Black Panthers

• • The Black Panthers were set up in California in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale
  • They became the largest and most feared Black Power group when they went to the State Capitol armed with guns to protest against a proposed law to ban the carrying of weapons openly
• • They wanted fully black communities with black officials working for themselves as they believed white officials wouldn’t support them
  • They did not rule out working with white people who supported them
• They had a program to improve black communities such as:

  • Breakfast programs for children, health clinics, better housing, employment, education, and an end to police brutality
  • They also organised safety patrols, tried to stop gang conflict and demanded better facilities from local government
• • They taped police harassment cases, wore uniforms and carried guns
  • However, this led to shoot outs and they were accused of stealing money from businesses to fund the. program
• • By 1968, 25 cities had Panther groups but they never had more than around 2,000 members