Black Panther

5 Pages 1242 Words

In 1966 Bobby Seale and Huey Newton formed the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. Initially formed to protect local communities from police brutality and racism, it eventually developed into a Marxist revolutionary group. The group also ran medical clinics and provided free food to school children. Other important members included Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown and Eldridge Cleaver.

The Black Panthers had chapters in several major cities and had a membership of over 2,000. Harassed by the police, members became involved in shoot-outs in California, New York and Chicago. In 1967 Huey Newton was found guilty of killing a police officer but his conviction was overturned 22 months later.

Bobby Seale was also in trouble with the police and in 1969 he was charged with inciting riots during the Democratic Party National Convention. When Seale repeatedly interrupted court proceedings the judge ordered him to be bound and gagged. Seale was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison. Seale was also accused of murdering a police informer, but was not convicted.

After being released from prison, both Bobby Seale and Huey Newton renounced political violence. The Black Panthers now concentrated on conventional politics but by the early 1980s the organization had disbanded.



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(1) Black Panther Party, Program and Platform (October, 1966)

1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our Black Community.

We believe that black people will not be free until we are able to determine our destiny.

2. We want full employment for our people.

We believe that the federal government is responsible and obligated to give every man employment or a guaranteed income. We believe that if the white American businessmen will not give full employment, then the means of production should be taken from the businessmen ...