You can jail revolutionaries but you can't jail a revolution
February 17, 2016 6:36 PM Subscribe
The first feature-length documentary to shed light on the Black Panther Party — and all its reviled, adored, misunderstood, and mythologized history. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is now streaming online.
MoJo: This New Film Will Change the Way You Think About the Black Panthers
People don't understand that the Panthers had allies across the anti-war movement, the student movement, the women's movement. People also don't understand how young the Panthers were—basically teenagers. And that they were over 50 percent women. You'd like to have a picture of the black man with his arms crossed holding a gun, but women have such a huge role in the party.
WaPo: Fifty years later, America still can’t understand the Black Panthers
There’s a strong tendency in American politics to want people and organizations to be judged good or bad, to feed their best and worst deeds through some sort of formula that will spit out a clear-cut verdict. “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” asks audiences to do something entirely different, and to consider that the party could have been many things to many people simultaneously: the source of vital “survival programs”; a militant organization intent on waging war with the cops; and the object of extraordinary government persecution.
Vox: The most radical thing the Black Panthers did was give kids free breakfast
Daily Beast: Ex-Black Panther Leader Elaine Brown Slams Stanley Nelson’s ‘Condemnable’ Documentary
...as a former leader of the Party, I assert authority to state that Stanley Nelson ultimately debases the Party, which history will substantiate was, to this very day, the greatest effort for freedom ever made by Africans lost in America. Nelson does this by excising from his film the Party’s ideological foundation and political strategies, despite the wealth of published materials articulating the Party’s goals and ideals, reducing our activities to sensationalist engagements, as snatched from establishment media headlines.
Choosing the Music for the Black Panthers Documentary
Viewing discussion guide (pdf)
FanFare, previously
MoJo: This New Film Will Change the Way You Think About the Black Panthers
People don't understand that the Panthers had allies across the anti-war movement, the student movement, the women's movement. People also don't understand how young the Panthers were—basically teenagers. And that they were over 50 percent women. You'd like to have a picture of the black man with his arms crossed holding a gun, but women have such a huge role in the party.
WaPo: Fifty years later, America still can’t understand the Black Panthers
There’s a strong tendency in American politics to want people and organizations to be judged good or bad, to feed their best and worst deeds through some sort of formula that will spit out a clear-cut verdict. “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” asks audiences to do something entirely different, and to consider that the party could have been many things to many people simultaneously: the source of vital “survival programs”; a militant organization intent on waging war with the cops; and the object of extraordinary government persecution.
Vox: The most radical thing the Black Panthers did was give kids free breakfast
Daily Beast: Ex-Black Panther Leader Elaine Brown Slams Stanley Nelson’s ‘Condemnable’ Documentary
...as a former leader of the Party, I assert authority to state that Stanley Nelson ultimately debases the Party, which history will substantiate was, to this very day, the greatest effort for freedom ever made by Africans lost in America. Nelson does this by excising from his film the Party’s ideological foundation and political strategies, despite the wealth of published materials articulating the Party’s goals and ideals, reducing our activities to sensationalist engagements, as snatched from establishment media headlines.
Choosing the Music for the Black Panthers Documentary
Viewing discussion guide (pdf)
FanFare, previously
Watched this on 'Independent Lens' last night, excellent footage.
posted by clavdivs at 7:53 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by clavdivs at 7:53 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I started doubting the mainstream-culture's vilification of the BPs when an "elder rights" group emerged in the early '70s called The Grey Panthers. I knew these old folks weren't going to kill us in our homes, so why would they emulate the name of a group that would?
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:56 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:56 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Thanks. For those who think Black Panthers = violent White people haters, well, no.
Those white people (Weathermen) who blew up themselves--and a few others--were violent. And misguided. The Panthers always had a reasonable platform, as I remember. Some individual Panthers went off the track in later years, sure.
Looking forward to seeing the film. I had a Black Panther roommate in college. He was a teen football player, and a Panther. He was a hell of a guy.
posted by kozad at 7:58 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Those white people (Weathermen) who blew up themselves--and a few others--were violent. And misguided. The Panthers always had a reasonable platform, as I remember. Some individual Panthers went off the track in later years, sure.
Looking forward to seeing the film. I had a Black Panther roommate in college. He was a teen football player, and a Panther. He was a hell of a guy.
posted by kozad at 7:58 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
And highly relevant to current debates - it gets into Ronald Reagan enacting gun control legislation in California...because black people acted in self-defence.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:12 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:12 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I watched this over the weekend and it was excellent. I now find myself having to relearn pretty much everything I thought I knew about the Black Panthers (which wasn't a lot to begin with). Just a really great show with so much relevancy to our society right now, in 2016.
posted by triggerfinger at 8:51 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by triggerfinger at 8:51 PM on February 17, 2016
Damn it, Region locked. Anyone know of a stream view-able from Canada?
posted by Mitheral at 9:01 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by Mitheral at 9:01 PM on February 17, 2016
Maybe try PBS Anywhere? (via @StanleyNelson1)
posted by triggerfinger at 9:22 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by triggerfinger at 9:22 PM on February 17, 2016
It seems that PBS Anywhere (at least on iOS) requires a login to the US iTunes store, which doesn't work with a Canadian account.
That said, it's available for purchase or rental off iTunes if it coms to that, and if you use iTunes.
I saw it at the Hot Docs cinema in Toronto - it's worth paying to see, and at least a bit of that cash goes back to the filmmakers.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:08 PM on February 17, 2016
That said, it's available for purchase or rental off iTunes if it coms to that, and if you use iTunes.
I saw it at the Hot Docs cinema in Toronto - it's worth paying to see, and at least a bit of that cash goes back to the filmmakers.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:08 PM on February 17, 2016
I am so excited this documentary is out and there's so much discussion about it. Like many White people, I grew up with the impression the Black Panthers were terrorists, the Black equivalent of the KKK. I didn't start questioning this until my 20s, and I didn't appreciate the full measure of my ignorance until I watched Eyes on the Prize and realized exactly how wrong I was. One of the side-effects of the USA's highly segregated society is that different races grow up believing different truths, and the divide is so wide and the belief so fundamental that each cannot conceptualize that the other might think any different.
Anyway, I am looking forward to watching this. It's my understanding that a major reason the BPP turned more militant and eventually fell apart was because the FBI had infiltrated them and were actively working to destroy them from the inside. I would like to know more about that.
posted by Anonymous at 10:15 PM on February 17, 2016
Anyway, I am looking forward to watching this. It's my understanding that a major reason the BPP turned more militant and eventually fell apart was because the FBI had infiltrated them and were actively working to destroy them from the inside. I would like to know more about that.
posted by Anonymous at 10:15 PM on February 17, 2016
If you're interested in the Panthers, I highly highly recommend Judy Juanita's book 'Virgin Soul.' It's a very-slightly fictionalized autobiographical account of being in the panthers during its early days.
posted by kaibutsu at 11:40 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by kaibutsu at 11:40 PM on February 17, 2016
When I came to the Bay Area I tried to go on one of the Black Panther historical tours. Every white person I talked to thought I was nuts to be interested in "those terrorists". I got a more positive reaction when I looked for the Manson house and Jim Jones' headquarters.
posted by benzenedream at 12:04 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by benzenedream at 12:04 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you want to read the history of the Panthers, Black Against Empire is recent, thorough, and eminently readable. I'm currently making my way through it and will watch the documentary when I'm done.
posted by graymouser at 2:40 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by graymouser at 2:40 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's my understanding that a major reason the BPP turned more militant and eventually fell apart was because the FBI had infiltrated them and were actively working to destroy them from the inside. I would like to know more about that.
Yes, they go into this quite a bit. J Edgar Hoover was truly, truly awful. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I thought they touched on his treatment of the BPP in the biopic about him a few years back (I could be wrong though - it's been awhile). I may have to rewatch it.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:08 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes, they go into this quite a bit. J Edgar Hoover was truly, truly awful. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I thought they touched on his treatment of the BPP in the biopic about him a few years back (I could be wrong though - it's been awhile). I may have to rewatch it.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:08 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
No Black Panther post is complete without That Party at Lenny's. (Revisted here)
posted by BWA at 5:08 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by BWA at 5:08 AM on February 18, 2016
“Vanguard of the Revolution” is Liberal History, Strips and Omits Socialism from History of the Black Panther Party
That Elaine Brown op-ed is weak sauce. If anything, the documentary goes too light on Huey (in light of his later unfortunate activities).
posted by Noisy Pink Bubbles at 5:18 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
That Elaine Brown op-ed is weak sauce. If anything, the documentary goes too light on Huey (in light of his later unfortunate activities).
posted by Noisy Pink Bubbles at 5:18 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Strongly seconding Black Against Empire. A well-researched and fascinating look at the ideology, evolution, successes, and failures of the movement. Wittingly or not, it also reveals how little has changed in the issues facing communities of color.
posted by underthehat at 6:31 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by underthehat at 6:31 AM on February 18, 2016
10 points.
The Black Panthers: Ten Point Program
1. WE WANT FREEDOM. WE WANT POWER TO DETERMINE THE
DESTINY OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
We believe that Black and oppressed people will not be free until we are able to determine our destinies in our own communities ourselves, by fully controlling all the institutions which exist in our communities.
2. WE WANT FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE.
We believe that the federal government is responsible and obligated to give every person employment or a guaranteed income. We believe that if the American businessmen will not give full employment, then the technology and means of production should be taken from the businessmen and placed in the community so that the people of the community can organize and employ all of its people and give a high standard of living.
3. WE WANT AN END TO THE ROBBERY BY THE CAPITALISTS OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
We believe that this racist government has robbed us and now we are demanding the overdue debt of forty acres and two mules. Forty acres and two mules were promised 100 years ago as restitution for slave labor and mass murder of Black people. We will accept the payment in currency which will be distributed to our many communities. The American racist has taken part in the slaughter of our fifty million Black people. Therefore, we feel this is a modest demand that we make.
4. WE WANT DECENT HOUSING, FIT FOR THE SHELTER OF HUMAN BEINGS.
We believe that if the landlords will not give decent housing to our Black and oppressed communities, then housing and the land should be made into cooperatives so that the people in our communities, with government aid, can build and make decent housing for the people.
5. WE WANT DECENT EDUCATION FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT EXPOSES THE TRUE NATURE OF THIS DECADENT AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE WANT EDUCATION THAT TEACHES US OUR TRUE HISTORY AND OUR ROLE IN THE PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY.
We believe in an educational system that will give to our people a knowledge of the self. If you do not have knowledge of yourself and your position in the society and in the world, then you will have little chance to know anything else.
6. WE WANT COMPLETELY FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE.
We believe that the government must provide, free of charge, for the people, health facilities which will not only treat our illnesses, most of which have come about as a result of our oppression, but which will also develop preventive medical programs to guarantee our future survival. We believe that mass health education and research programs must be developed to give all Black and oppressed people access to advanced scientific and medical information, so we may provide our selves with proper medical attention and care.
7. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND MURDER OF BLACK PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALL OPPRESSED PEOPLE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
We believe that the racist and fascist government of the United States uses its domestic enforcement agencies to carry out its program of oppression against black people, other people of color and poor people inside the united States. We believe it is our right, therefore, to defend ourselves against such armed forces and that all Black and oppressed people should be armed for self defense of our homes and communities against these fascist police forces.
8. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL WARS OF AGGRESSION.
We believe that the various conflicts which exist around the world stem directly from the aggressive desire of the United States ruling circle and government to force its domination upon the oppressed people of the world. We believe that if the United States government or its lackeys do not cease these aggressive wars it is the right of the people to defend themselves by any means necessary against their aggressors.
9. WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE NOW HELD IN U. S. FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, CITY AND MILITARY PRISONS AND JAILS. WE WANT TRIALS BY A JURY OF PEERS FOR All PERSONS CHARGED WITH SO-CALLED CRIMES UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.
We believe that the many Black and poor oppressed people now held in United States prisons and jails have not received fair and impartial trials under a racist and fascist judicial system and should be free from incarceration. We believe in the ultimate elimination of all wretched, inhuman penal institutions, because the masses of men and women imprisoned inside the United States or by the United States military are the victims of oppressive conditions which are the real cause of their imprisonment. We believe that when persons are brought to trial they must be guaranteed, by the United States, juries of their peers, attorneys of their choice and freedom from imprisonment while awaiting trial.
10. WE WANT LAND, BREAD, HOUSING, EDUCATION, CLOTHING, JUSTICE, PEACE AND PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CONTROL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind are most disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpation, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
posted by eustatic at 7:07 AM on February 18, 2016 [7 favorites]
The Black Panthers: Ten Point Program
1. WE WANT FREEDOM. WE WANT POWER TO DETERMINE THE
DESTINY OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
We believe that Black and oppressed people will not be free until we are able to determine our destinies in our own communities ourselves, by fully controlling all the institutions which exist in our communities.
2. WE WANT FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE.
We believe that the federal government is responsible and obligated to give every person employment or a guaranteed income. We believe that if the American businessmen will not give full employment, then the technology and means of production should be taken from the businessmen and placed in the community so that the people of the community can organize and employ all of its people and give a high standard of living.
3. WE WANT AN END TO THE ROBBERY BY THE CAPITALISTS OF OUR BLACK AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
We believe that this racist government has robbed us and now we are demanding the overdue debt of forty acres and two mules. Forty acres and two mules were promised 100 years ago as restitution for slave labor and mass murder of Black people. We will accept the payment in currency which will be distributed to our many communities. The American racist has taken part in the slaughter of our fifty million Black people. Therefore, we feel this is a modest demand that we make.
4. WE WANT DECENT HOUSING, FIT FOR THE SHELTER OF HUMAN BEINGS.
We believe that if the landlords will not give decent housing to our Black and oppressed communities, then housing and the land should be made into cooperatives so that the people in our communities, with government aid, can build and make decent housing for the people.
5. WE WANT DECENT EDUCATION FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT EXPOSES THE TRUE NATURE OF THIS DECADENT AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE WANT EDUCATION THAT TEACHES US OUR TRUE HISTORY AND OUR ROLE IN THE PRESENT-DAY SOCIETY.
We believe in an educational system that will give to our people a knowledge of the self. If you do not have knowledge of yourself and your position in the society and in the world, then you will have little chance to know anything else.
6. WE WANT COMPLETELY FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE.
We believe that the government must provide, free of charge, for the people, health facilities which will not only treat our illnesses, most of which have come about as a result of our oppression, but which will also develop preventive medical programs to guarantee our future survival. We believe that mass health education and research programs must be developed to give all Black and oppressed people access to advanced scientific and medical information, so we may provide our selves with proper medical attention and care.
7. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND MURDER OF BLACK PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALL OPPRESSED PEOPLE INSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
We believe that the racist and fascist government of the United States uses its domestic enforcement agencies to carry out its program of oppression against black people, other people of color and poor people inside the united States. We believe it is our right, therefore, to defend ourselves against such armed forces and that all Black and oppressed people should be armed for self defense of our homes and communities against these fascist police forces.
8. WE WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL WARS OF AGGRESSION.
We believe that the various conflicts which exist around the world stem directly from the aggressive desire of the United States ruling circle and government to force its domination upon the oppressed people of the world. We believe that if the United States government or its lackeys do not cease these aggressive wars it is the right of the people to defend themselves by any means necessary against their aggressors.
9. WE WANT FREEDOM FOR ALL BLACK AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE NOW HELD IN U. S. FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, CITY AND MILITARY PRISONS AND JAILS. WE WANT TRIALS BY A JURY OF PEERS FOR All PERSONS CHARGED WITH SO-CALLED CRIMES UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.
We believe that the many Black and poor oppressed people now held in United States prisons and jails have not received fair and impartial trials under a racist and fascist judicial system and should be free from incarceration. We believe in the ultimate elimination of all wretched, inhuman penal institutions, because the masses of men and women imprisoned inside the United States or by the United States military are the victims of oppressive conditions which are the real cause of their imprisonment. We believe that when persons are brought to trial they must be guaranteed, by the United States, juries of their peers, attorneys of their choice and freedom from imprisonment while awaiting trial.
10. WE WANT LAND, BREAD, HOUSING, EDUCATION, CLOTHING, JUSTICE, PEACE AND PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CONTROL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind are most disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpation, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
posted by eustatic at 7:07 AM on February 18, 2016 [7 favorites]
previously: agnès varda's 1968 black panthers documentary
posted by kliuless at 8:22 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by kliuless at 8:22 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
I thought this was fantastic. If you liked it, I highly recommend seeking out The Black Power Mixtape, which is a little less of a PBS style historical documentary and more impressionistic.
posted by vibrotronica at 9:16 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by vibrotronica at 9:16 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther.
Fred Hampton got his start protesting the the segregation of local public pools in Maywood, IL. The main park in Maywood is now home to the Fred Hampton Aquatic Center, with bust of Fred out front. The not for profit I'm involved with is just down the street. We still fight for opportunities for kids. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
posted by readery at 6:41 PM on February 18, 2016 [5 favorites]
Fred Hampton got his start protesting the the segregation of local public pools in Maywood, IL. The main park in Maywood is now home to the Fred Hampton Aquatic Center, with bust of Fred out front. The not for profit I'm involved with is just down the street. We still fight for opportunities for kids. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
posted by readery at 6:41 PM on February 18, 2016 [5 favorites]
Congratulations Albert Woodfox!
posted by butterstick at 9:42 PM on February 19, 2016
posted by butterstick at 9:42 PM on February 19, 2016
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posted by -t at 7:02 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]