Black
Baltimore,
Panther
Maryland
Party
Branch
1968-1972
Two
Martin
assassinations
Luther
rocked
King,
American
Jr. in April,
June of that year. As the urban
lowing
stream
Party
During
Dr. King's
death
contemplated
spread
of black
decided
men
who
Reeva Dinez White,
blacks
organizations
News
Kennedy's
fledgling
in East
a branch
of that
Butler,
Edward"
frustrated
group
Baltimore,
of the BPP news
not turn
had heard
death,
in
insurrections
fol-
main-
the Black
Panther
himself
P. Newton,
initial
sold
Eldridge
in after
based in Oakland,
Cali-
Warren
effort.
Wyche,
Irving
Tschaka
Zulu"
Martin,
copies
more
Seale
Charlie
with
of black
Black
tuned
I bought
Cleaver
his parole
Hart
He was joined
"Ochika
" Young,
Eddie Conway
existing
civil
rights
people.
of the
blacks
a
Bobby
organizing
or disillusioned
were delivering.
(with
of Huey
Maryland,
of the organization.
and the conditions
these panthers
would
Kennedy
of the American
Party for Self-Defense
leader
by Zeke Boyd, Charles
As this
parts
with
and fall of that year in Baltimore,
to form
was the principal
and other
some
reacted
Robert
to the east coast.
and the Black Panther
fornia
,while
in 1968. First was Dr .
and then senator
centers
senator
th~ summer
handful
society
Panther
in to the
Community
message
the November,1968
on the cover
had been
declaring
revoked
that
edition
that
following
he
(2)
the April
6, 1968
Bobby
Button)
meeting
for
fire-fight
from
blacks
At a house
Hart
the Black Panther
of the BPP for
sanctioned
as part
Panther
ing those
who
while
Hart
returned
no other
man
News,
Ho
party
to purge
rules
Penitentiary,
Panther
about
Headquarters
the Baltimore
Branch
By the end of 1968,
its membership,
and other
party
new
expell-
guidelines.
Captain
on opening
one of the last branches
a
Party.
information
National
as Defense
a moratorium
chain
Butler
were
of the
chapters
recognized
staff
lounged
classes and rallies.
Tse- Tong's
Chi Minh,
Zeke Boyd
Little
appointed
branch,
and
by the BPP at
as field
communications
of command
out of the office,
sometimes
Mao-
more
organization.
had begun
was the branch
education
by Hart,
of the Black
to attend
year.
official
ted in and
State
with
little
enough
the Maryland
and to have
to Baltimore
and Charles
Reeva White
litical
Party
killed
Panther
Branch
of the national
We were
Boyd
near
was the person
had violated
the end of that
Zeke
street
orientation,
the BPP began
branches.
that
the Black
Party , he went to Berkeley
formal
the Black
police
in joining
of the Baltimore
party .As Warren
Warren
Eager
office
Oakland
Zeke Boyd, and was curious
interested
on East
was the first
with
Red
Malcolm
point.
.There
Members
or attended
weekly
was
drifpo-
Those p .E. classes were mostly
or Butler.
Book
secretary
at that
around,
lieutenants.
We studied
q(Quotations,
X, Kwame
Nkrumah,
from
Black
Franz
ChairPanther
Fanon
led
(3)
and other
voices
I was learning
conditions
hidden
of liberation
an entirely
of black
and poor
texts
"Edward
Martin"
history
of European
awareness
the struggle
ahead
In 1969,
the free
church
follow.
locations
programs
proof
could
then
Comrades
dynamics
had before
then,
authors.
world.
and
the
to me, been
From
I began to understand
comrade
the true
He was instrumental
in developing
of the BPP and the nature
began
its first
program
at Valley
Lunch
of the BPP,
and
and
activity
Street.
of
D. Poore's
The summer
School
was to
was successful
in Baltimore.
early
survival
Liberation
creatively,
were
us through
of community
Eager
of needs
so they
community
at St .Vincent's
Program
meeting
that sustained
viable
moving
breakfast
basic
the third
people.
Branch
the Free
As these
that
by western
Zulu,
of black
in East Baltimore
continuation,
people
written
across
of world
as to the scope
the Baltimore
program,
from
history
colonialism.
my political
other
new
in academic
Tschaka
fighters
at
It .was those
1969, as they were the only
and interaction
that
our
branch
claim.
like
Tschaka
as other
Zulu
branches
and
Eddie
didn't
and chapters
were.
be in the community
, raising
the awareness
dictions
between
those
that
As I was brand
existed
new
to most
who
of the political
feel that
We were
of people
ruled
the branch
supposed
to
as to the contra-
and those
dynamics
was
who
within
suffered.
our
office
(4)
and the larger
required
social-political
party
materials,
about the Baltimore
headquarters
visit
how
Field Marshal,
York
and
After
talking
were
called
panthers
lected,
paint
nutshell,
That evening
this
and
all others
were
told
to "get
dozen
were
full
shit
who
meeting,
to take
of the branch.
Reeva
O.D. (officer
formation.
White
Mitchell
supporter
Arthur
supporters
4,1969,
from
or whatever
that
which
blue
New
Turco.
During
old papers
adhere
When
defense
after-
had
and black;
to party
branch
rules
colin a
was left
workers.
until
chain
of command.
and guidelines
with
about
Mahonney
someone
secretary
to pan-
and half-hearted
was also appointed
as communications
was the formal
was busted
the meetings
captain
Kebe
Hart
of the day), and me, Steve McCutchen
That
a
and out.
Henry
in panther
and community
as acting
finance,
inside
Warren
couldn't
was appointed
charge
needed
of July
asses to the office.
the Baltimore
panthers
national
Baltimore
panthers,
to organize
the word
up
to steppin".
finished,
time
panther
of the office
at a general
ther,
excuses
directed
the outside
clean
and
me, all Baltimore
were
that
with
on studying
spreading
reached
down,
arrived
to get their
I focused
The morning
up-side
attorney
and told
and
word
we functioned.
branch
York
with
papers
BPP,
in New York
Don Cox (D.C.)
New
of
BPP. Evidently,
the Baltimore
noon,
selling
and leadership
to appraise
shook
arenas
a
Kebe
else was sent
lieutenant
, Larry
Wallace
as lieutenant
of
as
ofin-
(5)
John
Clark
arrived
to assume
After
the duties
talking
ities
from
were
with
viable,
free
relief
lunch
Baltimore
John
Clark
ually
Reeva White
moved
workers
to till
we grew
into
weekly
address
Market
stayed.
articles.
We began
activ-
Headquarters
building
began
on our
component,
door-to-door
Basically,
and
open. That was a wel-
school
viable
programs
and National
keeping
a liberation
expelled
me into
voids.
There
were
political
increased
work
to collect
to dig roots
issues
knit
that
were
in the summer
party
in the East
bringing
out there
and
of 1969 for
speaking
out into
to our
our
and
attention.
breakfast
Event-
and
as
we
desires.
soon
and to draw
and we spread
brought
as a branch,
classes
and
in community
in Baltimore,
needs
education
funds,
of the branch.
of operating
of donations
close
with
in command
and the interested,
in the form
issues
second
of the communities
community
became
tampering
understanding
some
the curious
for
left, but we were slowly
a better
addressed
cadre
adding
had
in mid-July
neighborhoods.
was eventually
support
who
what
York
was worth
ofus
news
Kebe
attract
to New
chapter
captain.
appraising
sales and began doing
for
California
defense
and
branch
to those
information
Our
new
he reported
program,
our paper
soon
of our
comrades
that the Baltimore
come
the Southern
began
needed
financial
engagements.
Our
East Baltimore
We picketed
and lunch
to
core
to
Roth's
program.
(6)
Members
supported
and joined
with
encouraged
the efforts
of fledgling
and probed
into
of police
crimination.
issues
the Baltimore
high
school
abuse,
health
Black
care,
By the end of 1969 we had survived
Edgar Hoover's
threat,
"to wipe
In April,
1970, the Baltimore
arrested
Marshall
in connection
30th, those
with
same
program,
"Eddie"
one of our
out the Black
Conway,
police
enforcement
living
Jackie
agencies
quarters
,and
Student
unions,
and housing
Panther
with
Powell,
homicide
and
dis-
F .B.I. Director
p .D. in conjunction
an alleged
law
NAACP,
Party"
other
J.
.
agencies
and Jack Johnson
and
shooting.
targeted
our
the houses
On April
breakfast
of former
panthers.
Twenty
(20)
former
and current
sweeping
case that would
Panthers
not
arrested
that
either
vindication,
apart
in 1971. Through
of American
reach
into
ions. Comrades
(Nzinga
the vacuum
branches
ment
our
day were
of the BPP were
Baltimore
Anita
our
targeted
survived
"The bag ofbones
case".
solid
by local
Felder,
police
fell
the agents
foundations
as other
the storms
with
continued
and others
Even
until
the case eventually
branch
(Gamble)
Stroud
ranks.
in a
confrontation
and built
Paul Coates, Connie
being
underground
the Baltimore
community
included
or until
that calamitous
and refurbish
agencies,
forced
submission,
Conway),
were
come to be called
anti-dissention,
deep
Pat Bird
forced
panthers
to
and
relat-
Patsy Madden,
stepped
in to fill
chapters
and federal
of internal
and
and
governexter-
(7)
nal contradictions,
soul
under
the banner
of the BPP.
programs
others
All
to
to serve
P. Newton
1972, we closed
like
Henry
and brought
as another
to Back
phase
our
the community
and the central
office
and India
a skeleton
body
doors,
left
Lee, Will
of our
of the BPP was about
the
some
Joiner
membership
to continue.
Branch
at: seven
People
aka LiI'
Masai
BPP
shadows(i';)earthlink.net
or call
(510)
and
committee
/Heart-to-Heart
McCutchen/
Baltimore
Email
In March,
operating,
Power
Steve
of Huey
and members
Oakland,
Back
and continued
638-4042
and
to