preview

How Did Huey Newton Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Decent Essays
Open Document

Huey P. Newton influence reached greater heights than most civil rights leaders. The Black Panthers were founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in October 15, 1966 during the middle of the civil rights movement. The Black Panthers, fought for racial equality using revolutionary tactics and Maoist ideals. As the most radical force of the civil rights movement, they benefited from Huey’s leadership tactics. As a result, the party weakened when he was imprisoned and dissolved after he died. Huey Newton’s communist ideals strengthened the civil rights movement by motivating blacks to fight for equality beginning during after. The teachings of Mao Zedong converted Huey from criminal to revolutionary. Huey Newton grew up in Oakland, California. He was a troubled youth who served many jail sentences, but also had a substantial amount of education. He claims that school taught him how to be a better burglar, but not a lot more. In jail he read the works of Mao Zedong. This fueled him to create the Black Panthers. The most far-left civil rights group in America. Huey admired Mao enough to …show more content…

The core of the movement fought to get laws passed that established racial equality. Many people, especially blacks despised the idea of going to Vietnam. Huey Newton shows his disapproval of the war by stating in his Ten Point Program, "We want all Black men to be exempt from military service. We believe that Black people should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that does not protect us" (Newton). The issue of the draft was not technically a black issue due to black people not being the only ones drafted. However, blacks had been treated unfairly in the American army since its inception. The idea of being forced to join had turned away some of the black population. YOU NEED TO SAY HOW THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT DIDN’T EMPHASIZE THEIR SELF

Get Access