Getting to the Hospital: An Overview of the Winston-Salem Black Panther Party (2009)

Undergraduates: Charlie McGeehan, none none none

Faculty Advisor: Kenneth Janken
Department: African, African American & Diaspora Studies

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While much has been written about the Black Panther Party (BPP) nationally and about some local branches, little has been written about the Winston-Salem branch of the Black Panther Party (WS BPP). Work on the BPP generally emphasizes violence, FBI surveillance/repression, and the downfall of the organization, placing little emphasis on reasons for the existence of the BPP and on their survival programs. This study seeks to examine the WS BPP from local perspectives, both those of members and of local press. I have interviewed three former WS BPP members, one woman who volunteered with their programs, and various other individuals with knowledge of Winston-Salem, the Black Panther Party, and the individuals in the WS BPP. I also have used extensively local Winston-Salem newspapers, principally the Winston-Salem Journal and Twin City Sentinel, and the newspaper of the Black Panther Party, The Black Panther. Through the use of these sources, the image of the WS BPP emerges as much more complex than in previous articles. This study is a part of a growing body of nuanced, local histories of the BPP. By taking a local perspective on the WS BPP, this paper will contribute to a vision of what the BPP actually was, as opposed to what it was perceived to be.