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Black Panther: Bobby Seale
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The leadership of the Black Panthers did not agree on the type and kind of black nationalism it wished to embrace. Bobby Seale in his book Seize the Time described the foundation of the organization as being based on "black nationalism". He ... described the evolution of the organization into an instrument adapting to counter social oppression on an international scale. Whereas the Panthers had been founded as an institution to advance social justice for African Americans, Seale attempted to change it to an institution for worldwide social justice, regardless of the nationality or ethnicity of the oppressed people. Internationalist mentality had strategic advantages in the alliances it could form in pursuing social change with similar like-minded organizations.
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As a Marxist-Leninist party, the Black Panthers focused their rhetoric on revolutionary class struggle. Although the party was characterized by varying degrees of black nationalism, Newton and Seale rejected cultural nationalists as "black racists". Contrary to popular perception, the BPP was not a separatist organization and worked closely with many white activists (for example, California's Peace and Freedom Party). Indicative of this was the BPP's use of the slogan "All Power to the People!" which represents a more internationalist (and Marxist) perspective than Stokely Carmichael's famous slogan, "Black Power!" [1
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Though the Free Huey campaign was successful in that it made the Black Panther Party a household name, the Party’s intense association with violence made it a likely target for police, infiltration by the FBI, and violence in the streets. The (often times sensational) media played a large role in the dissemination of the Panther’s violent image, and often independent parties involved in violence would pose as Panthers, further deteriorating the Party. With Newton in Jail and Bobby Seale facing his own trial, leadership was given to Eldridge Cleaver who increasingly advocated violent confrontations with police. Soon after taking leadership, he too was involved in a shootout and fled the country and the Party was left with little leadership and waning energy. For many, the Party had begun to stray from Newton’s original plan of liberation and only with his return would the party be able to resurface.
As racial tension increased around the country, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) blamed the Black Panthers for riots and other incidents of violence. The bureau launched a program called COINTELPRO (short for counterintelligence program) designed to disrupt efforts to unify black militant groups such as SNCC, BPP, and US. FBI agents sent anonymous threatening letters to Panthers, infiltrated the group with informers, and worked with local police to weaken the party. In December 1969 two Chicago leaders of the party, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, were killed in a police raid. By the end of the decade, according to the party’s attorney, 28 Panthers had been killed and many other members were either in jail or had been forced to leave the United States in order to avoid arrest. In 1970 Connecticut authorities began an unsuccessful effort to convict Seale and other Panthers of the murder of a Panther who was believed to be a police informant.
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Black Panther Party co-founder and former chairman Bobby Seale recounts the many government crimes committed against the BPP. But the ‘progressive movement’ isn’t over yet, says Seale, who defines what he considers ‘revolutionary programs,’ past and present.
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Original six Black Panthers (November, 1966) Top left to right: Elbert "Big Man" Howard; Huey P. Newton (Defense Minister), Sherman Forte, Bobby Seale (Chairman). Bottom: Reggie Forte and Little Bobby Hutton (Treasurer).
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Bobby Seale