In October 1966, there was a group named The Black Panther Party. They were a group the fought for self defence for African Americans. Elaine Brown a African American who was hungry for the same rights, so she joined the organization. Their main enemies were the police, they were always watching their every move and one day in Oakland 1967, The Black Panther Party were involved in a shooting with the police many died but many survived.


In a bright sunday morning, the birds were chirping, my adrenaline was running as my thoughts filled my head with excitement, but the only thing that was running through my mind that made me rage with anger was the respect my people don’t get, the same rights. Every day I always saw a group pass by the city yelling for rights that they knew we deserved, they were The Black Panthers. I enjoyed The Black panther group, I never seen no one stand up so strong, so unafraid to be going up to white folks and scream at them like they were rag dolls. Everytime I passed by them I felt free, confident, embraced with power, and I liked it. Infact too much I decided to join it myself even though I was putting myself endanger for the consequences it would give me, but it never bothered me. It felt like dying for a reason, not for a crime, being old, or suicide. At first they were all about how only men were willing to risk their live to join here and a woman would do the same? But I saw it for helping the community of blacks, I would always convince myself to think that i'm not going to die but sooner or later I would. I worked with the group at first, but never did any “real work” with them.

In 1974, I got to be the first and only woman to be the Black Panthers Leader. It felt like accomplishing the impossible. When I was known to be the first woman in the Party, they treated me like a goddess, other woman always gave me encouragement and always told me I was the bravest woman ever know, but until other woman came into the party they calmed down. I never minded at all I wanted to be known that not just men can accomplish the impossible but also woman could too. When interviewers asked “ What is a Black Panther?” my response was always, “As for what The Black Panthers consider us as is committing our lives. We go to ‘battle’ with others and we go through horrible war but at the end its always worth it, we knew that people will agree with us about the same rights and full freedom.” As the party went on we had issues, we always got caught up by the police they always made racial jokes laughed at us and called us worthless. But as for us thats what we wanted, they always discriminated against us but what use? to make us stop? What they did was give us power, strength and gave us the ability to go further than expected, but sometimes it went too far in 1967 there was a shooting in Oakland with the Panthers and the police. That never stopped us, over the years laws changed. As for the Black Panthers were slowly starting to leave but some stayed as heros, legends and known to be part of The Black Panthers.











Epilogue:
Elaine Brown is a 87 year old, as for today she is a popular activist, a lecture, and a writer.