United Panther Movement
SOMA Action’s Racial Justice Committee has worked with the United Panther Movement in Newark and would like to share information about the organization and its important programs.
The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, CA with the goal of bringing an end to police brutality and fueling Black liberation through their 10 Point Program. In 1969, the Panthers expanded their work to include community service. From there, the Free Food Program was born. The program provided free breakfast to Black children every morning before school. It was so successful that it grew to 36 chapters across the United States and fed more than 20,000 children in its first year. However, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover began to notice The Black Panther Party’s work and he set out to destroy the movement. Under his direction, the FBI attempted to undermine the Panther’s efforts by sending letters filled with disinformation to businesses with the intent of discouraging their donations of food, raiding community centers and traumatizing the children that were present, and destroying warehouses where food was being stored. FBI agents also canvased in white Virginia neighborhoods, telling families that the Black Panther Party would teach their children to be racist (sound familiar?). The FBI raided many Black Panther Party chapters across the country and imprisoned or assassinated party leaders to the point that the Free Food Program, sadly, came to an end in the 1970s.
Chairman Zulu Sharod and team unloading fresh food from a delivery truck
The United Panther Movement, which has revived the Panther’s original 10 Point Program, currently runs a Free Food Program where they provide free, fresh food and other essentials to the people of Newark. This program takes place at the Hasan Shakur Community Center twice a month. However, the center is in need of some major renovations. Led by Chairman Zulu Sharod, The United Panther Movement has been able to raise enough funds to purchase the building and install a new roof. The next critical steps are to install a new floor and electrical system, which are essential for their community center to become fully operational. Once the building undergoes these necessary renovations, they will be able to expand their program to offer free food to the community every day.
Chairman Zulu Sharod setting up for the United Panther Movement's Free Food Program
The vision for the Hasan Shakur Community Center, located at 309 South Orange Ave in Newark, is to provide free educational classes and activities to the community, grow and maintain a sustainable rooftop vegetable garden, and continue offering free food and hot meals to the people of Newark.
This goal can only be achieved with donations from people who support the cause. The United Panther Movement has created something truly special in Newark and the love that they have for their community is both palpable and inspiring. We witnessed Chairman Zulu Sharod speaking with members of the community at one of the Free Food events and many people who were not aware of the community center’s presence were excited to learn that the Panther movement has returned and were excited about the work that they are doing. Please consider donating to The United Panther Movement either financially, or by donating your construction skills to help them on the path to liberation.
You can donate to the movement here:
Cash App: $NABPP05
Venmo: @UnitedPantherMovement!