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Black Panthers Fight Gun Ban
In Oakland, Calif., Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale galvanized local support for their Black Panther Party for Self-Defense with a bold move to challenge police brutality against black Americans. Arming themselves with guns and law books, the Panthers patrolled the streets of Oakland to monitor police and ensure that black residents' rights were respected. Police harassment declined.
But authorities soon retaliated. California lawmakers proposed a ban on citizens carrying loaded weapons. In May, Seale led two dozen armed Panthers to the state capitol to protest the legislation, sparking a tense standoff with police that ended with multiple arrests.
Splashed across newspapers and television screens, he capitol "invasion" stunned Americans thrust the Panthers into the national spotlight. Calls poured in from black Americans across the country seeking to start local chapters. But the gun law passed, outlawing the Panthers' core tactic. |