Black Panther Party  

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-The '''Black Panther Party''' (originally called the '''Black Panther Party for Self-Defense''') was an [[African American]] organization founded to promote [[civil rights]] and [[self-defense (theory)|self-defense]]. It was active within the United States in the late [[1960]]s into the [[1970]]s.+The '''Black Panther Party''' ('''BPP'''), originally the '''Black Panther Party for Self-Defense''', was a [[political organization]] founded by [[Bobby Seale]] and [[Huey P. Newton|Huey Newton]] in October 1966 in [[Oakland, California]]. The party was active in the [[United States]] from 1966 until 1982, with chapters in numerous major cities, and international chapters operating in the [[United Kingdom]] in the early 1970s, and in [[Algeria]] from 1969 until 1972.
 + 
 +At its inception on October 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party's core practice was its armed citizens' [[patrol]]s to monitor the behavior of officers of the [[Oakland Police Department]] and challenge [[police brutality]] in the city. In 1969, community social programs became a core activity of party members. The Black Panther Party instituted a variety of community social programs, most extensively the [[Free Breakfast for Children]] Programs, to address issues like [[Food Justice|food injustice]], and community health clinics for education and treatment of diseases including sickle cell anemia, tuberculosis, and later HIV/AIDS. The party enrolled the most members and had the most influence in the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area, [[New York City|New York]], [[Chicago]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Seattle]], and [[Philadelphia]]. There were active chapters in many prisons, at a time when an increasing number of young African-American men were being incarcerated.
 + 
 +[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] Director [[J. Edgar Hoover]] described the party in 1969 as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country." He developed and supervised an extensive counterintelligence program ([[COINTELPRO]]) of [[surveillance]], [[Entryism|infiltration]], [[perjury]], [[Police misconduct|police harassment]], and many other tactics designed to undermine Panther leadership, incriminate party members, discredit and criminalize the Party, and drain the organization of resources and manpower. The program was also accused of assassinating Black Panther members, including [[Fred Hampton]].
 + 
 +Black Panther Party members were involved in many fatal firefights with police: [[Huey P. Newton|Huey Newton]] allegedly killed officer John Frey in 1967, and [[Eldridge Cleaver]] led an ambush in 1968 of Oakland police officers, in which two officers were wounded and Panther [[Bobby Hutton]] was killed. The party suffered many internal conflicts, resulting in the murders of [[Alex Rackley]] and [[Murder of Betty Van Patter|Betty Van Patter]].
 + 
 +Government oppression initially contributed to the party's growth, as killings and arrests of Panthers increased its support among [[African Americans]] and on the broad political left. Both groups valued the Panthers as a powerful force opposed to [[Racial segregation in the United States|de facto segregation]] and the [[Conscription in the United States|military draft]]. Black Panther Party membership reached a peak in 1970, with offices in 68 cities and thousands of members; it began to decline over the following decade. After the leaders and members were vilified by the mainstream press, public support for the party waned, and the group became more isolated. In-fighting among Party leadership, caused largely by the FBI's [[COINTELPRO]] operation, led to expulsions and defections that decimated the membership. Popular support for the Party declined further after reports appeared detailing the group's involvement in illegal activities, such as drug dealing and [[extortion]] schemes directed against Oakland merchants. By 1972 most Panther activity centered on the national headquarters and a school in Oakland, where the party continued to influence local politics. Though under constant police surveillance, the Chicago chapter also remained active and maintained their community programs until 1974. The Seattle chapter lasted longer than most, with a breakfast program and medical clinics that continued even after the chapter disbanded in 1977. Party contractions continued throughout the 1970s, and by 1980, the Black Panther Party had just 27 members.
 + 
 +The history of the Black Panther Party is controversial. Scholars have characterized the Black Panther Party as the most influential black movement organization of the late 1960s, and "the strongest link between the domestic Black Liberation Struggle and global opponents of American imperialism". Other commentators have described the Party as more criminal than political, characterized by "defiant posturing over substance".
 + 
 +==See also==
 +*[[Angela Davis]]
 +*[[Assata Shakur]]
 +*[[Black feminism]]
 +*[[Black Panther Party, Winston-Salem, North Carolina Chapter]]
 +*[[Black Panthers (Israel)]]
 +*[[Counterculture of the 1960s]]
 +*[[Dalit Panthers]]
 +*[[Denis Walker (activist)|Denis Walker]]
 +*[[George Jackson Brigade]]
 +*[[Gun Control Act of 1968]]
 +*[[I Wor Kuen]]
 +*[[Jose Cha Cha Jimenez]]
 +*[[List of members of the Black Panther Party]]
 +*[[Mark Essex]]
 +*[[New Communist movement]]
 +*[[New Left]]
 +*[[Patriot Party (1960sā€“1980s)]]
 +*[[Polynesian Panthers]]
 +*[[Protests of 1968]]
 +*[[Rainbow Coalition (Fred Hampton)]]
 +*[[Red Guard Party]]
 +*[[Red Power movement]]
 +*[[Republic of New Afrika]]
 +*[[Rice/Poindexter case]]
 +*[[Renault Robinson]]
 +*[[Seattle Black Panther Party History and Memory Project]]
 +*[[Soledad Brothers]]
 +*[[Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee]]
 +*[[Students for a Democratic Society]]
 +*[[Symbionese Liberation Army]]
 +*[[The Revolutionary Black Panther Party]]
 +*[[US Organization]]
 +*[[Up Against the Wall Motherfucker]]
 +*[[Weather Underground]]
 +*[[White Panther Party]]
 +*[[World communism]]
 +*[[Young Lords]]
 + 
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The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a political organization founded by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, California. The party was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982, with chapters in numerous major cities, and international chapters operating in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s, and in Algeria from 1969 until 1972.

At its inception on October 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party's core practice was its armed citizens' patrols to monitor the behavior of officers of the Oakland Police Department and challenge police brutality in the city. In 1969, community social programs became a core activity of party members. The Black Panther Party instituted a variety of community social programs, most extensively the Free Breakfast for Children Programs, to address issues like food injustice, and community health clinics for education and treatment of diseases including sickle cell anemia, tuberculosis, and later HIV/AIDS. The party enrolled the most members and had the most influence in the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia. There were active chapters in many prisons, at a time when an increasing number of young African-American men were being incarcerated.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover described the party in 1969 as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country." He developed and supervised an extensive counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO) of surveillance, infiltration, perjury, police harassment, and many other tactics designed to undermine Panther leadership, incriminate party members, discredit and criminalize the Party, and drain the organization of resources and manpower. The program was also accused of assassinating Black Panther members, including Fred Hampton.

Black Panther Party members were involved in many fatal firefights with police: Huey Newton allegedly killed officer John Frey in 1967, and Eldridge Cleaver led an ambush in 1968 of Oakland police officers, in which two officers were wounded and Panther Bobby Hutton was killed. The party suffered many internal conflicts, resulting in the murders of Alex Rackley and Betty Van Patter.

Government oppression initially contributed to the party's growth, as killings and arrests of Panthers increased its support among African Americans and on the broad political left. Both groups valued the Panthers as a powerful force opposed to de facto segregation and the military draft. Black Panther Party membership reached a peak in 1970, with offices in 68 cities and thousands of members; it began to decline over the following decade. After the leaders and members were vilified by the mainstream press, public support for the party waned, and the group became more isolated. In-fighting among Party leadership, caused largely by the FBI's COINTELPRO operation, led to expulsions and defections that decimated the membership. Popular support for the Party declined further after reports appeared detailing the group's involvement in illegal activities, such as drug dealing and extortion schemes directed against Oakland merchants. By 1972 most Panther activity centered on the national headquarters and a school in Oakland, where the party continued to influence local politics. Though under constant police surveillance, the Chicago chapter also remained active and maintained their community programs until 1974. The Seattle chapter lasted longer than most, with a breakfast program and medical clinics that continued even after the chapter disbanded in 1977. Party contractions continued throughout the 1970s, and by 1980, the Black Panther Party had just 27 members.

The history of the Black Panther Party is controversial. Scholars have characterized the Black Panther Party as the most influential black movement organization of the late 1960s, and "the strongest link between the domestic Black Liberation Struggle and global opponents of American imperialism". Other commentators have described the Party as more criminal than political, characterized by "defiant posturing over substance".

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