Synopses & Reviews
A reformatted and reduced price edition of the first book to show the provocative posters and groundbreaking graphics of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party for Self Defense, formed in the aftermath of the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, sounded a defiant cry for an end to the institutionalized subjugation of African Americans. The Black Panther newspaper was founded to articulate the partys message, and artist Emory Douglas became the papers art director and later the partys minister of culture. Douglass artistic talents and experience proved a powerful combination: his striking collages of photographs and his own drawings combined to create some of the eras most iconic images. This landmark book brings together a remarkable lineup of party insiders who detail the crafting of the partys visual identity.
Review
“Anyone with an eye for beauty will appreciate the art . . . it speaks of suffering, and it speaks of hope. This is a wonderfully crafted book both in terms of the writing, but also in terms of the beautiful illustrations rendered by Jemisin himself.” —Jim Coplen, author, The Wild Birds' Song
Synopsis
Inspired by the forgotten burial ground discovered in lower Manhattan, this book tells the story of the first African American New Yorkers through 25 beautiful gouache paintings and striking prose. Opening with an essay that sets the tone, the book brings history alive with emotion through powerful imagery, and plays with size and placement of the images to convey a unique feel. It concludes with an interview with the painter where he discusses what life is like for an artist, how he views the art world’s acceptance of him as a black artist, and his feelings on artist collaboration.
About the Author
Emory Douglas was the Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party from 1967 until its discontinuation in the early 1980s. Colette Gaiter is associate professor of visual communications in the art department at the University of Delaware. Bobby Seale co-founded the Black Panther Party with Huey Newton. Sam Durant is a Los Angeles–based artist. Danny Glover is an actor, producer, and director. Kathleen Cleaver, attorney, author, and senior lecturer at Yale University and Emory Law School, joined the Black Panther Party in 1967. Amiri Baraka is a writer and political activist.