Black Panthers: Behind the Myth

Black Panthers: Behind the myth

-The Black Panther party is marked for extinction by the U.S. government. In the pages which follow, the Guardian weekly newspaper, producers of this supplement, attempts to explain the reality behind the Panther myth created by the government, police and news media. Included are a lengthy history of the party, from the idea of its formation; conceived in a prison cell, until today. The Panther 10-point program, guiding force behind the organization, is published in full. In an interview conducted in jail, party chairman Bobby Seale elaborates on the program and discusses the party views on guns, revolution, serving the people, male chauvinism and government repression. Another article analyzes the history of police harassment against the party, among other features. Following is a statement especially written by the national office of the Black Panther party for this supplement.

The Black Panther party stands for revolutionary solidarity with all people fiahrhin

I BY: EMORY, MINISTER OF CULTURE, BLACK PANTHER PARTY PARTY PANTHER BLACK CULTURE, OF MINISTER EMORY, BY: I

of socialist idealism. idealism. socialist of

rived from a proletarian internationalism born born internationalism proletarian a from rived

stand against these evils with a solidarity de- solidarity a with evils these against stand

with black racism. Rather we will take our our take will we Rather racism. black with

black capitalism; we will not fight imperialism imperialism fight not will we capitalism; black with black imperialism; we will not fight racism racism fight not will we imperialism; black with

Bobby Seale, we will not fight capitalism with with capitalism fight not will we Seale, Bobby

•

gram gives us. us. gives gram

socialist perspective the party's 10-point pro- 10-point party's the perspective socialist

of these black heroes, combine them with the the with them combine heroes, black these of

saint saint

tions of liberationists like Nat Turner and Tous- and Turner Nat like liberationists of tions

and forced with its special brand of murder and and murder of brand special its with forced and a-vis this evil as directly derived from the ac- ac- the from derived directly as evil this a-vis

terror. We see our revolutionary position vis- vis- position revolutionary our see We terror.

shackled in colonial bondage, black people in in people black bondage, colonial in shackled

the U.S. were bound by the chains of racism ' ' racism of chains the by bound were U.S. the

of Asia, Africa and Latin America were were America Latin and Africa Asia, of

same. same.

world are, we see our struggle as one and the the and one as struggle our see we are, world

imperialism) just as the people of the third third the of people the as just imperialism)

we are victims of U.S. imperialism (community (community imperialism U.S. of victims are we

ton front's program in the third world. Because Because world. third the in program front's ton tion tion

program is not much different from any libera- any from different much not is program

of black people as to their national destiny. Our Our destiny. national their to as people black of

ticipate for the purpose of determining the will will the determining of purpose the for ticipate

black colonial subjects will be allowed to par- ; ; par- to allowed be will subjects colonial black

throughout the black colony in which only the the only which in colony black the throughout

all third-world peoples and we call for a United United a for call we and peoples third-world all

GUARDIAN /PANTHERS / FEBRUARY 1970 / 1 1 / 1970 FEBRUARY / /PANTHERS GUARDIAN

Nations-supervised plebiscite to be held held be to plebiscite Nations-supervised

manifest in our 10-point platform and program. program. and platform 10-point our in manifest We demand the right to self-determination for for self-determination to right the demand We

ica as well. well. as ica

for the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin Amer- Latin and Africa Asia, of peoples the for

where it breeds. As for the Vietnamese people, people, Vietnamese the for As breeds. it where

can aid aid can

to destroy imperialism from the inside, attack it it attack inside, the from imperialism destroy to understand that the most effective way that we we that way effective most the that understand

America, we —the Black Panther party— Panther Black —the we America,

and oppressed against imperialism and the the and imperialism against oppressed and

world's chief imperialist, the United States of. of. States United the imperialist, chief world's

home and abroad. Because we understand that that understand we Because abroad. and home worldwide struggle being waged by the poor poor the by waged being struggle worldwide

our struggle for our liberation is part of a a of part is liberation our for struggle our

against the forces of imperialism, capitalism, capitalism, imperialism, of forces the against

By the Black Panther party party Panther Black the By

racism and fascism. Our solidarity is extended extended is solidarity Our fascism. and racism lutionary solidarity with all people fighting fighting people all with solidarity lutionary

to those people who are fighting these evils at at evils these fighting are who people those to pa

L'Ouverture. L'Ouverture.

In the words of the party's chairman, chairman, party's the of words the In

History has shown that while the nations nations the while that shown has History

The aims of the Black Panther party are are party Panther Black the of aims The

The Black Panther party stands for revo- for stands party Panther Black The

our our

Vietnamese brothers and sisters is is sisters and brothers Vietnamese

suppet

We must emulate the actions actions the emulate must We

1 1

4 4

4 4 4 4

Black Panthers: Serving the people, fighting fighting people, the Serving Panthers: Black

what heading you put on it, we're going to talk about about talk to going we're it, on put you heading what

organized organized

their desires and needs are met. .. . So ii doesn't matter matter doesn't ii So . .. met. are needs and desires their

self-defense. And, given the-reign of white police terror terror police white of the-reign given And, self-defense.

day necessity. necessity. day

Panthers viewed this aspect of their program as a day-to- a as program their of aspect this viewed Panthers constantly directed at the black citizens of Oakland, the the Oakland, of citizens black the at directed constantly struggled hard to raise us, that the fathers who worked worked who fathers the that us, raise to hard struggled

below.) below.)

hand of apolitical, gun-toting crazies. crazies. gun-toting apolitical, of hand

broken words, and all of these can read . . read can these of all and words, broken hard to feed us, that the .young brothers in school who who school in brothers .young the that us, feed to hard

party openly advocated and practiced the right of armed armed of right the practiced and advocated openly party from the beginning has tried to pass the party off as a a as off party the pass to tried has beginning the from come out of school semi-illiterate, saying and reading reading and saying semi-illiterate, school of out come

party most obscured by the bourgeois news media which which media news bourgeois the by obscured most party

ton told Seale and the others, "that the mothers who who mothers the "that others, the and Seale told ton

ment. At the same time, this has been the aspect of the the of aspect the been has this time, same the At ment.

with a few other friends they formed the Black Panther Panther Black the formed they friends other few a with

in February 1967. "We're going to talk about black black about talk to going "We're 1967. February in

Bobby Seale, who .he had known at Merritt and together together and Merritt at known had .he who Seale, Bobby

program program Party for Self-Defense in the Fall of 1966. of Fall the in Self-Defense for Party

people arming themselves in a* political fashion to exert exert to fashion political a* in themselves arming people

young blacks, he had several run-ins with the Oakland Oakland the with run-ins several had he blacks, young

on an assault charge, Newton had been a law student at at student law a been had Newton charge, assault an on

The 10 The police. When his sentence was up, he got in touch with with touch in got he up, was sentence his When police.

Merritt College, where, like any number of militant militant of number any like where, College, Merritt

presently in jail. jail. in presently Newton subsequently became minister of defense. He is is He defense. of minister became subsequently Newton

gave him time to think "about the relationship between between relationship the "about think to time him gave Huey P. Newton and the "soulbreaker" cell was the the was cell "soulbreaker" the and Newton P. Huey

birthplace of the Black Panther organization of which which of organization Panther Black the of birthplace being outside of jail and being in." The prisoner was was prisoner The in." being and jail of outside being

during the peak months of the civil rights movement. movement. rights civil the of months peak the during

"disruptive" prisoners. In 1964, the cells were more full full more were cells the 1964, In prisoners. "disruptive"

demonstrations by black prisoners that rocked the jail jail the rocked that prisoners black by demonstrations than usual, following a series of food strikes and other other and strikes food of series a following usual, than

as the "soul-breakers," the solitary confinement cells for for cells confinement solitary the "soul-breakers," the as

known to the black youth of the North Oakland ghetto ghetto Oakland North the of youth black the to known

By Carl Davidson Davidson Carl By

From the very beginning, the Panthers' 10-point 10-point Panthers' the beginning, very the From

"Our message is one and the same," Newton said said Newton same," the and one is message "Our

The press based its distortions on the fact that the the that fact the on distortions its based press The

"We're going to draw up a basic platform," New- platform," basic a up draw to going "We're

Before being convicted and sentenced for a year year a for sentenced and convicted being Before

One of the prisoners later said the time in solitary solitary in time the said later prisoners the of One

The Alameda county jail contains an instituticin an contains jail county Alameda The

has been their hallmark within the left move- left the within hallmark their been has

point program program point

force force

in the political arena to -see to it that that it to -see to arena political the in

- -

" (See text text (See "

. .

the speeches. speeches. the

ing their own weapons. The pblice who came to stop the the stop to came who pblice The weapons. own their ing middle of the crowd, who sat quietly and listened to all all to listened and quietly sat who crowd, the of middle rally quickly turned away, except for one, caught in the the in caught one, for except away, turned quickly rally

set up armed guards around the rally site. site. rally the around guards armed up set

slaying and the political importance of self-defense. The The self-defense. of importance political the and slaying

rally, decided to demonstrate their point on the spot and and spot the on point their demonstrate to decided rally,

Panthers; assuming the police would try to stop the the stop to try would police the assuming Panthers;

investigate and the party decided to hold a streetcorner streetcorner a hold to decided party the and investigate rally in the neighborhood to expose the facts of the the of facts the expose to neighborhood the in rally

black eye-witnesses. eye-witnesses. black

Calif., had been shot and killed by the police, whose whose police, the by killed and shot been had Calif.,

about armed self-defense. First, they were operating operating were they First, self-defense. armed about official account of the slaying contradicted dozens of of dozens contradicted slaying the of account official within the law as defined by gun regulations and the the and regulations gun by defined as law the within

viewed in purply military. terms,. terms,. military. purply in viewed

went to great lengths, however, to stress two points points two stress to however, lengths, great to went

action taken around the death of Denzil Dowell early in in early Dowell Denzil of death the around taken action

were to serve a political purpose and were not to be be to not were and purpose political a serve to were 1967. Dowell, a black youth living in North Richmond, Richmond, North in living youth black a Dowell, 1967.

thers soon became familiar in the Bay Area. The party The Area. Bay the in familiar became soon thers

constitutional right to bear arms. Second, that the arms arms the that Second, arms. bear to right constitutional

Oakland police were outraged. But the brutality, harass- brutality, the But outraged. were police Oakland

party's existence spread rapidly. rapidly. spread existence party's tapered off. The program was a success and news of the the of news and success a was program The off. tapered

ing sure their constitutional rights were not violated. The The violated. not were rights constitutional their sure ing

ment and obscenity directed at black men and women women and men black at directed obscenity and ment

the police, armed Panthers would-be on the scene, mak- scene, the on would-be Panthers armed police, the

• •

Hundreds of black people turned out, many carry- many out, turned people black of Hundreds

The Dowell family had called in the Panthers to to Panthers the in called had family Dowell The

The sight of armed and disciplined groups of Pan- of groups disciplined and armed of sight The

Just how the party operated was shown iii the the iii shown was operated party the how Just

Whenever black men or women were stopped by by stopped were women or men black Whenever

Police raid Chicago office, Dec. 4, 1969. 1969. 4, Dec. office, Chicago raid Police

. .

actin actin

across the nation. nation. the across

"blacks-with-guns-invade-legislature" was too much for for much too was "blacks-with-guns-invade-legislature"

the press to take and the news media reported the event event the reported media news the and take to press the

registering opposition to the new law. But the spectre of of spectre the But law. new the to opposition registering They were acting no differently from any `glin lobby" lobby" `glin any from differently no acting were They

carefully planned and completely legal at every step. step. every at legal completely and planned carefully

and held for several days until bailed out. out. bailed until days several for held and

arrested on a charge of conspiring to disturb the peace peace the disturb to conspiring of charge a on arrested statement again and started to leave. Then they were all all were they Then leave. to started and again statement

of excitement, the Panthers left the building, read the the read building, the left Panthers the excitement, of

visitors gallery of the legislative chambers. chambers. legislative the of gallery visitors

Panthers, 24 men and 6 women, walked up the steps of of steps the up walked women, 6 and men 24 Panthers,

and stating the party's principles and walked into the the into walked and principles party's the stating and

the Capitol building, read a statement against the bill bill the against statement a read building, Capitol the

bill was being debated, on May 2, 1967, 30 armed armed 30 1967, 2, May on debated, being was bill spreading the word and defending their legal rights. An An rights. legal their defending and word the spreading

controversial events in the party's history. While the gun gun the While history. party's the in events controversial action was planned by Newton that was one of the more more the of one was that Newton by planned was action

Panthers. Panthers.

duced a gun control bill designed as an attack on the the on attack an as designed bill control gun a duced successes had already reverberated to the state legisla- state the to reverberated already had successes

and now faced the problem of expanding on a statewide statewide a on expanding of problem the faced now and

ture, where California Assemblyman Don Mulford intro- Mulford Don Assemblyman California where ture,

and national level. At the same time, the party's initial initial party's the time, same the At level. national and

however, did not view itself as only a local Organization Organization local a only as itself view not did however,

and were based primarily in the Bay Area. The party, party, The Area. Bay the in primarily based were and

hundreds signed up to work with the party that day. day. that party the with work to up signed hundreds always remember that the spirit of the people is greater greater is people the of spirit the that remember always

than the man's technology!" The 'crowd cheered and and cheered 'crowd The technology!" man's the than

over the crowd. the over

. When the police and press arrived, creating.a flurry flurry creating.a arrived, press and police the When .

r. r.

The Panthers viewed the action as a success. "I'm "I'm success. a as action the viewed Panthers The

From the Panthers' perspective, the action was was action the perspective, Panthers' the From

The party had to meet both the problems of of problems the both meet to had party The

At this time, the Panthers had about 75 members members 75 about had Panthers the time, this At

At that point a police helicopter began buzzing buzzing began helicopter police a point that At

- -

Newton pointed up and shouted, "And "And shouted, and up pointed Newton A Panther minister of health at work. work. at health of minister Panther A their desires and needs are met. ... So ri doesn't matter ifel-L-g-Akatit 11 -514Natltr014 11-1■17-164ie The Panthers viewed the action as a success. what heading you put on it, we're going to talk about Police raid Chicago office, Dec. 4,1969. going to show you how smart brother Huey was wh. political power growing out of the barrel of a gun." Several Panthers addressed the crowd, explaining planned .Sacramento," Bobby Seale stated. "He The party put the program into practice. Among the party's program. Then Huey Newton, paraphrasing `Now the papers are going to call us thugs and 1 their first efforts in Oakland was the formation of com- Mao tse-Tung, spoke: "The masses of the people want lums But the brothers on the block, who the t munity police patrols. Newton put his law-school train- peace. The masses of the people do not want war. The been calling thugs and hoodlums for 400 years„ th ing to work and instructed all party members in the Black Panther party advocates the abolition of war. But going to say, 'Them's some out of sight thtigs basic constitutional rights governing arrests and gun at the same time, we realize that the only way you can hoodlums up there .... Who is these thugs and I laws. From there, the party established a system of get rid of war, many times, is through a process of war. lums?' armed patrol cars, completely legal, carrying both guns Therefore, the only way you can get rid of guns is to get "Huey was smart enough to know," Seale cc and law hooks and followed police patrol cars making rid of the guns of the oppressor. The people must be ued, "that the black people were going to say, their rounds of the ghetto. able to pick up guns, to defend themselves .... they've been calling us niggers, thugs and hoodlum Political program of the Black Panther party Following is the 10-point program of the ican racist has taken part in the slaughter of brutality and murder of black people. W, Black Panther party, adopted in October 1966. over 50 million black people; therefore, we feel lieve we can end police brutality in our 1 1. We want freedom. We want power to that this is a modest demand that we make. community by organizing black self-del determine the destiny of our black community. 4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter groups that are dedicated to defending We believe that black people will not be free of human beings. We believe that if the white black community from racist police oppre: until we are able to determine our destiny. landlords will not give decent housing to our and brutality. The Second Amendment tt 2. We want full employment for our peo- black community, then the housing and the land Constitution of the United States gives ,a ple. We believe that, the federal government is should be made into cooperatives so that our to bear arms. We therefore believe that all t responsible and obligated to give every man community, with government aid, can build people should arm themselves for self-defm employment or a guaranteed income. We be- and make decent housing for its people. 8. We want freedom for all black lieve that if the white American butsinessmen 5. We want education for our people that held in federal, state, county and city pri will not give full employment, then the means exposes the true nature of this decadent Amer- and jails. We believe that all black pe of production should be taken from the busi- ican society. We want education that teaches us should be released from the many jails nessmen and placed in the community so that our true history and our role in the present-day prisons because they have not received a the people of the community can organize and society. We believe in an educational system and impartial trial: employ all of its people and give .a high stan- that will give to our people a knowledge of self. 9. We want all black people when bro dard of living. If a man does not have knowledge of himself to trial to be tried in court by a jury of 3. We want an end to the robbery by the and his position in society and the world, then peer group or people from their black capitalist of our black community. We believe he has little chance to relate to anything else. munities, as-defined by the Constitution of that this racist government has robbed us and 6. We want all black men • to be exempt United States .... now we are demanding the overdue debt of 40 from military service. We believe that Black 10. We want land, bread, housing, ed acres and two mules. Forty acres and two mules people should not be forced to fight in the tion, clothing, justice and peace. And as was promised 100 years ago as restitution for military service to defend a racist government major political objective, a United Nati slave labor and mass murder of black people. that does not protect us. We will not fight and supervised plebiscite to be held throughout We will accept the payment in currency which kill other people of color in the world who, like black colony in which only black colonial will be distributed to our many communities. black people, are being victimized by the white jects will be allowed to participate, for The Germans are now aiding the Jews in Israel racist government of America. We will protect purpose of determining the will of black pe for the genocide of the Jewish people. The ourselves from the force and violence of the as to their national destiny ... . Germans murdered six million Jews. The Amer- racist police and the racist military, by whatever means necessary. 7.We want an immediate end to police

2 /PANTHERS /FEBRUARY 1970 /GUARDIAN 'JP

sra•ar... MMMMMM M 110.1Pir. police repression

400 years, that ain't gon' hurt me, I'm going to check What made the debate so intense was the emer- the Panthers' relationship to other forces in the black out what these brothers is doing!' " gence of the Peace and . Freedom party as a political movement. But the success was not without certain draw- force in the California left and eventually across the • Sqon after the PFP campaign aid the.dcfense of backs. On the plus side, the Panthers were now national- country. The PFP was a coalition 'mainly of white left- Newton got underway, the anticipated police repression ly known and within a, few months claimed branches in liberals and radicals organized as a third party electoral began: On Jan. 16, 1968, police raided the Cleavers' Los Angeles, Tennessee, Georgia, New York and Detroit. alternative in opposition to the Vietnam war and in home. 'From then on," said Kathleen Cleaver, "the Hundreds of black ghetto youth were attracted to the support of black liberation. harassment of the Party intensified." party and its program. The Panthers saw in the PFP's campaign ma- • A month ,later, following a raid on his !Mine, Seale On the other. side, Bobby Seale and several others chinery a chance for a wider educational campaign in • was,-arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit served a six-month prison sentence: as a result of the Newton's defense. But the party held that any "func- murder. Newly formed party brancheS were harassed action. The gun restrictions were passed and the police tional coalition" with whites could only be formed on across the country. On April 3, a public party meeting and news media used 'the publicity, which had worked the basis of support for the demand to "Free Huey." was broken up by armed illegal searebes by Oakland for the Panthers in the black community, to initiate a Thus, to form the alliance, the white radicals had to win Police. Then, on .April 6, two days afterlthe King assassi- racist hysteria against the party among whites. The cam- over the liberals,' many of whom saw the Panthers as a nation, dozens of police opened fire on, a home where a paign was often successful and the reaction reached into threat to the PFP's vote-getting "respectability." Panther .meeting was taking place. Bobby Hutton. a some sectors of the black community as well. As the time approached for the PFP to file its fOunder of the party, was murdered :while trying to From the Panther point of view, the white reac- ballot petitions at the end of 1967, a shortage of signa- surrender and Eldridge Cleaver was wounded and placed tion was not the result of any "mistake" on their part, tures forced the issue. The radicals won out and the under arrest. but an unavoidable initial aspect of the course of revolu- alliance was formed. The Panthers took the petitions tionary struggle in the United States that would even= into the black community and put the PFP on the Huey's trial • ;. tually be overcome. ballot—but with Huey Newton, Bobby Seale and Kath- The trial of Huey Newton lasted front July I S to leen Cleaver as candidates for state offices running on Sept. 8 and marked a high point in the Panthers' history. Two political dynamics the basis of the Panther• 10-point program. Eldridge The public attention given the trial, due in large part to "We feel there are two things happening in this Cleaver was to be the California PFP's Presidential candi- the defense efforts and the PFP campaign, provided the country," said Eldridge Cleaver, the now-exiled minister date, pending the national convention. Panther's with an excellent opportunity, not only to of information. "You have a black colony and you have The party's coalition with the PFP gave them an defend Newton, but to wage a political offensive' as well. the white mother country and you have two different immediate public political exposure—among both blacks From start to finish, the trial was viewed as a sets of political dynamics involved in these two relation- and whites—that would have. been difficult to attain model political defense. Newton's lawyer, Charles Garry, ships. What's called for in the mother country is a otherwise. And, given the needs of Newton's defense and exposed the class and racial bias built into the court revolution and there's a black liberation struggle called the probability of further repression, the move was seen system at every step. Within the trial, Newton managed for in the colony." as important. if not necessary, for the party's survival. to explain the Panther program and why he was a What the "different dynamics" meant was that political prisoner, as well as demonstrate his innocence. whites, even revolutionary whites, would tend to distort Outside the courtroom, the party mobilized the com- or misunderstand the nature of the black struggle until munity in a continual series of mass rallies. black control over the movement in the colony had been When the verdict came in, the Political character established. Once that was resolved, then unity between of the trial became apparent. Newton was convicted of the two struggles was not only possible but desirable. involuntary manslaughter, a charge of which he could Following the Sacramento action and the legal not possibly have been guilty. The evidence of the trial defense they had built around it, the Panthers continued was such that he could only be guilty or innocent of their operations in the Oakland black community. The first-degree murder. The "compromise verdict simply police patrols continued, as well as the party's educa- revealed the politiCal forces at play. tional work around its 10-point program and the establishment of the Black Panther newspaper. Reagan administration enraged The party also continued and developed further its California's Reagan administration and the Oak- policy of following through on whatever immediate land police who wanted Newton executed were enraged problems black people would present to it and see that at the outcome of the trial. Only hours after the verdict they were solved. was announced. the Panther nffire "tilts

in his stomach. When he recovered, he was charged with with charged was he recovered, he When stomach. his in

Huey Newton was under arrest with four bullet wounds wounds bullet four with arrest under was Newton Huey

demand-and the only one that made sense-was that that sense-was made that one only the demand-and

Huey Newton be set free. free. set be Newton Huey

and held to the position in their program that black black that program their in position the to held and stopped and arrested on charges ranging from petty petty from ranging charges on arrested and stopped

murder and locked in Alameda County jail without bail. bail. without jail County Alameda in locked and murder

fornia courts precluded that possibility, the only just just only the possibility, that precluded courts fornia car." Several hours later, one policeman was dead and and dead was policeman one later, hours Several car."

in the morning, a police car reported, "I have a Panther Panther a have "I reported, car police a morning, the in

which would supposedly win wider support. support. wider win supposedly would which

peers. Since the colonial and class .character of the Cali- the of .character class and colonial the Since peers. ging in the white liberal and radical community. Many Many community. radical and liberal white the in ging

somed with descriptions of party members and their their and members party of descriptions with somed

argued that the demand should be "Fair Trial for Huey" Huey" for Trial "Fair be should demand the that argued

tics of police harassment, page 4.) 4.) page harassment, police of tics cars. On foot or driving around, Panthers would be be would Panthers around, driving or foot On cars.

people could only receive a fair trial by a jury of their their of jury a by trial fair a receive only could people

demand to "Free Huey" was the cause of some footdrag- some of cause the was Huey" "Free to demand

sity of police harassment. Police bulletin boards blos- boards bulletin Police harassment. police of sity

and the Black • Panther party. For its part, the party party the part, its For party. Panther • Black the and

to Newton's defense, in the beginning the unequivocal unequivocal the beginning the in defense, Newton's to

traffic violations to spitting on the sidewalk. (See statis- • • statis- (See sidewalk. the on spitting to violations traffic

intensified a racist, hysterical reaction'to both Newton Newton both reaction'to hysterical racist, a intensified mobilized its forces for a "Free Huey" defense cam- defense Huey" "Free a for forces its mobilized

guard outside. Liberation schools were also set up after after up set also were schools Liberation outside. guard

"was the people's party" and was "like an oxen, to be be to oxen, an "like was and party" people's the "was

start directing traffic. If black children were being being were children black If traffic. directing start regular classes were over. over. were classes regular

paign. paign.

but the police and press once again whipped up and and up whipped again once press and police the but

to patrol the halls while armed party members stood stood members party armed while halls the patrol to

ridden by, the people and serve the needs of the people." people." the of needs the serve and people the by, ridden

harassed in the schools, the Panthers organized mothers mothers organized Panthers the schools, the in harassed

police to install one immediately or the party would would party the or immediately one install to police

If the'peop If

they were solved. solved. were they

Newton immediately proclaimed his innocence, innocence, his proclaimed immediately Newton

On Oct. 28, 1967, the issue came to a head: early early head: a to came issue the 1967, 28, Oct. On

But the Panthers were waging a political defense defense political a waging were Panthers the But

While thousands of people, black and white, rallied rallied white, and black people, of thousands While

Newton stated, again and again, that the patty patty the that again, and again stated, Newton

But as the party's successes grew, so did the inten- the did so grew, successes party's the as But

le wanted a traffic light, the Panthers told the the told Panthers the light, traffic a wanted le

ration school in .F. .F. in school ration

IL 4111u 4111u IL

JCC JCC

tIldt tIldt

01111111

"We approached the whole thing from the point of view view of point the from thing whole the approached "We

one-man, one-vote. As Eldridge Cleaver summed it up: up: it summed Cleaver Eldridge As one-vote. one-man,

"Free Huey" rally on. Feb. 17, 1968. The principle principle The 1968. 17, Feb. on. rally Huey" "Free

SNCC, which was formally announced at an Oakland Oakland an at announced formally was which SNCC,

the party, with the leaders of both groups announcing a a announcing groups both of leaders the with party, the

leaders of SNCC-James Forman, Stokely Carmichael Carmichael Stokely Forman, SNCC-James of leaders

plan to form a mass black political party. party. political black mass a form to plan

The mutual agreement was that the Panthers, would set set would Panthers, the that was agreement mutual The ble almost as soon as it was formed. While the full story story full the While formed. was it as soon as almost ble

Panthers were in the process of forming a "merger with with "merger a forming of process the in were Panthers

is still not known, the event was significant in shaping shaping in significant was event the known, not still is

legitimacy and necessity for blacks td form independent, independent, form td blacks for necessity and legitimacy

all-black organizations-had only recently been establish- been recently only organizations-had all-black

ity. All other policy would be formulated on the basis of of basis the on formulated be would policy other All ity.

ed. ed.

not as a sell-out. The main thrust of black power-the power-the black of thrust main The sell-out. a as not

specting the rights of black people to self-determination. self-determination. to people black of rights the specting

and H. Rap Brown-were named to leading positions in in positions leading to named Brown-were Rap H. and

of international relations. We feel that our coalition is is coalition our that feel We relations. international of part of our foreign policy .... " " .... policy foreign our of part

the party viewed the alliance with whites with dismay, if if dismay, with whites with alliance the viewed party the

the PFP line on all issues related to the black commun- black the to related issues all on line PFP the

10009. 10009.

197 E. 4th St., New York, N.Y. N.Y. York, New St., 4th E. 197

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• •

paper, may take out a trial subscrip- subscrip- trial a out take may paper, issue- for only $1- for 10 issues. issues. 10 for $1- only for issue-

tion to the Guardian-20 pages each each pages Guardian-20 the to tion

duced to the Guardian through this this through Guardian the to duced

uted independently of the news- news- the of independently uted

This This

Black Panther party was prepared prepared was party Panther Black

by the Guaidian, the largest inde- inde- largest the Guaidian, the by

pendent radical weekly in the U.S. U.S. the in weekly radical pendent

Readers who may have been intro- intro- been have may who Readers

GUARDIAN GUARDIAN

The "merger" was short-lived and began to crum- to began and short-lived was "merger" The

The issue was complicated complicated was issue The

Nevertheless, a number of black radicals outside outside radicals black of number a Nevertheless,

The Panthers saw the alliance as principled, re- principled, as alliance the saw Panthers The

special special

1 1

1r 1r

supplement supplement

1111111111111P 1111111111111P

Fred Hampton at a Chicago rally, 1968. 1968. rally, Chicago a at Hampton Fred

- -

on on

the the

by by

- -

the fact that the the that fact the

address address

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• •

organizing our organization." organization." our organizing

fense" from its name to reemphasize its.political charac- charac- its.political reemphasize to name its from fense"

commenting on the repression, "and thank them for for them thank "and repression, the on commenting

gave the whole year of 1968 to the pigs," said Seale, Seale, said pigs," the to 1968 of year whole the gave

perhaps a thousand members at the end of 1968. "We "We 1968. of end the at members thousand a perhaps

votes. In November, Cleaver went into foreign exile exile foreign into went Cleaver November, In votes.

rather than return to prison, where he believed he would would he believed he where prison, to return than rather

ter, was now larger than ever, with 30 branches and and branches 30 with ever, than larger now was ter,

be killed. killed. be

(including California's) because of his youth. The educa- educa- The youth. his of because California's) (including

'was sentenced, the courts reversed the decision on Clea- on decision the reversed courts the sentenced, 'was

the official election tallies gave him almost 200,000 200,000 almost him gave tallies election official the

access to the news media. media. news the to access

even though his name was kept off several state ballots ballots state several off kept was name his though even tional effect of the campaign had clearly helped the the helped clearly had campaign the of effect tional

its Presidential candidate, several other states had follow- had states other several candidate, Presidential its

party's survival and even led to its growth. In the end, end, the In growth. its to led even and survival party's at the outcome of the trial. Only hours after the verdict verdict the after hours Only trial. the of outcome the at

engagements around the country, along with greater greater with along country, the around engagements

was announced, the Panther office Was riddled with with riddled Was office Panther the announced, was

ed suit. This had opened up a wide range of speaking speaking of range wide a up opened had This suit. ed

ver's parole and gave him 60 days to return to prison. prison. to return to days 60 him gave and parole ver's

the party'S defense. After the California PFP named him him named PFP California the After defense. party'S the

bullets by drunken cops. On Sept. 27, the day Newton Newton day the 27, Sept. On cops. drunken by bullets

state state

The party, which had dropped the "for self-de- "for the dropped had which party, The

In August, he won the national PFP nomination, nomination, PFP national the won he August, In

Cleaver had played a leading role in Newton's and and Newton's in role leading a played had Cleaver

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(Continued on page 81 81 page on (Continued

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• • _ _

Panther politics politics Panther

iticr, iris been a grand jury investigation of county jail jail county of investigation jury grand a been iris iticr,

111,,i1Tetiti 111,,i1Tetiti only a hole in the floor where one could defecate, defecate, could one where floor the in hole a only

ruling stated that a man's supposed to have at least a., a., least at have to supposed man's a that stated ruling

COd COd

ululate and this often overflows. This hole was ruled ruled was hole This overflows. often this and ululate

feet long. You have no bed, no bunk, no toilet. There is is There toilet. no bunk, no bed, no have You long. feet

miconstitutional by state supreme court in 1966. The The 1966. in court supreme state by miconstitutional

had made, the content of which was to come up in in up come to was which of content the made, had

S.F. County jail I was thrown in the hole for having a a having for hole the in thrown was I jail County S.F.

at rested Aug. 19--S.F. County and Cook County [Chi- County Cook and County 19--S.F. Aug. rested at

some details on your treatment in jail since then. - - then. since jail in treatment your on details some

Ina Le some notes notes some Le Ina here actually let me have after my lawyer, Charles Garry, Garry, Charles lawyer, my after have me let actually here

accused of murdering Panther Alex Rackley. Following Following Rackley. Alex Panther murdering of accused

alleged role in the case of the New Haven Panther Panther Haven New the of case the in role alleged

is an interview conducted with Seale Feb. 11 in San San in 11 Feb. Seale with conducted interview an is

chairman is awaiting extradition to Connecticut for his his for Connecticut to extradition awaiting is chairman

Francis Furey. Furey. Francis

charges resulting from the confrontation in Chicago dur- Chicago in confrontation the from resulting charges

sence of his lawyer. He still must stand trial again on on again trial stand must still He lawyer. his of sence

Francisco County jail by Guardian staff correspondent correspondent staff Guardian by jail County Francisco

ing the Democratic convention. In addition, the party party the addition, In convention. Democratic the ing

represent himself during the Chicago 8 trial in the ab- the in trial 8 Chicago the during himself represent

Sentence was imposed. in November after Seale was was Seale after November in imposed. was Sentence bound and gagged in the courtroom when he sought to to sought he when courtroom the in gagged and bound

serving a four-year prison term for contempt of federal federal of contempt for term prison four-year a serving

judge Julius Hoffman's conspiracy trial court in Chicago. Chicago. in court trial conspiracy Hoffman's Julius judge

ago] and a number of other jails across the country. In In country. the across jails other of number a and ago]

lucsted that that lucsted

rt. rt.

Could you describe the hole? hole? the describe you Could

The hole itself is a box five feet wide and seven seven and wide feet five box a is itself hole The

Well I've been in a number of jails since since jails of number a in been I've Well

You have been in jail since August. Could you give give you Could August. since jail in been have You

Panther party newspaper that one of the guards guards the of one that newspaper party Panther

Bobby Se Bobby

of some kind, full meals and a toilet. Recently Recently toilet. a and meals full kind, some of

Black Panther party chairman Bobby Seale is is Seale Bobby chairman party Panther Black

I I

have it based on the fact that I had to to had I that fact the on based it have

and outlines on some some on outlines and

explain explain

speeches that that speeches

gle gle

I I

was was

14, 14,

I I

Chicago authorities on the Black Panther party, which in in which party, Panther Black the on authorities Chicago

December resulted in the deaths of Fred Hampton and and Hampton Fred of deaths the in resulted December

result of the continuing crackdown by Mayor Daley and and Daley Mayor by crackdown continuing the of result

a language of its its of language a

for the most part come from the ghetto—seeks to talk to to talk to ghetto—seeks the from come part most the for

the people, it must speak the people's language. language. people's the speak must it people, the

Oil iri Richmond where 100 local police came in and and in came police local 100 where Richmond iri Oil

to come to understand that the language of the ghetto is is ghetto the of language the that understand to come to

name. But I think people,' especially white people, have have people, white especially people,' think I But name.

cracked strikers' heads, began to call them by their true true their by them call to began heads, strikers' cracked

ists or police. The term is now being adopted by radicals, radicals, by adopted being now is term The police. or ists

the pigs supported strike-breakers like they did at Union Union at did they like strike-breakers supported pigs the

hippies and minority peoples. Even the workers, when when workers, the Even peoples. minority and hippies

constitutional rights—whether they be monopoly capital- monopoly be they rights—whether constitutional

referring to people who systematically violate peoples' peoples' violate systematically who people to referring

isolate us, but such is not the case. case. the not is such but us, isolate

rhetoric. What is your reaction to this? this? to reaction your is What rhetoric.

million black people are beginning to listen to the Pan- the to listen to beginning are people black million

that the power structure is beginning to realize that 30 30 that realize to beginning is structure power the that

our people killed due to the lack of proper organization. organization. proper of lack the to due killed people our

Another reason they included me in the conspiracy is is conspiracy the in me included they reason Another ther party. If we were black racists they could easily easily could they racists black were we If party. ther

lieve in spontaneous riots because we've seen so many of of many so seen we've because riots spontaneous in lieve

Chicago] about the right to self-defense against brutal, brutal, against self-defense to right the about Chicago]

riot. The Black Panther party shows that we don't be- don't we that shows party Panther Black The riot. they turned it around and said that I was advocating a a advocating was I that said and around it turned they

any evidence against me. All I did was make a speech [in [in speech a make was did I All me. against evidence any

unjust attack. We've always made speeches like this, but but this, like speeches made always We've attack. unjust

vid] Hilliard and other Panther leaders. They don't have have don't They leaders. Panther other and Hilliard vid]

all, their reasons for moving against me are the same as as same the are me against moving for reasons their all,

the reasons they are now moving against brother [Da- brother against moving now are they reasons the Cleaver was in political exile and I think they also saw saw also they think I and exile political in was Cleaver

was on a speaking tour in the Scandinavian countries so so countries Scandinavian the in tour speaking a on was

the necessity to move on me. At the time I was charged I I charged was I time the At me. on move to necessity the

Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver. Huey was in jail and and jail in was Huey Cleaver. Eldridge and Newton Huey perhaps they were hoping I wouldn't come back. All in in All back. come wouldn't I hoping were they perhaps

Were you brought to trial in the conspiracy as a a as conspiracy the in trial to brought you Were

When we use the term "pig," for example, we are are we example, for "pig," term the use we When

The Black Panther party has been criticized for its its for criticized been has party Panther Black The

own and as the party—whose members members party—whose the as and own

Party chairman Bobby Seale. Seale. Bobby chairman Party

Panthers as possible; two, to put the rest in jail on jail in rest the put to two, possible; as Panthers

wants to wipe the Panthers out. They don't hide their hide don't They out. Panthers the wipe to wants

trumped up charges. In other words, law enforcement enforcement law words, other In charges. up trumped

police intentions: one, to shoot up and kill as many many as kill and up shoot to one, intentions: police

defend themselves. Such tactics reveal the true true the reveal tactics Such themselves. defend

with bullets and when they broke down the door and ; ; and door the down broke they when and bullets with

came in shooting the brothers had no choice but to j j to but choice no had brothers the shooting in came on the door and asked the brothers to come out, the the out, come to brothers the asked and door the on

brothers were sleeping when the police riddled the office office the riddled police the when sleeping were brothers

Despite police reports to the contrary that they knocked knocked they that contrary the to reports police Despite

tank ready on the scene. That's fascism—that's all that is. ' ' is. that all fascism—that's That's scene. the on ready tank

sister in the office got a phone call out before they cut cut they before out call phone a got office the in sister

women Panthers. Panthers. women

the lines saying we need the people and and people the need we saying lines the

to and get out of there but the party was smart and a a and smart was party the but there of out get and to

500 police equipped with the most advanced weaponry- advanced most the with equipped police 500 saw.... saw....

took five hours to overcome a force of 14 men and and men 14 of force a overcome to hours five took

hoped to do was pull off an early morning 10 or 15 15 or 10 morning early an off pull was do to hoped

minute raid and shoot up and kill whoever they wanted wanted they whoever kill and up shoot and raid minute

were able to compare that version with what they they what with version that compare to able were

similar educational experience took place didn't it? it? didn't place took experience educational similar

saw the bullet holes in the wall. These people received a a received people These wall. the in holes bullet the saw

version of the story came out in the press the people people the press the in out came story the of version

first-hand experience of genocidal tactics. tactics. genocidal of experience first-hand they came to the shoot-out scene. So when the police police the when So scene. shoot-out the to came they

the house where Hampton was shot dead and actually actually and dead shot was Hampton where house the

be able to know what really happened. But in this case it it case this in But happened. really what know to able be was different. An estimated 80,000 people went through through went people 80,000 estimated An different. was

A lot of brothers had been shot and killed. Before, the the Before, killed. and shot been had brothers of lot A quick enough. They had done similar things in the past. past. the in things similar done had They enough. quick

press would print the police reports and no one would would one no and reports police the print would press

ship they could then move on the rank and file member. member. file and rank the on move then could they ship

ship of the Party? Party? the of ship

sufficiently misled to allow them to move on the Pan- the on move to them allow to misled sufficiently

opinion whereby he could be charged with threateninE threateninE with charged be could he whereby opinion

thers. thers.

coverage, law enforcement felt that the people had had people the that felt enforcement law coverage,

structure he represented. The media took his remark: remark: his took media The represented. he structure

the President's life. As a result of this type of medic medic of type this of result a As life. President's the

out of this context and created a climate of public public of climate a created and context this of out

represented a gross criticism of Nixon and the power power the and Nixon of criticism gross a represented

That's an important point. You know they had a a had they know You point. important an That's

It is significant that in the L.A. case some 300 to to 300 some case L.A. the in that significant is It Precisely. I assume that what the L.A. police police L.A. the what that assume I Precisely.

In the case of the police attack in Los Angeles, a a Angeles, Los in attack police the of case the In

They couldn't wipe the blood off their hands hands their off blood the wipe couldn't They

Exactly. Exactly.

Why do you think this backfired on them? them? on backfired this think you do Why

After they had effectively taken away the leader- the away taken effectively had they After

press press

nature nature

here. here.

been been

and and

of of

. .

- ' '

4 4

charges of conspiracy (to bomb, murder, murder, bomb, (to conspiracy of charges

fering with a police officer; over 24 narcotics narcotics 24 over officer; police a with fering charges; 4 Selective Service cases; over 125 125 over cases; Service Selective 4 charges;

over 39 charges of resisting arrest or inter- or arrest resisting of charges 39 over

charges of disorderly conduct, loitering, etc.; etc.; loitering, conduct, disorderly of charges

years of police harassment across the coun- the across harassment police of years

try were roughly the following: over 35 35 over following: the roughly were try

on July 6, 1969 against John Washington, a a Washington, John against 1969 6, July on

the sidewalk. sidewalk. the

indictment for alleged connection to a mur- a to connection alleged for indictment

Garry, chief attorney for the national Pan- national the for attorney chief Garry,

der with no bail for the accused—to a charge charge a accused—to the for bail no with der Los Angeles Panther member, for spitting on on spitting for member, Panther Angeles Los May 1967 through the end of 1969. 1969. of end the through 1967 May

that includes over 1000 incidents of harass- of incidents 1000 over includes that

ment and 19 cases of homocide between between homocide of cases 19 and ment

he summed up some of the reasons for the the for reasons the of some up summed he

massive government repression of the party party the of repression government massive

ther party, harassments range from a federal federal a from range harassments party, ther

afraid of the power of the people!" shouted shouted people!" the of power the of afraid

one of the young Panther 21 at pre-trial pre-trial at 21 Panther young the of one

hearings in New York this month. Perhaps Perhaps month. this York New in hearings

/PANTHERS / FEBRUARY 1970 / GUARDIAN GUARDIAN / 1970 FEBRUARY / /PANTHERS

contribution to the revolutionary struggle along with with along struggle revolutionary the to contribution

during the riot period? period? riot the during

case since your connection with the other seven was. was. seven other the with connection your since case jails. They call it contraband here. here. contraband it call They jails.

African peoples, they won't allow those materials in the the in materials those allow won't they peoples, African

tenuous and you spent only some 12 hours in Chicago Chicago in hours 12 some only spent you and tenuous

change that's going on in America. Even if I wanted to to wanted I if Even America. in on going that's change

of course that's very limited in terms of any kind of of kind any of terms in limited very that's course of

black history or literature dealing with the revolutionary revolutionary the with dealing literature or history black

read about the history of Chicano people, Asian or or Asian people, Chicano of history the about read

left; then they'll put him back in. in. back him put they'll then left; around they take prisoners out of the hole until he has has he until hole the of out prisoners take they around

coudit lons. but every time a grand jury member comes comes member jury grand a time every but lons. coudit

l cr( bas been a grand jury investigation of county jail jail county of investigation jury grand a been bas cr( l

Charges included in more than two two than more in included Charges

Compiled by the office of Charles Charles of office the by Compiled

"He afraid of our blackness! ... They They ... blackness! our of afraid "He

Well, I was one of the leaders in the Panther'S Panther'S the in leaders the of one was I Well,

Why were you charged in the Chicago 8 conspiracy conspiracy 8 Chicago the in charged you were Why

The only thing allowed is the daily newspaper and and newspaper daily the is allowed thing only The

What kind of reading are you allowed here? here? allowed you are reading of kind What

■ ■

• •

Oakland, seven in Eugene and one each in in each one and Eugene in seven Oakland,

42 in San Francisco, 32 in Sacramento, 28 in in 28 Sacramento, in 32 Francisco, San in 42

including 149 in Los Angeles, 55 in Seattle, Seattle, in 55 Angeles, Los in 149 including

year. year.

ttance to Japan; Big Man was refused en- refused was Man Big Japan; to ttance

trance to West Germany in December of last last of December in Germany West to trance

wherever they went: In Mexico Aug. 15, 15, Aug. Mexico In went: they wherever

earlier, Kathleen Cleaver was refused en- refused was Cleaver Kathleen earlier, don Williams and David Hilliard—were kid- Hilliard—were David and Williams don

napped by the FBI; in Hawaii two days days two Hawaii in FBI; the by napped

1968, three Panthers—George Murray, Lan- Murray, Panthers—George three 1968,

charges involving weapons, such as failure to to failure as such weapons, involving charges register or concealment. concealment. or register

Panther members and offices; over 150 150 over offices; and members Panther

aggravated battery and attacks by police on on police by attacks and battery aggravated

a violent nature such as of murder, arson, arson, murder, of as such nature violent a stolen property; over 152 acts or charges of of charges or acts 152 over property; stolen

car and then gave him a ticket for no tail tail no for ticket a him gave then and car

lights; over 129 charges involving theft or or theft involving charges 129 over lights;

incident in Chicago where police rammed rammed police where Chicago in incident

the back of Panther member Garry Tyler's Tyler's Garry member Panther of back the steal, commit arson); over nine minor formal formal minor nine over arson); commit steal,

36 traffic violations including the May 1969 1969 May the including violations traffic 36

court actions such as bench warrants; over over warrants; bench as such actions court

The West coast saw over 336 incidents incidents 336 over saw coast West The

The charges followed the Panthers Panthers the followed charges The

• •

Juling class, which extends from the Nixon regime on on regime Nixon the from extends which class, Juling

York ... and in the case of brother Hilliard, there was was there Hilliard, brother of case the in and ... York

no understanding in the press of the way he talks and and talks he way the of press the in understanding no

When we see this kind of action we see the smack of of smack the see we action of kind this see we When

media will tend to discredit a person completely. We see see We completely. person a discredit to tend will media

the language in the ghetto. For example his remarks remarks his example For ghetto. the in language the see when they charge, a person with a crime the mass mass the crime a with person a charge, they when see

fascism. They think they can get away with what they're what with away get can they think They fascism.

Hampton and brother M,atk Clark in the pre-dawn raid. raid. pre-dawn the in Clark M,atk brother and Hampton

this happen in the Panther cases in Connecticut and New New and Connecticut in cases Panther the in happen this

spiratorial attempt to part of the avaricious demogogic demogogic avaricious the of part to attempt spiratorial

doing because they've fooled and niisfed the people. You You people. the niisfed and fooled they've because doing

down. All are part and parcel of this attempt to wipe out out wipe to attempt this of parcel and part are All down.

the party. When we see what happened to brother Fred Fred brother to happened what see we When party. the

of the party on Chicago's West Side? Side? West Chicago's on party the of

Mark Clark? Were they afraid of the growing influence influence growing the of afraid they Were Clark? Mark

December resulted in the deaths of Fred Hampton and and Hampton Fred of deaths the in resulted December

Definitely. But I would not only localize this con- this localize only not would I But Definitely.

011 011

a pre-dawn raid. raid. pre-dawn a

• •

Chicago on Dec. 4 when police murdered murdered police when 4 Dec. on Chicago

air, unarmed. The last homocides were in in were homocides last The unarmed. air,

land as he surrendered with his hands in the the in hands his with surrendered he as land given as Arthur Glenn Carter) in Los Angeles Angeles Los in Carter) Glenn Arthur as given Fred Hampton in his bed and Mark Clark in in Clark Mark and bed his in Hampton Fred

Bobby Hutton was shot by police in Oak- in police by shot was Hutton Bobby

second death was the following month when when month following the was death second

Garry's office began with the finding of the the of finding the with began office Garry's

no information about his violent death. The The death. violent his about information no

in March, 1968, with police claiming to have have to claiming police with 1968, March, in body of Arthur Glenn Morris (name also also (name Morris Glenn Arthur of body

one to $10,000). $10,000). to one

members (two were reduced to $50,000 and and $50,000 to reduced were (two members

bers (one was forfeited) to $100,000 for 29 29 for $100,000 to forfeited) was (one bers

harassed in White Plains, Albany, Peekskill, Peekskill, Albany, Plains, White in harassed Panther members and $1000 for 60 mem- 60 for $1000 and members Panther

Jersey City, Boston, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Boston, City, Jersey

Pa., Pa.,

over 152 times in New York. They were also also were They York. New in times 152 over

Moines. Moines.

five in Kansas City, Mo. and two in Des Des in two and Mo. City, Kansas in five

Milwaukee, 10 each in Detroit and Denver, Denver, and Detroit in each 10 Milwaukee,

inents in Chicago, 36 in Indianapolis. 19 in in 19 Indianapolis. in 36 Chicago, in inents

City. City.

Richmond, Calif. Richmond,

— ----111-e-444-dwes.t saw _ _over1Q,..11arass,__ _over1Q,..11arass,__ _ saw ----111-e-444-dwes.t —

New Haven and Philadelphia. Philadelphia. and Haven New

• •

The 19 homocides listed by attorney attorney by listed homocides 19 The

Bails have ranged from $25 for 17 17 for $25 from ranged have Bails

In the East the Panthers were harassed harassed were Panthers the East the In

; ;

Berkeley and Salt Lake Lake Salt and Berkeley

. .

know its claims to be false and we.know that that we.know and false be to claims its know bent on political repression. repression. political on bent

shows this. Then when the Justice Departmei Departmei Justice the when Then this. shows

that it has no intention of wiping out the Par Par the out wiping of intention no has it that Hoover were talking over the phone before before phone the over talking were Hoover

papers how [Gov. Ronald)' Reagan and [FI [FI and Reagan Ronald)' [Gov. how papers

conspiratorial intent. In the L.A. case it it case L.A. the In intent. conspiratorial

Hound, wounded after Los Angeles Oa Oa Angeles Los after wounded Hound,

destroyed food for break. break. for food destroyed to burn the office do office the burn to

office in a 45-minute sl sl 45-minute a in office

office raided, ransacked ransacked raided, office stroyed by bombing; J J bombing; by stroyed

and Detroit; July, police police July, Detroit; and

Moines office attacked b b attacked office Moines

offices in Chicago, San San Chicago, in offices

age and allegedly stole stole allegedly and age second time police did $ $ did police time second

Moines offices attacked attacked offices Moines

shot up; December, Ne• Ne• December, up; shot

by police; Denver offic offic Denver police; by Francisco, Los Angeles, Angeles, Los Francisco,

land office shot up; Oc Oc up; shot office land

(night of Huey Newtoi Newtoi Huey of (night

July, police attacked Sea Sea attacked police July,

Neil's Church in Oaklanc Oaklanc in Church Neil's

broke up a meeting of of meeting a up broke

1968, when with she she with when 1968,

police to various Black I I Black various to police

ing the past two years.' years.' two past the ing

the often fatal and de de and fatal often the actions against the Pantl Pantl the against actions

raids against Black Pant Pant Black against raids

1 he 1969 raids i i raids 1969 he 1

Other raids it it raids Other

The first listed r r listed first The

Perhaps Perhaps

mos' mos'

WE WE

, ,

:II, it's symbolic in the sense that judicial racism

'our gagging and chaining. How do yOu see that?

th regard to the Chicago conspiracy trial, defen- e dramatized by the trial was racism, as symbol- nnie Davis has said that the single most impor-

y can also be applied to people other than since 1857 in the courts. On the other hand, my it in that trial. 1 mean the fact that they had this is the most important point raised by my

lent in the courtroom made my claims of racism ible. Well, I say that if a black judge was going I.:try tactic on the part of the court. The court s evident lately that there has been a tactical ie same fascist, racist tactics as Julius Hoffman, en claim as it did that the presence of black law rial itself. The use of the black marshals ed similar to the way I was treated. The racist has justice. I mean the white cats in that trial 1-- $100,000 each—but it can't be met. This is an Heretofore radicals, both white and black would ave acted no differently. You see an important on the part of radicals with regard to the judicial

icial understand is that the system itself is white. 'in. Look at the ransom bails in the N.Y. 21 :

azi Germany in 1933, a Bulgarian Communist iich amount to forcible detention. They do itical forums to expose the political nature of

iimself. In L.A. recently, the Panthers accused of ecution and to publicize political ideas and life ed murder in the Watts shootout brought rats to

and gagging points out the fact that in America -

by has this change happened?

Now radicals have decided to make their trials

as Dred Scott and it shows that very little has rshals in the trial didn't really stop the racism

violation of constitutional rights. In my case in troom which they had caught in their jail cells.

of setting the Reichstag fire. was allowed to

and allow the court to proceed in "orderly" I wasn't allowed to even defend myself, where-

presently violates the constitutional right to a

by jury of one's peers. It doesn't stop in the

folind that lhe process of the Amer-

including trial procedure and jury

was a

one doesn't have much choice but to expose his racism

and fascism and stand up for his constitutional rights. speak in my own behalf and I was given four years in jail

as a result. But I think the most serious injustice perpe- All I did in Chicago was to exercise my legal right to This happened in a city which is over .50% black. Now a black man to get a jury of his peers. In Huey Newton's trated by the court system in America is the inability of

have had some young people or students on that jury? Huey had been a student in college. Why couldn't he

In one sense it is a revelation that a government official federally-led conspiracy against the party for some time. city? trial there was one black. On the jury and he was over 40. Minutemen and we're not Minutemen. We don't believe self-defense only. The party's rules are quite strict about in building arsenals of weapons. If you were to go into a would expose the attempt. But the man compared us to

find that each one of these people owns a gun for Panther office and find 10 Panthers you would probably the Mayor of Seattle that federal authorities attempted to influence him to raid the Panther headquarters in that With this in mind, it is hard to accuse us of being Minute- this. I think it's important that this official didn't give in

to the Gestapo tactics of federal law enforcement, but I defense is erroneous. This is a typical mistake: many think his conception of the party's attitude about self-

of jobs for the poor and oppressed and the issue of who work week in this country with the same pay, the issue munity control of the police, free clothing programs, controls the means of production in this country. In other words, draStic social change through socialism. the party supports like free breakfast for children, com- cooperative markets, cooperative housing, with an em- phasis to unify all workers around the issue of a 30-hour people concentrate on the self-defense aspect of the party's program and don't take a look at other programs men types. lot of people in this country. Could you clarify the does so we will expel or suspend him depending on the seriousness of his offense. Panther party training in the

area of self-defense includes a study of. gun laws, safe use his life is in danger and the party recognizes this. If he Panther position? of weapons and there is a strict rule that no party

member can use a weapon except in the case of an

What do you think about tht recent revelation by

It's no revelation. We have been talking about a

The self-defense aspect of the party does bother a

First of all, no Panther can break a gun law unless

through the notion of sexual differences by race. Cul- tural nationalists, like Ron Karenga, are male chauvinists

that white racists do with respect to their women. The

as well. Thus black racists come to the same conclusions as well. What they do is oppress the black woman. Their black racism leads them to theories of male domination

superficial violence, throwing people halfway across the want to be treated as human beings on an equal basis, party says no to this. Personally, I .don't think that saying "keep a woman in her place" is only a short step Eldridge Cleaver talked about this in "Soul on Ice." just as blacks who demand the liberation of their people. Superman never tries to relate to Lois Lane, nor does he women who want liberation want penise—they just chauvinism—including racism. In other words the idea of ocean, etc. The concept I'm trying to establish is the cross-relation of male chauvinism to any other form of try to relate to the oppressed. Rather he relates to away from saying "keep a nigger in his place." As Eldridge said in his book, the white woman is a symbol

of freedom in this country. The white man took this Statue of Liberty and gave her a torch to hold. Well I say chick and stuck her up on a pedestal and called her the

put a machine gun in her other hand.

judge in the conspiracy trial has complained about the was the willingness of the court to use violence in the . language of the defendants, the real obscenity in the case

sexual taboo. It can be used five times in one sentence courtroom to prevent the defendants from asserting tion with words rather than the more basic question of how people relate to one another. For example, in lower have a different meaning and connotation. In any case, their constitutional rights. the slave master's rape of a slave's mother. We see the research indicates that the origin of the term comes from by a brother in the black ghetto and each time it will

class terms, motherfucker doesn't necessarily mean a

That's typical. It shows the system's preoccupa-

Recently Jerry Rubin remarked that

Panthers in San Francisco rally.

although the

[eluded [eluded

:e (the (the :e

,) Oak- Oak- ,)

,pril 3, 3, ,pril

:es dur- dur- :es

aapolis aapolis

; police police ;

mpting mpting

imento imento

if dam- dam- if

)0 and and )0 ombed ombed

its" by by its"

Illy de- de- Illy

itrcln itrcln

pt. 28, 28, pt.

iple of of iple

il, San San il,

nd Des Des nd

. .

d; Des Des d;

11.icago 11.icago

Father Father

office office

police police

and brutal enforcement, so when you get to a courtroom courtroom a to get you when so enforcement, brutal and

and find that the judge himself is a fascist at this point point this at fascist a is himself judge the that find and

branch of the government is the last area of appeal for a a for appeal of area last the is government the of branch

person whose rights have been violated by unjust laws laws unjust by violated been have rights whose person

willing to define a racist judge as a fascist and a pig— a and fascist a as judge racist a define to willing

that's what the party means by pig, one who violates a a violates who one pig, by means party the what that's

against it and recent trials point this out. They are are They out. this point trials recent and it against

of this system are now showing a willingness to stand up up stand to willingness a showing now are system this of

person's constitutional rights. In any case the judicial judicial the case any In rights. constitutional person's

against the deputies, so one can see that the unconstitu- the that see can one so deputies, the against

a brother up and the brothers had to defend themselves themselves defend to had brothers the and up brother a

including the penal. The people who bear the blunt end end blunt the bear who people The penal. the including

that same jail recently, one of the deputies tried to beat beat to tried deputies the of one recently, jail same that

tionality of the judicial . system applies to all levels, levels, all to applies system . judicial the of tionality

Even jail conditions violate one's constitutional rights. In In rights. constitutional one's violate conditions jail Even

of 24 24 of

gun pointed at her. Lovetta X. Brown: stop- stop- Brown: X. Lovetta her. at pointed gun

walking ticket. Lovetta X. Brown: stopped stopped Brown: X. Lovetta ticket. walking

gating arrest of two sisters. Richard Smith: Smith: Richard sisters. two of arrest gating

again. Jesse White: police .tried to take 'pa- 'pa- take to .tried police White: Jesse again.

arrested for disorderly conduct about jay- jay- about conduct disorderly for arrested pers and harassed in several incidents. incidents. several in harassed and pers

arrest of sister for jaywalking. Karen Bundy: Bundy: Karen jaywalking. for sister of arrest arrested selling papers for littering, jay- jay- littering, for papers selling arrested

ped in car. Lovetta X. Brown: stopped in car car in stopped Brown: X. Lovetta car. in ped

walking or just walking. Jaki Simpson: ha- ha- Simpson: Jaki walking. just or walking by police, submitted to search after having having after search to submitted police, by

with arrest for talking with people about about people with talking for arrest with and Smith: same, following week. Richard Richard week. following same, Smith: and

section. Richard Smith: arrested investi- investi- arrested Smith: Richard section.

Smith: arrested crossing incorrectly at inter- inter- at incorrectly crossing arrested Smith:

rassed, red-baited by police. Nate Bellamy: Bellamy: Nate police. by red-baited rassed,

threatened with parking ticket, threatened threatened ticket, parking with threatened

Panther members across the country: country: the across members Panther

ocides—of continuing harassments against against harassments continuing ocides—of setting off a five-hour glinfight. glinfight. five-hour a off setting

August 1969 is an example—minus the horn- the example—minus an is 1969 August

San Diego and Albany offices raided; De- De- raided; offices Albany and Diego San

members in Milwaukee during the month of of month the during Milwaukee in members

at-tempt was_announced was_announced at-tempt cember, police raided the Los Angeles office, office, Angeles Los the raided police cember,

attempted raid on Richmond office after after office Richmond on raid attempted

,qemptect to burn down Peekskill, N Y. Y. N Peekskill, down burn to ,qemptect

office• office•

The list of harassments of Panther Panther of harassments of list The

Richard Smith: curfew violation. Rich- Rich- violation. curfew Smith: Richard

A ugust , police retreated from from retreated police , ugust A

Odtside New York courthouse. courthouse. York New Odtside

November_ November_

R,B R,B

. liberation we're not talking so much about biologics' biologics' about much so talking not we're liberation .

organs can be connected to racial supremacy arrived at at arrived supremacy racial to connected be can organs

absurd psychological feaii on the part of people who who people of part the on feaii psychological absurd

white. Thus male supremacy on the basis of sexual sexual of basis the on supremacy male Thus white.

racism connected with this? A good part of racism is the the is racism of part good A this? with connected racism

chauvinism? chauvinism?

think that the black man- has a bigger penis than the the than penis bigger a has man- black the that think

as an enemy of the people . .. no attempt on his life will will life his on attempt no .. . people the of enemy an as

and female differ with respect to the genitalia, all human human all genitalia, the to respect with differ female and

same goes for racial differences. The puritanical tradition tradition puritanical The differences. racial for goes same

locked with racism. Male chauvinism is directly related related directly is chauvinism Male racism. with locked

gle—that's hard for people to understand. To understand understand To understand. to people for hard gle—that's also had a lot to do with male chauvinism. The taboo on on taboo The chauvinism. male with do to lot a had also

blunt end of European prejudice against sex. How is is How sex. against prejudice European of end blunt

male chauvinism one has to understand that is it int int it is that understand to has one chauvinism male

sex was absurd in the first place because three billion billion three because place first the in absurd was sex

be made. made. be All people talk, think, feel and human relationships have have relationships human and feel think, talk, people All history, it Is easy to see that women have received the the received have women that see to easy Is it history,

two legs and what have you. But that is not what we're we're what not is that But you. have what and legs two

talking about when we talk about equality for women. women. for equality about talk we when about talking

ment the party will merely print the offending officer's officer's offending the print merely will party the ment

beings have an essential biological similarity—two arms, arms, similarity—two biological essential an have beings

to to

attack on his life—whether the attacker be a police police a be attacker the life—whether his on attack officer or any other person. In the case of police harass- police of case the In person. other any or officer

equality. There is a basic biological difference between between difference biological basic a is There equality.

people got on this earth that way. looking back in in back looking way. that earth this on got people

picture in the newspaper so the officer can be identified identified be can officer the so newspaper the in picture

biological similarities between the sexes. Though male male Though sexes. the between similarities biological males and females just as there are even more striking striking more even are there as just females and males

to male domination and it is perpetuated as such by tb tb by such as perpetuated is it and domination male to

ruling dais in America. When we talk- about women's women's about talk- we When America. in dais ruling

tn,t1tu" Lalt uiw a w a uiw Lalt tn,t1tu"

be determined on that basis, not on a sex basis. The The basis. sex a on not basis, that on determined be

What is the Black Panther party's position on male male on position party's Panther Black the is What

The fight against male chauvinism is a class strug- strug- class a is chauvinism male against fight The

Atm $hakur, protesting N. Y. 21 trial. trial. 21 Y. N. protesting $hakur, Atm

ra}f(Jl, GAA.C1/1. ttl Inc ...CIC VI an an VI ...CIC Inc ttl GAA.C1/1. ra}f(Jl,

change in the near future. future. near the in change

don't think it will undertake any significant policy policy significant any undertake will it think don't

any way for the party to stop doing what it's doing and I I and doing it's what doing stop to party the for way any

which movement groups can come together and coalesce coalesce and together come can groups movement which

change, a good one, one, good a change,

oppressed people—white, black. red, brown—wherever brown—wherever red, black. people—white, oppressed

National Committee to Combat Fascism represents a a represents Fascism Combat to Committee National

to fight the oppressor. In any case I don't think there is is there think don't I case any In oppressor. the fight to

time. time.

munist party made in the 1950s as a result of the the of result a as 1950s the in made party munist

direction of the Black Panther party in the future? future? the in party Panther Black the of direction

they may be. The party's recent formation of the the of formation recent party's The be. may they

don't think we'll make the same mistake that the Com- the that mistake same the make we'll think don't

repressive measures the government took during that that during took government the measures repressive

same time the party sees the need to stop using the term term the using stop to need the sees party the time same

obscenity in the courtroom, 1 think the most obscene obscene most the think 1 courtroom, the in obscenity

New York Panther 21 case, is a notorious racist. It's just just It's racist. notorious a is case, 21 Panther York New

exposed for what they are: fascist and racist. racist. and fascist are: they what for exposed

just so we can get a segment of the white population to to population white the of segment a get can we so just

understand the aims of the party. When we talk about about talk we When party. the of aims the understand

taboo concept as'being closely linked to racism. At the the At racism. to linked closely as'being concept taboo

respect to minority peoples. Murtagh, the judge in the the in judge the Murtagh, peoples. minority to respect

Hoffman as an exceptional case in a judicial system system judicial a in case exceptional an as Hoffman

now that people like Murtagh and Hoffman are being being are Hoffman and Murtagh like people that now

Ine Ine

which is otherwise just and honorable. What do you you do What honorable. and just otherwise is which

circus aspect of the trial in Chicago and has been treating treating been has and Chicago in trial the of aspect circus

Chicago_conrtrabm_is the violation of human and consti-, consti-, and human of violation the Chicago_conrtrabm_is

think? think?

refuse to go to refuse

have a right to live and survive. The obscenity in the the in obscenity The survive. and live to right a have

tutional rights. rights. tutional

liberty and pursuit pursuit and liberty

thing is the ruling class' !efusal to relate to the the to relate to !efusal class' ruling the is thing

slave master s rape of a stave s motner. we see me me see we motner. s stave a of rape s master slave

Our objective is the education of the people. I I people. the of education the is objective Our

Do you expect any changes in the structure or or structure the in changes any expect you Do

You have to go out and fight the battle for the the for battle the fight and out go to have You

People like Hoffman are the rule especially with with especially rule the are Hoffman like People

Much of the mass media has been playing up the the up playing been has media mass the of Much

II" II"

GUARDIAN /PANTHERS / FEBRUARY 1970/5 1970/5 FEBRUARY / /PANTHERS GUARDIAN

along with its norms. We say human beings beings human say We norms. its with along

of happiness of those who who those of happiness of

in that that in

it creates an organization in in organization an creates it

This month, in New York City. City. York New in month, This

culturally culturally

life, life, I I

Panther pa pa Panther

Los Angeles Angeles Los

on trial in in trial on

uinlpnra A nrstl...., nrstl...., A uinlpnra

attorney stated that the L.A. 18 were also parties to such acts of of acts such to parties also were 18 L.A. the that stated attorney

against the police. One police witness described ,the incident in in incident ,the described witness police One police. the against which police murdered young Wally Toure Pope Oct. 28 and and 28 Oct. Pope Toure Wally young murdered police which

called it an ambush by Panthers—whereupon the deputy district district deputy the Panthers—whereupon by ambush an it called

crimes allegedly committed allegedly crimes

police officers—attempted to connect the defendants with various various with defendants the connect to officers—attempted police

Los Angeles group took actions to carry out those plans." plans." those out carry to actions took group Angeles Los

confiscated party records and intelligence' reports to support their their support to reports intelligence' and records party confiscated

contentions. They then presented evidence intended to show the the show to intended evidence presented then They contentions.

ged that the .party policy called , for armed insurrection .and .and insurrection armed for , called policy .party the that ged

impression that the Panthers were planning a war of aggression aggression of war a planning were Panthers the that impression

murder of police officers. They introduced' party publications, publications, party introduced' They officers. police of murder

an indictment of the Black Panther party. The prosecution char- prosecution The party. Panther Black the of indictment an summarized on Jan. 24: "Much of the the of "Much 24: Jan. on summarized

the end of the three-week preliminary hearing; the Times repcirter repcirter Times the hearing; preliminary three-week the of end the

attempting to divert attention by attacking the party. party. the attacking by attention divert to attempting

mined illegal or that the Panther role in the gunfight will be be will gunfight the in role Panther the that or illegal mined

recognized as a clear instance of self-defense, the prosecution is is prosecution the self-defense, of instance clear a as recognized

one raid at a Panther office, the defenders held off 300 police for for police 300 off held defenders the office, Panther a at raid one

several hours in a wild exchange of gunfire. gunfire. of exchange wild a in hours several

murder, a capital offense and other felony charges stemming from from stemming charges felony other and offense capital a murder,

police raids on Panther offices in the pre-dawn hours of Dec. 8. In In 8. Dec. of hours pre-dawn the in offices Panther on raids police

ophy are on trial here, not just the young black men and women women and men black young the just not here, trial on are ophy

known as the Los Angeles 18. 18. Angeles Los the as known

Guardian Los Angeles Bureau Bureau Angeles Los Guardian

By Patty Lee Parmalee Parmalee Lee Patty By

During the preliminary hearing, 56 witnesses—mostly witnesses—mostly 56 hearing, preliminary the During

Even the Los Angeles Times recognized this method. At At method. this recognized Times Angeles Los the Even

Perhaps concerned that the police raids may be deter- be may raids police the that concerned Perhaps

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit commit to conspiracy with charged are defendants The

The entire Black Panther party and its political philos- political its and party Panther Black entire The

. .

by other. Panthers and to create the the create to and Panthers other. by

• •

evidence evidence

presented .. . was was . .. presented

Los Angeles Angeles Los

Massacre in 1929, when outlaws nosed ac ac nosed outlaws when 1929, in Massacre

which is nearly two years old. It describes the the describes It old. years two nearly is which

Toure Pope is also cited as an example of Panther violence against against violence Panther of example an as cited also is Pope Toure

warrants reprint "Executive Mandate No. 3" by Huey Newton, Newton, Huey by 3" No. Mandate "Executive reprint warrants

Panther is still awaiting trial on the charge. The killing of Wally Wally of killing The charge. the on trial awaiting still is Panther

spring but he was released for lack of evidence and another another and evidence of lack for released was he but spring police. police.

is is

killed policemen killed

Hampton and Mark Clark as if it were fact, as well as stating "in "in stating as well as fact, were it if as Clark Mark and Hampton

the last several years, members of the Black Panther party have have party Panther Black the of members years, several last the

far as to cite the Chicago police version of the killings of Fred Fred of killings the of version police Chicago the cite to as far

including a no-knock clause and for entering in the night on the the on night the in entering for and clause no-knock a including between Panthers and police in other cities. The warrant goes so so goes warrant The cities. other in police and Panthers between

basis of an interpretation of Panther politics and prior incidents incidents prior and politics Panther of interpretation an of basis

bable and reasonable cause" for issuing a search warrant, for for warrant, search a issuing for cause" reasonable and bable

the trial are only extensions of the logic of the warrants. warrants. the of logic the of extensions only are trial the 18-page document, which purports to show that "there is pro- is "there that show to purports which document, 18-page

for their actions. The preliminary hearing and presumably also also presumably and hearing preliminary The actions. their for

strategy of trying the party for its beliefs, rather than individuals individuals than rather beliefs, its for party the trying of strategy

Antonio Chavez two days before the raid, that originally set the the set originally that raid, the before days two Chavez Antonio

Dec, 8. 8. Dec,

out on bail, and these two were not at the Central St. office office St. Central the at not were two these and bail, on out

get the Panthers back onto the streets. The first defense motion motion defense first The streets. the onto back Panthers the get since the search warrant leading to arrest was illegal. illegal. was arrest to leading warrant search the since

Few Panthers allowed bail bail allowed Panthers Few

in the trial proper will probably be a motion to dismiss charges charges dismiss to motion a be probably will proper trial the in

as those inside, then badly beaten in jail. jail. in beaten badly then inside, those as

Parker:was arrested by the cops and charged with the same crimes crimes same the with charged and cops the by arrested Parker:was

to try to hurry the proceedings along, since the first priority is to to is priority first the since along, proceedings the hurry to try to

Panthers inside would not shoot at them through a skylight. skylight. a through them at shoot not would inside Panthers

Police grabbed him and took him to the roof as a shield so so shield a as roof the to him took and him grabbed Police

in fact outside the Central St. Panther office.when police attacked. attacked. police office.when Panther St. Central the outside fact in

releaSed after the preliminary hearing for lack of evidence. He was was He evidence. of lack for hearing preliminary the after releaSed

as they call it, ranges from $10,000 to $50,000. $50,000. to $10,000 from ranges it, call they as released before the pre-arraignment and one, Gilbert Parker, was was Parker, Gilbert one, and pre-arraignment the before released

been held without bail finally got bail set Feb. 6. Bail, or ransom ransom or Bail, 6. Feb. set bail got finally bail without held been atrocious murders in history, are not handcuffed." handcuffed." not are history, in murders atrocious

and added, "I can't help• notice, in newspaper pictures, that the the that pictures, newspaper in notice, help• can't "I added, and

defendants in the Tate and LaBianca case, one of the most most the of one case, LaBianca and Tate the in defendants

intervene against the chaining was unsuccessful. Branton charged charged Branton unsuccessful. was chaining the against intervene

they were treated "like inmates of some Gestapo establishment" establishment" Gestapo some of inmates "like treated were they are led into the courtroom handcuffed and chained together. together. chained and handcuffed courtroom the into led are Defense attorney Leo Branton's attempt to get the judge to to judge the get to attempt Branton's Leo attorney Defense

ous beasts has been compounded daily by the way the defendants defendants the way the by daily compounded been has beasts ous

true that a Panther was accused of killing a Santa Anna cop last last cop Anna Santa a killing of accused was Panther a that true

To show that these alleged acts are party policy, the the policy, party are acts alleged these that show To

Lawyers here say they have never seen a warrant like this this like warrant a seen never have they say here Lawyers

Only Only

It was the search warrant, signed by superior court judge judge court superior by signed warrant, search the was It

Defense strategy when the trial begins in March will be be will March in begins trial the when strategy Defense

Of the 22 Panthers originally charged Dec. 8, three were were three 8, Dec. charged originally Panthers 22 the Of

After almost a month in jail, the 1 1 the jail, in month a almost After

two of the remaining 18 defendants are presently presently are defendants 18 remaining the of two

in Oakland and a policeman in Santa Anna." It It Anna." Santa in policeman a and Oakland in

1 1

St. St.

defendants who had had who defendants Valentine's Day Day Valentine's

6 /PANTHERS /FEBRUARY 1970 /GUARDIAN /GUARDIAN 1970 /FEBRUARY /PANTHERS 6

New Haven 14 under pressure pressure under 14 Haven New

arrest, and gave birth under armed guard. Her Her guard. armed under birth gave and arrest,

sory sory

binding. She was pregnant at the time of her her of time the at pregnant was She binding.

lawyer, Catherine Rotaback, moved last month month last moved Rotaback, Catherine lawyer,

Panthers. Panthers.

YOrk 21 case and was tried and executed by the the by executed and tried was and case 21 YOrk

thought Rackley was an informer in the New New the in informer an was Rackley thought

standing of the Panthers and was murdered by by murdered was and Panthers the of standing

maintains that Rackley was a member in good good in member a was Rackley that maintains

police agents. agents. police

convicted, all face the death penalty. The party party The penalty. death the face all convicted,

with the kidnap-murder of Alex Rackley. If If Rackley. Alex of kidnap-murder the with al party chairman Bobby Seale, are charged charged are Seale, Bobby chairman party al

guilty to various lesser charges. charges. lesser various to guilty

have given in to the pressure and have pleaded pleaded have and pressure the to in given have

brainwashing, have withstood this pressure. Two Two pressure. this withstood have brainwashing,

others, Loretta Luckes and Warren Kimbro, Kimbro, Warren and Luckes Loretta others,

submitted to eight months of pressure and and pressure of months eight to submitted

punishment. punishment. dants into trying to save their own skins at the the at skins own their save to trying into dants

cost of betraying their comrades in the Panther Panther the in comrades their betraying of cost

officials are attempting to pressure the defen- the pressure to attempting are officials party, in return for the possibility of lesser lesser of possibility the for return in party,

intimidation of the Panther defendants. defendants. Panther the of intimidation

tion and police are increasing their coercion and and coercion their increasing are police and tion

Panther murder trial is to begin, the prosecu- the begin, to is trial murder Panther Special to the Guardian Guardian the to Special

. Months before the New Haven 14'Black 14'Black Haven New the before Months .

to murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, and and conspiracy, kidnapping, murder, to

Frances Carter, Carter, Frances

The police charge ' that the Panthers Panthers the that ' charge police The

The Panther defendants, including nation- including defendants, Panther The

To date, nine of the defendants, although although defendants, the of nine date, To

Unwilling to wait until the trial starts, the the starts, trial the until wait to Unwilling

22, is charged with acces- with charged is 22,

New Haven, Conn. Conn. Haven, New

public and the yet unselected jury that the Panthers are danger- danger- are Panthers the that jury unselected yet the and public

the defendants. defendants. the

that had nothing whatever to do with the charges brought against against brought charges the with do to whatever nothing had that policeinen who responded. This absurd claim is only one of many many of one only is claim absurd This responded. who policeinen

ings' and then firing from their headquarters on firemen and and firemen on headquarters their from firing then and ings'

violence. Another cop testified Panthers were plotting to lay a a lay to plotting were Panthers testified cop Another violence.

trap for police and firemen by setting fire to neighboring build- neighboring to fire setting by firemen and police for trap

at tunic) at

, ,

stateu mat toe L.A. its its L.A. toe mat stateu

The carefully cultivated impression being foisted on the the on foisted being impression cultivated carefully The

lution. Seize the time! All power to the Peo- the to power All time! the Seize lution.

strong .. .. Markle and his lackeys cannot jail jail cannot lackeys his and Markle .. .. strong

my spirit and they definitely can't jail the revo- the jail can't definitely they and spirit my ple!" ple!"

have the people with me. As long as they re- they as long As me. with people the have

main to have the faith in me, I'll remain remain I'll me, in faith the have to main

or inflate his ego any more than what it is. I I is. it what than more any ego his inflate or

statement written just after her moment of of moment her after just written statement

Markle a chance to try to gain some manhood manhood some gain to try to chance a Markle rather rot in jail than to give state's nttorney nttorney state's give to than jail in rot rather

child, did not break Frances Carter's spirit. In a a In spirit. Carter's Frances break not did child,

freedom had been terminated, she slid: "I'd "I'd slid: she terminated, been had freedom

sentenced to six months in jail. - - jail. in months six to sentenced

ing being separated from her two-month-old two-month-old her from separated being ing

of court, her bail was revoked and she was was she and revoked was bail her court, of

them." She was immediately held in Oontempt Oontempt in held immediately was She them."

masses of the people and would never turn on on turn never would and people the of masses

in any harm to me by my brothers acid sisters, sisters, acid brothers my by me to harm any in

cause I feared that anything I said would result result would said I anything that feared I cause

but because I love and resepct theni and the the and theni resepct and love I because but

Carter nonetheless refused to testify! "not 'be- "not testify! to refused nonetheless Carter

lawyer protested the constitutionality of this this of constitutionality the protested lawyer

move, but was overruled. Facing a bitter choice, choice, bitter a Facing overruled. was but move,

immunity and told her she must. testify. Her Her testify. must. she her told and immunity

her 'to the stand, granted her a rather vague vague rather a her granted stand, the 'to her

ever in a Connecticut capital case. Frances Car- Frances case. capital Connecticut a in ever

scraped up a $750 bond to secure $10,000 bail. bail. $10,000 secure to bond $750 a up scraped

ter was bailed out on Jan. 19 after her parents parents her after 19 Jan. on out bailed was ter stantial evidence against her The court was was court The her against evidence stantial

mark decision bail was granted for the fitst time time fitst the for granted was bail decision mark

forced to agree that this was so and in a land- a in and so was this that agree to forced

that bail be granted because there was no sub sub no was there because granted be bail that

But even this kind of harassment, includ- harassment, of kind this even But

Less than two days later, the state called called state the later, days two than Less

were also also were

parties to to parties

such acts of of acts such

all hell might break loose. loose. break might hell all

defend the Panthers. If one more Panther were to be killed nc nc killed be to were Panther more one If Panthers. the defend

violence of America and defend the Panther program; the mo mo the program; Panther the defend and America of violence

ment, black, white and liberal is united around the' need need the' around united is liberal and white black, ment,

standing the government has singled the party out for annih annih for out party the singled has government the standing

tion. Moderate blacks Moderate tion.

that still surrounds the Dec. 8 battle and to the clear and and clear the to and battle 8 Dec. the surrounds still that

port, white and black. Much is also due to the mood of victi victi of mood the to due also is Much black. and white port,

in continuing their work is due to tremendous community s s community tremendous to due is work their continuing in

health clinic has now been opened. Much of the Panthers' sue( sue( Panthers' the of Much opened. been now has clinic health

breakfast-for-children program is is program breakfast-for-children

condemned by the Health Department and the Panthers h h Panthers the and Department Health the by condemned

been evicted, but they are opening a new office on 1 13th St. 1 1 St. 13th 1 on office new a opening are they but evicted, been

carry on party work is amazingly high. The L.A.'I8 are refer refer are L.A.'I8 The high. amazingly is work party on carry

to as heroes and victors. The Central St. office has b b has office St. Central The victors. and heroes as to

helicopter and a tank on the first attempt to search a building? building? a search to attempt first the on tank a and helicopter

Why bring 300 cops, military weapons, dynamite, an arr arr an dynamite, weapons, military cops, 300 bring Why

pointing a gun at a cop) which resulted in the arrest warm warm arrest the in resulted which cop) a at gun a pointing

they had a warrant, even before the alleged "assault" (Pant! (Pant! "assault" alleged the before even warrant, a had they

began? Why did they practice the attack weeks in advance, bet bet advance, in weeks attack the practice they did Why began?

they warn any neighbors until two hours after the shoo shoo the after hours two until neighbors any warn they phones? Why did they attempt to keep the press out? Why dig dig Why out? press the keep to attempt they did Why phones?

started at 5:30 (daybreak)? Why did police cut off all comm comm all off cut police did Why (daybreak)? 5:30 at started

cations in the attack 'area, including the streets and pay I I pay and streets the including 'area, attack the in cations

the early morning darkness, then tell the news media the r r the media news the tell then darkness, morning early the

warrant prior to the attacks? .Why did police conduct the rai rai the conduct police did .Why attacks? the to prior warrant

Search warrant a ploy ploy a warrant Search

an excuse to catch the Panthers by surprise and murder they they murder and surprise by Panthers the catch to excuse an

night appears compelling. Why was no attempt made on seN seN on made attempt no was Why compelling. appears night

possible occasions to peacefully arrest Panthers named in in named Panthers arrest peacefully to occasions possible

stated that the raiding party intended to murder the Panthers. Panthers. the murder to intended party raiding the that stated

attacked. Many prominent prominent Many attacked.

it would be clear why the Panthers thought they were were they thought Panthers the why clear be would it

cops shooting through the door.) Even were the police story story police the were Even door.) the through shooting cops

simplY yelled "Open up, this is the police" at the door and and door the at police" the is this up, "Open yelled simplY

rants. (Panthers say (Panthers rants.

battered the door down—never mentioning that they had had they that mentioning down—never door the battered

The search warrant interprets Huey's directive as advocating ' ' advocating as directive Huey's interprets warrant search The

lence to police officers." officers." police to lence

4:30 a.m. Dec. 8. The police version of the battle states states battle the of version police The 8. Dec. a.m. 4:30

like a lawbreaker and we must make an appropriate respoi respoi appropriate an make must we and lawbreaker a like

Massacre was almost a prophecy of the way police behavc behavc police way the of prophecy a almost was Massacre

entry into our home is in fact a guardian of the law. He is ai ai is He law. the of guardian a fact in is home our into entry

determining that a man in uniform involved in a forced ou ou forced a in involved uniform in man a that determining

entrees of Panther residences and concludes, "We have no wz wz no have "We concludes, and residences Panther of entrees

Massacre in 1929, when outlaws posed as police to gain entr entr gain to police as posed outlaws when 1929, in Massacre

to the locked premises of rival bootleggers, whom they k k they whom bootleggers, rival of premises locked the to with machine guns. Huey lists a series of threats and il il and threats of series a lists Huey guns. machine with

. The evidence that the extraordinary search warrant warrant search extraordinary the that evidence The .

The spirit of the jailed Panthers and of those free free those of and Panthers jailed the of spirit The

Ironically, Newton's warning on the St. Valentine's Valentine's St. the on warning Newton's Ironically,

, ,

have been forced to come to terms with with terms to come to forced been have

that they were awakened by the soun soun the by awakened were they that

black citizens as well as lawyers lawyers as well as citizens black

continuing continuing

and expanding.31 expanding.31 and t t Panthers grow from ghetto oppression By Renee Blakkan Dingy stores multiply in all directions teenage kid turns to hard drugs to escape the be a decent life for black people under the around the Black Panther party ministry of reality of the white man's black ghetto. capitalist system. "Huey [Newton] writes information office in the Bronx section of New To be poor and black in America, she about how the black man blames himself if he York City. Tin cans and filth line the streets, said, is to be the victim of "a cold, calculated fails. The party points out," she said, "that clogged with traffic. plot lasting from before birth until death." capitalism makes him fail. The only place out- Inside the office, Brenda Hyson, a young Talking about drug addicts in the black side the ghetto for a black person, in the capi- Panther woman, described the conditions which community, she pointed out that just as opium talist's mind, is in the grave." gave rise to the Panther party. was used against the people by the rulers of old The Panther party was born out of the "The ghetto," she said. "All the con- China, so dope and heroin are used against needs of the people in black America, she said ditions of the ghetto make the formatiOn of a oppressed people in the U.S. "Until black peo-_ and the party has developed programs to meet revolutionary party necessary because all the ple gain control of the pig [police] depart- these needs.. The police and press try to depict conditions—from disease to poor housing to ment," she declared, "this problem will con- the Panthers as totally absorbed in vio- bad food—constitute a'plot of genocide by the tinue. The cops permit the drug pushers to lence—but the reality, according to Brenda power structure against. the black people of the operate. The system doesn't want to stop Hyson and party practice, is quite different. United States." dope." The Panther free breakfast-for-children As example she talked briefly of Browns- program in dozens of black communities is a ville, a sprawling black ghetto in Brooklyn Poverty programs a hustle serious effort to feed hungry children—to serve where the party is also organizing. the people or at least that small number of "Brownsville resembles a bombed-out "Poverty programs?" said Brenda Hyson. people who can be served within the Panther zone," she said. "There's not a block that is not "They have one going now where you are sup- party's limited resources by providing the sem- run down, where there aren't buildings burned posed to call up the Mayor and tell hiin your blance.of an adequate diet for thousands of out, boarded up or completely torn down. Rats problems. These programs aren't meant to serve young black children. run in packs. There must be three, four or five the people. They are set up to serve the ruling The party also conducts liberation bad fires a day." class—and the people know that. The people schools where black children learn revolu- From the President of the United States they get to work on the poverty programs are tionary culture and history. When weather per- and the ruling class to the slum landlord and just hustling'for themselves." mits, they take the children on field trips. In the cheating grocer—all, she said, profit from One of the reasons the government is the liberation classes, children from age three to the exploitation and oppression of the black cracking down on the Panther party, she said, 10 learn about the party's 10-point program masses. "And that," she continued, "is why was that the people in the black community are (page 2), "about Huey and Bobby [Seale] and there is a Black Panther party." beginnini tp realize the Panthers are seriously other things that relate directly to their lives," Genocide, said Brenda Hyson, is when a trying to serve the people while the city, state the Panther woman said. "It is the children, fed black child dies of pneuinonia in an unheated and federal agencies are serving the hustlers. good food for the first time, learning their true ghetto apartment. Genocide is when a young The schools also serve the power struc- history for the first time, who will make the man or woman is denied a decent job or the ture, she. said. "The rulers say, 'we will not let revolution." education to get a job. Genocide is when a blacks get too educated because we need cheap labor; scab labor.' " The-Panthers understand there will never

By Rod Such The Black Panther party came to New York City in the late summer of 1968. By April 1969, the party's New York leadership was imprisoned and now faces maximum sentences of N.Y. tries 150 years in prison in the Panther 21 conspiracy trial. Pre-trial hearings began in February. But to imagine that the party's original leadership enjoy- in emoch thin p.ft nprinri i.nnt • • •

to to

smasn toe toe smasn

Panthers Panthers

the imprisoned Panthers as as Panthers imprisoned the

months after the indictment before attorneys could meet with with meet could attorneys before indictment the after months

to prepare their defense. defense. their prepare to

the city, making it virtually impossible for the defense attorneys attorneys defense the for impossible virtually it making city, the cerated in seven different jails spread across the four boroughs of boroughs four the across spread jails different seven in cerated

the Panthers, Shakur said. said. Shakur Panthers, the

former Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM), were destroyed destroyed were (RAM), Movement Action Revolutionary former

before they could grow and the same police logic was applied to to applied was logic police same the and grow could they before

city's power structure to destroy that group. Since the assassi- the Since group. that destroy to structure power city's nation of Malcolm X, emerging black organizations, like the the like organizations, black emerging X, Malcolm of nation

of information, has argued that when any militant black group group black militant any when that argued has information, of

begins relating concretely to black people, it is endemic to the the to endemic is it people, black to concretely relating begins

rights work was done. done. was work rights

for-children program, a liberation school and and school liberation a program, for-children

the Ocean Hill-Brownsville district. They established a breakfast- a established They district. Hill-Brownsville Ocean the

ful rent strike, in addition to setting up a center where welfare welfare where center a up setting to addition in strike, rent ful specifically, the experiment in community control of schools in in schools of control community in experiment the specifically,

active in organizing around school decentralization in New York; York; New in decentralization school around organizing in active

last October the Harlem office was ransacked. ransacked. was office Harlem the October last

tacked by off-duty policemen in a Brooklyn courthouse Sept: 4, 4, Sept: courthouse Brooklyn a in policemen off-duty by tacked

been continually subject to police harassment. They were at- were They harassment. police to subject continually been Panthers on conspiracy charges, for crimes never committed. committed. never crimes for charges, conspiracy on Panthers

1968; they have consistently faced arrests on petty charges and and charges petty on arrests faced consistently have they 1968;

wanted to try to set up the party from the beginning and to to and beginning the from party the up set to try to wanted control its course." It also made it possible to imprison the the imprison to possible it made also It course." its control

jury indictment April 2. 2. April indictment jury

Haven commuter railroad, to attack various police precincts and and precincts police various attack to railroad, commuter Haven

cover surveillance as a clear indication that "the government government "the that indication clear a as surveillance cover

to• bomb the Bronx Botanical Gardens, as charged in the grand grand the in charged as Gardens, Botanical Bronx the bomb to•

tempts to prove that the Panthers conspired to firebomb five five firebomb to conspired Panthers the that prove to tempts Manhattan department stores, to bomb sections of the New New the of sections bomb to stores, department Manhattan

Police harassment harassment Police according to police sources. sources. police to according be the Manhattan district attorney's key. witnesses• when he at- he when witnesses• key. attorney's district Manhattan the be

when the Panther 21 were arrested on the conspiracy charges, charges, conspiracy the on arrested were 21 Panther the when

it was organized. The infiltrators were regular police officers, not not officers, police regular were infiltrators The organized. was it

paid informers, who remained in the party until April 2 last year year last 2 April until party the in remained who informers, paid

three full-time undercover policemen, who joined the party when when party the joined who policemen, undercover full-time three

and extent of the police actions. The police Special Services Services Special police The actions. police the of extent and Division, known as the Red Squad, infiltrated the Panthers with with Panthers the infiltrated Squad, Red the as known Division,

police inspector William Knapp has clearly revealed the nature nature the revealed clearly has Knapp William inspector police

hooks _on the Panthers from the moment of the party's inception. inception. party's the of moment the from Panthers the _on hooks

police harassment, is an illusion. New York police fastened their their fastened police York New illusion. an is harassment, police

black communities of Harlem and Bedford Stuyvesant, free from from free Stuyvesant, Bedford and Harlem of communities black

ed a period of at least eight months in which to organize in the the in organize to which in months eight least at of period a ed

" The testimony in the first week of the trial hearing of of hearing trial the of week first the in testimony The "

As prisoners awaiting trial the New York 21 were incar- were 21 York New the trial awaiting prisoners As

Zayd Shakur, the Panther's•New York deputy minister minister deputy York Panther's•New the Shakur, Zayd

In the months before their arrests, the Panthers were were Panthers the arrests, their before months the In

During their brief history in New York the Panthers have have Panthers the York New in history brief their During

Panther attorney Gerald Lefcourt described the under- the described Lefcourt Gerald attorney Panther

The undercover cops, according to the N.Y. Post, are to to are Post, N.Y. the to according cops, undercover The

But to imagine that the party's original leadership enjoy- leadership original party's the that imagine to But

It It

a group. It also took several monthi monthi several took also It group. a

took a federal court ruling several several ruling court federal a took

organized a success- a organized

, ,

among the largest concentration of black people in America. America. in people black of concentration largest the among

seems likely the Panther 21 will be back on, the streets for a long long a for streets the on, back be will 21 Panther the likely seems

tended the day the first Panther came.to came.to Panther first the day the tended

time to come—which is precisely what the power structure in- structure power the what precisely is come—which to time

ever convenient. convenient. ever

police continue to leak stories of this nature to the media when- media the to nature this of stories leak to continue police

New Haven, Conn. None of these allegations panned out, but but out, panned allegations these of None Conn. Haven, New ist in Harlem and were linked with the murder of Alex Rackley in in Rackley Alex of murder the with linked were and Harlem in ist

firebombing of a black church; had stolen funds from &city &city from funds stolen had church; black a of firebombing

counts of the arrests last April, the press followed up with articles articles with up followed press the April, last arrests the of counts alleging the Panthers received aid from Cuba; were involved in the the in involved were Cuba; from aid received Panthers the alleging

poverty agency; were involved in the shooting of a black national- black a of shooting the in involved were agency; poverty

the case of the Panther 21. Beginning with sensationalized ac- sensationalized with Beginning 21. Panther the of case the

have in effect determined the Panthers guilty—until proven inno- proven guilty—until Panthers the determined effect in have

Despite a nebulous indictment, the fact that bombings did not not did bombings that fact the indictment, nebulous a Despite

occur and the backgrounds of most of the Panthers, the justices justices the Panthers, the of most of backgrounds the and occur

Joseph Phillips' argument that the Panthers were "terrorists." "terrorists." were Panthers the that argument Phillips' Joseph

Marks before him apparently accepted assistant district attorney attorney district assistant accepted apparently him before Marks

cent. The court can barely hide its collusion in a political trial. trial. political a in collusion its hide barely can court The cent.

according to the Panther party, is clearly for political reasons. reasons. political for clearly is party, Panther the to according

decision on whether to hear the Panther's appeal. The delay, delay, The appeal. Panther's the hear to whether on decision

courts. The U.S. supreme court has delayed for nearly a month its its month a nearly for delayed has court supreme U.S. The courts.

20 different hearings before five state courts and three federal federal three and courts state five before hearings different 20

bail requirements amount to pre-trial detention. detention. pre-trial to amount requirements bail

the trial judge, in particular, are primarily responsible, for the the for responsible, primarily are particular, in judge, trial the

constitutional rights, under the 14th Amendment, because the the because Amendment, 14th the under rights, constitutional the pre-trial hearings, the Panthers have made it clear that their their that clear it made have Panthers the hearings, pre-trial the

open defiance of the courts is largely due to the violation of their their of violation the to due largely is courts the of defiance open

held on bail bail on held

nearly 11 11 nearly

meal a day in the evening. evening. the in day a meal

Mounted cops on guard guard on cops Mounted maximum security, isolated from other prisoners and fed one one fed and prisoners other from isolated security, maximum

partially relieved. Even now, however, the Panthers are kept in in kept are Panthers the however, now, Even relieved. partially

recreation rights and other discriminating prison conditions were were conditions prison discriminating other and rights recreation

before the 24-hour, lights-on lockup, the restricted visiting and and visiting restricted the lockup, lights-on 24-hour, the before

Between the the Between

The media has played a particularly destructive role in in role destructive particularly a played has media The

In refusing to lower bail, Murtagh and justice Charles Charles justice and Murtagh bail, lower to refusing In

Panther attorneys have appealed for bail reductions at at reductions bail for appealed have attorneys Panther

Manhattan supreme court and justice John M. Murtagh, Murtagh, M. John justice and court supreme Manhattan

months months

ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. In the course of of course the In $100,000. to $50,000 from ranging

imprisonment of 12 Panthers currently on trial, trial, on currently Panthers 12 of imprisonment

GUARDIAN /PANTHERS / FEBRUARY 1970 /7 /7 1970 FEBRUARY / /PANTHERS GUARDIAN

police, the press and the judge, it hardly hardly it judge, the and press the police,

during N. Y. Y. N. during

21 protest. protest. 21 New York to organize organize to York New

in America America in

oppression oppression

Black Black

(more than 800,000) are private household workers.. . . Some Some . . workers.. household private are 800,000) than (more

45% of all black and non-white workers with children under six six under children with workers non-white and black all of 45%

servants. Twenty per cent of black or non-white women women non-white or black of cent per Twenty servants.

reported seven of eight black workers were field workers or or workers field were workers black eight of seven reported

proportion of .whites who must do such work.... In 1890, a a 1890, In work.... such do must who .whites of proportion

were in service, laborer' or farm occupations, more than twice the the twice than more occupations, farm or laborer' service, in were

24.4%, compared to 10.8% for white teenagers. teenagers. white for 10.8% to compared 24.4%,

the same time, the .unemployment rate for black teenagers was was teenagers black for rate .unemployment the time, same the

through January 1969, a figure that runs twice that of whites. At At whites. of that twice runs that figure a 1969, January through

was 6.5% according to Labor Department figures that carry carry that figures Department Labor to according 6.5% was

black woman it was $3561.... In 1968, about one half of all all of half one about 1968, In $3561.... was it woman black

• •

worker who took home wages or salary in 1968 was $5370. For a a For $5370. was 1968 in salary or wages home took who worker

a black male. The median income of a full-time black male male black full-time a of income median The male. black a blacks lived in central cities. cities. central in lived blacks

blacks who lived in urban areas, lived in poverty areas. Some 55% of of 55% Some areas. poverty in lived areas, urban in lived who blacks

mination. The income of a black woman is about $1800 less than than less $1800 about is woman black a of income The mination.

tion has taken its toll on increased incomes. An $8000 income in in income $8000 An incomes. increased on toll its taken has tion

1968 was equivalent to the purchasing power of $5100 in in $5100 of power purchasing the to equivalent was 1968 1947.... Black women workers face the most severe...wage discri- severe...wage most the face workers women Black 1947....

were black or non-white earned $8000 or more. However, infla- However, more. or $8000 earned non-white or black were

Commerce Department reports that one-third of all families that that families all of one-third that reports Department Commerce

cent of white families in the U.S. earned less than $3000.... The The $3000.... than less earned U.S. the in families white of cent

to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was $8936. ... In 1968 23% of of 23% 1968 In ... $8936. was Commerce of Dept. U.S. the to black families had median incomes of less than $3000. Nine per per Nine $3000. than less of incomes median had families black

$5359 in 1968. The median income for a white family according according family white a for income median The 1968. in $5359

in the U.S. in 1968 and three out of 10 were black and non-white, non-white, and black were 10 of out three and 1968 in U.S. the in

the Department of Labor reports.. .. In 1968 the income of of income the 1968 In .. reports.. Labor of Department the black families was only 60% of the median incomes of whites whites of incomes median the of 60% only was families black

mauled far more important than people's incomes and black black and incomes people's than important more far mauled ment's definition of poverty, there were 25.5 million poor people people poor million 25.5 were there poverty, of definition ment's

Americans remained the most oppressed. Based on the govern-, govern-, the on Based oppressed. most the remained Americans

dy, Johnson and Nixon administrations, corporate profits re- profits corporate administrations, Nixon and Johnson dy,

rived from government reports except where otherwise noted: noted: otherwise where except reports government from rived

for white Americans, it was 70.19 Years. Years. 70.19 was it Americans, white for

League reports that life expectancy was 63.6 years in 1968 while while 1968 in years 63.6 was expectancy life that reports League

non-white population, 92% is black.) black.) is 92% population, non-white

non-white is often used by the Census Bureau. Of the,total the,total Of Bureau. Census the by used often is non-white

blacks, constituting 11% of the population of the U.S. The term term The U.S. the of population the of 11% constituting blacks,

rate for whites was five per thousand. (There are about 22 million million 22 about are (There thousand. per five was whites for rate one month to a year was 14 per thousand for non-whites. The The non-whites. for thousand per 14 was year a to month one

old. The rate for whites was 15.6.... The infant death rate for for rate death infant The 15.6.... was whites for rate The old.

in its 1968 annual report.... The infant mortality rate in 1968 1968 in rate mortality infant The report.... annual 1968 its in

was 24.8 per thousand for non-white infants, less than one month month one than less infants, non-white for thousand per 24.8 was

in infancy, 75% are black babies, the National Urban League said said League Urban National the babies, black are 75% infancy, in

out last, economically, politically and of course, as a race. race. a as course, of and politically economically, last, out

as blacks and as workers—and in capitalist America, they come come they America, capitalist in workers—and as and blacks as

daily struggle for survival is particularly acute. They are oppressed oppressed are They acute. particularly is survival for struggle daily

By Randy Fiust Fiust Randy By

.. The median family income of a black family in the U.S. was was U.S. the in family black a of income family median The ..

Employment:' About 40% of black and other non-whites non-whites other and black of 40% About Employment:'

Unemployment: The unemployment rate among blacks blacks among rate unemployment The Unemployment:

• •

Income and poverty: Despite the rhetoric of the Kenne- the of rhetoric the Despite poverty: and Income

Life expectancy: For blacks in the U.S., the Urban Urban the U.S., the in blacks For expectancy: Life

What follows are statistics outlining that oppression, de- oppression, that outlining statistics are follows What

Infant mortality rate: Out of every 100 babies Who die die Who babies 100 every of Out rate: mortality Infant

For 22 million black Americans in the United States, the the States, United the in Americans black million 22 For

workers workers

- determination. In 1966 and 1967, 269,000 black Americans were • • were Americans black 269,000 1967, and 1966 In determination. -

and 4000 blacks had died, according to the Defense Department. Department. Defense the to according died, had blacks 4000 and , ment definition of racial imbalance, 99% of the schools in LOS LOS in schools the of 99% imbalance, racial of definition ment ,

those two years alone, some 93,000 blacks were drafted.. .. As As .. drafted.. were blacks 93,000 some alone, years two those

called for pre-induction examinations by Selective Service. During During Service. Selective by examinations pre-induction for called

of March 31, 1969, 67,000 blacks had served in Southeast Asia, Asia, Southeast in served had blacks 67,000 1969, 31, March of

the households fell below this minimum standard. standard. minimum this below fell households the must fight in Vietnam against a people struggling for:. self- for:. struggling people a against Vietnam in fight must

households fail to meet this specific criteria. For whites, 6% of of 6% whites, For criteria. specific this meet to fail households

which lacks basic plumbing facilities or is dilapidated does not not does dilapidated is or facilities plumbing basic lacks which

meet specified criteria. A full* 24% of black and other non-white ' ' non-white other and black of 24% full* A criteria. specified meet

estimated 3% of medical students in the U.S. are black. black. are U.S. the in students medical of 3% estimated

of whites had finished four years of college or more.... An An more.... or college of years four finished had whites of

whites had finished four years of college or more. In 1969, 16.2% 16.2% 1969, In more. or college of years four finished had whites

completed college in 1960. In 1969, 6.6% of blacks and non- and blacks of 6.6% 1969, In 1960. in college completed in 1968.... Some 4.3% of the black and non-white population population non-white and black the of 4.3% Some 1968.... in

42% of blacks 20 and 21 years old had not completed high School School high completed not had old years 21 and 20 blacks of 42%

school at the lowest rates, although. the government says the ' ' the says government the although. rates, lowest the at school

number graduating is increasing. Eighteen per cent of whites and and whites of cent per Eighteen increasing. is graduating number

black students at all. ... Black students continue to finish high ' ' high finish to continue students Black ... all. at students black

school districts in 17 Southern and border states had been totally • • totally been had states border and Southern 17 in districts school

than 1000 of HEW's "completely desegregated" districts have no no have districts desegregated" "completely HEW's of 1000 than

desegregated. The Civil Rights Commission has charged that more more that charged has Commission Rights Civil The desegregated.

tary of. Health Education and Welfare said that 3327 of 4476 4476 of 3327 that said Welfare and Education Health of. tary

Angeles are segregated.. . . On Sept. 13, Robert H. Finch, Secre- Finch, H. Robert 13, Sept. On . . segregated.. are Angeles

mains a blatant reality.... For example, according to the govern- the to according example, For reality.... blatant a mains

ranteed by Constitutional amendments—but Constitutional by ranteed

mination in public accommodations and employment, rights gua- rights employment, and accommodations public in mination

unconstitutional since "separate educational facilities are in- are facilities educational "separate since unconstitutional herently unequal." The Civil Rights Act: of 1964 forbade discri- forbade 1964 of Act: Rights Civil The unequal." herently of. Education" the supreme court ruled school segregation was was segregation school ruled court supreme the Education" of.

.133,249 blacks.... Between 1930 and 1964 some 1751 whites whites 1751 some 1964 and 1930 Between blacks.... .133,249 blacks were executed by civil authorities. authorities. civil by executed were blacks

were executed for alleged crimes. During the same period, 2066 2066 period, same the During crimes. alleged for executed were

welfare. welfare.

There were 216,049 whites in "correctional" institutions and and institutions "correctional" in whites 216,049 were There allowances in 1968. An estimated 5.6' million whites received received whites million 5.6' estimated An 1968. in allowances

prison, reformatories, jails or workhouses were black in 1960. 1960. in black were workhouses or jails reformatories, prison, fare.' Some 3.8 million black and non-whites received welfare: welfare: received non-whites and black million 3.8 Some fare.'

United States for 1969, more than one-third of individuals in in individuals of one-third than more 1969, for States United

by whites, according to History of the Negro in America (1969). (1969). America in Negro the of History to according whites, by oriented radio stations in the U.S. in 1967 which reportedly • • reportedly which 1967 in U.S. the in stations radio oriented

brought in $28 million. All but five of those stations were owned owned were stations those of five but All million. $28 in brought

ture control.... As one illustration, there were some 1000 black- 1000 some were there illustration, one As control.... ture

on loans from white-controlled banks, and the white power struc- power white the and banks, white-controlled from loans on

class is virtually all white and most black-owned business depends depends business black-owned most and white all virtually is class in the U.S. is a myth. It can't happen here. The American ruling ruling American The here. happen can't It myth. a is U.S. the in

were employed. For white women faced with the same situation, situation, same the with faced women white For employed. were

the figure was 28%. 28%. was figure the

The war in Vietnam: After all this, black Americans black this, all After Vietnam: in war The

Housing: The Bureau of the Census says that housing, . . housing, that says Census the of Bureau The Housing:

Education: On May 17, 195'4; in ilirown vs. the Board Board the vs. ilirown in 195'4; 17, May On Education:

The law: According to the. Statistical Abstract of the the of Abstract Statistical the. to According law: The

Welfare: Black Americans are disproportionately on wel- on disproportionately are Americans Black Welfare:

Capitalists: Nixon's promise of creating black capitalists' capitalists' black creating of promise Nixon's Capitalists:

—

discrimination re- discrimination

. .

8 /PANTHERS /FEBRUARY 1970 /GUARDIAN /GUARDIAN 1970 /FEBRUARY /PANTHERS 8

Black Panthers: Serving people, fighting repression repression fighting people, Serving Panthers: Black

• •

"a reformist program is one thing when the capitalists capitalists the when thing one is program reformist "a

camp puts it up." up." it puts camp

put it up and it's another thing when the revolutionary revolutionary the when thing another it's and up it put

cized by some radicals as "reformist." Seale answered: answered: Seale "reformist." as radicals some by cized

ing thousands of hungry children every day. day. every children hungry of thousands ing

local churches or community centers—were soon feed- soon centers—were community or churches local Jan. 20,1969 and spread to dozens of cities within a few few a within cities of dozens to spread and 20,1969 Jan.

tained by the party from local businesses and served in in served and businesses local from party the by tained

months. The breakfasts—cooked from donated food ob- food donated from breakfasts—cooked The months.

and the police petitions. petitions. police the and

Serve the people people the Serve

ging in drugs or petty crime, or operating in a "purely "purely a in operating or crime, petty or drugs in ging "fools and jackanapes" refusing party discipline, indul- discipline, party refusing jackanapes" and "fools

gram of intensified political education. These measures measures These education. political intensified of gram (Continued from page 3) 3) page from (Continued

required to implement at least the breakfast program program breakfast the least at implement to required

for community control of police. Every branch was was branch Every police. of control community for grams were specified: free breakfast for children, free free children, for breakfast free specified: were grams

directed from Washington. On Jan. 18, members of the the of members 18, Jan. On Washington. from directed working with the police, openly murdered two party party two murdered openly police, the with working

accompanied a systematic purge of the party's ranks of of ranks party's the of purge systematic a accompanied

ban on recruitment and at the same time began a pro pro a began time same the at and recruitment on ban chief of staff David Hilliard, he ordered a three-month three-month a ordered he Hilliard, David staff of chief

health clinics, liberation schools and petition campaigns campaigns petition and schools liberation clinics, health

members in Los Angeles. Angeles. Los in members

dramatic shake-up- of the party's character. Along with with Along character. party's the of shake-up- dramatic military" manner—as well as conscious police agents. agents. police conscious as well manner—as military" black cultural nationalist "US" organization, known for for known organization, "US" nationalist cultural black

phasis was placed on the party's original "serve the the "serve original party's the on placed was phasis

ily infiltrated by police agents. By December, party party December, By agents. police by infiltrated ily

public indications for the first time that the attacks were were attacks the that time first the for indications public

people" programs in the black community. Four pro- Four community. black the in programs people"

growth, the worst was yet to come. Seale and the re- the and Seale come. to yet was worst the growth, branches everywhere were being hit by local police, with with police, local by hit being were everywhere branches

November, Seale publicly said the party had been heav- been had party the said publicly Seale November,

maining party leaders faced even greater tasks. Late in in Late tasks. greater even faced leaders party maining

While immensely popular, the program was criti- was program the popular, immensely While

The first breakfast program started in Oakland, Oakland, in started program breakfast first The

To survive the growing attacks, Seale effected a a effected Seale attacks, growing the survive To

Along with the internal changes, a renewed em- renewed a changes, internal the with Along

While the party's defense work had helped its its helped had work defense party's the While

45% of all black and non-white workers with children under six six under children with workers non-white and black all of 45%

Seale and the remaining functional leadership called for for called leadership functional remaining the and Seale

up in court cases, and resulted in at least 19 deaths— 19 least at in resulted and cases, court in up

Convention in Chicago. Chicago. in Convention

party's leadership, placed hundreds in jail, tied the rest rest the tied jail, in hundreds placed leadership, party's

activists, was indicted on conspiracy charges stemming stemming charges conspiracy on indicted was activists,

from the demonstrations at the Democratic National National Democratic the at demonstrations the from

Haven 14-were framed, 14-were Haven

cases. On March 20, Seale, along with 7 white antiwar antiwar white 7 with along Seale, 20, March On cases.

program were destroyed. The New York 21 and the New New the and 21 York New The destroyed. were program

the country were raided. Food supplies for the breakfast breakfast the for supplies Food raided. were country the office and the Justice Department. Panther offices across across offices Panther Department. Justice the and office

Nixon administration through the Attorney the through administration Nixon

even more severe and was now being directed by the the by directed being now was and severe more even

stereotype.

hungry children was a great help in shattering the false false the shattering in help great a was children hungry

nationwide practice of serving the people by feeding feeding by people the serving of practice nationwide

The media-created image of the Panthers as a "black "black a as Panthers the of image media-created The among some blacks where the party was not known. The The known. not was party the where blacks some among

mafia" was still widely accepted by whites and even even and whites by accepted widely still was mafia"

gram was also an aspect of the party's political defense. defense. political party's the of aspect an also was gram

Faced with this onslaught—which decimated the the decimated onslaught—which this with Faced

The political reaction to the party's new turn was was turn new party's the to reaction political The

In addition to its own merits, the breakfast pro- breakfast the merits, own its to addition In

. .

FtlYdle 11OUSC1101(1 11OUSC1101(1 FtlYdle

- -

along with a number of smaller smaller of number a with along

workers.... some some workers....

Breakfast for children. children. for Breakfast

. .

General's General's

11. 11.

of March 31, 1969, 67,000 blacks had served in Southeast Asia, Asia, Southeast in served had blacks 67,000 1969, 31, March of

and 4000 blacks had died, according to the Defense Department. Department. Defense the to according died, had blacks 4000 and

Panther, is available for $2.50. $2.50. for available is Panther,

three-month subscription to the party's weekly paper, The Black Black The paper, weekly party's the to subscription three-month

so will its will to resist and its chances of final victory. victory. final of chances its and resist to will its will so contributions, address Ministry of Information, Black Panther Panther Black Information, of Ministry address contributions,

party, Box 2967, Custom House, San Francisco, Calif. 94126-4 94126-4 Calif. Francisco, San House, Custom 2967, Box party,

support among growing numbers of people—black, people—black, of numbers growing among support

and the assault against them will undoubtedly grow. But But grow. undoubtedly will them against assault the and

brown and white. The party has its problems, to be sure sure be to problems, its has party The white. and brown

life. life.

office. David Hilliard is charged with threatening Nixon's Nixon's threatening with charged is Hilliard David office.

own, to further their programs and to gain even wider wider even gain to and programs their further to own, a pollee para-military assault on the Los Angeles Panther Panther Angeles Los the on assault para-military pollee a

Mark Clark have been murdered in Chicago, followed by by followed Chicago, in murdered been have Clark Mark

court. In August he was charged with conspiracy to to conspiracy with charged was he August In court.

commit murder in Connecticut. Fred Hampton and and Hampton Fred Connecticut. in murder commit gagged and found in contempt of Judge Hoffman's Hoffman's Judge of contempt in found and gagged

been imprisoned for four years after being bound and and bound being after years four for imprisoned been

off the ground. ground. the off sense of urgency among a wide spectrum of groups to to groups of spectrum wide a among urgency of sense Black Panther party has continued to escalate. Seale has has Seale escalate. to continued has party Panther Black

campaign, although verbally endorsed, never really got got really never endorsed, verbally although campaign,

rally to the Panthers' defense. However, the petition petition the However, defense. Panthers' the to rally

was limited. Its positive achievement was a renewed renewed a was achievement positive Its limited. was

Urgency about defense defense about Urgency

gram: a nationwide campaign for community control of of control community for campaign nationwide a gram:

sole purpose of approving and implementing one pro- one implementing and approving of purpose sole

police. police.

radical or whatever—who opposed fascism and had the the had and fascism opposed whatever—who or radical

of their very noses in new garments." garments." new in noses very their of

have to realize," said Seale, "that fascism is right in front front in right is fascism "that Seale, said realize," to have

not only a theoretical possibility in the U.S., it was was it U.S., the in possibility theoretical a only not something they felt the brunt of everyday. "People "People everyday. of brunt the felt they something

front against fascism." fascism." against front a national conference in Mid-July to establish a "united "united a establish to Mid-July in conference national a

For information about the Black Panther party or to send send to or party Panther Black the about information For

Yet the Panthers have continued to hold their their hold to continued have Panthers the Yet

In the months since UFAF, the repression of the the of repression the UFAF, since months the In

Although widely attended, the success of UFAF UFAF of success the attended, widely Although

The UFAF meeting was open to anyone—liberal, anyone—liberal, to open was meeting UFAF The

As far as the Panthers were concerned, fascism was was fascism concerned, were Panthers the as far As

. _ _ .