HSESI Scholar Series: Teaching the Black Panther Party Legacy

Teaching the Black Party Panther Legacy with Ula Y. Taylor and Waldo E. Martin

Think about what the needs in the community of which you are part, because I think that can then be the basis of you crafting sort of, you know, programs, you know outreach efforts to try to build upon that kind of legacy.

Professor Waldo Martin

Event Description

On October 23, 2023, the High School Ethnic Studies Initiative (HSESI) team and the Multicultural Community Center at UC Berkeley hosted the first event in the UCB-HSESI scholar series.

Teaching the Black Panther Party Legacy is a panel discussion featuring Professors Ula Taylor and Waldo Martin, scholars on Black Panther Party history. This discussion will provide insights on incorporating the Party's history and enduring lessons into today's academic landscape, especially into Ethnic Studies courses

Panel

The Black Panther Party is against oppression. If you connect with the party on that level, it would be very hard for students to not understand why you are in a good position to help them learn about it.

Ula Taylor

"Freedom! The Story of the Black Panther Party" by Jetta Grace Martin, Joshua Bloom, and Waldo E. Martin Jr.

From the authors of the acclaimed book, Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party, and introducing new talent Jetta Grace Martin, comes the story of the Panthers for younger readers—meticulously researched, thrillingly told, and filled with incredible photographs throughout.

"The Revolution Has Come: Black Power, Gender and the Black Panther Party in Oakland"

In The Revolution Has Come, Robyn C. Spencer traces the Black Panther Party's evolution in Oakland, California. Challenging the belief that the Panthers were a projection of the leadership, Spencer draws on interviews with rank-and-file members, FBI files, and archival materials to examine the impact the organization's internal politics and COINTELPRO's political repression had on its evolution and dissolution. Spencer centers the experiences and contributions of women to the Panthers and the Black Power movement as a whole. Read more

"Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party"

It’s estimated that six out of ten Panther Party members were women. These remarkable women were regularly making headlines agitating, protesting, and organizing. Off-stage, they were building communities and enacting social justice, providing food, housing, education, healthcare, and more. Comrade Sisters is their story. The book combines photos by Stephen Shames and text by Ericka Huggins and includes contributions from over 50 former women members – some well-known, others not – who vividly recall their personal experiences from that time. Other texts include a foreword by Angela Davis and an afterword by Alicia Garza.

"Black Against Empire" by Waldo E. Martin Jr. and Joshua Bloom

Black Against Empire is the first comprehensive overview and analysis of the history and politics of the Black Panther Party. The authors analyze key political questions, such as why so many young black people across the country risked their lives for the revolution, why the Party grew most rapidly during the height of repression, and why allies abandoned the Party at its peak of influence. Informed by twelve years of meticulous archival research, as well as familiarity with most of the former Party leadership and many rank-and-file members, this book is the definitive history of one of the greatest challenges ever posed to American state power.

Selecting Black Panther Party Community Initiatives for Classroom Instruction

Professors Waldo Martin and Ula Taylor talk about how they integrate Black Panther Party (BPP) community programs and initiatives into their teaching. Oftentimes, the Black Panther Party filled gaps left by state and local governments. Discussing such initiatives helps instructors clearly define BPP’s legacy and encourages students to look at the needs of their communities. Additionally, this portrayal of BPP can inspire students to become active members of their communities.

(Around 14:00) Whatever the needs were of communities, the Panthers organized to meet their needs. For example, communities needed an ambulance because people could not get to the hospital in time, in response, BPP wrote some grants and got an ambulance. Using the teachings of the BPP, students can be encouraged to see what the needs are in their community and understand that their civic action can be a way in which to, if not fill in a void, at least expose it and inspire people to fix the situation- Ula Taylor
(Around 13:00) The Free Breakfast for Children Program was pioneered by the Black Panther Party, to provide free breakfast to school children from low-income families. This type of community activism forced state and federal governments to address that school children were hungry in the morning, which BPP was able to do with significantly fewer resources. - Ula Taylor
(Around 18:00) “Think about what are the needs in the community of which you are part because I think that can then be the basis of you crafting sort of, you know, programs, you know outreach efforts to try to build upon that kind of legacy” - Waldo Martin
(Around 20:00) I think conversations about tactics and strategies from the past are important and that they can help shape, you know, what people in this generation are trying to do, but they cannot be prescriptive. What you’re doing today has to fit the context within which you find yourself. - Waldo Martin

Teaching Black Panther Party Solidarity and Coalition-Building Strategies

The Black Panther Party (BPP) emphasized solidarity and coalition-building, by uniting people across racial and class lines, to address social challenges, especially in underserved communities. They extended their solidarity efforts internationally by aligning with movements dedicated to global liberation, combating systemic oppression, addressing poverty, fighting racism, and promoting unity. Professors Ula Taylor and Waldo Martin discuss how educators can teach these strategies to students through audio, images, and films. This includes examining the BPP's use of music as an influential tool to foster unity and effectively communicate its message to different audiences.

(Around 30:00) The Black Panther Party was committed to working across all kinds of boundaries trying to push forward a progressive agenda. And they were never a separatist organization in the sense that some Black revolutionary organizations were. - Waldo Martin
(Around 33:00) These radical groups worked across all different kinds of boundaries. Something that would really excite students to see is that there’s a lot of visual evidence. - Waldo Martin
(Around 35:00) BPP also understood the power of the cultural moment and they infused it in their music, song, and artistry. Exposing students to the power of political culture in the party will excite them. - Ula Taylor

A Comprehensive and Personalized Approach to Teaching the Black Panther Party

Instructors should approach teaching the Black Panther Party as an integral part of U.S. history, emphasizing BPP's commitment to human dignity and liberation. Instructors can enhance BPP as a teaching subject by relating BPP's history to their personal experiences, building relatable connections for students. In addition, teachers should emphasize empathy and authenticity when teaching about communities different from their own. If instructors encounter discomfort while teaching this material, addressing these feelings openly is preferable to overlooking them. This approach fosters a comprehensive and inclusive educational environment.

(Around 44:00) Teachers should see the history of the Black Panther Party as U.S. history, and global history. BPP’s history is open and so you come to it with what you have through the window of your experience. There is a core of humanism to the party and that is what you should be able to teach. - Waldo Martin
(Around 48:00) You have to have knowledge, sympathy, and empathy. If you have these kinds of qualities and can demonstrate them, students will pick up on that. It’s not always easy but if you are genuine in your commitment people will recognize that. Be true to yourself. - Waldo Martin
(Around 50:00) Sometimes I feel uncomfortable in the classroom but I try to address the elephant in the room right away as opposed to pretending like it’s not in the room. - Ula Taylor
(Around 50:00) The Black Panther Party is against oppression. If you connect with the party on that level, it would be very hard for students to not understand why you are in a good position to help them learn about it. - Ula Taylor
(Around 52:00) You can always bring in guest speakers. Most of these communities have people who may have been at the party. One of the things about Berkeley that’s always amazing is that people will tell me about personal stories from the communities relating to political movements.

Teaching Complexity for Accuracy, Hope and Healing

When exploring situations that address the intricate and nuanced history of BPP, it's helpful for educators to engage students in reflecting on their personal complexities. Doing so encourages a deeper understanding of the Party's multifaceted impact on society. By drawing parallels between student's lives and the complexities of BPP, educators can help students understand at a deeper level the revolutionary role the Party played in history. By accurately incorporating the complexity of history, instructors can generate a sense of hope and healing in the classroom.

(Around 01:19:00) I ask my students to be self-reflective. I want them to understand that they have things that they don’t want other people to know and that there are ways they can center themselves because it makes them look good. Just in the way that you’re complex, these figures and movements are complex. - Ula Taylor
(Around 01:20:00) I still love you with all your complexity. I still respect you with all your complexity. I know that you have something that’s going to transform the world with all of your complexity. So let’s look at these figures in a comparable way. - Ula Taylor
(Around 01:21:00) I don’t sugarcoat it. I don’t try to make it something it’s not. I don’t know of any historical figure who is not flawed. I don’t know any movement that’s not flawed. Imperfect people make movements and do what they can do within their constraints. Another way to think about it is that the party is all the people who made the party. - Waldo Martin
(Around 01:24:00) I don’t think you can have hope and healing unless you understand something about history. I think a true, accurate rendering of history and engagement with history is fundamental to any kind of hope and healing. - Waldo Martin