Black Panther Party

Founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California, on October 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party (originally known as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a radical African American organization that promoted black nationalism and resistance to the integrationist ideals of the civil rights movement. Newton and Seale had been heavily influenced by Malcolm X's black nationalism, Mao Zedong's “picking up the gun” ideology, and philosophies of other thinkers including Franz Fanon and Che Guevara. Until its demise in 1982, the Panthers worked closely with the urban black population that was experiencing segregation, racism, poverty, and other social, economic, and political difficulties. Partially because of its publication, The Black Panther, the party expanded nationally during the late 1960s, with its peak membership nearing 10,000 in 1969. Although its fundamental philosophy subscribed to socialist and communist ideas, the party attracted diverse membership.

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense initially captured national attention in 1967 when its rifle-bearing members dressed themselves in leather jackets and black berets and marched into the California state Capitol building. This demonstration was a response to what the party maintained was the brutality against blacks committed by the white-dominated police forces. In addition, the party's volunteers patrolled the streets in Oakland to educate African Americans about their rights. This was the beginning of the organization's role of infusing black pride and engagement into political militancy.