![]() ![]() Religious leaders jumped into the fray as well. And comedian Dick Gregory released albums that were at once entertaining and hard-hitting, not unlike the Black Panther Party’s newspaper. Albums by poets Nikki Giovanni, Jayne Cortez, Maya Angelou and Sarah Webster Fabio shed new light on black consciousness. ![]() New artists, like the Art Ensemble of Chicago, emerged as well. Established jazz musicians, such as Max Roach, pivoted from their typical direction to reflect on what was going on. It wasn’t just pop artists who reacted to the events coalescing around them. Even Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, got on board, releasing a pop song entitled “Chicago” about Bobby Seale being “bound and gagged” at the Chicago 8 trial. Popular musicians picked up the mantle along the way too, including Curtis Mayfield, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, James Brown and the Isley Brothers. Schneider funneled part of his millions from pop culture marketing into funding Huey Newton’s so-called “subversive” activities. In fact, some of their financial support came from Bert Schneider, the executive producer of the hippie classic Easy Rider, which is one of the highest grossing films of the ‘60s. That the Panthers were anti-white is a myth. Now, “militancy” is the label that’s now been put on a group of people who simply wanted equal rights. It was about humanity, and a way to live. At its core the Black Power Movement wasn’t political. But more people used a pencil, a book of poetry, a typewriter or a musical instrument to evoke change during this revolutionary era (though images of poetry-writing don’t typically make for good press). Yes, there are photos of beret-wearing, shotgun-carrying African Americans. The phrase “black militant” is sometimes tossed around when describing these groups, too. Black Panther Huey Newton loved the music of Bob Dylan, while Black Nationalist Amiri Baraka debated if certain blues and jazz music was appropriate to listen to. The Black Nationalists focused instead on a strong African identity, maintaining a cultural connection to their native origins. While the Panthers and Black Nationalists both shared a desire for independence from white society, the Panthers always remained multicultural and encouraged alliance. While Black Nationalists often wore dashikis and took African names, the Panthers didn’t change their names and opted for a uniform of black berets and leather jackets instead. ![]() Key differences separate the Panthers from Black Nationalists. And while Amiri Baraka occasionally aligned himself with the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X and Ron Karenga’s US, a Black Nationalist organization, ultimately his legacy stems from co-founding the Black Arts Movement (BAM). Rap Brown of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) had a brief dalliance with the Black Panther Party, but had their own separate ideals and goals. One victim of pop culture’s love of radical chic, Angela Davis, is often mistaken for a Black Panther though she was a member of the Communist Party. Yet over time, the various personalities and organizations have become lumped together. Much like each of the Beatles, the Panther leaders often had differing political ideologies and separate agendas. The voices leading the Panther pack – including Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Eldridge and Kathleen Cleaver, David Hilliard and Elaine Brown – are as symbolic of the ‘60s as John, Paul, George and Ringo. Many people conflate the Black Panthers with Black Power, though the Panthers were just one of many Black Power groups (albeit the most important and influential). These revolutions weren’t going to make your hair smell terrific or provide a more comfortable driving experience. And for many African-Americans, revolution referred to the rise of the Black Panther Party or Black Nationalism. But when young Americans spoke of revolution during the 1960s and early 1970s, they wanted to take down the establishment and stop the Vietnam War. Advertisements inform us there’s a revolution in hair care or a revolutionary new driverless car. The word “revolution” has lost its edge in the 21st century. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |