Black Panther Party Origins and History

The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 by Huey Newton and Boddy Seale in Oakland, California. It was initially organized to protect blacks from police brutality. They evolved into a Marxist revolutionary group that was labeled by the FBI as advocating the use of violence and guerilla tactics to overthrow the U.S. government. The party had thousands of members and chapters in several cities at its height in the late 1960s. Origins The Black Panthers emerged out of the nonviolent civil rights movement of the early 1960s. Leaders Newton and Seale both began their experience with organized groups as members of the Revolutionary Action  Movement, a socialist group with militant and non-violent political activities. Its roots may be also found in the Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO)—an Alabama group dedicated to registering African-American voters. The group was also called the Black Panther Party. The name was later borrowed by Newton and Seale for their California-based Black Panther Party. Goal The Black Panther Party had a specific platform laid out in 10 points. It included goals such as: We want power to determine the destiny of our black and oppressed communities, and, We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace. It also outlined their key beliefs, which centered around Black liberation, self-defense, and social change. In the long term, the group aimed rather vaguely at a revolutionary overthrow of the white-dominated status quo and black power. But they had no more concrete platform for governing. They took their inspiration from a combination of socialist intellectuals, combining their thoughts on the role of class struggle with the specific theories about black nationalism. The Role of Violence The Black Panthers committed to  projecting a violent image and to actual violence from their inception. Second Amendment rights were central to their platform and called out explicitly in their 10-point program:   We believe we can end police brutality in our Black community by organizing Black self-defense groups that are dedicated to defending our Black community from racist police oppression and brutality. The second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States gives us the right to bear arms. We therefore believe that all Black people should arm themselves for self-defense. The groups violent stance was by no means secret; in fact, it was central to the Black Panthers public identity. Author Albert Harry, writing in 1976, observed that the groups paramilitarism was clearly visible from the start, as Black Panthers strutted around in their black jackets, black berets, and tight-fitting black pants, their pockets bulging with side arms, their clenched fists high above their defiant heads. The group acted on its image. In some instances, members would appear en masse and simply threaten violence. In others, they took over buildings or engaged in shootouts with police or with other militant groups. Both Black Panther members and police officers  were killed in confrontations. Social and Political Programs The Black Panthers were not solely focused on violence. They also organized and sponsored social welfare programs, the most famous of which was their Free Breakfast for Children. In the 1968-1969 school year, the Black Panthers  fed as many as 20,000 children through this social program. Eldrige Cleaver ran for president on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket in 1968. Cleaver met with North Korean leader Kim Il-sung in 1970 and traveled to North Vietnam. He also met with Yasser Arafat and the Chinese ambassador to Algeria. He advocated a more revolutionary agenda and after being expelled from the Panthers led the Black Liberation Army splinter group. The Panthers worked on electing members with unsuccessful campaigns such as Elaine Brown for Oakland City Council. They supported the election of Lionel Wilson as the first black mayor of Oakland. Former Black Panther members have served in elected office, including U.S. Representative Bobby Rush. Notable Events   May 2, 1967: About 30 armed Black Panther members enter  the California legislature to protest consideration of outlawing the right of private citizens to bear arms. There was no violence, but the spectacle is well remembered and brought the group into public light. At that time, open carry of weapons was legal in California. The Black Panthers had exercised this right in being present at arrests and stationed at the legally-allowed distance while displaying their firearms.August 1967: The FBI includes the Black Panther Party in their counterintelligence program, COINTELPRO, aimed to discredit and neutralize subversive organizations. They conduct hundreds of actions to weaken the party.October 28, 1967: Party leader Huey P. Newton is arrested after Oakland police officer John Frey is shot and killed performing a traffic stop of Newton, in which another officer and Newton were also shot. This incident led to the rallying cry of Free Huey, which galvanized support for the party among other activists. Newton was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter, a conviction that was later overturned.  April 6, 1968: An armed confrontation erupts between Black Panthers and police led to a 90-minute confrontation at a building housing Panthers. Eventually, the Panthers surrender. Over the course of the day, at least four policemen are wounded and one killed. One Panther member, Bobby Hutton, is killed by the police and seven others are arrested. Huttons death becomes a rallying issue.1969: Gun battles take place between Black Panthers and rival organizations, including one in Campbell Hall on the UCLA campus in 1969. Panthers torture and kill a suspected informant, Alex Rackley, which leads to a trial of Bobby Seale alleging he ordered the killing. A hung jury resulted and there was no retrial.December 4, 1969: Another well-remembered instance of violence is instigated by the FBI, which provides the information needed to raid the Illinois Black Panther Party heads apar tment. Two members of the Black Panthers were killed by gunfire. The event is remembered partly for the disproportionate firing: evidence revealed later that the police fired up to 99 bullets, while the Panthers may have shot one. It is also remembered because the  information required for the break-in was obtained by an FBI infiltrator in a period when surveillance of the domestic group had been approved. The charges against the seven survivors of the raid were later dropped and Hamptons family won a $1.85 million wrongful death settlement from the city of Chicago.December 8, 1969: The LAPD conducts a SWAT attack on the Los Angeles Black Panther office, firing thousands of rounds and resulting in no deaths but a handful of injuries on both sides.1971: After a fall-out between Newton and Eldrige Cleaver, the party splits into factions and engage in assassinations of each others members, with four killed.1974: Nine Panthers, including Newton, are arrested for assault on police offi cers. Newton is also charged with murdering Kathleen Smith. He flees to Cuba. Panther bookkeeper Betty Van Patter goes missing and is found beaten to death, with Panther leadership suspected. In 1977, there was an attempt to assassinate Crystal Gray, a witness in the Smith murder.Elaine Brown was appointed Chairwoman of the Panthers in 1974 as Newton went into exile. Membership in the Panthers declined precipitously throughout the 1970s and was down to a couple dozen by 1980.

The Growth of Rome - Ancient History

At first, Rome was just one, small city-state in an area of Latin-speaking people (called Latium), on the west side of Italys peninsula. Rome, as a monarchy (founded, according to legend, in 753 B.C.), couldnt even keep foreign powers from ruling it. It started gaining strength from about 510 B.C. (when the Romans threw out their last king) until the middle of the 3rd century B.C. During this -- the early Republican -- period, Rome made and broke strategic treaties with neighboring groups in order to help her conquer other city-states. In the end, after revising her battle tactics, weapons, and legions, Rome emerged as the undisputed leader of Italy. This quick look at the growth of Rome names the events leading to Romes domination over the peninsula. Early RomeLegendary Founding of Rome Etruscan and Italic Kings of Rome In the legendary beginning of its history, Rome was ruled by 7 kings. The first was Romulus, whose ancestry is traced to Trojan (War) prince Aeneas.The next king was a Sabine (a region of Latium northeast of Rome), Numa Pompilius.The third king was a Roman, Tullus Hostilius, who welcomed the Albans into Rome.The fourth king was Numas grandson, Ancus Martius.After him came the 3 Etruscan kings,Tarquinius Priscus,his son-in-law Servius Tullius, andTarquins son, the last king of Rome, known as Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud. The Etruscans were based in Etruria, a large area of the Italic peninsula to the north of Rome. 7 Kings of RomeGeography of Rome The Growth of Rome Starts Latin Alliances The Romans expelled their Etruscan king and his relatives peacefully, but soon thereafter they had to fight to keep them out. By the time the Romans had defeated the Etruscan Porsenna, at Aricia, even the threat of Etruscan rule of the Romans had reached its end. Then the Latin city-states, but excluding Rome, banded together in an alliance against Rome. While they battled each other, the Latin allies suffered attacks from the mountain tribes. These tribes lived east of the Apennines, a long mountain range that separates Italy into an eastern and western side. The mountain tribes are presumed to have been attacking because they needed more arable land. Rome and the Latins Make Treaties The Latins had no extra land to give the mountain tribes, so, in about 493 B.C., the Latins -- this time including Rome -- signed a mutual defense treaty that is called foedus Cassianum, which is Latin for Cassian Treaty. A few years later, in about 486 B.C., the Romans made a treaty with one of the mountain peoples, the Hernici, who lived between the Volsci and the Aequi, who were other eastern mountain tribes. Bound to Rome by separate treaties, the league of Latin city-states, the Hernici, and Rome defeated the Volsci. Rome then settled Latins and Romans as farmer/landowners in the territory. Growth of Rome Rome Expands Into Veii In 405 B.C., the Romans began an unprovoked 10-year struggle to annex the Etruscan city of Veii. The other Etruscan cities failed to rally to the defense of Veii in a timely manner. By the time some of the Etruscan league of cities came, they were blocked. Camillus led the Roman and allied troops into victory in Veii, where they slaughtered some Etruscans, sold others into slavery, and added land to the Roman territory (ager publicus) , much of it given to Romes plebeian poor. Latin LeagueVeientine WarsBattle of Lake RegillusCoriolanus Temporary Setback to the Growth of Rome The Sack of the Gauls In the 4th century B.C., Italy was invaded by the Gauls. Although Rome survived, thanks in part to the noisily famous Capitoline geese, the Romans defeat at the Battle of the Allia remained a sore spot throughout Romes history. The Gauls left Rome only after they were given vast quantities of gold. Then they gradually settled down, and some (the Senones) made alliances with Rome. Rome Dominates Central Italy Romes defeat made other Italic cities more confident, but the Romans didnt just sit back. They learned from their mistakes, improved their military, and fought off Etruscans, Aequi, and Volsci during the decade between 390 and 380. In 360, the Hernici (Romes former non-Latin league ally who had helped defeat the Volsci), and the cities of Praeneste and Tibur allied themselves against Rome, unsuccessfully: Rome added them to its territory. Rome forced a new treaty on her Latin allies making Rome dominant. The Latin League, with Rome at its head, then defeated the league of Etruscan cities. In the middle of the 4th century B.C., Rome turned towards the south, to Campania (where Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius and Naples are located) and the Samnites. Although it took until the beginning of the third century, Rome did defeat the Samnites and annexed the rest of central Italy.​ Rome Annexes Southern Italy Finally Rome looked to Magna Graecia in southern Italy and fought King Pyrrhus of Epirus. While Pyrrhus won 2 battles, both sides fared badly. Rome had an almost inexhaustible supply of manpower (because it demanded troops of its allies and conquered territories). Pyrrhus pretty much only had those men he had brought with him from Epirus, so the Pyrrhic victory turned out to be worse for the victor than the defeated. When Pyrrhus lost his third battle against Rome, he left Italy, leaving southern Italy to Rome. Rome was then recognized as supreme and entered into international treaties. King Pyrrhus of EpirusTarentum and the Pyrrhic Wars The next step was to go beyond the Italic peninsula.   Source: Cary and Scullard.

Inf 103 Week 2 Assignment 1 Free Essays

1. What input/output devices will I be using in the next one to three years? The input devices I will be using most in the next 1 to 3 years will be my laptop. my smart phone and, my tablet. We will write a custom essay sample on Inf 103 Week 2 Assignment 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The output devices I will use will be my printer, mouse and speakers. These devices have become a big part of my everyday life. I use all of them daily and could not imagine my life without them at this point. 2. Features, components and form factors that will be prominent and important? I plan on becoming more familiar with both flash drives for storing my school work and external hard drives for backing up all of my documents and pictures god forbid anything ever happens to my computer. These are components that I have not used before but I have been working with a friend that has a great deal of computer tech experience and she is teaching me the basics. 3. Applications that I plan on using in the coming years? ————————————————- Some applications that my computer has been most familiar with are I Tunes, Skype, and Microsoft word. In the next few years I plan on learning much more about application available to me. I will be learning how to better use my Microsoft office that I just purchased. I also want to learn how use both excel and power point. 4. Devices that have changed my life The devise that has changed my life most has been my smart phone. Over the last few years I have really learned how to use it well. I have some amazing applications on it that help me to monitor my calorie intake, share photos with friends and even take my pulse! It is crazy how a phone can actually help you keep track of your health and monitor vitals. The only risk I see in it would be texting and driving. I do my best to never do that. I wanted to display to you my knowledge of Microsoft Word. I hope that this is what you were looking for! Thanks- Kristin I wanted to display to you my knowledge of Microsoft Word. I hope that this is what you were looking for! Thanks- Kristin *Sample Chart- Has no relation to the discussion. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * *Sample Table- Has no relation to the discussion. How to cite Inf 103 Week 2 Assignment 1, Papers