New Black Panther Party facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Black Panther Party
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| Chairperson | Krystal Muhammad |
| Founder | Aaron Michaels |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas |
| Ideology |
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| Colors | Black Red and Green |
| Slogan | "Freedom or Death" |
| Party flag | |
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The New Black Panther Party (NBPP) is a group in the United States. It was started in Dallas, Texas, in 1989. This group focuses on black nationalism, which is a belief that black people should have their own nation or community.
Even though its name sounds similar, the NBPP is not the same as the original Black Panther Party. Members of the first Black Panther Party have said that the new group is not real. They believe there is no "new Black Panther Party."
The New Black Panther Party began with a group called the Black Panther Militia. This group was started in 1990 by Michael McGee. Later, Aaron Michaels took over the group in Dallas. Then, Khalid Abdul Muhammad, a former leader from the Nation of Islam, became the leader. He brought many former Nation of Islam members into the NBPP. Under his leadership, the New Panthers changed their beliefs. They moved towards a more extreme form of Black nationalism.
Today, Krystal Muhammad leads the New Black Panther Party. Other groups, like the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, see the New Black Panthers as a hate group. They say the group's leaders have shown racism and antisemitism.
Contents
Exploring the History of the New Black Panther Party
In 1987, Michael McGee, a city leader in Milwaukee, wanted more jobs for black people. He said he would cause problems at white events if jobs were not created. In 1990, he announced the start of the Black Panther Militia.
Aaron Michaels, a community leader in Dallas, Texas, started a part of this group in 1992. He called his group "The New Black Panther Party." Over time, Michaels' group became more powerful. He eventually took over all the Panther groups. The group became more extreme under his leadership.
In 1994, Khalid Abdul Muhammad, a well-known member of the Nation of Islam, was attacked. After this, he left the Nation of Islam. He went to Dallas and joined the NBPP. By 1998, Muhammad had taken full control of the NBPP. He filled the group with former Nation of Islam members. Aaron Michaels said he left the NBPP around this time.
In 1997, the New Black Panther Party held a meeting. They invited other "Panther-like" groups. They wanted to create a national Panther movement. This meeting helped different Panther groups join together. The Black Panther Militia groups in Milwaukee and Dallas formally became part of the New Black Panther Party.
In 1998, Khalid Abdul Muhammad brought the group into the news. He led armed NBPP members to protect the family of James Byrd Jr.. Byrd had been murdered by white supremacists in Jasper, Texas. This led to a standoff between the NBPP and the Ku Klux Klan.
Muhammad also tried to organize a "Million Youth March" in Harlem, New York City. He wanted to bring black youth together. The mayor tried to stop the march, but a judge allowed it. The march happened on September 5, 1998. Muhammad gave a speech that some found racist and anti-semitic. When police tried to end the march, a riot started.
Khalid Muhammad passed away on February 17, 2002. Malik Zulu Shabazz, who was Muhammad's lawyer, took over as leader. Shabazz continued to lead the NBPP in a direction that was seen as anti-Semitic and favoring racial separation. The group continued to appear during times of racial tension. However, Shabazz could not make the group as famous as it was under Muhammad.
Understanding the Ideology of the New Black Panther Party
The New Black Panther Party says it follows the ideas of the original Black Panther Party. It claims to carry on their work. However, many people, including members of the first party, do not see the NBPP as a real successor. The original Black Panther Party leaders even sued the NBPP. They wanted to stop the NBPP from using the "Panther" name.
The NBPP says that capitalism is the main problem in the world. They believe that a revolution is the answer. But unlike the original party, the NBPP does not get its ideas from Marxism. Instead, it follows the Kawaida theory by Maulana Karenga. This theory focuses on black unity, working together, and shared economics.
The NBPP states it fights against the unfair treatment of black and brown people. They say their members are aware of issues affecting black communities worldwide. The group also notes that not all its members are part of the Nation of Islam. However, they do support spiritual practices within the group.
Some critics say the NBPP's ideas are very different from the original meaning of black nationalism. They say the group is strongly anti-white and antisemitic. The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the NBPP a black separatist hate group. They say the group's leaders have called for violence against Jewish and white people.
How the New Black Panther Party is Organized
Membership and Chapters
In 2009, the NBPP said it had a few thousand members. These members were part of 45 different chapters. Other groups, like the Anti-Defamation League, believe the group is smaller. However, they note that the NBPP can still attract many non-members to its events. This happens when they focus on local issues that people care about.
A Split in the Group (2013)
In October 2013, Malik Zulu Shabazz said he was stepping down as leader. He tried to make Hashim Nzinga his replacement. But this caused a disagreement within the group. Another part of the group met and chose Krystal Muhammad as their new chairperson.
These events led to the group splitting into two parts. Muhammad's group kept the name "New Black Panther Party." Nzinga's group called themselves "The New Black Panther Party for Self Defence" (NBPP SD). The two groups are still in conflict. Each one tries to control the well-known name of "The New Panthers."
Criticism Against the New Black Panther Party
Views from Original Black Panther Party Members
The Huey P. Newton Foundation, which includes original Black Panther Party leaders, has spoken out against the New Black Panther Party. They said:
As guardians of the true history of the Black Panther Party, the Foundation, which includes former leading members of the Party, denounces this group's exploitation of the Party's name and history. Failing to find its own legitimacy in the black community, this band would graft the Party's name upon itself, which we condemn. ... [T]hey denigrate the Party's name by promoting concepts absolutely counter to the revolutionary principles on which the Party was founded. ... The Black Panthers were never a group of angry young militants full of fury toward the "white establishment." The Party operated on love for black people, not hatred of white people.
Bobby Seale, one of the people who helped start the Black Panther Party, also criticized the New Black Panther Party. In 2010, he called the group's words "xenophobic," meaning they show dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures. He described their leaders' comments as "absurd, racial, [and] categorical."
[W]e will never, ever stoop to the low level of the mentality of a racist to just hate another person because of the color of their skin or ethnicity. We don't do that. That's not the goal objective. The goal objective is human liberation. The goal objective is the greater community cooperation of humanism. The goal objective is to get rid of institutionalized racism.
Seale also noted big differences between the original Black Panthers and the New Black Panthers. He pointed out differences in their "Ten-Point Programs," which are lists of their goals.
Attack on an Original Panther (2015)
On August 19, 2015, Dhoruba Bin Wahad, an original Black Panther Party member, was attacked. He was at a conference in Atlanta, Georgia, held by the Nzinga group of the "New" Panthers. Bin Wahad questioned the group about using the Black Panther name and their strong words. He was asked to leave, but when he refused, he was attacked. Bin Wahad suffered a concussion, a broken jaw, and cuts. This event led Elbert Howard, another founding member of the original Black Panthers, to call the New Black Panther Party "thugs."
See also
In Spanish: Nuevo Partido Pantera Negra para niños
- Black Nationalism
- Black Power
- Black Separatism
- Ethnic nationalism
- NFAC
