Black Panther — the superheroes not from Wakanda & the ones we forget to talk about.
The name “Black Panther” evokes two different depictions in my mind. The first that comes to mind, due to its recent popularity in dominating our culture’s conversation during the significant #BlackLivesMatter movement, is the incredible Marvel film, Black Panther. The movie stars a predominantly black cast of Hollywood’s finest actors/actresses. The movie was revolutionary, groundbreaking, and a wonderful celebration of black culture. The movie is based upon the Marvel comic superhero, Black Panther, whose character was created in July of 1966. Four months later, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. Their party’s directions and goals included freedom in the black community, fair housing, better education, and exemption from the Vietnam War. Their aggressive and assertive protest was certainly impactful (Russonello). Although one Black Panther lived in the imaginary world of Wakanda wearing vibranium armor, while the other Black Panthers formed in Oakland, California and wore leather jackets and black berets, I would confidently use the same adjectives of revolutionary, groundbreaking, and a celebration of black culture to describe the influential Black Panther Party.
Critical Media Literacy encourages readers to recognize bias, explore various types of media, analyze content, and dig beyond the superficial. In this specific lab, my peers and I participated in jigsaw reading. We were broken into groups and given different types of media discussing the Black Panther Party. After discussing the content with the classmates who read the same article, we broke into another small group and learned about the other articles our other peers read. We were able to “piece together” an idea of how the Black Panther Party was depicted in the media and the effects of those depictions. My specific task was analyzing the content of several New York Times Articles. One of the articles, titled “Armed Negroes Protest Gun Bill” was published on May 3, 1967. The article discussed thirty Black Panthers invading the Sacramento Legislature with “loaded rifles and shot guns in their hands” (New York Times). The author initially described the Black Panthers as “anti-white.” It rarely mentions police brutality, but rather chooses to focus on the violent protest, the presentation of weapons, and the dangerous existence of the party. In two other NYT articles, written in 2016, the authors urge readers to consider the genuine intentions the Black Panthers yearned for. The Black Panthers were referred to as anti-white during their protests, yet in reality, the Panthers called for all American people, not just African Americans, to assist them in the fight for equality. Edgar Hoover, first director of the FBI, said that drive of Black Panthers endangered internal security of the United States. Bobby Seale, however, said the actual legacy of his party is to “organize people’s programs and evolve greater participatory community control democracies, void of racist, bigoted, and chauvinistic practices” (Berger).
This activity taught me the importance of seeking multiple perspectives, identifying blind spots in media, and ensuring my future students learn the authentic meaning of a certain event, person, or group of people, as opposed to solely what the textbook reads.
To adapt our lab for K8 students, I would utilize Jesse S. Gainer, Nancy Valdez-Gainer, and Timothy Kinard’s idea of the Bubble Project to further explore critical media literacy for elementary students. “Bubbling” is a way for teachers to scaffold student learning as they analyze multiple forms of media. Students are encouraged to respond to ads they see in the media. This connects to their lives, so therefore, initiates dialogue amongst one another. The responses could be a critique of how someone/something is represented or an observation of the purpose of the advertisement.
I would encourage other teachers to find media (articles, photos, videos) from the past and present that reports on the Black Panthers. By utilizing Newsela, teachers can find articles that adapt to their student’s reading level. The students can then “Bubble” the emotions that the media invokes regarding the Black Panthers.
As I reflect about my time in elementary school, my teachers placed emphasis on Martin Luther King Jr and the impact he made through peaceful protest. Most likely, our teachers used him as a common example to encourage peace amongst one another, as opposed to violence. I believe this is why Malcom X and the Black Panthers are rarely discussed. Although their methods were more aggressive and forceful, their motives are just as important to note.
It is time for us to shift the curriculum from solely dominant narratives to other stories that matter. By exposing our students to the practice of critical media literacy, we are providing them the tools to perpetuate injustice. By doing so, we are following the footsteps of both Black Panther examples. Future Educators, it is time for us to be revolutionary and groundbreaking. We are the stepping stones for the future citizens to make a more just and equal America.
Works Cited:
Berger, Maurice. “Reconsidering the Black Panthers Through Photos.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Sept. 2016, lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/reconsidering-the-black-panthers-through-photos-stephen-shames/.
Gainer, Jesse S, et al. The Elementary Bubble Project. May 2009.
Russonello, Giovanni. “Fascination and Fear: Covering the Black Panthers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/us/black-panthers-50-years.html.