THE BLACK PANTHER ( UNRELEASED ) / 01 BLACK FEMINISTS DEVELOPED A SOCIAL VISION EXPANSIVE ENOUGH TO EMANCIPATE US ALL. A powerful, inspirational and insightful modern reinterpretation of the Black Panther Party newspaper. Taking the reader on a journey into the lives of some of the nation’s most gifted and courageous African American women leaders, feminist organisers and Black Power advocates. Revealing that black women were the critical thinkers, strategists, fighters and dreamers of the moment.This publication documents the contributions of African American women to the most important social reform movements in the United States in the twentieth century. By the 1970’s the Black Panther Party was two thirds female. Only recently have historians and other researchers begun to recognise black women’s central role in the battle for racial and gender equality. / 02 THE BLACK PANTHER ( UNRELEASED ) VIOLENTLY SILENCED & ERASED From the time that African women arrived on the shores of what came to be known as the “New World,” they have been caught up in a whirlwind of forces oftentimes beyond their control. Having survived the horrors of the Middle Passage was not enough; these mothers, grandmothers, and daughters were shackled and hurled into makeshift vehicles that carried them to dank dungeons and desolate shacks. The women were forced to do back breaking labor, the same as the men, but had to endure the added burden of unwanted sexual intimacies of the slavers. These women lived, and sometimes died for their children, and created families that helped to sustain them when the howling winds of oppression swirled and threatened to engulf the few things that came to matter most. Strengthened by an unshakable faith in God’s justice, from slavery to freedom they managed to “conduct their blooming in the noise and the whip of the whirlwind.” ELAINE BROWN ANGELA DAVIS TARIKA LEWIS Black Panther Women GAYLE ASALI DICKSON KATHLEEN CLEAVER ERICKA HUGGINS AFENI SHAKUR (and many, many more). INTRODUCTION / 03 THE BLACK PANTHER ( UNRELEASED ) 1966 1982 The Black Panther Party was active for just 16 years, from 1966 until 1982. The Black Panthers, founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, were For so long, Black Power advocates argued, black men had been virtually emasculated brilliant revolutionary visionaries who tried to expand the African American civil rights by white American society. Thus, they must assume leadership roles and reclaim their struggle into an opportunity to end Western imperialism, global racism and capitalist masculinity as a prerequisite to the empowerment of all black people. Some reasoned exploitation of working people. Black women will always be on the front lines of liberation, that men could only assume their rightful place though, if women would step aside and even if revisionist history tells us otherwise. Under the gaze of white supremacy, Black stop interfering. Such a negative judgement of black female leadership was inextricably cisgender heterosexual men are uplifted as fearlessly humane freedom fighters, while the bound to a twisted assessment of black female self resilience. Blaming black women for labor, contributions, and leadership of Black women are violently silenced and erased. the emasculation of their men because of their willingness to assume dominant roles. Blatant sexism also became an integral part of the emerging cultural nationalism of For them, as for many others, the BPP and its visionary Ten Point Program gave direction the era. Cultural nationalists sought to define and popularise a black value system that and potency to their daily fight against racism. They show how the party’s internationalist, would promote a positive self image - at least for some. An important part of this value integrationist, and socialist politics grabbed the hearts and minds of Black people and system was an emphasis on black male strength, which was defined int he context of an people of all colours radicalised by war, injustice, and broken promises—in the U.S. idealised image of a submissive black woman. and globally. The party, which at its height had more than 2,000 members in chapters throughout the country, created free school breakfast programs and provided sickle-cell As in every other movement, women were the backbone of all the Panthers’ administrative anaemia testing, legal aid and adult education. But its militancy made it a target of law and organisational work, particularly the Survival Programs. It was these community enforcement officials. On June 15, 1969, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover declared that “the projects – childcare, breakfasts, schools, clinics – that won broad support and Black Panther Party, without question, represents the greatest threat to internal security of counteracted the media image of the Panthers as gun-toting thugs. And when given the the country.” chance, the women also showed themselves to be keen thinkers, innovative strategists, and moving orators. On paper, the Panthers called for gender equality. But instead of The history of the controversial Black Panther Party largely focuses on its male members. being recognised, developed, and utilised, their many unacknowledged women leaders There are many classic photos of proud Black men wearing all black; they don leather were sabotaged, demeaned, and punished for being uppity. The result was a divided jackets and berets while throwing up a Black Power fist or wielding guns. Films and fatally weakened organisation. like Panther and, most recently, Judas and the Black Messiah focus on prominent men like Fred Hampton, Huey P. Newton, and Mark Clark; however, there were key women figures in the organisation as well. The group pushed for Black liberation and empowerment, but it seemed this mainly had Black men in mind. In the organisation’s early days, women did more “menial” tasks like selling newspapers, cleaning guns, and other assistant type of work. The Black Panther Party’s ideals were built on a patriarchal foundation so members didn’t want a woman to be assertive or attempt to obtain leadership. A woman’s job was to stand behind the Black man and be his support. Women members challenged the traditional female roles of caregiver and homemaker, expanding the ways in which women could contribute to the organisation as warriors, orators, organisers and collaborators. They were some of the strongest, loudest and most relentless members. INTRODUCTION / 04 THE BLACK PANTHER ( UNRELEASED ) TEN POINT PROGRAMME The Ten-Point Program is a set 1. WE WANT FREEDOM. WE WANT POWER TO DETERMINE THE 7. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND of guidelines to the Black Panther DESTINY OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES. MURDER OF BLACK PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALL Party and states their ideals and OPPRESSED PEOPLE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. ways of operation, a "combination We believe that Black and oppressed people will not be free until we of the Bill of Rights and the are able to determine our destinies in our own communities ourselves, We believe that the racist and fascist government of the United States Declaration of Independence." by fully controlling all the institutions which exist in our communities. uses its domestic enforcement agencies to carry out its program of oppression against black people, other people of color and poor 2. WE WANT FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE. people inside the united States. We believe it is our right, therefore, to defend ourselves against such armed forces and that all Black and We believe that the federal government is responsible and obligated oppressed people should be armed for self defense of our homes and to give every person employment or a guaranteed income. We believe communities against these fascist police forces. that if the American businessmen will not give full employment, then the technology and means of production should be taken from the 8. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL WARS OF businessmen and placed in the community so that the people of the AGGRESSION. community can organize and employ all of its people and give a high standard of living. We believe that the various conflicts which exist around the world stem directly from the aggressive desire of the United States ruling 3. WE WANT AN END TO THE ROBBERY BY THE CAPITALISTS OF circle and government to force its domination upon the oppressed OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES. people of the world. We believe that if the United States government or its lackeys do not cease these aggressive wars it is the right of the We believe that this racist government has robbed us and now we are people to defend themselves by any means necessary against their demanding the overdue debt of forty acres and two mules. Forty acres aggressors. and two mules were promised 100 years ago as restitution for slave labor and mass murder of Black people. We will accept the payment 9. WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED in currency which will be distributed to our many communities. The PEOPLE NOW HELD IN U. S. FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, CITY American racist has taken part in the slaughter of our fifty million Black AND MILITARY PRISONS AND JAILS. WE WANT TRIALS BY A people. Therefore, we feel this is a modest demand that we make. JURY OF PEERS FOR All PERSONS CHARGED WITH SO-CALLED CRIMES UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY. 4. WE WANT DECENT HOUSING, FIT FOR THE SHELTER OF HUMAN BEINGS. We believe that the many Black and poor oppressed people now held in United States prisons and jails have not received fair and impartial We believe that if the landlords will not give decent housing to our trials under a racist and fascist judicial system and should be free from Black and oppressed communities, then housing and the land should incarceration.