The Black Panther Party—it’s not an after-party for Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever—it is a real fight for justice. The Black Panther Party was originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, a left-leaning Black nationalist organization. You may be surprised to hear that the Black Panther comics that the Black Panther movies are based on actually came just months before the Black Panther Party. But, enough on Marvel’s Black Pantherlore (you can read more about that in this reflection by Mj). Let me bring you to a first-hand experience of a former Black Panther member.
In Black Anarchism, Ashanti Alston speaks on the time he served as a member of the Black Panther Party and in prison. This zine contains a transcription of his speech at CUNY’s Hunter College in 2003, coordinated by the Institute for Anarchist Studies and the Student Liberation Action Movement of the City University of New York. As a board member for the Institute of Anarchist Studies at the time, Alston used his platform to call out the ironic system of liberation groups, and what he had learned about anarchism from his experiences.
While he was a Panther in the early 1970s, Alston’s mind was opened to understanding the circumstances of others. Soon after, he joined the Black Liberation Army (BLA), an organization focused on Black liberation from the United States government. As a member of these Black nationalist organizations, Alston performed a group bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. His interest in anarchism grew greater, admittedly out of boredom, with the time he spent locked up. He says that letters and literary analyses were sent to him during his decade-long sentence. Those artifacts brought a different light to the revolutionary people and ideas Alston once idolized—including the Black Panther Party.
The smallest person on the totem pole was supposed to be a worker and the one on the top was the one with the brains. (Alston 2)
An interesting point Alston found in all his studies was that these anarchist movements focus on European struggles. Even in the Black Panther Party, he says much of the basis of their movement was drawn from nationalists like Marxists-Leninists. He traveled to tribes in West and South Africa only to discover the same popular power struggle. This brings us to Alston’s motivation to involve himself more in anarchism that focuses on the Black community.
Through Alston’s self-education journey, he was now ready to direct a new narrative for anarchism. His vision was influenced by antiauthoritarian and radicalist groups that emphasized teamwork in the fight against undue power dynamics. With his collection of knowledge, Alston continues to be an anarchist activist and spreads his expertise in speeches like this one at Hunter College.
Though the structure of this zine is typed, the power of Alston’s voice made me feel like I had been transported to a big assembly. I enjoyed reading Alston speak on his personal experience as a Black Panther in Black Anarchism. Hearing all his discoveries led me to do further research on Ashanti Alston and his affiliations. An interesting connection I found was that Assata Shakur, friend of rapper Tupac Shakur’s parents, was a leader of the Black Liberation Army. She is also noted for her political activism at City College of New York and Borough of Manhattan Community College! There is plenty more on Ashanti Alston and related connections to uncover. But for now, I will leave off with this knowing that the people of CUNY include figures of revolutionary movements we can all learn from.
Get the zine! Come to BMCC’s library and find Black Anarchism in our zine collection!
About the author A New York Native, kt enjoys genres of realistic fiction and non-fiction. Culturally relevant reads pique the most interest to her.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
