What happened to black power... This is an amazing book by an amazing man. He founded the Black Panther Party with Bobby Seale, and he has gone down in history with pretty much the same rap as the Black Panthers: violent black power freaks. This is simply not true and this book sheds some real light on the man and his legacy of non-violent revolution.
I recommend this book to any young person age 16+
HUEY P. NEWTON AND THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY CHANGED HISTORY 'This re-issue of TO DIE FOR THE PEOPLE opens a window on Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party - on of the most dynamic and revolutionary organizations ever to exist. In these selections from Huey's writings and speeches, readers can trace the development of the activist personal and political thinking as well as the radical changes that took place in the politics, ideology and actions of the Black Panther Party.
'With a rare and persuasive honesty, TO DIE FOR THE PEOPLE records the Party's internal struggles, rivalries, and contradictions, and the result is a fascinating look at a young revolutionary group determined to find ways to deal with the injustice it saw in US society.
'Huey P. Newton - co-founder of the Black Panther Party with Bobby Seale - was its chief theoretician. Huey has long been a hero to many and is currently being rediscovered by people interested in the revolutionary struggle of Black people for liberation.
'Toni Morrison, whose acclaimed novels include BELOVED, SULA and JAZZ, edited this book for its initial publication in 1972.'
Huey: Black Vanguard The political thinking and organizing of Huey P. was par none! Too bad about his problems with cocaine. Read also, of course: Seize the Time by Bobby Seale. To move beyond Huey, I recommend "Black Panther Party [Reconsidered].
Could also be called "The Rise and Fall of Huey Newton" This is a good compliation of Huey Newton's speeches and writings. The 1967 essay "Fear and Doubt" is a good summation of the psychological challenges Black men (particularly those in the ghettoes and who may lack education) face then and now. He also presents some progressive ideas on multiethnic coalitions being organized to fight oppression worldwide.
However, the writings take a downward turn around the time that Newton had been confirmed to have been taking hard drugs. His 1971 Yale speech is a mess of long-winded Marxist psychobabble and his defense of Melvin Van Peebles' ... pseudorevolutionary film "Sweet Sweetback" is laughable to those who are familiar with this ... film. Newton was killed in a drug deal gone bad some 17 years after this book appeared, and many of his earlier brilliant ideas died with him. A testament to the destruction of drugs.
An enlightening must read Huey does a remarkable job in explaining many of viewpoints and objectives of the Black Panther Party. If you really want to gain an understanding of the Black Panther Party, especially Huey, this is a must read.
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