THE BLACK PANTHERS VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION Essays -

THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION Student's Name Class Date The entry of the Black Panther Party (BPP) into the U.S. society brought a momentous paradigm shift in the country ' s revolution culture, and particularly to the black liberation movement. The 1960s marked a period of widespread discontentment across the black society in the U.S., which most historians attribute to the conspicuous sidelining of African Americans in the economic policy making. D espite the abolishment of slavery and racial segregation, and the immense participation of African Americans in the world wars, they were still receiving second class treatment in most economic and social platforms. Directed by Stanly Nelson, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution explores the establishment and the rise of the BPP and the complexities surrounding the group ' s disintegration. The Black Panthers came together for the sole reason of demanding the rights of blacks as enshrined in the constitution. Bobby Seale, one of the two principal founders of the BPP , holds that the party developed " from the social evils of an unjust, oppressive system " hence " becoming a vanguard of revolution. " The organization was the brainchild of two college mates at Merritt College in West Oakland: Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. Both were keen followers of i nternational revolution bodie s and renowned blac k nationalists Malcolm X and Frantz Fanon. The Black Panthers highlighted many of the predicaments surrounding the typical African American lifestyle during the mid-twentieth centuries, most of who were living in the ghetto. The party became a dominant part of the U.S. media because its activities appeared to foster black liberation agendas, top of which was security. At one point the Black Panthers evolved into a self-defense unit, assuming the role of protecting their African American counterparts from unwarranted police violence which was rampant then. Newton believed that a name change to as the Black Panther Party for Self Defence would generate the much-needed public attention and additional membership. The decision to rename the group was a genius move that saw the membership grow exponentially, though the leaders reverted to the previous name shortly after. Since then, the group was known for its militant shows, especially the bearing of weapons in public, which made the black community in America believe that the Black Panther Party was the instrument that would " enforce " their rights using every means at its disposal. Consequently, the BPP enjoyed immen se popularity from the Afro-American citizenry, with thousands of them wanting to join the party. Strikingly, women formed the majority membership of the party , and in less than five years of its launch, the party had offices in 68 cities. In addition, the party added several social programs that consisted of community health drives and children feeding programs that further enhanced the campaign's popularity. The downfall of the Black Panthers originated from internal wrangles based on split visions for the movement, selfish member motives, and government repression. As BPP ' s support grew both locally and internationally, its leaders became prime targets of President Nixon ' s intimidation, particularly through the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The suppression did not come as a surprise because the party had stirred up considerable uproar from the majority white populace who viewed its activities as radical and possessing the ability to overthrow the government. In fact, some people claimed that BPP had significant ties with the Communist Party, heightening the need for closer monitoring of its campaigns. Research shows that on several occasions, FBI agents intercepted BPP leaders ' communications and called them in f or questioning. Moreover, sometimes, government intelligence agencies used incentives to convince some of the key party members to start giving out BPP ' s secrets in exchange for monetary rewards and protection. Overall, the BPP elicited as much love as it did hat red from the masses due to the vigor, passion, and aggressiveness of its cause. As seen, in the early years BPP basked in the glory of the massive support it received from the black community in the U.S. and several anti-capitalist and anti-supremacist international organizations. However, in its last days, the group suffered grave internal disagreements, which