Books about the Black Panthers
October 18, 2020 7:33 PM   Subscribe

After learning about the history of the free breakfast program, and looking forward to Judas the Black Messiah, I'd like to learn more about the history of the Black Panthers. Searching for good books about this is somewhat complicated by items and information about Black Panther the Marvel character - which is great, but not what I am looking for. What are great books about the history of the Black Panther movement in the US?

Interested in biographies, popular histories, works written recently, and works written contemporaneously with the development of the movement. Also helpful would be which authors to look for. I am interested in their contribution to civil rights, civic life, and persecution by the US government.
posted by jeoc to Society & Culture (7 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
A Taste of Power is extremely readable, thoughtful and engaging, and covers a wide swath of Panther history, especially later Panther history that's not always discussed in other sources. Elaine Brown was accused of inaccuracy when it was published. Like most memoirs there is a self-serving component, and the accuracy issue is further complicated by the reality that an alumna of an armed revolutionary formation, there's no way should could be completely accurate. But it's still my 'favorite' work on the Black Panther Party.

Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party is an anthology so kind of uneven but had some really terrific essays. You might get from the library and skim for the chapters your most drawn to.

Black Panther is a terrific collection of the work of Emory Douglas who did a lot of the art and graphic design for the Black Panther newspaper. You can see articles and graphics of the time. If you can find a copy of Pirkle Jones' California Photographs, there are some great documentary photos. You might also enjoy Agnes Varda's Black Panthers.

Bobby Seal & Huey Newton both wrote memoirs that are also, somewhat self serving, but also worth reading if you want to really immerse yourself in the topic. Like I didn't love either book but they give you a good sense of being immersed in the moment. These are called Revolutionary Suicide & Seize the Time.

I haven't read Alondra Nelson's book on the Black Panther Party health programs but just following her online presence she wrote what looks like a really interesting book on their medical programs and their fight against medical discrimination.
posted by latkes at 8:10 PM on October 18, 2020 [2 favorites]




Living for the City by Donna Murch
posted by cushie at 8:14 PM on October 18, 2020


I guess I'll add that I recognize Ward Churchill is.. controversial.. and I'm not clear on how he's viewed by American Indian activists or by scholars at this point. But I found Agents of Repression to be a life-changing work on the history of the COINTELPRO program and counter-intelligence programs against members of the Black Panther Party were explored deeply in this book.
posted by latkes at 8:17 PM on October 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'd add Assata, the biography of Assata Skakur. Because of the government's crackdown on the Black Panthers, many members formed the Black Liberation Army because there was no other option for them at the time.
posted by perhapses at 8:38 PM on October 18, 2020 [1 favorite]


Not what you asked for, but there is a lot of great live footage in Agnes Varda's Black Panthers. This isn't the greatest quality, but it's free. Better quality on The Criterion Channel
posted by Duffington at 9:04 AM on October 19, 2020


I'm currently reading Revolutionary Suicide by Huey P Newton, which I was inspired to read by Spike Lee's film, A Huey P Newton Story, which is based on a play. It's good so far!
posted by RedEmma at 12:10 PM on October 19, 2020


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