The
Black Panther
By Matt Goerss
2010 Summer
Institute
Abstract:
While
students are generally familiar with the militant aspects of the Black Panther
Party, they are often less aware of the other goals of the organization. In this lesson, students will read and
analyze the Ten Point Program of the Black Panther Party in order to determine
the purpose of the organization and whether or not its goals were
reasonable. Students will also use their
knowledge of the Black Panthers to determine whether aggression is a proper way
to respond to adversity. Essential
Questions: ·
What
were the goals of the Black Panthers? ·
Were
the goals of the Black Panthers reasonable or unreasonable? ·
Is
non-violence or aggression the proper way to respond to adversity? Assessment: In
this lesson, students will be assessed based on their analysis of the Black
Panthers’ Ten Point Program. They will
complete the analysis sheet as they read each of the ten points, and they will
make an overall judgment at the end about the effectiveness of the Black
Panthers and the use of aggression during the civil rights movement.
Procedures: 1)
Setting
the Purpose: This lesson assumes
that students have been introduced to both the non-violent and militant
philosophies of the civil rights movement and have a strong understanding of
the events that preceded the founding of the Black Panther Party. At the beginning of the class period, the
teacher should hand out a small sheet of paper to the students and ask them to
write down the five words or phrases that they would most associate with the
Black Panthers. Before discussion the
words that the students wrote down, the teacher should show the following
photograph and ask how many of the students’ words would describe it: http://pibillwarner.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/black-panthers-led8oct06a.jpg The teacher and students should then
discuss the words that the students have written down and should focus on why
students have these perceptions of the Black Panthers. The teacher should also ask students to think
about whether they believe carrying guns is an effective method to respond to
adverse situations. 2)
The teacher should then hand out the Black
Panthers’ Ten Point Program reading to the class, along with the Ten Point
Program analysis sheet. Students should
complete the analysis sheet as they read each of the ten points. 3)
After students have finished reading the Ten
Point Program and analyzing each of the ten points, they should complete the
final two analysis questions at the end of the analysis sheet. The teacher may wish to have students discuss
these questions in small groups or as a class in order to determine how
reasonable they believe the goals of the Black Panthers to be and also to
determine the effectiveness of aggression in dealing with adversity. 4)
(Optional) For additional information about the actions
of the Black Panthers, the teacher should have students read an article from The Black Panther, which was the
official newsletter of the organization.
This article, “To Feed Our Children,” discusses the free breakfast
program developed by the Panthers in Oakland, California. After reading this article, the students
should discuss whether their original judgment of the Black Panthers has
changed. Analysis of
Local Primary Sources: In
this lesson, students will analyze an article from The Black Panther, which was originally distributed in California,
where the Black Panthers originated. Ties to National
Primary Sources: In
this lesson, students will analyze the Ten Point Program of the Black Panther
Party, which was the platform that defined the goals of the organization
nationwide. Annotated List
of Materials and Resources: Black
Panthers Photograph http://pibillwarner.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/black-panthers-led8oct06a.jpg Black
Panthers Ten Point Program http://www.blackpanther.org/TenPoint.htm “To
Feed Our Children,” The Black Panther,
March 26, 1969 http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/workers/black-panthers/1969/03/26.htm Ten
Point Program Analysis Sheet
