"The Black Panthers Speak" ed. Phillip S. Foner
A short book review ...
 

This book is a collection of the most representative documents written by members of the Black Panthers. Foner allows the group to speak for themselves through their own writings from well-known Panthers like Fred Hampton, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, David Hillard, and female Panthers such as Afeni Shakur (Tupac Shakur's mother). The group is generally portrayed as armed racists bent on overthrowing the U.S. government but this book shatters those inaccuracies. The Black Panthers were in fact dedicated in building international solidarity with people of all colours. They were a grassroots movement that was dedicated in finding out what black communities needed for survival. They initiated many programs that looked to alleviate the problems in the ghettos (ie. free breakfast programs, health clinics, etc.). Lastly, the Panthers were armed for reasons of self-defense in order to protect their communities from racist police forces. Only an idiot would deny the overabundance of racist pigs that existed in those days. It's not this whole "He pulled me over" type of racism, these cops were on some serious KKK tip. All of the positive actions of the Black Panthers do not fit in the general image of the public, thus they are ignored by the elites that control the flow of information. The words of the Black Panthers show the passion and depth of their commitment to creating a just world. Of course, the New Black Panthers of today bare little resemblance to the one of the past. Today, it is just a party that seeks to hijack the name and reputation of the one in the past. It has been denounced by past members and it was independently formed. They have nothing to do with the old one. But, that's another topic that I don't want to get into.