Influence of the Black Panthers

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  • 'The Black Panthers achieved little of note.' How far do you agree with this view? (20 marks)
    • Thesis: The Black Panthers achieved little of note
      • Political and social independence
        • Failed to solve ghetto problems, but they were probably insoluble given white unwillingness to fund improvements
      • Self-defence perceived as violence
        • Alienated allies/ thwarted further progression of civil rights
          • Alienated women through allegations of sexism
            • Huey P. Newton/ Bobby Seale
        • Cesar Chavez was more like King - shows the failures of radicalisation
        • Unrealistic in 'revolutionary' ideals
        • Hostility from white authorities/ white liberal funding/ Nixon administration
          • Targeted heavily by the FBI e.g. the Chicago Eight (conspired a race riot at the DNC in 1968)
      • Confusion over definition
      • Declined by the early 1970s
      • Poorly organised
    • Antithesis
      • Meant different things to different people "deliberate attempt to make it ambiguous.. so that it meant everything to everybody"
      • Achievements were symbolic rather than substantive
        • Racial pride
          • Encouraged college courses on black history and culture
          • Inspired Red Power/ Feminism/ Chicano movement
      • Encouraged white support of affirmative action
      • Excelled in practical help: 40 clinics on health, welfare and legal rights. Breakfast programmes for poor black schoolchildren/  awareness for sickle cell anaemia
        • 1969 - Liberation School (summer school for black kids in Berkeley) sub. in NY/Philadelphia
      • Police brutality
        • Presented a strong.fearless backlash (self defence, uniforms, rhetoric)
        • Media attention
    • Introduction
      • Aims: full employment, decent housing, black education, worldwide working-class struggle, reparations, self-determination, end to police brutality, ghetto improvements
      • Large influence despite 5,000 members
  • Black Power was successful
    • Black Power was unsuccessful

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