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The Sound of Social Revolution: Inside the Black Panther's R&B Band

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In 1970, an unlikely R&B group evolved out of the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party. (Courtesy of It's About Time Black Panther Party Legacy & Alumni)

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This story originally aired in July 2020.

Fifty years ago, an unlikely musical group evolved out of the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party. And although they quickly gained a following for their air-tight funk and striking lyrics, they were always meant to be much more than mere entertainment. The band’s mission was to spread the seed of social revolution, and their militant agenda would put them up against the intertwined forces of white supremacy and racist police. Reporter Peter Gilstrap takes us back in time to another period of social upheaval, and brings us a documentary about the rise and fall of The Lumpen.

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