Black Panther Party

The Black Panthers were an integral part of the civil rights movement. In fact, without their presence, it would have taken much longer for change to be enacted. Their promotion of Black Power and the “Black is Beautiful” campaign added to the value of the Black community. Through their party, they promoted self love, and the end of discrimination. Despite the good they did, many would argue that their importance comes from their militarism. The Panthers acted as a reality check for the US government. The threat of violence and the extremity of their demands acted as a hammer to the nonviolent activist’s anvil. The pressure from the Panthers forced the U.S. government to negotiate and work with the nonviolent activists because the alternative was violence with the Black Panther Party.