The Black Panther Party (originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was established in Oakland, California in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The party was active between 1966 and 1982 across the US, with a separate branch in Algeria, created after tensions led to a split in the party. Although remembered in history as a militant, hypermasculine and violent group of black men, the party made real change through their work within black communities, especially with their social programs.
How Was the Black Panther Party Founded?
Black unity was at the core of the party with an emphasis, especially from Newton, on black self-determination. The Wretched of the Earth, written by Frantz Fanon, who argues for a violent struggle against oppressors, was regarded as essential reading for party members.
Newton and Seale wanted to develop a lifeline for the people by serving their needs and defending them from their oppressors- they viewed violence as an organizational tool and created programs that raised consciousness. Party members understood that to maximize the potential of the black community, personal safety, nourishment and adequate healthcare were of great importance.[1]
To facilitate this, Newton and Seale developed and organized the party around a Ten Point Program which outlined points which they believed were essential to change the system permanently. This included an end to police brutality, decent housing and education and full employment. [2]
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By the end of 1968, the party had established around 38 chapters across the US and had become notorious for its violent rhetoric and the use of arms for defense.
How Did the Party Support Black Communities?
Although initially created as a defense against police brutality, the party was always more than just its violent reputation. The party set up 65 social programs between 1966 and 1982, ranging from a Free Breakfast for Children Program (FBCP) to Free Health Clinics to a Free Busing to Prisons Program. These types of assistance were designed to improve areas which were lacking for many black people, especially education, healthcare and employment.
The FBCP was initiated in every chapter of the party and fed thousands of children daily before school as well as educating the children about black history and culture and informed them of current events. [3] The party also tried to improve the voter registration numbers of black people and included registration forms in food bags. Further to this, groundbreaking research was conducted on Sickle Cell Anemia, a disorder which affects African Americans, through organized screenings and blood sample tests carried out by the party.
The social programs were created not just to help the day-to-day needs of the black community but to educate, inform and to empower. Seale described the objective of the programs as educating the masses to the politics of the changing system. [4]
What Was Their Relationship With the FBI?
By 1968, the Black Panther Party was viewed as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country” and they began to receive attention from the FBI.[5] The program COINTELPRO, directed by J. Edgar Hoover, turned its attention to black nationalist groups with the Los Angeles chapter one of the most affected.
The FBI was responsible for the deaths of two Panthers, Mark Clark and Fred Hampton. In 1969, Hampton, who was the head of the Chicago Panthers, was given a sedative by an FBI Agent before the police fired into his apartment where he and Clark were sleeping. The attack was initially described as a battle, but the Panthers only fired one bullet. The murders were part of a long line of plans to eliminate the party.
What Issues Did the Party Face?
Newton and Eldridge Cleaver (who joined shortly after it was founded) differed in their ideological beliefs which created ongoing tensions. Cleaver was not interested in helping black communities but was in search of a manhood symbol. In 1969, he fled to Algeria to escape imprisonment and while there set up his own branch and used this to attack the Panthers and their work back in the US. Cleaver was eventually expelled from the Party in 1970.
As a hypermasculine party is it not surprising that sexism was a particularly prominent issue, especially under the leadership of Cleaver who believed women should be submissive. Women in the party often held positions to ‘fit’ their gender such as cooking and cleaning and they were also subject to sexual harassment resulting in some women leaving the party.
Homophobia also affected chapters of the party and was also particularly prominent under Cleaver, but less so under Newton. Members of the party often used homophobic language, with Cleaver calling the FBCP a “sissy program.” [6] Although the party never expressly excluded gay people, the party’s homophobia did affect their stability as an organization.
Despite the real change it facilitated, the party was subject to attacks and counterintelligence activities from the FBI and suffered internal issues with sexism, homophobia and differing beliefs which weakened it and contributed to its decline.
Sources:
[1] Ryan J. Kirkby, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’: Community Activism and the Black Panther Party 1966-1971′, Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol 41, No.1 (2011) p.33.
[3] Ryan J. Kirkby, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’: Community Activism and the Black Panther Party 1966-1971′, Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol 41, No.1 (2011) p.46.
[4] Bobby Seale, Seize the Time: The Story of The Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton (Second Edition), (Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1991), p.413.
[6] Interview with Bobby Seale, by Blackside Inc, 4 November 1988 for Eyes on the Prize.
