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Who started the Black Panther Party?

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Students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in Oakland, California, in 1966; the group later shortened its name to the Black Panther Party. The two men adopted Malcolm X’s slogan “Freedom by any means necessary.” The Black Panthers also drew inspiration from Stokely Carmichael, a Black nationalist leader. He coined the phrase “Black Power,” which became the group’s rallying cry, and in 1965 he founded a political party that had a black panther as its emblem. The Black Panthers later adopted that image.

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What was the Black Panther Party?

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The Black Panther Party was an African American revolutionary organization that was formed in 1966 and reached its heyday a few years later. Its initial purpose was to patrol Black neighborhoods to protect residents from police brutality. It later evolved into a Marxist group that called for, among other things, the arming of all African Americans, the release of all Black prisoners, and the payment of compensation to African Americans for centuries of exploitation. It was also notable for its various social programs, such as free breakfasts for children, and medical clinics.

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