Central Women in the Black Panther Party |
Role of women in The Black PAnther Party
Many times women are overlooked in political movements, they are either the forces behind the scenes or they are completely disregarded. At first Black women in the Black Panther Party weren't "allowed" to partake in the same activities as their male counterparts. The organization was all about "Black Masculinity", most women understood this aspect and respected the ideals of the party. As the party grew, Newton and Seale began to recognize the need to include women within the party's self defense activities. Black women are historically known for their use of weapons in terms of self defense. In the article Engendering the Black Freedom Struggle, black women using self defense are discussed "Daisy Bates guarded her home with .45 automatic in the wake of white supremacist terrorism ranging from 'incendiary bombs' to 'KKK crosses' to threats of arson."