Original subtitles

.r.r[R&B]

[ Man Exdalms ]

Listen to this!

J‘ We o’I'o’n’z‘ come here on our free WW Our peowe was sfde J‘

J‘ The thief was the dewl chltdreh That reafly was coto’ J‘

J‘ But sfxfl saw more peopfie you know, they reafly was Dom’ J‘

J‘ The truth about the whote thing chltdreh, he ver been toto’ J‘

J‘ Even state our name which was better than goto’ J‘

J‘ But Allah saw it all and someones head’s gonna roll J‘

J‘ They’re trying to steal the music, children That really gets old J‘

J‘ Trying to learn the wisdom that their mind can’t hold J‘

J‘ Time is up, we’ve had enough Now we got control J‘

J‘ Better dig this rhythm ‘cause there’s lots of lost souls J‘

[ Man Exdaxmmg ]

J‘ Listen, you got to get that starch and iron J‘

J‘ Out of your halr.l‘

J‘ Wxgs and sz‘raIgnz‘en—ano’—oombs aln ’z‘ gonna get you nowhere J‘

J‘ know Wm stepping on some fofl(s’z‘oes Uusz‘ don 2‘ care J‘

J‘ Cause here's the thing you ought to know — it's got to be faI'r.l‘

Oh, Lord!

[ Woman Narrafing ] This is no picnic in Oakiano’.

lz‘ is a pollflcafl rafly organized by the Back Panthers.

— If [ Confxhues ] —[Man]Lexi‘. Lexi‘. Lexi‘. Lexi‘.

Left. Left. Left.

Left. Left. Left.

Left. Left.

Left. Left.

On this Sunday in August 7968. ..

their purpose is to have one of their leaders. ..

Huey Ne wton, reveaseo’ from fiaxl

If [ Conflnues ]

When the y sxng, the y sxng “Free Huey ”

When they dance, they ctehch their fists.

[ Man ] J‘ We got to free Huey J‘ Get with me!

J‘ We got to free Huey J‘

J‘ G02‘ to free Huey J‘ Get vw'z‘h it! Yeah!

J‘ G02‘ to free Huey J‘ Everybody! Oh!

J‘ G02‘ to free Huey J‘ Oh!

J‘ We got to free Huey J‘ Oh!

J‘ We got to free Huey If

[Narrator] 7'he panther was chosen as their s ymbol

lz‘ is a beautlfw Mack anlmafl which never attacks. ..

but defends ltsefl‘ feroclousax.

My name is Brent, Bill Brent.

I’m a captain in the Black Panther Party.

l’m associated with central headquarters ofthe Black Panther Party...

located in Oakland, California.

[Narrator] Oaldano’: popuraflon 400, 000, 32% braclc

tn Merritt Coflege, two students...

Huey Newton and Bobby Seafle.

Later they began to organize their brothers...

against their ciosest enemy." the poiice, whom they caii “the pigs. ”

m 7 966, taking advantage of a aaw ..

which auz‘horI'zeo’ the carrying of vlsxbre arms...

pafrds of the Back Panther Parfy For Sefl‘ Defense. . .

cruised in the ghetto, foflo wing potlce cars.

As soon as a Mack is arrested, they check the procedure. ..

making sure the iawis observed and that their brother kho ws his rights.

As a reswz‘, the poflce hate them. ..

and the Mack community admires them.

But the Aaw has changed

They no hanger carry arms, even If they speak of them ofieh —

quoting Mao, dreaming of obtaining power through guns...

and justice through po wen

See, the Black Panther Party are not anarchists.

We believe in government that serves the people.

In the black community, we want government to serve the people.

We’re gonna first start by ridding ourselves...

of one thousand pigs who occupy our community.

They kflteo’ brother Bobby Hutton. . .

shot brother Hdrldge CYea vet ..

shot brother Warren Wells...

arrested brother David Hilliard...

our national captain of the Black Panther Party.

They are making it their business...

through the process of arresting me and my wife...

through the process of arresting numerous Panthers on the block —

[Narrator] The Oaldandporlce, wefl known for its brufaflfy. ..

never misses the chance to harass the Btack Panthers —

to search them, to trap them...

to enter their houses without warrants, and even to shoot them...

as they did Bobby Hutton, 7 7 years oto’...

who was running vwfhouz‘ arms, having A9)?‘ a basement. ..

where he and Hdrldge CYea ver had taken refuge afier a gun baffle. ..

In vomng 50 pofloemen snooflng a thousand rounds.

lz‘ was Aprfl 6th, two days afier the assassination. ..

of Man‘I'n Luther King.

As for Huey Newton, he was arrested the night of October 28th, 7 962 ..

alter a routine driver's tlcense check that turned into btoodsheo’.

The facts." nxne shots, one dead pohoeman, another wounded ..

a btoody tawbook on the street and Newton shot

The testimonies are contradictory. lz‘ was a dark night.

No wlmess actuafly saw the weapon in Newton 3 hano’.

He was serlousty wounded, taken to the hospltat, where, on the operating tabte...

he found hlmserf surrounded by porlcemen who threatened him.

And afier nxne months of fiaxl ..

his that is heto’ at the county courthouse.

7'he Btack Panthers keep watch in front of the bufldlhg, making of this case...

a test case for their pollflcafl baffle.

So afl the Macks and some whites scream “Free Hue y’i ..

witnouz‘ even raising the question of his possibie guiiz‘. ..

and the oourfhouse Aawn becomes an open forum...

where they discuss Chairman Mao and teach the Btack Panther program.

Our organizer was the leader ofthe Black Panther Party...

our minister of defense, Huey P. Newton...

who is now incarcerated in the Afiameda C‘ounz‘yjaIZ..

and he ’s undergoing triai and fighfihg for his iife.

[ Woman] How have you been treated I'n]1aI7?

we been constantly harassed. I’m in solitary confinement.

— Now? — Yes. We been in solitary confinement...

for approximately three months now.

When I was outside of solitary confinement...

I was still confined to a cell of seven—by—seven.

I haven’t been outside a seven—by—seven in nine months other than to shower.

My mail and books...

are constantly held up.

My attorneys must put much pressure...

on the authorities here to give me a book.

And I always read the book...

and then I’m out of reading material for months sometimes.

How about wrltxng? Do you get to do any writing wnfle you're oonfxneo’?

Yes. Only, I have to be careful what I write...

because periodically they have a Shakedown or they —

— They confiscate I2‘? — Right. My books too.

The books through the mail, they take them for some reason.

[ Man ] What are these books?

[Newton] Malcolm X Speaks...

Quotations from Chairman Mao...

a coupe other books.

Yes, it’s a Marxist—Leninist program...

and I was greatly influenced by the Cuban Revolution.

And the Black Panther Party are practical revolutionaries.

We ldenmjz with the armed sfruggfle. ..

of cotohlzeo’ peopte throughout the worto’.

The community has been very receptive and responsive. ..

to my being in prison.

They vie W me as a pollflcafl prisoner, which am.

n"s heaved to mobfllze the community.

M y case is defxnltety a confrontation between...

the poflce deparfmenf in parficufian ..

between the estabtlshment and the cotonlzeo’ btack peopte in general

[ Narrator] The reader of afl Afro—A merlcans, .S‘z‘ol(ery Carmichael ..

gives a speech at one of the raflles.

[ A udlence AppAauo’I'ng ]

[ C‘armI'chaeU Everybody knows I2‘.

The parfy is wefl organized

The sky will cave in...

if Huey P. Newton is not set free.

[ A udlence AppAauo’I'ng ]

And there needs to be no justification for that.

We say that Huey P. Newton...

is a prisoner of war.

Many people say that that’s not true...

or that the party is exaggerating.

I think it’s clear — its crystal clear —

that the United States has declared war...

on black people.

She did that when she took the first black man from Africa.

Now, of course, she ’s never said so in words. ..

and some peowe expect for her to come out and say...

'7 dedare war on Mack peopfie. ”

But now, the United States to this day...

has not declared war on Vietnam...

but they’re in Vietnam.

They have not declared war on North Korea...

but they fight in North Korea.

And they did not declare war on the Indians.

They just wiped them out.

So we must define our conditions.

We are at war.

The minister of defense is our leader.

He is in jail.

He is a prisoner of war.

We must get him by any means necessary.

If we cannot get him, we must —

we must retaliate, period.

[ Peopfie AppAauo’I'ng ]

Why did you come to be here’?

Because I had a lot of curiosity about what was going on...

and how people are organizing to support Huey Newton.

Well, it should be everybody who supports him...

on this kind of a case like this, because...

it’s just a drag issue in the first place, you know.

Personally, I believe myself...

its a nice thing to get a lot of people together.

[ Man ] what brings you to this Huey Newton rafly. ..

and what your opinions are about Huey Newton in this case.

Well, I think he’s been framed.

See, the man don’t have no evidence that the man did it.

So why, you know, why shouldn’t he be free’?

Well, the reason that brings me here —

I don’t think Huey is getting a fair deal, you know.

That’s the way I think.

— I think the police shot him. — You think the pohce shot him?

— Yeah. — And he showo’ be set free?

Yeah, goddamn right, ‘cause he’s not the guilty one.

— Who 3 the guflfy one? — Police.

[ Man ] . . . for fnemseives, organizing them and giving them poiificai kno wiedge. ..

about the true situation...

and organizing them and teaching ourselves that we must arm ourselves...

if we have to put a shotgun at every door, from door to door...

from Mack to Mack ..

from community to community. ..

from city to cI'z‘y..

from state to state, across this racist nation.

Huey P. Newton said that every Mack man...

e very Mexican A merlcan. . .

every mo’I1an, and every white radical ..

has got to get yourselves armed...

so we can have the power in our hands.

So we can have the power in our hands.

[ A udlence AppAauo’I'ng ]

The 10-point program. Number one: We want freedom.

We want the power to control the destiny of our black communities.

Number two: We want full employment for our people.

Number three: We want an end to the robbery...

by the white man of our black communities.

Number four: We want decent housing fit to shelter human beings.

Number five: We want education for our people that teaches us...

the true nature ofthis decadent American society —

education that teaches us our true history...

and our role in the present—day society.

— What we are doing daily’? —[Man]DaI7y.

Like I said before, we are organizing the community...

going into different peoples homes, politically educating them...

telling them exactly what is going on...

not only here in Oakland...

but in America and throughout the world.

Many black people are not aware of what is going on in America...

or what is going on in South Africa...

or over there in France, for instance, you know’?

Since the black community is not a reading community...

we talk to them, show them examples.

In our paper we have pictures...

so they can see what is going on.

And then after they learn what is going on in the black community...

then they can step forth and try to change it themselves.

[ Man ] Okay. Thank you very much.

— [ Woman] Thank you. — [ Man ] Thank you very much.

Number six: We want all black men to be exempt from military service.

I’m a draft counselor, and we started the Black Draft Counseling Union...

because we realized the problem that black people...

are not aware of their rights under the draft law.

We feel that black people should be exempt from the army...

because they have nothing to fight for in Vietnam, nothing whatsoever.

They go to Vietnam, they fight, they come back...

and things are the same — they haven’t gained anything.

Number seven: We want an immediate end...

to police brutality and murder of black people.

Number eight: We want all black people to be released from the many prisons...

city, county, and state jails that they are now being held in.

This jail is composed of about 80% black...

and I would guess...

that most ofthe blacks here...

are here because of political reasons, really...

even though they don’t even realize it.

Number nine: We want all black people, when brought to court...

to be tried by a jury of their peers...

or people from their black communities, as defined in the Constitution.

Number 10: We want land, justice...

housing, education, clothing, and peace.

And as a major political objective...

a United Nations—supervised plebiscite...

to be held throughout the black colonies of America...

in which only black people will participate, to decide...

or determine the will of black people as to their national destiny.

— [ Man] Right on, brother. — [ Man #2 ] Beautiful. Beautiful!

[Narrator] The use of “brother” and “sI'sz‘er”nas gone beyond the z‘rao’lz‘I'onar “sour” meanxng.

lz‘ now means “comrade” In the pollflcafl sense.

This is the Back Panther szjde —

Mack Aeather, Mack berets, Mack sungfiasses. ..

return to African dress...

to naturafl hairdo. ..

and promotion of women to the polltloat and mxlltary We of the party.

[No Audible Dialogue]

[People Chanting, lndistinct]

— What are you gonna do’? — Off the pigs!

— What are you gonna do’? — Off the pigs!

[ Chanflng ] 027‘ the pigs! Bang, bang!

The role ofthe black woman in the Black Panther Party...

is exactly the same as the man...

that we make no distinction whatsoever.

Women hold ranking positions in the party.

They are all instructed and are military—trained.

They’re expected to, uh —

to perform duties — not on a sex level...

but just as a party member and a revolutionary.

We have to print leaflets.

We have to get these buttons, these posters.

All these things you ask us for...

we have to have the materials to provide them.

[Narrator] Her husband, Hdrldge CYeaver..

is the Peace and Freedom Pan‘y presldentxad candidate.

For the Biack Panther Party, it is a significant poiiticai aiiilance.

Katlfleen CYeaver works with her husband

My position is communications secretary...

ofthe Black Panther Party...

and I work directly with the minister of information ofthe Black Panther Party.

We’re building what we call the ministry of information...

which would deal with the whole aspect...

of getting out information — publications, newspapers...

magazines, pamphlets, contacts with the press...

arranging distribution of literature...

arranging printing, building tape libraries...

building libraries, making sure there’s printed publications...

this type of thing.

My husband is the minister of information.

Black people in general...

are responsive to what we say —

especially young black people.

And the white people that invite us, they’re curious...

or they want information on the Peace and Freedom Party...

and they’re usually very grateful, because the Black Panther Party...

has a rational program and a rational explanation...

for the many confusing things happening around this country.

Whereas they might invite some speakers who rant and rave and talk about...

“Hate white people, burn, kill,” et cetera...

and they can’t really understand it, they can’t isolate it.

The Black Panther Party will give them an ideological perspective...

and separate the institutions from the citizens...

the government from the people...

and point out the institutions — in particular the pigs, the police department...

the educational system, the economic system — to be attacked...

and do not attack the individuals because of the color of their skin.

This brother here, myself, all of us...

were born with our hair like this, and we just wear it like this.

Because it’s natural. Because —

The reason for it, you might say, is a new awareness among black people...

that their own natural physical appearance...

is beautiful and it’s pleasing to them.

The women want to please men...

and if men accept it as beautiful, then women will do it.

[ Woman] Expfialn this szjde.

Well, I decided to go natural about a week ago.

I felt it was a purpose...

it was a special purpose...

more so a meaning for me to be natural...

because I’m involved right now with the Black Panthers...

and I think appearance means a lot.

Oh, we been wearing it for about three or four years now...

but during that time, We went back to the straighten—and—comb.

But wearing my natural...

it, like, shows within me, gives me more pride within myself.

For so many, many years...

we were told that only white people were beautiful —

only straight hair, light eyes, light skin was beautiful.

And so black women would try everything they could —

straighten their hair, lighten their skin — to look as much like white women.

And the black men would let it be known...

that they thought white women were beautiful...

and they’d say they didn’t want any ugly black woman with short hair.

But this has changed, because black people...

are aware HOW...

that their own appearance is beautiful, they’re proud of it...

and white people are aware of it too...

because white people now want natural wigs.

They want wigs like this. Dig it’? lsn’t it beautiful?

— Yes. — All right.

[People Laughing]

All we know is this:

that whether you got a natural on...

or whether you got a process on...

whether a sister’s got her hair straightened...

or whether a sister’s got a natural on...

whether a sharp pimp is down the block...

with a sharkskin suit on or a mohair suit on...

or whether a sister is prostituting...

or whether one of our mothers is working hard up there in that kitchen on a meal...

or whether anything, brothers —

the pigs will murder, brutalize, and kill you...

simply because you’re black, regardless of what kind of bag you’re in.

— [A udlence AppAauo’I'ng ] — That’s a fact!

We have the pigs uptight.

They don’t know where we are...

they don’t know whether all of us are represented here...

but they know that we represent a manifestation...

of the black community...

and that this has reached a stage...

where they cannot deal with it anymore.

They cannot deal with black people in this country anymore.

And this places us in a very dangerous position.

This places us in a different position —

[ Man Shouts Cadence]

Ten—hut!

Dress and covet

Keep your arms up there.

Dress and co verl

— Who are you’? — [ In Unison] Black Panthers!

— Why are you here’? — Free Huey!

— Why are you here? — Free Hue yl

— What are you gonna use? — Hue y’s teachings!

— What are you gonna use? — Hue y’s teachings!

— What are they? — The guns!

— What are they? — The guns!

[Narrator] ”Who are you?” “Brack Panthers. ”

”Why are you here 7'’ ‘'70 free Huey. ”

”Whaz‘ are you going to use?” “Huey’s teachings. ”

”Whaz‘ are they?” ‘The guns. ”

Carmlchaev foo salo’. ..

‘The brother who is ready to die is just an I'o’I'oz‘.

You have take a gun to be a re vomflonary. ”

lz‘ is because they are an endangered mxnonty. ..

that the Btack Panthers have to afilrm themsetves so vlotehtty...

and dedare war on their I'mmeo’I1az‘e enemy." the poflce.

Their war cries frighten and exasperafe the white racists. ..

who consider them Mack fascists. ..

forgetting that they are much tess dangerous than the potlce...

and much A955 fascist.

As for the radlcats, they support the Free Huey campaign. ..

ah the whfle fearing that it might break out into vlotehce. ..

and that the struggte for btack po wer vwfl be tong and btoody.

The “mind and body” theory —

for years, ever since slavery...

that blacks have been considered “the body” to do the work...

and the white population “the mind”...

or the omnipotent administrator.

And in this country, that the white radicals...

used to attempt to be the theoreticians for themselves...

and also for the black radicals.

But now the white radicals...

are gaining the body...

by engaging in activities —

certain resistances, demonstrations, and so forth —

and even confrontations with the arm ofthe establishment...

which is the police force.

So they’re gaining a body, and the blacks are gaining the mind...

because we no longer will stand for anyone to be our theoretician...

that we will decide our ideology...

as well as engage in the practice.

So a unity is being achieved...

between the white radicals...

and the black colony.

The Black Panther Party has succeeded in lifting...

the consciousness of the community.

I’m very optimistic at this point...

because I feel that the black community has already received a victory.

[ Man ] The reason e came here is. ..

I feel that Huey Newton...

is a model for the black community.

I think he’ll be set free.

Because If he ’s not set free, then there 3 gonna be other —

[ Narrator] “Huey must be set free. ” rz"s flke a refrain.

rz"s heard everywhere — even in Hoflywooo’.

And when we try to lmowmore about the night of October 27th, no one says a woro’...

more about the basis of the defense, the ahs wer is atways a theoretlcat one.

We can oniy feei their tiredness bearing do wn on their determination.

That he was innocent, and that he must be set free.

And that the pigs who have invaded our community...

were out to kill him because of what he was teaching...

because ofthe political party he has organized.

And that’s sufficient for us.

What you need to know about it...

is that we don't Me It and we ’re not going to accept it

— lt’s crystal clear. lt’s crystal clear. — [ Man ] What's crysfafl dear?

It is not a question of individual cases.

It’s a question of an oppressive force moving against an oppressed people.

Huey P. Newton represents all black people who are taken into prison.

This brother has to be set free. No two ways about that.

[ Woman] Why are you here, sir?

l’m visiting here from Houston, Texas.

Do you know what's going on here?

A boy named Huey is being tried...

for shooting a police officer.

— Do you know more about it? — Do I what?

[ Man ] Do you know more about it than that?

Not really, except that there seems to be...

quite a biz‘ of furor ..

in the cotoreo’ community about the trI1a[..

— and they keep demonstraflng. .. — [ Peowe Chanflng ] Free Hue yl

in from‘ of the courfhouse. ..

that they want us to, uh...

— the y want to free Huey .. — Free Hue yl

— whether he ’s guflfy or not. — J‘ Back is beautlfw J‘

— Free Huey! — J‘ Set our warrior free J‘

— Free Huey! — J‘ Black is beautiful J‘

— Free Huey! — J‘ Set our warrior free J‘

Free Huey!

J‘ No more brothers in jail J‘

— Ofifhe pigs! — J‘ The pigs are gonna catch hell J‘

— Off the pigs! — J‘ No more brothers in jail J‘

— Off the pigs! — J‘ Figs are gonna catch hefl J‘

— Off the pigs! — J‘ Revolution has come J‘

— Off the pigs! — J‘ Revolution has come J‘

— Off the pigs! — J‘ #3 time to pick up the guns J‘

— 027‘ the pigs! — J‘ The re vomflon has come J‘

027‘ the pigs!

[Narrator] September 8th, 7 96:9.

Newton is dedareo’ guflty.

The prosecutor accused him of fI'rsz‘—o’egree murder and was afier his heao’.

Thefury, torn by the Aack of evidence on one hano’...

and the vehemehoe of the prosecutor on the other haho’...

took four days to bring in its vero’lcz‘.'

Newton is guflfy of mansfiaughfen

His fife is spared, but he vwfl have a term of from two to 75 years in fiaxl

Nobody is happy with the verdict. lz‘ is a pollfloafl compromise.

— Newton's attorneys WW appeal — [ No Audible Dialogue]

Huey must be set free.

m Oaldano’, the poflce react.

Two poflcemen go to the Panther Parfy headquarfers. ..

shoot the windows, and km the posters of Ne wtoh and Ctea vet

One finds in this act the unmisfakabie reminder ..

of the maglcafl act of kxillng an image. ..

usuafly attrxbufed to so—cafleo’ prlmI'z‘I've and non white peopfie.

lz‘ is, in any case, a sign of hate which does not mlsfieao’.

The story of the Btack Panthers is not over

— 027‘ the pigs! — J‘ The re vomflon has come J‘

— 027‘ the pigs! — J‘ it's time to pick up — J‘