Gender and Sexual Politics Within the Black Panther Party

z.umn.edu/MURAJ A Woman's Place in the Revolution: Gender and Sexual Politics within the Black Panther Party Anna Freyberga aHistory and African American & African Studies Departments, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities The Black Panther Party for Self- the concept of focusing on the restoration of Defense (BPP) is known for its militancy and Black manhood reinforced the prioritization of pursuit of Black Power ideology through the male suffering and upheld expectations for affirmation of Black masculinity, and, in women to be strong, silent, and submissive. popular memory, the role of women is often This resulted in Black women being depicted as reduced to an insignificant minority or left out “castrators,” blamed not only for the entirely. Established in Oakland, California in emasculation of Black men, but the sufferings of 1966, the BPP was formed with the purpose of the Black community as a whole.1 alleviating the oppression of Black communities The role of women within the BPP was and putting an end to police brutality, which constantly debated and ultimately over- they pursued with an unprecedentedly militant sexualized, underestimated, and abused. agenda. Since the Party’s inception, women Influences beyond the scope of the BPP, such as have labored and fought alongside their male the concept of “Black Pride” and the burgeoning counterparts to accomplish these revolutionary women’s liberation movement, ostensibly goals despite continuous resistance to their served to embolden and celebrate Black women. leadership and rampant oversexualization. However, largely due to Eldridge Cleaver’s One of the driving forces behind the pervasive influence, the Panthers merged these creation of the BPP was the desire to reaffirm concepts with their own ideology of bedding Black masculinity: to restore the sense of Black women in order to restore a desire for dignity and authority that had been stripped dark skin women and uproot an internalized from Black men throughout centuries of racial inferiority complex. This hybrid of Black female oppression. Sentiments of Black male pride and sexualization engendered a emasculation culminated in the Black Power fetishization of Black Panther women that was era following pent up frustrations over the __________________________________________________________ strategy of nonviolent direct action during the 1 Daniel Patrick Moynihan, The Negro Family: The Case for National Action (Office of Policy Planning and Research, U.S. Department of Civil Rights Movement. This belief was also Labor, March 1965); Peniel E. Joseph, “Introduction: Toward a deeply rooted in the long history of racial and Historiography of the Black Power Movement,” in The Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil Rights-Black Power Era, ed. Peniel E. sexual violence against women. Furthermore, Joseph (New York: Routledge, 2006,) 1-25. 1 concept of “Black Pride” and the burgeoning could be labeled “counterrevolutionary” and women’s liberation movement, ostensibly served castigated as such.3 to embolden and celebrate Black women. Despite rampant misogyny and a hyper- However, largely due to Eldridge Cleaver’s masculine public perception, Panther women pervasive influence, the Panthers merged these permeated into nearly every sphere of the BPP concepts with their own ideology of bedding and oftentimes made up over half the Party’s Black women in order to restore a desire for dark rank and file members. Many women, through skin women and uproot an internalized careful navigation of the rigid patriarchy, inferiority complex. This hybrid of Black female obtained leadership roles, such as Elaine Brown, pride and sexualization engendered a Kathleen Cleaver, and Ericka Huggins, all of fetishization of Black Panther women that was whom became members of the party’s Central distinct from any other Black Power Committee. Black women’s voices and labor organization. The ideals of the “Black profoundly shaped the impact of the BPP and Revolutionary Woman,” as outlined in the Black their resistance to masculinist patterns of Panther newspaper, sought to create a gender- exclusion helped found a more inclusive specific militant Panther woman who supported struggle for liberation. Even so, their and cherished Black men. Women were called contributions within the BPP have been upon to be the strength and spirit of the Party, marginalized in scholarship and lost almost laboring tirelessly in a myriad of organizing entirely to the unforgettably fierce images of spheres, oftentimes without due recognition. rifle-bearing male Panthers lodged into popular Many Panther women deprioritized their own memory. needs in order to help advance the status of Black men in society. 2 By these ideals, Panther women Black Power and Gender Ideology established a unique and indispensable presence in the BPP. Furthermore, women were expected While Black Power ideology had been to be the soulful companions of their Brothers, percolating throughout the Civil Rights both in bed and in the line of duty. These sexual Movement, the slogan was not officially adopted “responsibilities” generated a dangerous until the Meredith March in June 1966 when environment for women in which allegations of, unceasing violence and White backlash led a sexual harassment or rape were largely dismissed new generation of Black activists to abandon the or discredited despite attempts to uproot sexism strategy of nonviolence and advocate for a self- from the party’s reputation. These established sufficient, Black autonomous movement. The carnal duties meant that women who refused sex advent of the Black Power Movement brought __________________________________________________________ forth new revelations about what it meant to be 2 Gloria Bartholomew, “A Black Woman’s Thoughts,” Black Panther, African American. Black Power activists, tired September 28, 1968, 11; Linda Green, “The Black Revolutionary Woman,” Black Panther, September 28, 1968, 11; Judy Hart, “Black Womanhood of compromising, yielding, and apologizing to No. 1,” Black Panther, July 20, 1967. White supporters as they had done within many 3 Joseph, “Introduction,” 1-25. integrated Civil Rights organizations, sought to MUMURRAAJJ • z• z..umnumn.e.edduu/MUR/MURAAJJ 2 Volume 4 • Issue 6 develop a new phase of Black liberation in which Civil Rights Movement, though much of their the wellbeing of Black communities was role had gone unrecognized or been severely emphasized. The emerging concept of “Black diminished. Yet, while the Black Power Pride” renounced the internalized shame and self- Movement purportedly celebrated female hatred that had tormented African Americans for expressivity and empowerment, Black women’s centuries. This new phase of celebrating roles as leaders within the movement were Blackness--of rejoicing in the physical traits that being re-examined and disputed. The magazine had been used to dehumanize slaves and their Liberator, a prominent outlet for Black descendants for generations--was novel and intellectual thought, issued a multitude of monumental in the movement. This idea spurred articles addressing the forth a rejection of White European standards of “Woman Question,” or what a Black woman’s beauty and a celebration of African American role in the revolution should entail. The history and Afrocentricity.4 Liberator’s platform amplified the ongoing Black Pride particularly examined and debate contesting the role of female leaders in paid tribute to Black womanhood, acclaiming the Black liberation struggle. These articles, female curves, facial features, and natural hair. many of which were authored by women, The Afro style of hair nicknamed “The Natural,” overwhelmingly sympathized with the men who became one of the ultimate expressions of Black were portrayed as the natural leaders of Black Power and a mark of androgynous strength that liberation and concluded that women should stood tall, brave, and defiant against oppressive primarily serve to inspire and support beauty standards. Consequently, natural hair was revolutionary men, particularly through rank- viewed as a political statement; “an instrument for and-file positions. Though many women did the expression of nationalism,” and part of a obtain positions of leadership in the BPP, they broader goal to create a “positive value system were often discouraged from supervising roles that embraces the African woman,” as one or overshadowing their male counterparts.6 woman described in the Liberator.5 Moreover, the core of the Black Power However, a new and intense scrutinization Movement was designed to restore and uplift of women’s revolutionary roles accompanied Black manhood at the direct expense of Black some of the nuanced attention toward Black women. In mid- to late 1960s Black Power femininity. In the previous decades, Black women rhetoric, Black men were depicted as had been critical organizers and leaders in the emasculated: having been deprived of their __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 4 Eleanor Mason, “Hot Irons and Black Nationalism,” in Liberator, May 6 Katy Gibson, “Letter to Black Men,” Liberator, July 1965; Evelyn 1963; Joseph, “Introduction,” 1-25. Rodgers, “Is Ebony Killing Black Women,” Liberator, March 1966; 5 Eleanor Mason, “Hot Irons and Black Nationalism,” in Liberator, May Amerlia Long, “Role of the Afro-American Woman,” Liberator, May 1963. 1966; Louise R. Moore, “When a Black Man Stood Up,” and Betty Frank Lomax, “Afro-American

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