Tag Archives: Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Preparing Black Children for a Career in Science
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Where’s Huey P. Newton When You Need Him?: How Would The Black Panther Party Have Reacted to the Coronavirus
Over fifty years after its genesis, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense reigns as Black America’s most memorable revolutionary group. For most, the Panther’s longevity flows from iconic imagery that never-fails to escape the limits of time. For an oppressed people starving for strong images, photos and footage of Black men resisting White oppression were intoxicating. There was no doubt that Panther co-founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale had issued a direct challenge to marauding Whites seeking to extend Black America’s misery and suffering.
Although the referenced iconic imagery ensures the Panthers omnipresent importance, it is proving to be a double-edged sword in the following manner. The admiration that Panther guns engender among supporters who continually reconstruct the organization in their minds has led to a cavernous hole in their understanding of Panther history. Such populations are quick to miss the crucial fact that the vaunted “Panther Patrols” — a program of Panther members patrolling police officers as they patrolled black communities — was only one of a series of community service activities. Panther Party community service activities ranged from free breakfast for children and grocery programs to the creation of sickle cell anemia testing/treatment centers.
There is no need to rehash the plentiful data regarding the disproportionate impact that the Coronavirus global pandemic is having on Black America. Ironically, the potential “hotspots” for future outbreaks are the same locations where many of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense’s local chapters were located. An understanding of Panther history leads my belief that it is time for Black America to follow the revolutionary example provided by Newton, Seale, Hutton, Pratt, Rush, and Hampton by ‘Seizing the Time’ and showing the power of the people by taking definitive steps to address this pandemic.
Just as Newton and Seale addressed Black America’s most pressing problems in an organized manner during the volatile 60’s protest era, contemporary Black Nationalists must take similar steps by educating and enforcing guidelines to prevent the Coronavirus spread among our community. Although such community service efforts are neither sensational nor lauded as the “Panther Patrols”, they are as integral to Black survival in this time of crisis as the Free Breakfast for Children, Ambulance service, Sickle-Cell Anemia Centers, and assisting the elderly within our community. According to Huey P. Newton, the Revolutionary’s sole objective is to serve the people.
If provided the opportunity, I would advise those seeking to walk in the footsteps of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense to abandon their fascination with the gun and paramilitary displays of machismo in favor of developing community service activities specifically designed to aid the community through this trying time. We can no longer afford to waste another moment mesmerized by romantic notions of a by-gone era. It is time that we recalibrate our strategies, tactics, and goals to fit this moment.
All Power to the People!!!!!!!!!
Dr. James Thomas Jones III
© Manhood, Race, and Culture 2020.
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How A Chance Encounter Increased My Understanding of The COINTELPRO: A Show of Respect for Timothy Hayes, Roderick Hughes, and Paul Stiner
I have learned that in this life, one never knows what the next moment will bring. I am sure that by the time we finish this race called life that we will be able to look back and attest to triumphs, challenges, successes, and failures. I pray that your recollections include a few people that impacted your viewpoints in a significant manner; the type of influence that makes you smile when you reflect on the wisdom that they graciously poured into you.
If nothing else, I hope that this post proves the importance of being open to the process of life because you just never know who you may meet.
Please bear with me as I attempt to smooth out a rather difficult story that revolves around two chance encounters that occurred nearly two decades apart, yet impacted my life in unimaginable ways. Although unconventional in nature, for any of this to make sense, I must speak about the most recent meeting before the latter meeting.
ENCOUNTERING TIMOTHY HAYES
It was a rather mundane day of social media engagement that exposed my “writings”, a derisive term that a brother named Timothy Hayes spewed my way. I remember the unexpected conflict as if it occurred yesterday.
Mr. Timothy Hayes issued a rather blunt rebuttal to a posting I made about Minister Louis Farrakhan. It may be the best-kept secret in the world that many writers, myself included, abhor criticism of our writings from what we view as a harsh, sometimes hostile, world. Any good writer will tell you that the writing process is akin to the birthing of a child and therefore our words are a never-ending representation of our being. So, I am certain that you will understand that “I felt some kind of way” when Mr. Hayes issued the following comment regarding the aforementioned posting.
Never has a man been so correct and so wrong at the exact same time.
Ouch!!!!!!!!!
As I am certain that you can imagine, this initial encounter turned into a drawn-out emotion-filled debate filled with many people who rushed to defend my post. In the throes of that impassioned discussion, I never imagined that I would later give thanks that my path crossed with Mr. Timothy Hayes.
Somewhere during the back-and-forth banter between several strong personalities, Mr. Hayes took center-stage in his signature prophetic style and offered an insightful political commentary that both illuminated his comment and amazingly won me over to his side.
My admiration and respect for Mr. Timothy Hayes skyrocketed to the point that I can unabashedly state that he is someone that I have come to admire. His expressions of wisdom are highly influential in the way that I view the world.
Over the course of several months, I learned that Mr. Hayes was a prominent member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, a group that served as the topic of my Doctoral Dissertation and initial book. I privately mused that I have found my way to a person who possesses the ability to fill in so many of the gaps in knowledge about the Black Panther Party. Timothy Hayes actually stood with Huey, Bobby, Eldridge, Geronimo, Fred, Assata, and a litany of other Black Power Era heroes. And if that were not enough, this brilliant brother knew Brother Malcolm in a substantive manner; this was the catalyst behind his initial comment regarding Minister Farrakhan. In many ways, Mr. Hayes is a much-needed signpost that I needed to regularly consult.
So, I was not surprised when I read a recent posting by Timothy Hayes regarding why he does not celebrate Kwanzaa. What follows is an excerpt of the alluded to posting.
WHY I WOULD NEVER CELEBRATE KWANZA AND WHY YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT …Today begins the so-called holiday known as Kwanza, a celebration that has no real roots in any African traditions, but many African Americans choose to observe it as an alternative to Xmas. That’s fine if it works for you. I however use this time every year to remember the lives of my two friends and fellow Black Panther Party members. John Huggins and “Bunchy” Carter. Who were killed on January 17th 1969 on the orders of a sadistic cult leader who also was a paid agent of the FBI.
This person Ron Karenga…known mostly today for inventing “Kwanza”…also was convicted of torturing two black women, Gail Davis and Deborah Jones, holding them for days beating them and at times using electrical cords and hot soldering irons burning them in private parts of their bodies. After serving only a short prison sentence, Karenga surfaced in Southern Calif. again with various Academic degrees he still can’t prove he earned.
Two members of the rival black nationalist group US (United Slaves founded by and controlled by Karenga ), brothers George and Larry Stiner were arrested for the shooting death of my friends…and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and second-degree murder. Both were sentenced to life. The Stiners escaped from San Quentin prison in 1974. Larry Stiner lived as a fugitive in South America for 20 years and then surrendered. George Stiner is still on the run.
My friend John Huggins of New HavenConn. was a wonderful man who took me to Calif. With Geronimo Pratt to train in the Black Panther Party. Bunchy Carter was a reformed gang leader who brought the first peace to the street gangs of Los Angeles. Bunchy helped set up a free shoes program, a free health clinic, and one of the first shelters for battered women in the state of Calif. As well as the Free Breakfast Program and other free food programs in the Los Angeles area.. Rather than observe Kwanza the holiday invented by the sick sadistic traitor Karenga I remember the lives of my friends. I have no problem with people who chose to observe Kwanza…but I also believe that what you don’t know CAN hurt you.
MEETING RODERICK HUGHES
While traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Houston, Texas, for a job interview at Prairie View A & M University I was forced to confront my fear of flying. As I stood along a wall awaiting what I considered the uncertainty of the pending flight, my mind busied itself with mundane tasks such as counting the squares on the carpet and how many people would board the plane. Of course, I counted how many Black people would be on this flight; there would be three of us (all males). I issued a quick petition to God to be seated next to one of the other brothers on the flight. As the familiar Gospel refrain goes, “He’s an on-time God, yes he is.” My prayer was granted, I sat next to Mr. Roderick Hughes.
Over the course of a few hours, I learned many things about Houston, Texas, and Prairie View A & M University from Mr. Hughes. Our conversation ended with a gracious “demand” that I take his number and if I did accept the job at Prairie View that I would contact him. I wrote his number inside of a favorite book and pledged to call him if I relocated to Houston.
I eventually accepted the job and contacted this brother at an opportune moment.
During an hours’ long conversation Mr. Hughes invited my family to his house to celebrate his newlywed status. On the assigned date, I found myself surrounded by a house full of people who were welcoming beyond belief. To my surprise, Roderick Hughes, a transplant from Columbus, Ohio, was surrounded by his bride’s family; none of his blood-relatives were present. As an introvert, I can tell you that a night of socializing is downright exhausting. My weariness was best displayed by my going into an empty living room and finding a comfortable position on a plush sofa.
Predictably, my respite was interrupted by a well-meaning brother, one of Roderick’s brothers-in-law, who wanted to know what I did. After sharing with him that I was an African-American Studies Professor who was attempting to convert my Doctoral Dissertation over the Black Panther Party into a publishable manuscript, this brother shared that he had some cousins who were members of the Black Panther Party. Of course this tidbit of information captured my attention. After a few pensive moments, he stated, “Wait a minute. Let me go and get my older brother, he would know better than me.” A few moments later, his brother Paul entered the living room and shared the following.
They weren’t Black Panthers. They were accused of killing two Black Panthers on the UCLA campus but they didn’t do it.
I listened intently to an all too familiar story that I’d heard innumerable times from Panther members involved with the Los Angeles Branch of the Panther Party.
Although I hated to interject, I interrupted Paul as he fleshed out the story in unbelievable detail. My question was a simple one.
“You’re talking about George and Larry Stiner.”
He responded with a nod of his head. His acknowledgment forced me to ask the simplest of questions for my personal sanity.
“What is your name!!!!!!”
His response was, “Paul Stiner.”
I listened intently to this new perspective on a story that I’d heard countless times from Panthers ranging from Elaine Brown to Bobby Seale. However, this version was a welcomed expansion that included unknown details.
According to Mr. Stiner, FBI Agents questioned his entire family regarding the incident and the shocking revelation that George and Larry Stiner, although convicted for the killing of Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter and John Huggins, never spent a night inside of a prison cell. In fact, according to the Stiner family, the parents of the convicted “killers” were allowed to stay with them inside of the correctional facility until the night that they “escaped” to South America. According to the Stiner family, the escape story was a fabrication by the U.S. Government.
Of course, my mind was blown by these new revelations that confirmed not only the underhanded tactics of the Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) but more importantly, it verified the need to listen to those living treasures who lived through history that persons such as myself will only read about.
The existence of persons such as Timothy Hayes and the entire Stiner family is a blessing that is, unfortunately, expiring as each of us are. It is important that we engage and listen to the wisdom that flows from those who came before us and are still able to share healthy slices of advice hewn from decades of participating in the struggle to uplift not only Black America but also those persons around the globe interested in the substantiation of humanity.
So, I take this brief moment to acknowledge persons such as Timothy Hayes, Roderick Hughes, and Paul Stiner for their graciousness to expand my understanding of a history that occurred prior to my arrival on this planet. I respect you and honor you with every thought that I write.
Dr. James Thomas Jones III
© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.
RICHARD G. HATCHER: A LIFE OF POLITICAL LESSONS THAT BLACK AMERICA CONTINUES TO IGNORE
I have attempted to make sense out of Black America’s deafening silence regarding the death of Richard G. Hatcher, the first Black mayor of Gary, Indiana. In many ways, this silence is yet another reminder that far too many Blacks have little understanding of a historical record that holds indispensable lessons regarding what will and what will not work in the struggle for Black liberation.
If nothing else, Black America should know who Richard G. Hatcher and Carl B. Stokes, the first Black Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, as they were living symbols of a “Black Power” politic that failed to uplift Black America from an all too familiar position of economic marginality.
Those well-versed in a volatile identity politic driven 1960s that witnessed Richard Hatcher and Carl B. Stokes’ election as the first Black men to lead major American cities will tell you that by the mid-sixties non-Southern Black activist communities had abandoned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. non-violent civil disobedience and pursuit of integration with a hostile White community in favor of a yet to be fully defined “Black Power” politic.
There is no more prominent example of shifting political winds than the fact that the Watts Rebellion began August 11, 1965, a mere five days after President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. While many Americans displayed optimism regarding a potential path to racial reconciliation, Black America abandoned gradualism in favor of an impatient Black Power politic. Black Powerites rallied behind one of two goals.
- The overthrow of America via revolutionary action.
- The seizing of central cities via political participation and economic solidarity.
Ironically, the vanguard organization of the 1960s, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense would travel down both of these paths during their existence.
While outlandish Black Powerites issued threats that they had no power to execute, Richard G. Hatcher became the Mayor of Gary, Indiana.
Parliament beautifully articulates this unprecedented moment as the arrival of “Chocolate cities and Vanilla suburbs.” This moment of Black political hope was born of equal parts White flight and Black political naïveté.
The ascension of Black men to political power in cities such as Gary, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Atlanta was a test case regarding the utility of the vote. Unfortunately for Blacks, this test of political theory would prove that there was not much that Black Mayor’s could do to reverse the steep economic decline each of these embattled cities would experience.
Gary, Indiana, much like Maynard Jackson’s Atlanta, suffered mightily as a result of the racial slur that it was now a Black city. While White citizens fled the central city, they carried their businesses and much-needed taxable income with them. It soon became apparent that not even the election of a Black Mayor could significantly alter the fortunes of Black urbanites. During a late-seventies interview, Hatcher addressed the worsening struggles of cities such as Gary in the following way.
There’s almost a vested interest among a lot of powerful business people, the tax assessors and other county officials who keep business taxes low here, in proving that a city run by a black will fail.
Unfortunately for Blacks who dedicated their lives to expressing “Black Power” via electoral participation, it became increasingly clear that such efforts were incapable of staving off poverty, violence, or other social maladies that flowed from the river of economic inequality.
In the wake of his ascension to the apex of local politics, Hatcher shared lessons learned during the journey. According to Hatcher, there was no balm for the suffering that the ‘powerless’ experienced at the hand of “affluent elements of our society.” In fact, this nation’s central cities were nothing more than “repositories for the poor, the Black, the Latin, the elderly.” Hatcher now understood that such groups were incapable of accomplishing significant change. Hatcher now believed that the only hope for meaningful change would occur via a coalition of liberals, Black Powerites, and radical Whites who were truly committed to concepts such as “power to the people.”
Unfortunately, it appears that such concepts are as meaningless to present society as the death of Richard G. Hatcher, a man whose political life once held so much promise.
Dr. James Thomas Jones III
© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2019.