top
East Bay
East Bay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Black Panther Party 50th Anniversary photo on the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse

by Dave Id
It was 1966 when Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Initially, their goals were to make use of California's open-carry laws at the time to directly challenge police brutality in Oakland and to turn Black rebellion into political power. In little time, the party expanded nationwide, fed hundreds of thousands of children, and created free health clinics and a number of other social programs.
sm_blackpantherparty-50th-oakland_20161023_001.jpg
[Black power fists in the air on the Alameda County Courthouse steps by Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. October 23, 2016.]


Marking 50 years since the party was founded, surviving party members and supporters gathered October 20-23 for panels, workshops, music, exhibits, and the dedication of Bobby Hutton Grove in DeFremery park in West Oakland. One event was the traditional commemorative gathering on the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse, a nod to the early days when Panthers gathered by the thousands on the same steps, where chants of "Power to the People," "Off the pigs", and "Free Huey!" would ring out after Huey Newton was charged with the killing of an Oakland police officer.

Unfortunately, this reporter wasn't able to document 50th anniversary commemoration events other than the gathering on the courthouse steps.

Good things are being said about the new Panther exhibit at the Oakland Museum and I definitely intend on viewing it soon. The show opened October 8 and runs through February 12, 2017.

Oakland Museum
All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50
http://museumca.org/exhibit/all-power-people-black-panthers-50



From the BPP 50th Commemoration and Celebration website:

Where Do We Go From Here?

October 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party. An ad hoc committee of former members of the Party is hosting events commemorating the anniversary from October 20-23 rd in Oakland, California.

The theme of our commemoration is “Where Do We Go From Here?” The Black Panther Party is well-known and admired in Oakland and around the world for its stand against police brutality, for its Survival Programs—which included free breakfast for school children and free health clinics—its coalitions with other people of color, and its effort to bring about revolutionary change in America. The anniversary events will explore and celebrate the history and legacy of the Black Panther Party.

We hope you will join us in commemorating this historic 50th anniversary by participating in the various workshops and panels of the conference, enjoying our wonderful dinner and gala, advertising in our souvenir program book. Below are an overview of the conference and gala schedule and links to more information, ticket purchasing and advertising.

October 20, 2016
 
11:00 am – 8:00 pm, Oscar Grant (City Hall) Plaza (vendors/music)
  11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Oakland Museum of California (panels/workshops/film/exhibits)
October 21, 2016  
 
11:00 am – 8:00 pm, Oscar Grant (City Hall) Plaza (vendors/music)  
  11:00 am – 9:00 pm, Oakland Museum of California (panels/workshops/film/exhibits, music, food)
October 22, 2016  
 
11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Oscar Grant (City Hall) Plaza (vendors/music)
  11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Oakland Museum of California (panels/workshops/film/exhibits)
  7:00 pm – 11:00 pm, Oakland Museum of California Garden: Commemoration Gala Dinner,“ an evening under the stars.”


October 23, 2016
 
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Bobby Hutton Grove (DeFremery Park), dedication of Bobby Hutton Grove, music, basketball tournament, 500 free bags of groceries.

http://www.bpp50th.com



Some past Black Panther coverage on Indybay:

Black Panther Party Celebrates 40th Reunion in Oakland
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/19/18312559.php

Black Panthers History "Honoring Huey P. Newton", Berkeley, 2/22/09: photos & audio
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/23/18572811.php

Lil' Bobby Hutton Day, West Oakland, 4/11/09: photos
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/12/18588322.php

Lil' Bobby Hutton Day, West Oakland, 4/11/09: audio
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/13/18588358.php

Commemoration Committee for the Black Panther Party tabled at Indybay's 10th anniversary
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/11/19/18664619.php#18664630

Black Panther table at the 9th Annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/02/18599948.php#18599958

Media, Revolution, and the Black Panther Party — Kiilu Nyasha Interview
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/05/18586199.php
§More faces can be seen without the fists in the air
by Dave Id
sm_blackpantherparty-50th-oakland_20161026_002.jpg
§Black Panter Party, 1966-2016
by Dave Id
bpp50th-logo_sm.png
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network