One of the many unfortunate revelations during the Black Lives Matter protest movement is realizing that much of our education has been whitewashed. Very often, white men in history are portrayed to be heroes. Instead, they’re just the opposite. While people have been protesting controversial figures like Christopher Columbus for years, he’s not the only one who’s story has been butchered.
It also goes the opposite way. Back in the day, many people were taught to fear those who looked different, despite the goodness of their mission.
That’s why it’s important for every student to learn about the Black Panthers. While most of us have heard about them in passing, they were much more important than many credit them for. Right now, Black people aren’t fighting for their rights for the first time. This has been an ongoing battle. And, the Black Panthers helped move things along decades ago. However, their story was likely omitted in history class.
Many people may not realize how recent the Black Panthers were organized. Known officially as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, they were officially founded in 1966, in Oakland, California. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale were the two men who started it. They were encouraged shortly after the assassination of Malcolm X.
It started as a way to help patrol predominantly Black neighborhoods from police brutality. But, it grew into so much more. After feeling confident as an organization, their mission became more political.
They were soon known as a Marxist revolutionary group. The Marxist movement was created by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They believed that capitalism only works if it means exploiting the talent and time of the working class. All in all, Marxists are against capitalism, and view the world as “them” versus “us.” For those who’ve ever worked in menial jobs with little pay, the concept makes a lot of sense.
Source : https://www.littlethings.com/black-panthers-history/