In 1966, the Black Panther Party was founded by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton to provide community-based social programs in the L.A. area. The FBI purposely associated them with other domestic terrorist groups like the Weather Underground and the Symbionese Liberation Army (remember Patty Hearst?)
Years later, newly released FBI files showed J. Edgar Hoover actively tried to label the Black Panthers as terrorists, and Seale and Newton spent time in jail on false charges. Hoover didn’t like President Johnson or the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and he considered the Black Panthers to be a political challenge to America’s involvement in Vietnam; they were as they pointed out black men were being disproportionately drafted compared to whites.
But while Seale and Newton were fighting with the federal government, the women of the group took over and ran the Black Panthers as the community-based social movement it was meant to be. They banded together to make their community self-sufficient and empowered. They provided school children with breakfast before school, free tutoring after school, set up medical clinics for children and their mothers, started their own daycare centers so single mothers could work and get off welfare, and the list goes on.
Until this time, Black women would try to style their hair like white women. But that involved chemicals like hair straightener and perms.
The Black Panther women decided to forego trying to imitate white styles. They decided to grow their afros out – the bigger the better.
Their afros represented independence and pride in their race. It gave them a sense of self-respect and empowerment.
Recently, Fo, Claire, and I had a conversation about hair and afros. I explained the history of the afro in the United States. How much they can relate to the civil rights movement in the US is probably minimal. But I told them to always take pride in their African heritage and never try to compete with the white girls to measure their looks and self-worth. I told them I think they and their whole family are incredibly beautiful.
A couple hours later, Fo sent me this photo of her and her sister. The most beautiful picture of these two girls ever.
Those who know Fo and Claire know about the beautiful, iron-strong bond of sisterly love they have. This bond found its birth in them having to watch each other’s back in the refugee camp. In this picture, you can literally feel the love they have for each other. I’ve never seen them argue or quarrel and the communication between them is not verbal – it’s almost spiritual like they read each other’s mind.
I hope Fo and Claire never forget what beautiful, pretty, young women they are and I pray they will always know they are a blessing to so many. I hope they always love and honor their African heritage because all people are children of God and worthy of respect.
(rev. 4/21)