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"Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale's insistence that they be allowed to patrol black neighborhoods with firearms immediately involved them in violent confrontations with the police." (Conlin). The F.B.I soon began planning extreme measures to shut the Black Panther Party down, as well as all of its members. On June 5th James Meredith started a March Against Fear from Memphis to Jackson to protest against racism. After police shot him down, the revolution took a turning point. Blacks became more militant in their demands for equal rights. "In 1967 the F.B.I initiated a cover action program called COINTELPRO, to disrupt and "neutralize" organizations, which the bureau characterized as "Black Nationalists Groups"(Police opinion). The F.B.I became extremely afraid of the Panthers because of their main belief that they should be able to bear arms. In order to "save themselves." They had to shut down the movement. They even went to such severe actions as to pose fake letters to members of the party. One example is the following police letter to a prominent member of the Party, which talks about a
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Women played a great role in the strong, forceful base of support of the Black Panthers. Female BPP members held leadership positions at locals and national levels. One holder of these positions was Afeni Shakur, who joined the Black Panthers to help re-open schools in her neighborhood. She quickly rose to leadership, serving as section leader and organizing lunch and other community improvement programs. These sorts of head positions brought agony to proud black brothers who saw women involvement in the BPP as "eroding black manhood [and] to be hindering to the progress of the black race," (Cleaver). Women embraced these roles because of the ability to leave the responsibility of staying home cooking and cleaning as a party member. They helped the brothers see that women were equals and that they should be treated as human beings. These fundamentals brought a stronger foundation in the unity of the party in all
Women played a great role in the strong, forceful base of support of the Black Panthers. Female BPP members held leadership positions at locals and national levels. One holder of these positions was Afeni Shakur, who joined the Black Panthers to help re-open schools in her neighborhood. She quickly rose to leadership, serving as section leader and organizing lunch and other community improvement programs. These sorts of head positions brought agony to proud black brothers who saw women involvement in the BPP as "eroding black manhood [and] to be hindering to the progress of the black race," (Cleaver). Women embraced these roles because of the ability to leave the responsibility of staying home cooking and cleaning as a party member. They helped the brothers see that women were equals and that they should be treated as human beings. These fundamentals brought a stronger foundation in the unity of the party in all