Samuel Ringgold Ward: Christian Abolitionist Book

I'm not entirely sure who this book is for. It is, as previous reviewers noted, a short introduction to the history of the Panthers, written in 2007. While it may be a useful introduction for someone unfamiliar with the history being discussed (particularly the opening chapter about the legacies of Malcolm X) there are several problems, namely a failure to articulate how brutal and horrific the government repression of the Panthers was, and how explosively radical they were when they came on to the scene. While it's clear there were problems with the dramatic growth of the BPP, it needs to be clear that the clarity of their purpose of boldness of their revolutionary stand is exactly why thousands of young people were willing to join so readily. While discussing the international work of the party, Alkebulan leaves out critical context, that the Panthers emerged in the swirl of an international revolutionary moment, that they were engaged in dialogue and relationships, not just with some governments, but with living revolutionary movements engaged in similar national liberation struggles.

The book is strengthened by personal stories from party members in different localities and positions in the party, and notable for raising the question of women in the party. That said, a more comprehensive view of the Party is presented in the PBS documentary 'Vanguard of the Revolution', and 'Black Against Empire' is the single best book about the Panthers.