American Studies | Page 48

Was it Really

a Hate Group?

Eric Munoz

BLACK

Party:

Is Black Panther Party the civil rights group we all know and love or actually a hate group? After the Party was called, “the greatest threat to the internal security to the country” by J. Edgar Hoover, reports of drug trafficking and extortion schemes directed toward merchants all over the states became known. Could we still consider this group as Civil Right Activists?

The Black Panther Party, Originally named Black Panther Party for self-defense, was founded in1966 and was active until1982. Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton founded the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. The party was considered a revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization, but the group was

very violent compared to MLK and his followers. Does that mean that this group was a hate group?

The Party has a history of being violent and doing questionable things. They were first noticed when, on May 2, 1967, about 31 armed Panthers went into California legislature to protest the right of private citizens to bear arms. Even though they had weapons, it was nonviolent. Their

main practice was to monitorthe behavior of the police brutality by following them while armed. Although initially nonviolent, this led to a number of shooting that end in death for both panthers and police men.

"The greatest threat to National Secutrity"

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