A Full Month of Events for the Black Panther Party's 55th Anniversary

This October marks 55 years since Dr. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale co-founded the revolutionary organization known as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

In honor of the organization’s contributions to societal change through community activism, multiple events are scheduled throughout the month. The itinerary includes visual arts, social gatherings, live performances and the unveiling of a Dr. Huey P. Newtown bust.

The first event, on Friday, Oct. 1, at Oakland’s Joyce Gordon Art Gallery, is the opening of a visual art exhibition featuring the works of Emory Douglas, M. Gayle “Asali” Dickson, Malik Edwards and REFA 1. The four artists are also scheduled for a panel discussion on Oct. 9.

Billy X Jennings, Black Panther Party archivist, will also display photos and artwork from his collection. Jennings says attendees can expect to see “historical artwork, as well as artwork from artists who did work in the ’70s, and what they’ve done since that time.” Jennings adds: “Keep in mind a lot of them were artists when they were 18 to 20 years old. This exhibition will show how they’ve grown since then.”

The growth of the members of the Party, as well as the evolution of the Party’s principles showing up in popular culture and politics, is a theme in many of the events scheduled throughout Panther History Month.

On Thursday, Oct. 21, the New Parkway Theatre will host a Black Panther Party-centric film festival. Among other films and clips, the schedule includes a newly recorded speech from Pete O’Neal, the exiled former chairman of the Kansas City Chapter of the Black Panther Party.

On Friday, Oct. 22, North Oakland’s It’s All Good Bakery, located at the site of the first Black Panther Party office, will install a plaque to commemorate the historic grounds. Replacing an earlier sign, the new plaque will have a virtual reality component allowing viewers to become more deeply immersed in the story of the Black Panther Party.

On Saturday, Oct. 23, Black Panther Party alumni and community members will gather at Bobby Hutton Park (also known as DeFremery Park) for the month’s centerpiece celebration. Starting the day’s events will be Black Panther leader and co-founder of Tanzania’s United African Alliance Community Center, Charlotte Hill O’Neal, who will preside over a healing circle where the names of ancestors and the stories of fallen comrades will be acknowledged.

The healing circle will be followed by a series of speakers, including former head of the Black Panther Party’s school Ericka Huggins and radio host and author Rickey Vincent. Across the street from the park at the West Oakland Library, a walk-through exhibit will feature archival photos of the Black Panther Party.

The month-long celebration concludes on Sunday, Oct. 24, when the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation will unveil a new bust made in the image of Dr. Huey P. Newton. The sculpture, created by artist Dana King, will be located on the corner of Mandela Parkway and 9th Street—or, as it has recently been renamed, Dr. Huey P. Newtown Way.

A full schedule for the Black Panther Party’s 55th Anniversary can be found here.