De Frankie Character Analysis

In “Railton Road,” De Frankie is a well-known leader with the London Panthers. He’s a radical, controversial figure within the movement; though he’s garnered support among celebrities and other public figures, he has a checkered past, including rape and murder charges. And though he’s committed to bringing forth the revolution, some of his views are extreme. For instance, he’s advocated for the lynching of Black women who have relationships with white men—despite clearly being biracial himself. When De Frankie comes to Railton Road to interview Solomon for the Minister of Culture position, it’s clear that staunchly anti-establishment De Frankie is skeptical of Solomon’s academic background. De Frankie suggests that Solomon’s university studies have indoctrinated him with “Babylon’s lies,” and he wonders if he can trust Solomon not to corrupt the movement’s culture with his establishment background. To test Solomon’s allegiance to the cause, he enlists Solomon to help him apprehend a Black woman (the kept woman) who the Panthers have discovered is in a relationship with a white man. After capturing the woman, De Frankie places an iron collar around her neck to humiliate her (insinuating that she has made herself a slave by submitting to a white man), then he flees from the police and leaves Solomon to deal with the woman.