Lynn reviewed Black Panthers by Peniel E. Joseph
Review of 'Black Panthers' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
"The party was created fifty years ago to combat, with arms if necessary, police brutality in African American communities," writes the editor in conclusion. But they went far beyond that, offering needed services to the community (in one city, free ambulances!) and forming alliances that cut across race to stand up against the oppression confronting not only black people but Native Americans, other minorities and the poor of all races. What this group of mostly 15-25 year olds accomplished is quite amazing. Even more amazing is the vicious war that was waged against them by the US government - the details of which caused widespread outrage when they came to public attention. "We were children," Thomas McCreary recalls, "and they moved on us like we were North Vietnam." Lest we think such things impossible today, some of these tactics are now employed against Black Lives Matter activists.
This series of …
"The party was created fifty years ago to combat, with arms if necessary, police brutality in African American communities," writes the editor in conclusion. But they went far beyond that, offering needed services to the community (in one city, free ambulances!) and forming alliances that cut across race to stand up against the oppression confronting not only black people but Native Americans, other minorities and the poor of all races. What this group of mostly 15-25 year olds accomplished is quite amazing. Even more amazing is the vicious war that was waged against them by the US government - the details of which caused widespread outrage when they came to public attention. "We were children," Thomas McCreary recalls, "and they moved on us like we were North Vietnam." Lest we think such things impossible today, some of these tactics are now employed against Black Lives Matter activists.
This series of interviews with mostly lesser-known 'foot soldiers' from various parts of the country recalls what life was like for these young activists, what motivated them, and how their later lives have been shaped by those years. A fascinating glimpse into a group still widely misunderstood.
