By Elisabeth Seiple
California in 1967 was the hub of the Black Panther Party in America. It was founded in Oakland in 1966 by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, and much of its leadership and action was based in California. The Party began “copwatch”, to actively patrol neighborhoods for signs of police abuse. While on patrol members were often armed, and in fact armed defense was a large part of the Black Panther Party in general. The party is also sometimes referred to as the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. At the same time, and for some time before, the National Rifle Association were actually known to be supporters of gun control. Previously, the NRA was the driving force behind gun regulation and taxes, waiting periods, even reporting gun sales to the police. These came as a result of multiple things–outlaws during prohibition, the assassination of president Kennedy, and more.
The two worlds collided after the Black Panthers, armed with shotguns and rifles, stormed the California House of Representatives in order to protest proposed gun control laws. No one was hurt and no violence occurred, but the NRA would go on to support the Mulford Act, which banned open carry in California. When these actions are compared to current day actions by the NRA, their racist ideas of what is considered a serious threat become clear. For them, it seems, a non-violent, Black power protest, is more inspiring of gun reform than any of the recent, horrific, mass shootings, or even the average 36 people a day who are killed in gun-related violence.
Sources
- Coleman, Arica L. “When the NRA Supported Gun Control.” Time, 29 July 2016,
time.com/4431356/nra-gun-control-history/.