Summary
Summary BPP/BPM Essays
- Course
- History
- Institution
- 12th Grade
Essays I wrote on BPP/BPM that can be used for paper 2.
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The Black Panther Party was solely responsible for the emergence of ‘Black Power’ in the USA in the1960’s.
Do you agree with this statement?
One would disagree that the Black Panther Party was the sole reason for the emergence of the Black
Power movement, for it is under the Black Power Movement that the Black Panther Party was formed.
This essay will outline the philosophy and purpose of Black Power and the Black Panthers and how the
Black Panthers were not solely responsible for the emergence of Black Power.
Black Power is an ideology that encouraged African pride and solidarity. They believed in independence
of black communities from white communities and that black people should live a separate way of life.
The goal was to help black people become self-sufficient, with their own social institution and economy.
Black people were tired of oppression, and were angry with the oppressors. Supporters of the Black
Power Movement wanted change ‘by any means necessary’ - they wanted change quickly; for they felt
that CRM was too slow.
The BPM emerged as African Americans became impatient with the effects of CRM. They felt that it was
too moderate and ineffective in protecting Black people from violence and oppression. African
Americans knew they could not rely on the police or the government to protect them – they were
compelled to protect and lead themselves. BPM emerged because African Americans were frustrated
with the way they were treated. They wanted civil rights, but were prepared to fight and die to achieve
it. This militant approach demanded that African Americans have protection of their own against police
brutality, thus the Black Panther Party had eventually filled this role.
The Black Panther Party was a political party founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Searle. This was a
militant group with the promise if defending black rights, by force if necessary. The BPP fought against
oppression and police brutality. They demanded political power for black people, black juries and black
control over their own communities. They also demanded equal job opportunities, housing and
education. They believed that African American history should be taught in schools. The BPP earned
respect in the ghettos as they created community programmes to help black communities – this
included literacy programmes and feeding schemes for children, as well as free healthcare in black
communities. The BPP patrolled these communities, armed with guns, and monitored police activity.
The powerful influence of the BPP lead them to become targeted by the FBI. They were completely
dissolved by the 1970’s, but had made a great difference in the lives of African Americans, for they
adopted Malcolm X's philosophies.
Malcolm X believed that violence was necessary to combat oppression. He openly expressed his
disagreement towards the CRM, claiming that it didn’t send a clear message to the oppressors. He
believed that black people should stand up to their oppressors – he believed that white people were the
enemy. Malcolm X preached black nationalism and independence, and that black people should be
assertive against violence to defend themselves. The philosophy of Malcolm X was the basis of BPM and
the purpose of the BPP. Stokely Carmichael, honourary prime minister of BPP, shared this philosophy.
Stokely Carmichael popularised the BPM when he became disillusioned with the ‘subservient’ approach
of MLK and the CRM. After the murder of James Meredith, Stokely Carmichael, chairman of the SNCC at
the time, had declared that ‘enough is enough’. He believed that CRM had failed to protect the lives of
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