Bobby Hutton – aka – Lil’ Bobby. Read about his life on p.79. What was so dangerous about this man and the movement known as the ‘Black Panthers’

Who were the Who were the Black Panthers?Black Panthers?

TBAT origins and aims of the TBAT origins and aims of the Black PanthersBlack Panthers

To assess the reasons for their To assess the reasons for their declinedecline

Learning objectives

Your taskYour task Read p.79-81 and note down the Read p.79-81 and note down the

following:following: The origins & aims of the Black PanthersThe origins & aims of the Black Panthers The ideological inspiration for the The ideological inspiration for the

movementmovement Can you explain what was so Can you explain what was so

threatening about them?threatening about them?

Origins & AimsOrigins & Aims Founders – Huey P Newton & Founders – Huey P Newton &

Bobby Seale (1966)Bobby Seale (1966) Inspiration – ‘the BP movement Inspiration – ‘the BP movement

exists in the spirit of Malcolm X’exists in the spirit of Malcolm X’ Self- defence – militias in BP Self- defence – militias in BP

uniformsuniforms Improved conditions – welfare Improved conditions – welfare

schemes for northern ghettoesschemes for northern ghettoes

10 Point Programme10 Point Programme Power over their destiniesPower over their destinies Free healthcareFree healthcare End to police brutalityEnd to police brutality End to wars of aggressionEnd to wars of aggression Full employmentFull employment Anti-capitalistAnti-capitalist Better housingBetter housing Better educationBetter education Better justice systemBetter justice system Better social conditionsBetter social conditions

How many of these

aims were already

covered by King or the

NOI?

IdeologiesIdeologies Black nationalist – self-government Anti-colonialism Supported revolutionary government,

e.g. Mao’s Communist China Opposition to Vietnam War Admired Marxist aims to improve

conditions of working classes

Your taskYour task Read p.81-3 and take notes on the Read p.81-3 and take notes on the

methods of the movement. Focus on methods of the movement. Focus on these areas:these areas:

Patrol the PigsPatrol the Pigs Welfare programmesWelfare programmes Health care clinicsHealth care clinics EducationEducation

You can choose a maximum of 2 pieces of evidence for each category! Be prepared

to explain your choices

MethodsMethods ‘‘Patrol the pigs’Patrol the pigs’ – police operations – police operations

monitored; Newton carried law books in monitored; Newton carried law books in car, intervening when blacks stopped by car, intervening when blacks stopped by policepolice

Welfare programmesWelfare programmes – ‘survival – ‘survival programmes’ e.g. free breakfasts for programmes’ e.g. free breakfasts for school children, health clinics, free school children, health clinics, free ‘liberation schools’‘liberation schools’

Health clinics Health clinics - - tested for sickle cell tested for sickle cell anaemia & contraceptive careanaemia & contraceptive care

EducationEducation – – Liberation Schools educated Liberation Schools educated black Americans about past struggles & black Americans about past struggles & achievements & helped raise self-esteemachievements & helped raise self-esteem

Why did the Black Panthers go into decline in the 1970s?

Your taskYour task Read about the reasons Read about the reasons

why the Black Panthers why the Black Panthers went into decline on went into decline on p.83-4. Take notes p.83-4. Take notes under these headings. under these headings. Again limit yourself - Again limit yourself - this time to 3 pieces of this time to 3 pieces of evidenceevidence

Internal pressureInternal pressure External pressureExternal pressure

DeclineDecline Focus of police attention esp FBI’s Focus of police attention esp FBI’s COINTELPROCOINTELPRO

organisation due to support of armed resistance & organisation due to support of armed resistance & criminal activity & suspicions of links with criminal activity & suspicions of links with CommunistsCommunists

Many leaders Many leaders killed or imprisonedkilled or imprisoned, e.g. Newton , e.g. Newton arrested for murder in 1967, or on the runarrested for murder in 1967, or on the run

FBIFBI used underhand techniques, e.g. tapped used underhand techniques, e.g. tapped phone calls, infiltrated organisation, forged lettersphone calls, infiltrated organisation, forged letters

FundsFunds spent on legal fees to detriment of ‘survival spent on legal fees to detriment of ‘survival programmes’programmes’

Tensions between Tensions between leadershipleadership, e.g. between , e.g. between Newton & Eldrige CleaverNewton & Eldrige Cleaver

SexismSexism - tensions between male & female recruits - tensions between male & female recruits

Role playRole play

A group of Black Panther activists are to hold a press conference. The press are suspicious about the aims and methods of this new movement. Ask

questions about the methods, inspiration, relations with Police, education programme

Extension taskExtension task Read the extracts your teacher Read the extracts your teacher

provides and note down additional provides and note down additional evidence for the decline of the evidence for the decline of the movement.movement.

Homework Prepare for a timed essay question

on the impact of Black Power. Put together a top ten list of Black

Power music and films

PlenaryPlenary Reasons for divisions within civil rights?Reasons for divisions within civil rights? Aims of Black PanthersAims of Black Panthers Reasons for failure?Reasons for failure? Characteristics of Black Power Characteristics of Black Power

movementmovement Were the problems facing Black Power Were the problems facing Black Power

similar to other civil rights similar to other civil rights organisations?organisations?