The Black Panther Party was a militant African American political organization that advocated and practiced self –defense against police brutality in African American communities. They also advocated the restructuring American society to make it more politically, economically, and socially equal. The Black Panthers were started in Oakland California, by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. Newton became the party’s Minister Of Defense and Seale became the Chairman. Huey Newton was born in Louisiana, the youngest of seven children. His father moved the family to Oakland during World War II to escape southern racism and find better opportunities. Newton began to rebel as a teenager, joining a gang, skipping classes, and spending much of his time on the streets. However, during his last year in high school, Newton took his studies more seriously and graduated from high school.
Huey Newton enrolled at Oakland’s Merritt College. Bobby Seale was born in Dallas, Texas. His family moved to California in the 1940’s seeking better employment opportunities. Seale, who grew up in Oakland, failed to graduate with his class in high school. He enlisted in the United States Air Force, but after encountering prejudiced officers, he was discharged for refusing to accept military discipline. He returned to California and enrolled in Merritt College in Oakland, where he met Huey Newton became close friends and decided to form the Black Panther Party in reaction to their experiences of racism.
The Black Panther Party first attracted attention in May of 1967 for protesting a bill outlawing carrying loaded weapons in public. Reporters quickly gathered around the contingents of protesters, who had marched on the California state capital in Sacramento armed with weapons and wearing the party’s distinctive black leather jackets and berets. After Seale read a statement, police arrested him and 30 others. News coverage of the incident attracted new recruits. The Black Panthers grew throughout the late 1960’s and eventually established chapters around the entire country. Both Newton and Seale were influenced by the Black Muslim leader, Malcolm X. Malcolm X told Black people to defend themselves. The Black Panthers dressed in uniforms that consisted of black berets and leather jackets. They were heavily armed with weapons, a look that reinforced their militant policies.
The Black Panthers Party combined elements of socialism, which means that they help African Americans by owning all the property in their community and Black Nationalism. They also preached that if business and the government did not strive or seek for full employment, the community should take over the means of production. It promoted the development of strong black controlled institutions, calling for blacks to work together to protect their rights and to improve their economic and social conditions. The Black Panther Party also held classes, criticizing the Black middle class for acting against the interests of other, less fortunate Blacks. The Black Panther Party also welcome white activist, because they believed that all revolutionaries that wanted to change U.S. society should unite across racial lines.
The group expanded from its local base, in Oakland, California to become a national organization that supported programs, which distributed free food and health care, and built education centers in poor African American communities. The party grew to a lease 5,000 members nationwide, with chapters in more than half of America and an international branch in Algeria. However, the positive contributions of the Black Panthers were often overshadowed by the incidents of violence that trailed the group, as well as their anger and actions, which often targeted at police. In addition to fighting racism, the Black Panthers also protested against classism and the war in Vietnam. The Black Panthers believed the United States should with draw from Vietnam. Newton and Seale articulated their goals in a ten- point platform that demanded, full employment, exemption of black men from military service, and an end to police brutality. They summarized their demands in the final point,“We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace”.
In 1967 Huey Newton was arrested for the killing of a Oakland police officer during a dispute. The events surrounding the killing were unclear, and the Black Panthers began a campaign to “Free Huey” because they believed that Newton was a victim of police efforts to destroy the Panthers. The “free Huey” movement allowed the party to expand its national following. After a heavily publicized trial, Newton was convicted of manslaughter, but the conviction was later overturned due to procedural errors. By 1970, several Black Panther members had been killed during incidents with the police. Some were little more than teens, like 20 years old Illinois state leader Fred Hampton, Who was gunned down with fellow Panther Mark Clarke. Many had been arrested for causing riots and confrontations with police. Incarceration of the group’s leaders hampered the Black Panthers and led to their split up. The FBI felt the need to destroy the Black Panther Party, because they were for self-defense for African Americans, Which means the police would think twice before commenting police brutality in the African Americans communities. The Black Panther Party members weren’t scared of the cops, they would put up a fight and that was a threat to local or national security.
Former Black Panthers an still remember today for their actions for helping African Americans communities towards self defense against police brutality and restructuring American society to make it more politically, economically, and socially equal. There also be admired for giving to the community such as food, clothes, knowledge, and for standing up to the cops in the past, when racism was really in an effect. The Black Panther Party” greatest accomplishments were risking their lives, and helping the for the African American Communities, by protecting African Americans against police brutality and building educational centers for African American communities.
