The Black Panther Party Philosophy

The Black Panther Party was an African American group dedicated to revolutionary causes. They embraced socialism and Marxist and Maoist ideals. The Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO) was established by Stokely Carmichael in Alabama in 1964. It used the black panther as its logo, and it would later change its name to Black Panther Party. Inspired by this group, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton formed the Black Panther Party in Oakland on October 15, 1966.  

The Black Panthers statement was the Ten-Point Program. The Ten-Point program, in short, is as follows

WE WANT FREEDOM. WE WANT POWER TO DETERMINE THE DESTINY OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE.

WE WANT AN END TO THE ROBBERY BY THE CAPITALISTS OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT DECENT HOUSING, FIT FOR THE SHELTER OF HUMAN BEINGS.

WE WANT DECENT EDUCATION FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT EXPOSES THE TRUE NATURE OF THIS DECADENT AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE WANT EDUCATION THAT TEACHES US OUR TRUE HISTORY AND OUR ROLE IN THE PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY.

WE WANT COMPLETELY FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE.

WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND MURDER OF BLACK PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALL OPPRESSED PEOPLE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL WARS OF AGGRESSION.

WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE NOW HELD IN U. S. FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, CITY, AND MILITARY PRISONS AND JAILS. WE WANT TRIALS BY A JURY OF PEERS FOR ALL PERSONS CHARGED WITH SO-CALLED CRIMES UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.

WE WANT LAND, BREAD, HOUSING, EDUCATION, CLOTHING, JUSTICE, PEACE AND PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CONTROL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

The Black Panthers stood firmly against police brutality and racism. They believed in a socialist society, and demanded government aid for housing and healthcare. They believed the government should provide everyone with food, clothing, shelter, aid, housing, and access to technology. The Black Panther Party created survival programs. Among these programs was the Free Breakfast for Children program, as well as sickle-cell disease testing, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, transportation to prisons for families to visit incarcerated loved ones, medical care, and lessons on first aid and self-defense.

The Black Panthers were black nationalists early on, but with growing popularity, they went against black nationalism, believing it to be "black racism." They had militant ideals, and dressed in all black, carrying shotguns openly. The US Government was against the Black Panthers, considering them the number one internal threat to the country. The FBI conducted operations against the Black Panthers, including assassinations, surveillance operations, infiltration, perjury, and police harassment. Facing increasing pressure, and losing party leaders, the Black Panther party grew weaker, and eventually collapsed in the 1970's.

Sources
http://www.blackpanther.org/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USApantherB.htm
http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/workers/black-panthers/
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0807795.html


image credit: http://www.blackpanther.org/logo03.jpg