Central Women in the Black Panther Party |
What is the black Panther Party?
Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale created the Black Panther Party for Self Defense on October 15, 1966. After the initial formation, chapters around the country sprung up in various cities such as Louisiana, Chicago and Seattle. Established as a defense against police brutality, the organization was known for their use of violence and Black empowerment. Institutionalized racism was what the organization wished to stop. Members of the organization were regularly seen displaying their rifles because in their eyes peaceful protests weren't leading to any change. Even though the Black Panther Party only seemed to be concerned with violence, the organization founded many programs in black communities. Some of the focuses were hunger and poverty in urban cities. Programs created and funded by the organization include free breakfast programs for students, food aid for families, schools, adult education, childcare, medical research, medical care and ambulance services.