THE ROLE OF BLACK PANTHERS PARTY

 
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The Role of the Black Panthers in Civil Rights Movement
The African Americans residing in different cities in the United States significantly
suffered social and economic inequalities. Indeed, they faced various challenges such as
congested public amenities, chronic health problems, violence, and poor living conditions. Such
difficulties led to uprisings in the urban centers. The situation worsened when Malcolm X was
assassinated. As a result, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale instituted the Black Panthers Party for
self-protection in 1966 (Gatchet & Cloud, 2013). The Black Panthers Party pursued a dream to
liberate African Americans by fighting against discrimination and racism using a Ten Points
Program.
Foremost, the Black Panthers played a vital role in defending themselves. They took up
their legitimate right to own and carry arms in pursuit of the Malcolm X’s ideology of selfdefense (Abbott, 2013). They made this decision because Africans Americans frequently
suffered from police brutality. Indeed, police would whip and murder them at random.
Therefore, the Black Panthers believed that they had to carry arms to defend themselves from
such cruelty. Although they experienced scuffles with the police, Black Panthers succeeded in
enlightening the minority groups about their rights. In this way, the Black Panthers empowered
Africans Americans thus making them vigilant towards pursuing their place in the American
Society.
The Black Panthers also played a significant role in initiating community programs. They
demonstrated the importance of politics to the people’s lives through various programs such as
feeding the hungry and offering medical care to all individuals irrespective of their backgrounds.
The first community program planned by Panthers was a free breakfast for minors (Kordi, 2013).
The Black Panthers Party also helped in shaping the destiny of Africans Americans’ children by 
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organizing an educational program. Apart from gaining formal knowledge, the black children
were taught about their history as well as their role in the society. These programs helped in
achieving the civil rights movement’s objective of ensuring that everybody benefits from the
available resources. Undeniably, the programs empowered Africans Americans to realize their
potential, and thus they embraced the revolutionary agenda.
Additionally, the Black Panthers helped in transforming the black women groups.
Previously, the majority of the black women engaged in home chores. The Black Panthers
assisted these women as well as the small proportion of working class to form trade unions,
which could help them fight for their labor rights. Although they faced various challenges in
efforts to bridge gaps created by capitalism, understanding their rights as workers gave them a
revolutionary position in the labor market. The party substantially campaigned on the need to
empower every person irrespective of his or her gender to acquire full employment or a
guaranteed income source (Gatchet & Cloud, 2013). In this way, Africans Americans made
tremendous steps toward alleviating poverty thus improving their living standards.
In conclusion, the Black Panthers Party left an invaluable experience in the American
history. They fought for the rights of the oppressed people in an effort to enhance equality in the
American community. Their devotion, willpower, and courage in the face of what may have
seemed insuperable possibilities are examples, which any devoted black revolutionary or activist
should be honored and ready to pursue. The Black Panthers demonstrate to the present day
activists how selfless they should be in pursuit of their goals for the better of the entire society.
Without a doubt, they represent the pinnacle of the civil rights movement.
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References
Abbott, R. (2013). Do guns preclude credibility?: Considering the Black Panthers as a legitimate
Civil Rights Organization. History in the Making, 2(2), 7-13.
Gatchet, A. D., & Cloud, D. L. (2013). David, Goliath, and the Black Panthers: The paradox of
the oppressed militant in the rhetoric of self-defense. Journal of Communication Inquiry,
37(1), 5-25.
Kordi, H. (2013). (Re) Imagining Food Systems: From Charity to Solidarity. Berkeley
Undergraduate Journal, 26(3), 21-29.