The Ideology of Black Panthers

The ideology of black panther party
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In October 1966, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (BPP). As young activists, Newton and Seale were disappointed by the inability of the civil rights movement to improve the conditions of African Americans outside of the South. They considered brutality against civil rights activist protesters as part of police brutality and state oppression. The two activists rallied young, poor and disenfranchised Blacks into the BPP. The Black Panthers, like Malcolm X considered nonviolent protests as ineffective in liberating Black Americans or giving them the power to rule over themselves. While it appeared that the civil rights movement had brought numerous transformations that made life better for the African Americans, the Black Panthers needed much more. They saw the Black American liberation as related to the one happening in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. The drive to fight against oppression forced the BPP to come up with certain ideologies that defined the party’s core believes. This paper outlines the ideologies of the BPP and the activities that resulted from the ideologies.
Black nationalism was a major competent of the BPP’s ideology. The members believed that Blacks had been disadvantaged throughout the history of the US. They chose to correct the problem through various ways. Firstly, BPP emphasized the essence of the African culture. The members recognized that African Americans has been stripped of their cultural identity due to the years spend in slavery. The party encouraged members to explore their cultural heritage through naming practices, food items, clothing and hairstyles. Secondly, BPP promoted the empowerment of the Black community. The party believed that a strong Black community was critical for the survival of African Americans in the hostile environment. The BPP believed that millions of Black people did not have political representation, were disorganized and do control natural resources or machinery. As a result, there was a need to encourage black owned businesses and advocating for the economic empowerment of the communities. The party encouraged Blacks to invest and support their neighborhoods, hence empowering black communities. Thirdly, the BPP sought to establish black institutions that would meet the needs of their community members. The members felt that the existing systems were serving the interests of while supremacists. The BPP established health facilities, schools and other important institutions to address the disparities African Americans faced. Overall, while Black Nationalism sought for self-determination and the empowerment of Blacks, it did not promote the superiority of any race. Instead, the BPP wanted to liberate the Blacks from racial attacks and hence ensure equality in America.[Fitzpatrick, Liseli A. "African names and naming practices: The impact slavery and European domination had on the African psyche, identity and protest." PhD diss., The Ohio State University, 2012.] [Cleaver, Eldridge. On the ideology of the Black Panther Party. Vol. 1. Ministry of Information, Black Panther Party, 1970.]
Another ideology of the BPP was armed self-defense. The party was concerned about the increasing violence and police brutality against the Blacks. Then members felt that the police were used to oppress African American communities. At the time, American was facing discriminatory practices that disadvantaged Blacks and made them vulnerable to police brutality. The BPP sought ways to arm the members to facilitate self defense when confronted with violence. They believed that their members were supposed to react when confronted with danger. Carrying weapons in the open was seen as a sign of deference. It was meant to send a message to law enforcement who wanted to oppress the Black community that the violence would be neutralized. The party continued to educate members on gun laws and rights. The BPP wanted to ensure the members understood about self defense and the legal implications of gun ownership. In the 1960s, the members took advantage of the Californian’s gun laws to emphasize political statements about the oppression of Blacks. In 1967, the members of the BPP protested outside the California’s statehouse armed with guns and announcing that time had come for Blacks to be armed. The move prompted California governor Ronald Reagan to pass the Mulford Act which prohibited the carrying of loaded firearms in the state Capitol. Overall, self defense was critical in ensuring the members protected themselves against any oppression. Arming members allowed them to confront evils from oppressors, especially the police, who took advantage of the Blacks.[Delli Carpini, Michael X. "Black panther party: 1966-1982." Departmental Papers (ASC) (2000): 1.] [Ibid] [Harris, Jessica C. "Revolutionary black nationalism: The black panther party." The Journal of Negro History 86, no. 3 (2001): 409-421.]
Additionally, the BPP believed in serving the Black community. The party engaged in activities aimed to serve the Bla...