![[black-panther-party.jpg]] The Black Panther Party (BPP) was a revolutionary socialist organization founded by [[Huey Newton]] and [[Bobby Seale]] in October 1966 in Oakland, California. The party's original purpose was to patrol African American neighborhoods to protect residents from acts of police brutality. It later evolved into a [Marxist]([[American Marxism]]) group that called for, among other things, the arming of all African Americans, the exemption of African Americans from the draft and from all sanctions of so-called white America, the release of all African Americans from jail, and the payment of compensation to African Americans for centuries of exploitation by white Americans. ### **Origins** The BPP's roots can be traced back to the larger context of the [[Civil Rights Movement]] and the frustrations arising from the perceived slow progress of national legislation and desegregation. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale decided to start the Black Panther Party after growing disillusioned with nonviolent protest and the pacifist ideology of [[Martin Luther King Jr]]. ### **Ten-Point Program** The party outlined its philosophy in a Ten-Point Program that demanded, among other things, freedom, full employment, decent housing, education, and an end to police brutality. This program became the cornerstone of the BPP's activities and served as a basis for addressing the socioeconomic problems in African American communities. ### **Activism and Community Programs** The Black Panthers gained notoriety for their armed citizens' patrols, which they called "police observations," and for their distinct black berets and leather jackets uniform. However, they were also responsible for various community programs known as "Survival Programs," including free breakfast for children, education classes, health clinics, and food drives. ### **Conflict and Decline** The BPP often found itself in conflict with law enforcement, resulting in deadly confrontations in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. It was also the target of the [FBI's]([[Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)]]) COINTELPRO ([Counter Intelligence Program]([[COINTELPRO]]), which aimed to discredit and destabilize the party. Internal conflict, criminal activities, and an increasingly negative public perception led to a decline in membership and influence in the late 1970s. Although chapters of the Party persisted in some form through the 1980s, the BPP effectively disbanded by the early 1980s. ### **Legacy** Despite its controversial reputation, the BPP left an enduring impact on the fight for African American rights in the U.S. The party's focus on Black self-determination, community programs, and their call for radical reform of societal institutions heavily influenced future activist movements and brought attention to systemic issues in American society that persist to this day. Key figures from the BPP, such as [[Angela Davis]], Bobby Seale, and [[Kathleen Cleaver]], remain influential in discussions of race, class, and social justice. Today, the Black Panther Party is recognized as an integral part of the [[Black Power Movement]] and the broader struggle for racial and economic justice in the United States.