pictured: Black Panther Party Co-Founders Bobby Seale & Huey P. Newton

The Black Panther Party was established in 1966 in Oakland, California. The organization was founded by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton to establish a viable social and political force in the Black community, to fight back against racial injustice and inequities in the system. The name was originally The Black Panther Party For Self-Defense, but was later shortened.

The Party grew rapidly, drawing membership out of the long-standing discontent of African-Americans surviving in a racist culture.  Where other political organizations had been satisfied to talk about problems, the Black Panther Party set out to address and rectify them.  To educate its members the Black Panther Party (BPP) instituted political education classes and mandatory reading.  To address the lack of health care in Black communities, the BPP started clinics.  Realizing that many African-American children went to school hungry, the Party initiated free breakfast programs.

On the issue of racially motivated police brutality, the BPP took direct action.  After researching the law, Huey P. Newton led the members in ARMED PATROLS of police activities.  Police stops in the African-American community were thereafter observed.

The government was fearful of the rise of Black leadership.  This fear was magnified in the case of the Black Panthers, who were spreading across the country, creating a cadre of politically educated and motivated -- armed --  Black leaders.  The FBI put its Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) into effect to destroy the party.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies began spying on the Black Panther Party.  A program of misinformation was also conducted to create mistrust, and/or to result in the death of Panther Party members.  Misinformation was given to other political groups, and even to street gangs, to create animosity and violence toward The Panthers.  The same was done with members of the party itself, giving false information about other party members to instill mistrust.  When these tactics weren't sufficient, the government resorted to outright assassination -- as in the case of Fred Hampton in Chicago on December 4, 1969.

Government pressure had its effect.  The Party began to disintegrate in the 1970's.  Members went to jail, were murdered, or hounded into exile or into leaving the party.  The Party's co-founder, Huey P. Newton, was murdered on August 22, 1989, by a gang member.

For more on The Black Panther Party and COINTELPRO read Words From An Unchained Mind 

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