User:Daask/sandbox/Black Panther Party Liberation Schools


Black Panther Party Liberation Schools is

Origins and goals edit

The Panthers were originally formed out of a study group at Oakland’s Merritt community college. The Panthers’ belief in the need for an education beyond what was being taught in the school system led them to develop a network of liberation schools for youth.[citation needed]

David Hilliard originated the idea of a liberation-focused children's school in 1970 in Oakland. The school opened under the direction by Majeda Smith and a team of Black Panther Party members. The school was initially called the Children's House. It was a boarding school, with dormitories in Oakland and Berkeley.[1]

The Black Panther party critiqued the poor quality of school systems in Black communities.[2]

The schools were part of their survival programs intended to meet community needs[3]

issues in education they sought to resolve were

  • the relevance of material to their lives and situation,
  • attitude of instructors toward their students
  • Unifying students with the community
  • availability and affordability of books and supplies
  • community control of neighborhood schools[4]

"Ultimately making schools serve and be responsible to the surrounding poor and oppressed communities"[5]

Intercommunal Youth Institute edit

The Intercommunal Youth Institute on Oakland, California was intended as a model school.[3] It was active in 1971.[6][1] For more on the Intercommunal Youth Institute, see Hilliard (2008, p. 5-9,11).

GED classes edit

collaborated with the Oakland Board of Education to provide GED classes.[7]

Context and criticism edit

"Swahili is an interesting language but we are not using it on IBM cards right now. Let's quit kidding white people that we're going to get on a boat and go back to Africa."

— Whitney Young, discussing Malcolm X Liberation University[8]

Future hopes edit

"It is anticipated that the Adult Education Program will be extended to include consumer education, home economics, courses for senior citizens, and other courses that Black and poor residents desperately need."[7]

Closure edit

The Oakland Community School closed due to lack of funding in 1982. It was the last organized component of the Black Panther Party.[9]

See also edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b Shames 2020.
  2. ^ West 2008, p. x.
  3. ^ a b Hilliard 2008, p. 3.
  4. ^ Hilliard 2008, p. 41f.
  5. ^ Hilliard 2008, p. 41.
  6. ^ Shames 2016.
  7. ^ a b Hilliard 2008, p. 12.
  8. ^ Belvin 2004, p. 81.
  9. ^ Delli Carpini 2000, p. 196.

References edit

  • Belvin, Brent H. (October 6, 2004). Malcolm X Liberation University: An Experiment in Independent Black Education (M.A. thesis). North Carolina State University.
  • Delli Carpini, Michael X. (2000). "Black panther party: 1966-1982". In Ness, I.; Ciment, J. (eds.). The encyclopedia of third parties in America. Armonke, NY: Sharpe Reference. pp. 190–197.
  • Hilliard, David (2008). The Black Panther Party: Service to the people programs (PDF). Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-4394-9. OCLC 823938871.
  • Shames, Stephen (2016). Power to the people: The world of the Black Panthers. New York: Abrams. ISBN 978-1-4197-2240-0. OCLC 960165174.
  • Shames, Stephen (14 April 2020). "The 50th Anniversary of the Black Panthers". ABC News. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  • West, Cornel (2008). "Foreword". In Hilliard (ed.). The Black Panther Party: Service to the people programs.

Further reading edit

Category:1966 establishments in California Category:1970 establishments in California Category:1982 disestablishments in California Category:1982 disestablishments in the United States Category:African Americans and education Category:African and Black nationalism in the United States Category:African studies Category:African-American history in Oakland, California Liberation Schools Category:Black Power Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 1982 Category:Educational institutions established in 1970 Category:Far-left politics in the United States Category:Historically black schools Category:History of Oakland, California Category:Pan-Africanism in the United States Category:Politics and race in the United States Category:Politics of Oakland, California Category:Post–civil rights era in African-American history