Survival pending revolution : the history of the Black Panther Party /

This useful, concise addition to the scholarly literature on the Black Panther Party divides its history into three different ideological eras and explores the varying tendencies that marked the party between 1966 and 1971. The book also pays attention to government counterintelligence operations aimed at destroying the organization and connects the Panthers to Malcolm X's emphasis on self-discipline, ties to Africa, and willingness to engage in armed resistance to state violence. The Black Panthers sought fraternal relations with Third World nations and confronted black nationalism by welcoming white allies. Alkebulam (Virginia State Univ.) surveys the growth of Black Panther Party survival programs and contends that their contribution was limited by the Panthers' failure to build an economic base. The effort to build in the South reflected the party's desire to become a truly national movement. Other topics include the 1971 split, with Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver pitted against each other; the evolving role of women at grassroots and leadership levels; and the intense anti-Panther warfare waged by government agencies. The party did not achieve liberation, but did inspire numerous activists to embrace political involvement. Brief as it is, the book offers encouragement for further serious study of this important chapter in African American history. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. H. Shapiro emeritus, University of Cincinnati