Lessons Learned
Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party was one of the most important aspects of the Civil Rights Movement. Their top priority was to stop police brutality against African Americans and acheive a violence-free community for all. Today, many of the peaceful protestors in the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner have the same agenda. What did or can we learn from the Black Panthers that can help us in the fight against police brutality today?
Police brutality, racism, and poverty faced by black Americans in the 1950s and 1960s are not that different today. It is true that a larger and more affluent black middle class exist today than was the case then. A small portion is even the elite of US society – summed up by Condoleezza Rice’s position as secretary of state in the Bush administration. The ruling class in the US responded to the revolt in the 1950s and 1960s with a conscious decision to develop a black middle class to act as a brake on future movements, to create a version of the ‘American Dream’ for black people.
From my perspective, If we look closely at what Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party stood for, we would see that it is not the negativity that society and the media paints. If we study the Black Panther Party Programs, we would see that Huey P. Newton and the Black Panthers created a legacy that is till being exercised today. Many of the Black Panther Party Programs are currently supported and still being funded by the Federal Government today. To me, this confirms that Huey P. Newton was a leader who left behind a legacy that is still being followed and excercised today.
Police brutality, racism, and poverty faced by black Americans in the 1950s and 1960s are not that different today. It is true that a larger and more affluent black middle class exist today than was the case then. A small portion is even the elite of US society – summed up by Condoleezza Rice’s position as secretary of state in the Bush administration. The ruling class in the US responded to the revolt in the 1950s and 1960s with a conscious decision to develop a black middle class to act as a brake on future movements, to create a version of the ‘American Dream’ for black people.
From my perspective, If we look closely at what Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party stood for, we would see that it is not the negativity that society and the media paints. If we study the Black Panther Party Programs, we would see that Huey P. Newton and the Black Panthers created a legacy that is till being exercised today. Many of the Black Panther Party Programs are currently supported and still being funded by the Federal Government today. To me, this confirms that Huey P. Newton was a leader who left behind a legacy that is still being followed and excercised today.