The Black Panther Party was an African American organization made to promote Black Power and self-defense through acts of social agitation that happened in the united states from the mid- 1960s into the 1970s. On October 15, 1966 it was founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California. It was initially set forth a doctrine calling fro the protection of African American neighborhoods from police brutality in the interest of African-American justice. Its objectives and philosophy changed radically during the party’s existence. In 1967 the organization marched on the California State Capitol in Sacramento in protest of a ban on weapons. The official newspaper The Black Panther was first circulated that year too. By 1968 the party had expanded to many cities in the united states. Like Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Newark, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Baltimore. The same year memberships reached to 5,000 and their newspaper had grown to a circulation of 250,000. They created a Ten-Point Program which was a document that called for “Land, Bread, Housing, Education, Clothing, Justice and Peace”, and exemption from military service for African-American men and many other demands.They became more focused on socialism without racial exclusivity. They instituted a variety of community programs to alleviate poverty and improve health among communities deemed most needful of aid. The group’s political goals were often overshadowed by their confrontational and militant tactics, and by their suspicions of law enforcement agents. The Black Panthers considered them as oppressors to be overcome by a willingness to take up armed self-defense. After Huey Newton’s 1968 manslaughter trial the Black Panther Party collapsed in the early 1970s. Law enforcement officials went to great lengths to discredit and destroy the organization, including assassination. I think that what this organization did was very good for african american people because it gave them a chance to stand up for themselves and they could join as a member and not just let the men do it themselves. They were trying to prove a point and i think they proved it very well.
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