The Black Panther Party

1. The Black Panther Party 1960 - 1971

2. Stokely Carmichael • The Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCDO) was established by Stokely Carmichael in Alabama in 1964. This organization later changed its name to the Black Panther Party. • In October 1966 Bobby Seale and Huey Newton formed the Black Panther Party (BPP) in Oakland, California. Huey Newton Bobby Seale

3. The Black Panthers were initially formed to protect local communities from police brutality and racism. • The Black Panthers had chapters in several major cities and had a membership of over 2,000. • In 1968: • Fred Hampton founded the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party. • Aaron Dixon becomes first leader of Black Panther Party branch in Seattle.

4. The Black Panthers were influenced by Malcolm X in the final months of his life. • International working class unity and supported joint action with white revolutionary groups. • The Black Panthers eventually developed into a Marxist revolutionary group

5. J Edgar Hoover described the Panthers as: • “The greatest threat to internal security of the country” • He ordered the FBI to employ: • “Hard Hitting counter intelligence measures to cripple the Panthers”

6. In 1968 Bobby Seale was charged with inciting riots during the Democratic Party National Convention After his release from prison, Seale ran for Mayor of Oakland, California in 1973. He came second In 2006 he appeared in the documentary film The US vs John Lennon to discuss his friendship with John Lennon. On 25th May, 1971: Trial resulted in a Hung Jury • sentenced to four years in prison for 16 counts of contempt of court. • Seale was charged with murdering Alex Rackley, a Black Panther suspected of being a police informer

7. Harassed by the police, members became involved in several shoot-outs: 1968: found guilty of voluntary manslaughter On August 22, 1989, Newton was fatally shot by 24-year-old BGF member Tyrone Robinson, a known Oakland drug dealer • This included an exchange of fire between Panthers and the police at Oakland on 28th October, 1967. • Newton was wounded and while in hospital was charged with killing a police officer

8. Bobby Hutton George Jackson Fred Hampton • After being released from prison Newton renounced political violence. • Over a six year period 24 Black Panthers had been killed in gun fights with the police. • Another member, George Jackson, was killed while in San Quentin prison in August, 1971.

9. The Black Panthers now concentrated on socialist community programs including: • free breakfasts for children, • free medical clinics • helping the homeless • clothing distribution • transportation to upstate • prisons for family members • of inmates • an emergency-response • ambulance program • drug and alcohol rehabilitation • testing for sickle-cell disease

10. The Party briefly merged with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, headed by Stokely Carmichael Political In 1967, the party organized a march on the California state capitol to protest the state's attempt to outlaw carrying loaded weapons in public In 1968, BPP Minister of Information Eldridge Cleaver ran for Presidential office on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket Activities

11. By 1980, Panther membership had dwindled to 27, and the Panther-sponsored school finally closed in 1982 after it had become known that Newton was embezzling funds from the school to pay for his drug addiction Samir Shabazz Aaron Michaels In 1989, the "New Black Panther Party" was formed in Dallas, Texas – this is considered a hate group Members of the original Black Panther Party have insisted that this New Black Panther Party is illegitimate and have strongly objected .