On the Prowl: The Black Panther Party
"Total liberty for black people or total destruction for America." The Black Panther Party, founded in Oakland, California in 1966, was an African American revolutionary group that took a violent approach to fighting for civil rights. Its founders, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, based the party on the theory that policemen were the main oppressive force in the black community. Newton and Seale formed a disillusioned idea about having to take drastic measures in order to achieve their goals of equality. Instead of encouraging blacks to fight with determination and hope, the Party encouraged fighting for their justice and freedom by turning to political disobedience ("Radical Politics: Black Power" 325). The 1960s of America is often looked back on as a time of political and racial chaos. Blacks felt oppressed by a dominated "White-America", and felt deprived of their self-justice and rights as citizens. Finally, the blacks felt the need to address these chronic issues that robbed them of their dignity. Leaders such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X spoke out against racism, and cried out for peace among all people throughout the nation. They and other leaders encouraged blacks to stand up for themselves. Stokely Carmichael, a m
The party will for all time be remembered for their acts of violence, crime and rage to gain rights as citizens. In 1972, the party began to fall apart for the first time. Although the Panthers took a softer approach in their causes, they still had a strong hatred for whites, opposed the government, and disagreed with certain enforcements of the law. They first were recognized nationally after trying to protest a bill that prohibited the possession of loaded guns or weapons publicly. Edgar Hoover proclaimed, the group was seen as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country [among] violence-prone black extremist groups" ("Black Panthers: Slap on the Wrist" 1). After the party had been weakened by the invasions of the FBI, its once sadistic energy began to dissolve. Soon, attempts at destroying the party began to take place. The Black Panther Party had a large affect on all citizens of the United States. He and Seale urged blacks to create a sense of self-defense and to arm themselves, especially against the supposed brutality of the police force. But the civil rights movement was too slow to satisfy much of the black population. With a positive outlook, the Panthers were a very close group of people who shared the same beliefs and views. Even leader Huey Newton killed a police officer in one of the riots that took place, and he was sentenced to fifteen years of prison. Many members of the party also participated in various riots and bombings. Although the Panthers rendered the police force almost powerless, the FBI struck back, and set up many Panther "hunts". The originally small group soon spread nationwide, and chapters were set up in many large cities and urban communities.
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