#black leaders | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

alwaysbewoke · 3 months

Text

418 notes · View notes

lotus-flower-writes-history · 7 months

Text

The Unofficial Black History Book

Huey P. Newton (1942-1989)

'The Revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution.' - Huey Newton

This is his story.

Huey Percy Newton was born on February 17th, 1942, in Monroe, Louisiana. The youngest of seven children to Armelia Johnson and Walter Newton, he was named after former Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long.

His family relocated to Oakland, California, in search of better economic opportunities in 1945. His family struggled financially and frequently relocated, but he never went hungry or homeless.

Growing up in Oakland, Newton recalled his white teachers making him feel ashamed for being African-American, despite never being taught anything useful. In his Autobiography, ‘Revolutionary Suicide’, he wrote – “Was made to feel ashamed of being black. During those long years in Oakland Public Schools, I did not have one teacher who taught me anything relevant to my own life or experience. Not one instructor ever awoke in me a desire to learn more or to question or to explore the worlds of literature, science, and history. All they did was try to rob me of the sense of my own uniqueness and worth, and in the process nearly killed my urge to inquire.”

He also had a troubled childhood; he was arrested several times as a teenager for gun possession and vandalism.

Huey was illiterate when he graduated from high school, but he taught himself to read and write by studying poetry before enrolling at Merritt College.

During his time there, he supported himself by breaking into homes in Oakland and Berkeley Hills and committing other minor offenses. He also attended Oakland College and San Francisco Law School, ostensibly to improve his criminal skills.

He joined Pi Beta Sigma Fraternity while still a student at Merritt College and met Bobby Seale, a political activist and engineer. Huey also fought for curriculum diversification, the hiring of more black instructors, and involvement in local political activities in the Bay Area.

In addition, he was exposed to a rising tide of Black Nationalism and briefly joined the Afro-American Association, where he studied Frantz Fanon, Che Guevara, Mao Zedong, E. Franklin Frazier, James Baldwin, Karl Marx, and Vladimir Lenin.

Huey had adopted a Marxist/Leninist viewpoint in which he saw the black community as an internal colony ruled by outside forces such as white businessmen, City Hall, and the police. In October 1966, he and Bobby Seale founded The Black Panther Party for self-defense, believing that the black working class needed to seize control of the institutions that most affected their community.

It was a coin toss that resulted in Newton becoming defense minister and Seale becoming chairman of the Black Panther Party. Newton’s job as the Minister of Defense and main leader of the Black Panther Party was to write in the Ten-Point Program, the founding document of the Party, and he demanded that blacks need the “Power to determine the destiny of our Black Community”. It would allow blacks to gain “Land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace.”

The Panthers took advantage of a California law allowing people to carry non-concealed weapons and established armed patrols that monitored police activity in the Black Community.

One of the main points of focus for the Black Panther Party was the right to self-defense. Newton believed and preached that sometimes violence, or even the threat of violence, is required to achieve one's goals.

Members of the Black Panther Party once stormed the California Legislature while fully armed in order to protest the outcome of a gun bill.

Newton also established the Free Breakfast for Children Program, martial arts training for teenagers, and educational programs for children from low-income families.

The Black Panthers believed that in the Black struggle for justice, violence or the potential for violence may be necessary.

The Black Panthers had chapters in several major cities and over 2,000 members. Members became involved in several shoot-outs after being harassed by police.

On October 28, 1967, the Panthers and the police exchanged gunfire in Oakland. Huey was injured in the crossfire, and while recovering in the hospital, he was charged with killing an Oakland police officer, John Frey.

He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter the following year.

Huey was regarded as a political prisoner, and the Panthers organized a 'Free Huey' campaign led by Panther Party Minister Eldridge Cleaver. And Charles R. Geary, a well-known attorney who was in charge of Newton’s legal defense.

Newton was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in 1968 and sentenced to 2-15 years in prison. However, the California Appellate Court ordered a new trial in May 1970. The conviction was reversed on appeal, the case was dismissed by the California Supreme Court, and Huey was acquitted.

Huey renounced political violence after being released from prison. Over a six-year period, 24 Black Panther members were killed in gunfights with the police. Another member, George Jackson, was killed in August 1971 while serving time in San Quentin Prison.

The Black Panther Party, under the leadership of Newton, gained international support. This was most evident in 1970 when Newton was invited to visit China. Large crowds greeted him enthusiastically, holding copies of "Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung," as well as signs supporting the Panther Party and criticizing US imperialism.

In the early 1970s, Newton's leadership of the Black Panther Party contributed to its demise. He oversaw a number of purges of Party members, the most famous of which was in 1971 when he expelled Eldridge Cleaver in what became known as the Newton-Cleaver split over the party's primary function.

Newton wanted the party to be solely focused on serving African-American communities, whereas Cleaver believed the party should be focused on developing relationships with international revolutionary movements. The schism resulted in violence between the factions and the deaths of several Black Panther members. The Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) was one of several factions that had broken away from the main party.

Then, in 1974, Newton was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old prostitute named Kathleen Smith, who later died, raising the charge to murder. Instead of facing trial, Huey fled to Cuba with his girlfriend at the time, where he remained for three years. The key witness in the trial was Crystal Gray. And three Black Panther members attempted to assassinate her before she gave her testimony.

Huey returned to the States in 1976 to stand trial but denied any involvement. The jury was deadlocked, and Newton was eventually acquitted after two mistrials.

In 1978, he enrolled in the History of Consciousness program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and earned his Doctorate in 1980.

"War Against the Panthers: A Study of Repression in America," his dissertation, was later turned into a book.

On charges of embezzling Panther Party funds, Huey P. Newton was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 18 months on probation in 1982.

On August 22, 1989, Newton was assassinated by a member of the BGF, named Tyrone Robinson.

Huey was 46 years old at the time of his assassination. Robinson was convicted of Huey’s murder in 1991 and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison.

His wife, Fredricka Newton, carried on his legacy. 'Revolutionary Suicide,' his autobiography, was first published in 1973 and then republished in 1995.

Huey Newton was not perfect, but he did fight to protect the rights of the Black Community. The rights that we're still fighting for today.

__

___

My Sources

90 notes · View notes

blackstar1887 · 3 months

Text

The Courageous Sacrifice of Bunchy Carter and John Huggins: Inspiring the Fight for Justice

#black power #black excellence #black panther party #black history #black tik tok #tik tok #bunchy carter #john huggins #alprentice Bunchy Carter #Bunchy Carter #civil rights #civil rights movement #black leaders #black activism

33 notes · View notes

troythecatfish · 8 months

Text

59 notes · View notes

maddiealyse56 · 1 year

Photo

Black Royalty, Nobility, & Leaders (in historical and fantasy films/tv shows) Pt 3

Mr. Malcolm || Mr. Malcolm’s List

Lady Russell || Persuasion (2022)

Ondine, Vicomtesse de Valmont || Dangerous Liaisons (Starz, 2022)

Princess Selika || The Adventures of Selika

Miriel, Queen Regent of Numenor || Rings of Power

Lady Laena Velaryon || House of Dragons

Lord Arkady || The Great (Hulu)

Lady Ethelfritha Rose Splinter of Devon || Catherine Called Birdy

Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence || Il Moro

Peggy Scott || Gentlewoman/ Black Elite of Gilded Age

231 notes · View notes

globalriseofblackpeople · 10 months

Text

They weren’t even tryin to listen without responding.

#black men #responsibility #accountability #black power #black knowledge #black unity #black brothas #brothas #real talk #men talk #knowledge #black community #black leaders

104 notes · View notes

afrotumble · 3 months

Text

#malcolm x #martin luther king jr #black history #black leaders #politics #african american #race #usa

17 notes · View notes

arieso226 · 1 year

Text

This famed author deserves to have her writings continuously celebrated.

#zora neale hurston #book blog #social science #anthropology #cultures #history #black leaders #black femininity #film #folklore

84 notes · View notes

procopiamiscanthus · 1 year

Text

Young Armand

young Armand Jean du Plessis,before becoming the Bishop of Luçon.less exhausted and sicky,more energetic and vigorous.

#Cardinal Richelieu #Armand Jean du Plessis #black leaders

64 notes · View notes

delta7of96 · 8 months

Text

Mayor Johnson Proclaims August 30 as Chairman Fred Hampton Day | Chicago Defender

Well done Mayor Johnson... well done

#black excellence #black power #black liberation #black revolutionaries #fred hampton #black panther party #chicago #Chicago Mayor Johnson #black leaders #chairman fred hampton

23 notes · View notes

tf-5 · 4 months

Text

Hello everyone!!

I made this account for more diversity.

Before I came across tumblr I was a loyal Wattpad user.I used it ALOT and often it was very disheartening because it was nearly impossible to find GOOD stories with black leads or even characters. If I did happen to find a story there would hardly ever be a plot if there was a plot it would be the same old stolen one of (shy girl x drug dealer).Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against these stories ( I even like them) but it just got boring very quickly.A few weeks ago I came across tumblr and it seems to have a similar problem. Almost all the x black reader stories I see are all smut. There’s almost no fluff at all. I don’t want to read about smut all the time yk ? Sometimes I just want to read about people falling in love,developing crushes, spending time together that sort of thing.

Anyways I hope with this account I can add more variety to books for black girls!