black nationalism advocates a racial definition of indigenous national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. There are different indigenous nationalist philosophies but the principles of all African nationalist ideologies are unity, and self-determination or independence from European society...
is common, since a desire for a greater unity between the black people of America is a recurring theme. Huey has also quoted Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, suggesting an understanding of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. In ("The Real") Huey claims to be the founder of 23 radical leftist organizations, including the Black Revolutionary Organization or B.R.O., Africans Fighting Racism and Oppression or A.F.R.O.,and the Black Revolutionary Underground Heroes, or B.R.U.H. In terms of public opinion, the national media within the Boondocks' universe often mistakenly (or rather, satirically) mislabels Huey as a "domestic terrorist" throughout various newscasts seen during the third season.
The only deep insight in Huey's spiritual beliefs is when he believed an innocent man on death row whose release Huey had worked for was about to be executed ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
"The Passion of Reverend Ruckus" is the fifteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 19, 2006. It is the final episode of the first season.-Plot:...
"). Alone in a field, Huey dropped to his knees and sobbed as he offered up prayers to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
; almost simultaneously, a bizarre chain of events led to the man's sentence being postponed or commuted by the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
. Upon learning of this, Huey says:
Being extremely pessimistic, Huey is rarely seen smiling in the episodes. He is either in a neutral expression or is seen frowning or shrugging. In season one, Huey was seen smiling when he defeats his brother Riley and in ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
"The Passion of Reverend Ruckus" is the fifteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 19, 2006. It is the final episode of the first season.-Plot:...
") when he asks Jazmine to come with him to prison (though the smile is quickly replaced with anger toward Jazmine) and twice in ("The Block is Hot
The Block Is Hot
"The Block Is Hot" is the fourteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 12, 2006. This was the last episode to feature Ed Wuncler, Sr. until the third episode of season 3, The Red Ball.-Plot:...
") when he set up his soap box and when he watched Jazmine speak with Ed Wuncler Sr. In season two, he is seen smiling three times. Once was in episode "Home Alone" when Granddad returns home after his trip to Costa Rica. The second and third is in episode "Ballin'" when Riley finally insults the opposing team's star player enough to make her cry. After scoring multiple baskets, Huey is seen smiling at his brother along with Granddad. He is also seen smiling during the timeout that Tom called to congratulate the team on their playing. Other than four instances, Huey has never been caught smiling. This isn't to say that Huey lacks a softer side, as he will take steps to help and protect those he considers friends or family (ex. Tom, Jazmine, Riley, etc.)
Huey is shown to disagree with the popular beliefs of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. As Christmas has roots in a Pagan holiday, he has suggested Jesus Christ probably hates people for celebrating it. It is assumed that Huey is an agnostic. In the comic strip, he claims that Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
is an Illuminati
Illuminati
The Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically the name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776...
agent working toward The New World Order.
Relationships
Riley FreemanRiley
Riley Freeman
Riley Freeman is a fictional character from the syndicated comic strip The Boondocks written by Aaron McGruder and its TV series adaptation...
is Huey's younger brother, and regularly represents everything Huey loathes and generally disapproves of. Huey is politically minded and critical while Riley remains uninterested, showing great affection for many things including gangsta rap, violence, and "bling," that Huey finds to be culturally poisonous. Despite their constant fighting and his disagreement with Riley's beliefs, Huey cares very much for his brother as he usually tries to steer him in the right direction, acts which Riley initially ignores, but results in Riley facing the consequences of his actions later on.
Robert Jebediah Freeman
Robert Freeman
Robert Jebediah Freeman
Robert Jebediah "Granddad" Freeman is a fictional character in the animated television show The Boondocks, as well as a regular character in a comic strip of the same name. He lives in the suburb of Woodcrest with his two grandsons, Huey Freeman and Riley Freeman...
is the paternal grandfather and legal guardian
Legal guardian
A legal guardian is a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person, called a ward. Usually, a person has the status of guardian because the ward is incapable of caring for his or her own interests due to infancy, incapacity, or disability...
of Huey and Riley Freeman, who often disagrees with many of Huey's political ideas. While in the comic strip, Huey and his grandfather have a much more affable relationship, in the series
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
, they are almost constantly at odds, in part due to his constant favoritism shown to Riley, who supports his grandfather's various crazy schemes. Huey seems to offer Granddad advice in certain situations, such as during "Granddad's Fight
Granddad's Fight
"Granddad's Fight" is the fourth episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. It originally aired on November 27, 2005.-Plot:The episode starts with two young black men passing each other on a city street...
", "The S-Word", and "The Story of Thugnificent
The Story of Thugnificent
"The Story of Thugnificent" is the fifth episode of the second season of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks and the twentieth episode overall...
," attempts that almost always fall flat.
Jazmine DuBois
Although Jazmine DuBois
Dubois Family
The members of the DuBois family — Tom , Sarah , and Jazmine — are fictional characters and featured players in Aaron McGruder's Boondocks comic strip and animated TV series...
and Huey spend a great deal of their time together, Huey often treats Jazmine poorly due to his disdain for her trusting personality and apolitical views. In the TV series
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
, the two appear to be a lot closer (in fact, she is the only child he is shown to be interacting with outside of Riley), as with Huey confiding in her about his desire to meet up with former best friend Cairo during a planned trip to Chicago ("Wingmen") and Huey allowing her to help him in his plan to free an unjustly imprisoned inmate scheduled to be executed out of prison ("The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
The Passion of Reverend Ruckus
"The Passion of Reverend Ruckus" is the fifteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 19, 2006. It is the final episode of the first season.-Plot:...
"), essentially trusting her as an accomplice. Although Huey initially appears to be derisive of her beliefs, his opinion of her improves, and by the end of season 3, she is most likely his only friend. In the nation-wide pandemic during "The Fried Chicken Flu
The Fried Chicken Flu
"The Fried Chicken Flu" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Boondocks. It first aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's programming block Adult Swim on August 1, 2010...
," she is the only other person he allows to stay at his home (in addition to Granddad and Riley). Huey has also shown a proclivity to empathize with her at times, showing visible concern for her during episodes such as "The Block Is Hot
The Block Is Hot
"The Block Is Hot" is the fourteenth episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on March 12, 2006. This was the last episode to feature Ed Wuncler, Sr. until the third episode of season 3, The Red Ball.-Plot:...
," when he campaigns for her release from her quasi-child-labor contract and gives her his scarf at the end of the episode when she is cold. For her part, Jazmine appears to appreciate Huey's characteristics, claiming that he is "not like everyone else" ("Fried Chicken Flu"). She is also one of the only people who appear to actually listen to Huey, and was the only one that read the manual he provided during the fried chicken epidemic.
Tom DuBois
Tom DuBois
Dubois Family
The members of the DuBois family — Tom , Sarah , and Jazmine — are fictional characters and featured players in Aaron McGruder's Boondocks comic strip and animated TV series...
, Jazmine's father, represents almost everything Huey is primarily against. Tom, being a strait-laced liberal democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
assistant district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
, is part of the structure that Huey views as inhibitive and self-destructive. He also dislikes Tom because he encourages his daughter to conform to a more European look rather than emphasizing the beauty of her African features, as shown when Tom mentions that he's tried everything to make Jazmine's hair more straight. Despite Huey's disagreements with Tom, the two are shown generally to be on good terms as he often acknowledges Huey's intellect and maturity to the extent that he will often turn to Huey for advice on subjects ranging from help with his marriage, politics, and his career as a prosecutor (with Huey supporting Tom's prosecution of R. Kelly for statutory rape.) When he is put in holding for false accusations of murder and finds out that he will be sent to real "butt pounding" jail for the weekend - Tom uses his one phone call to beg Huey to catch the real killer before that day's end.
Ed Wuncler, Sr.
Ed Wuncler serves as a villainous foil for Huey, as Ed Wuncler, Sr., represents indeed everything Huey is against. In spite of this, Wuncler retains a friendly relationship with the Freeman family, despite Huey seeing through his friendly facade as far as the true person Wuncler is inside. Interestingly, Huey considers Wuncler's biases to stem from his greed and influence rather than actual racism.
Ed Wuncler III and Gin Rummy
Huey distrusts Ed and Gin, having seen the two young men perform many criminal and immoral actions and does not hesitate to point out the obvious stupidity behind their careless conduct. He also does not care for the way that they help contribute to Riley's delinquent attitude, leading him to often warn his brother to stay away from them.
Uncle Ruckus
Huey is the only recurring character to consistently show anger towards Uncle Ruckus
Uncle Ruckus
Uncle Ruckus, also known as Rev. Uncle Ruckus and Rev. Fr. Uncle Ruckus, as well as Uncle Rukus while serving at Robert Freeman's Soul Food restaurant "The Itis" , is a fictional character from the Boondocks comic strip and animated television series The Boondocks...
, as others are usually confused by his beliefs and non-sequitur statements. Ruckus often views himself as a white man and often aspires to be white. This is due to the claim by his mother, stating that he was adopted by herself and Ruckus' father, Mr. Ruckus. In a later episode of the third season, we meet his mother, father, and two brothers; while his mother continues to strongly insist that he is adopted, his father says otherwise. Mr. Ruckus tells Uncle that he is truly black, and that his mother loves white folks so much, she told Uncle he was adopted so that he could live being happy. In the third season's premiere, neither Huey nor Uncle Ruckus vote for Barack Obama to be elected President, but for different reasons: Ruckus's reason is that Obama is black and he wants McCain to win. Huey, on the other hand, aside from the fact he is not old enough to vote, does not like either one; though he voices little actual opinion during the episode, but it is apparent that he thinks that Obama being President isn't going to change anything as many people presume. Huey and Ruckus both plan on leaving the country in a plan called "Operation Exodus." Huey claims that while he and Ruckus are by no means allies, the association is convenient - Ruckus has a car, and Huey has gas money. Their association is only meant to extend to the Canadian border, at which point they will go their separate ways. The plan fails, however, when agents arrest Uncle Ruckus for threatening Obama. Huey, now unable to get a ride since Ruckus is in lockup, is forced to cancel Operation Exodus.
Michael Caesar
During the comic strip's run, Michael Caesar
Michael Caesar
Michael Caesar is a fictional character from the comic strip The Boondocks, created by Aaron McGruder. Caesar was Huey's classmate and best friend during the comic strip's run...
(known by his surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
) was Huey's best friend and fellow classmate. Like Huey, Caesar is very much self aware of current events and experienced culture shock
Culture shock
Culture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
after leaving a big city like New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and moving to the predominately white suburb of Woodcrest. Caesar shares many of Huey's political views but lacks his serious demeanor, preferring instead to engage in critical mockery rather than extreme activism. He has yet to appear in the animated TV series
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
.
External links
- Boondocks at the Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
website - Boondocks at the Ucomics website