I watched “Evolution of A Black Panther (½)” which was interesting to see one person, Kathleen Cleaver’s, life story. This short film spoke about how she grew up and how she became part of the black panther party. Previous to watching this video I had recently learned that most of the black panther party was made up of women, so watching this was interesting to see what a leader and activist she is and always has been. Her parents were very involved with activism and they met at the University of Michigan which was one of the few schools that allowed black people to attend. Both her parents were teachers and mentioned that she lived in many places. When her father got a new assignment they would all go, they went to several different states as well as countries like India and the Philippines. From growing up in segregated schools, she went across seas to attend schools where they couldn’t maintain segregation within them. As her father had his assignments, her mother had a master’s. In the 50s, that was very rare, especially in black families. Her mother was a strong feminist and was not afraid to fight for her rights. Overall, she grew up surrounded by activism and she was raised by very strong parents that were not afraid to speak up for themselves and their community. Her inspiration was very powerful making her very outspoken as well. She too wanted to fight for change, her group was a campus program where she met Eldridge Cleaver, a member of the BPP. then, they were still underground and it wasn’t until after she became one. Katherine Cleaver’s journey was very inspirational and interesting as we got to see what brought her strength and power.
Evolution of A Black Panther (½)
I agree that Kathleen Cleaver’s involvement in the Black Panther Party is a reflection of her upbringing. Her parents were strong advocates, which probably inspired Kathleen to become one as well. I wonder what impact she had on the Black Panther Party. It is interesting to see individual people’s story, background, and their connection to the Panthers.
It’s quite impressive on how much influence Women such as Kathleen Cleaver had towards the expansion and influence of the Black Panther party. Through being on the streets protesting with the crowds in activism, helping out in the improvement of poor communities, or helping lead the major decisions and technical side of the Black panther party.
Kathleen Cleaver’s contributions and her parent’s courage are truly noteworthy. It is interesting to learn that in Kathleen Cleaver’s life, she had many influential figures and the opportunity to meet a member of the Black Panther Party. It is impressive to discover the bravery shown by her parents as they spoke out for themselves and their community during a time marked by discrimination and segregation.