Starred Review This is the latest in a wave of young adult titles devoted to the Black Panther Party, an indication of the organization's lasting influence and the implications for current racial activism in America. The account begins with a 1967 confrontation: Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, and Lil' Bobby Hutton square off against members of the Oakland, California, police department, an early incident where these young Back men assert their constitutional rights. This engaging introduction is followed by a comprehensive and extensively documented history of the organization, tracing its development through the turbulent sixties to its eventual demise in 1982. Accessible chapters describe the social conditions that led to the creation of the Black Panther Party Ten-Point Program, a declaration of pride and power that arose in response to decades of racism and legal injustices, fueled by the Vietnam War and manifested through numerous racial rebellions that rocked major American cities. The narrative includes profiles of the young men and women who were key players, often describing events through their personal experiences. Numerous archival black-and-white photos help create a sense of immediacy and empathy. The text also addresses the prejudicial treatment the Black Panthers received from the traditionally white media throughout several decades, and the back matter is robust. This is a passionate, honest, and intimate look into an important time in civil rights history.

Gr 7 Up Bloom and Martin ( Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party ) collaborate with newcomer Grace to bring young readers a well-researched account of the Black Panther Party. Focusing on the founding members, they present a flowing narrative that begins with the origins of Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and concludes with the group's downfall and legacy. The party's leaders, teachings, and programs are depicted clearly and matter-of-factly. The accessible language, stirring archival photos, powerful anecdotes will plunge readers into the midst of the history. The authors deftly set the scene and provide context; teens will fully understand the world the organization was born into. Perhaps not as visually interesting as Kekla Magoon's Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party's Promise to the People , this volume takes a more straightforward approach and provides enough varying information and different presentation to justify a purchase. Arresting chapter headings, the use of wide margins, and lots of block text and quotations make this just as engrossing as Magoon's text. Both titles are must-haves and would benefit from being placed on the same shelves and displays. VERDICT Impeccable writing and stellar design make this title highly recommended. Shelley M. Diaz

An account of the young activists who banded together to form the Black Panther Party and push for change.This detailed, thoroughly researched account covers the Black Panther Party's origins until the final office closed in the early 1980s. The party had its beginnings in the contentious relationship between the police and Black people in Oakland, California. However, founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale were also influenced by their families' experiences with Jim Crow, the agitation of the civil rights era, and the developing Black Power movement. Nonviolence held no appeal, but the words of Malcolm X resonated, and the 1966 establishment of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense represented a new approach. As Eldridge Cleaver, Tarika Lewis, Elendar Barnes, and others joined, the party expanded its reach and mission, seeking to improve education, health, and criminal justice systems and speaking out against the Vietnam War. Law enforcement, including the FBI, viewed its members as threats and began to actively seek to undermine the party and destroy its leadership. Debut author Martin is joined by scholars Bloom and Martin Jr., who co-authored an award-winning history of the Panthers. Their insights into personalities and relationships give an intimate look, set against the background of U.S. history, at their struggles and determination to end the oppression of their people. Many photographs from the period enhance the text.A valuable addition to the history of African American resistance. (Black Panther Party's Ten-Point Program, authors' note, timeline, glossary, photo credits, endnotes, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

In this extensive history of the Black Panther Party written for young readers, debut author Martin and academics Bloom and Martin Jr. present the 1960s origins of the BPP through to the 1982 shuttering of its final office, detailing -the women and the men of the Party- and their supporters and allies, as well as -what it takes to be free.- Organized into six sections, the book begins with the Oakland, Calif., childhoods and early association of Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, then transitions into the birth and growth of the BPP, the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., and multiple state and federal attempts to infiltrate and bring down the party. The text highlights the BPP-s pride in being a party for the people, including the many community programs it created and ran, implementing breakfast programs for schoolchildren and their families, for example, as well as getting Black Studies into school curriculums. In tracing multiple people-s stories, the precise telling doesn-t shy away from internal party conflicts ranging from sexism to ideological splits, while detailing the context behind and legacy of the Black Panther Party-s activism. Photographs appear throughout; back matter includes a comprehensive timeline, glossary, and source material for further reading. Ages 12-up. (Jan.)