When I first embarked on the study involving the Black Panther Party and their movement during the 1960s and 70s era, I began thinking about why they even called themselves the name they used. This also led me to begin thinking about what purpose they could serve and for who this purpose was for. In my primary research I began to ask questions of who, what, when, why, and where did this ideological Party evolve. Signs and symbols are a critical aspect of the ideology of the Black Panther Party, for without them the community they sought so hard to protect from what the viewed as oppression could not have received the messages they introduced to the populous as a whole. At many times they where not accepted as a legitimate organization because they represented to a large population as a radical group not worthy of recognition. This was reflected in the news articles that recorded the events of that time and the public reaction that followed.
The Panthers where an organization created to protect the interest of the Black community due to the abuse the community suffered by the police department. They wore the black leather clothing in signification of the color or race of people they represented. This might have been a reason why they were not widely accepted. Their slogans and signs at that time represented black power, along with power to the people. They were portrayed as gun totting revolutionist that clearly had the intent of disrupting the natural flow democracy. What I didn’t no was that there was a clear attempt by our government to discredit them as a viable organization and a clear successful attempt to disarm them.Today this has begun a firestorm of controversy in our legal system as far as the right to bear arms and concealed weapons.
Their signs and symbols gave rise to those who had a stake in their ideology, but for others these same signs induced fear and rejection. This was not just in the black community but also in the suburbs as well, for many youth in suburbia believed in their movement. I think the main issue here is whether this helped mold the events of that time and how has those events molded the future of youth and equality now. When Eldridge Cleaver wrote Soul On Ice, did this account give rise then and how was it pivotal in the development of the attitudes of the black community. In doing secondary research the accounts offered by Look magazine gave an historical account of the organization which helped develop background for the Party. Where Time- Life gave chronological list of articles that were written about the Party from their beginning to there end. This helped a great deal because they both gave detailed coverage of pictures relating to riots, marches,protest. In doing my primary research I did find out that the person I spoke with felt as he said others did that these events and the signage used was necessary for the Party to get out their message. That they would do what ever it took even if death to get the attitude of the governing bodies to change their position and point of view. To me this was a stand to be reckoned with. With fist raised high and sometimes heads bowed, showed me that there was still respect practised for the old ways, but still the new age was dawning and had to be recognized. These signs helped mold my beliefs of the movement especially at a time when the country was already trying to regroup from a troublesome war overseas. This was also another issue , that being the war in Vietnam and the role of the black community in serving as members of that war. The signs that led to the stopping of the war and the anger that these signs generated from the public as a whole. My hypothesis would involve who were the Panthers and why were they so adamant about their purpose. They first set out to protect those who felt oppressed by the system, well how was this accomplished? When and where did these events of protest occur and how did they affect the community they sought out to protect.
Besides a chronological analysis of the Panther Party and their historical value the main question I think needs to be answered is whether they achieved what they set out to do and how has the black community as a whole benefited from their efforts. Most importantly how did these places in the news and articles servee as a platform for their movement and how were they perceived by the public. Many people look back on the times then and relate them to the times and experiences they see now. Was this because of the Panther Party and their influence of that time or merely a look back in the past as to not forget in the near future what brought us here today in remembrance. I would ask, did the means justify the end?
Sibleys article was a masterpiece in the making. It clearly answered the questions of who are places for, whom do they exclude, and how are these places maintained in practice. He gives a detailed account of the mall and how these places excluded the youth from the main stream shoppers. This is a clear example of how exclusion can effect not just the public itself but also a part of society as a whole. Exclusion in itself is a wrong thing, because when you exercise this type of behavior there is no limit to where people will draw the line in exclusion. He briefly touches on the subject by giving an example of South Africa and the Nazi era , but exclusion is all around us and in every thing we do.
I researching my subject of the Black Panther Party I see this very clearly in the governments attempt which was successful in banning the arms of citizens. This was clearly a signal to those they felt were a threat to the safety of the American people. It excluded the Panther Party who at that time was in the eye of the government a threat. This is how I plan to tackle my project. To expose the ideology of exclusion in the form of who,why and how the tools of exclusion were used and what effect it has on the public at large. I want to explore the social ramifications exclusion has on the populous and for what purpose exclusion might serve. I don’t really want to interject my own opinion ,but rather give an analogy of the circumstances that help evolve the situations of that time.
You have to ask the question what were the signs that people saw that developed the times. You also have to ask what were the places that had the most influence of those times that helped the Panther Party get their message across. In that era the government was the dominant group where the Panther Party was the subordinate group. How was this difference a major change in the evolution of the Party itself? These are major questions that must be explored and answered. Most of all, the key here are the semiotic tools and the geosemiotic areas that effected the outcome and demise of the Panther Party. What was the compelling truths that existed here and how were they major influences in the community as a whole.
Sibley gives a detailed account of the incidents he introduces. In my research I will attempt to do the same and give a clear picture of the events and how they are portrayed. A good thing about my sources is that they give a chronological account of the incidents of that time which will prove to be helpful in my deliverance of the facts about the Panther Party. I’m really not quite sure this is what you wanted for the freewrite assignment , but this is my analysis.
The two sources that I chose to research the Black Panther Party was Time -Life Magazine and Look Magazine. I chose these two because they were the leading magazines of that time and gave detailed accounts of the organization. The authors were the magazine editors and staff. The accounts given were of historical value and an insight into the development of the organization. The writers also gave detailed information of who the founders were and the purpose of the Panther Party. They give a background check of how the Panther Party started as a group in a California city to an organization spreading throughout the nation in many cities across America. The audience the articles appeals to are the African American community. Spreading awareness of the troubles they encounter with the authorities there and the brutality they experience with those authorities. In looking through the articles I have found that the information given is more bibliographical than bias opinion. This is why I chose these sources, for their merit. Look gives a more educational approach to the subject by introducing a detailed background of how the Party started and the purpose it represents, along with how the message was portrayed to the people of that era.
Time-Life gives detailed analysis of the events that molded the Party, and the roads pursued in getting across their ideology. Time gives ideology and event where Look gives more of a documentary. Both of these source used together can be very useful in the examination of how time and placed played an important role in the evolution of the Party. The information given by these two sources are credible and reliable, because they give a comprehensive account of what happen and why it happened at that time. The sources also give a balanced account of the accounts which at that time tended to be very controversial. Time-Life and Look at that time were the two in my estimation magazines of the time that covered almost the world and the worlds view, this is why I chose the two. They represent the attitudes of the populous, along with the biases. They leave the reader with the ability to come up with their own conclusions of the events that happened, along with any tools that might have been used to create the mood of public opinion.The sources I identified I feel are valid because they give an account of the events instsead of opinion.
In Chapter 13 I chose the last summary because it would represent a concise analysis and interpretation. It would give the reader an in depth interpretation of the text and would be less ambiguous. If you want to appeal to the virgin mind you must create the picture, explanation, and enviroment, so that they can make a clear and concise educated hypothesis of the information presented. This is a must for the reader to encompass an understanding of the facts.
1.) What places and events helped the Black Panther Party to evolve?
What specific people proved useful to their movement?
2.) I plan to answer these questions by searching through through articles, news clippings , and magazines of that time.
3.) This can also be done by talking to past or present members if they exist now. Talk to individuals of that time and see how they viewed the Black Panther Party, and how the party impacted them and their community. Also talk to groups who might have paralleled their ideology with that of the party.
4.) I plan to achieve access to these sources by phone , the Internet, and contacting organizations that now exist or existed then who were instrumental either directly with the Panther Party or who had indirect affiliation.
5.) The only biased I would have is not having an open mind to a group defined as radical.
6.) I would insure that an objective approach and response to any information gathered is reflected in my research and word away my personal thoughts and opinions to develop a concise and objectionable view.
7.) I expect to discover how the Black Panther Party became a viable element in our countries history and what tools of semiotics and geosemiotics were used to bring this about.
What is your name?
Where do you now reside?
What is your occupation?
Were you ever a member of the Black Panther Party?
When did you become interested in the Black Panther Panther Party?
What capacity was yor involvement with the party?
Where did you live then ?
Did you receive pamphlets that interested you at that time?
Did you see signs that drove you to their group?
Where did you see these signs?
What did you think about when you saw these signs?
Were you instrumental in creating these signs or images?
What audience did you attempt to reach in the placement of these signs or images?
Was this reaching out for the community or did you or the group attempt to reach out to a broader group of people nationwide?
If you can give an example of what signs or images were created?
How do you think this affected your audience?
Where is the Party now?
How has the past influences of that Party effected people today?
How did the Party influence people in the past?
What specific locations were chosen to represent the Party itself and was these locations successful in getting out the issues?
What was the Parties primary colors and logos?
How was this received by the general public?
In looking back on the readings in this half of the semester, I really like the theory of transgressive semiotics and secure places. As we know graffiti has been a form of communication since the dawn of time. Today some view graffiti as a nuisance to what would be define as morally impermissible. When others view graffiti as an expression of artistic value and a attempt to communicate their reasoning and actions through ones window of the mind. Here I prefer not to weigh in on the philosophical, but rather there is a message to be received. As a child growing up you saw graffiti everywhere. On the corner, on buildings, on sidewalks and streets. At that time graffiti was introduced to my community as a means of communication to those who lived there and to those who didn’t. Graffiti also represented for those who wanted to exact conscious thought about various issues of the time, a right of passage and acknowledgement. Inspiring all to be cognizant of the ills or dangers of our society and those who controlled our destiny. Therefore transgressive semiotics for me established a foot hole in the door to examine more diligently the effects it has on cultural relativity. what compels the mind that created it and for what purpose it has serves.
The other subject would be secure places. In the age and the era we live in today there are many things going on aruond the globe, which creates secure places. I would like to delve into this a bit to see more about the places that exist that no one is aware of and the conditions that brought about these secure places. I would like to examine the persons responsible for initialing these places and for what purpose they serve. whether these places are for the public benefit or are they clearly in the interest of some private authority. What these secure places are sending as a message to those who see them and what are the underling subliminal images to consider. The idea of secure places have given me a new outlook on how we see each other and those who we are not familiar with on a day to day basis. These two topics have interest my curiosity.
This is quite a different secure place I have introduced to the equation. This is a picture of the Little Rive River in The Smokey Mountains that has been protected from the outside world of commercialism. You wont find barriers or columns of the sort here, but what you will find is the peace and tranquility of the open air and nature. This place has been authorized as a sanctuary for wildlife and forest, along with fisheries. It has been deemed this for the purposes of preserving our naturally habitation areas for the future years to come. This spot is in the interest of all humankind and the development of resources that should never be disturb.
Keep in mind when you view this image you see the pristine waters and the growth of the foliage . This sense of naturalization is inherent in all humans and preside in conscious thought. Its appropriateness bears witness to an age once visited and a norm far broken away through industrialization. It affirms Flusty argument that we should be at one with the environment and learn to appreciate all aspects of the development in analogous ways. You don’t see chaos but instead harmony which also must be seen in equation of secure places and venues.
Here we have the demonstrations in the street from the Iranian protesters. I chose this insert because of the volatility of the affair between the government of Iran and the people . the police there are trying to some degree to coral the protesters in the area. In military terms this is done to secure the area and bring upon civil obedience. The cycle cops represent the authority of the government and the protesters represent the voice of opposition from crowd of supporters. The people are the target of the government to disperse, and recognize the will of those who feel they know whats best for the citizens of that country. We see here the release of gas bombs to control the crowd along with the awareness the police that they are being watched by some sort of communicae. I dont think any one person or organization built this or fashioned it to there desires.
I think what is happening here is that democracy has been unleashed which is a good thing in itself, and dangerous to those who will have to give their lives for it. Discourse in places hit home here for me for once democracy is released it acts like a beast that is unwilling to surrender. The snowball that began as a ball has now rolled into an mass, unstoppable in the riff of confusion and will prevail.This for the government of Iran has to serve as a secure venue for without this barrier the demise of their state is at hand.
What you are looking at here is the western entrance to the gates of the University of Southern California. Large gates were erected to keep the general public from the population of the student body. In Scollon and Flusty the physical markers define the separation from the university and the public. On the other side of these gates are huge stone built walls to accompany the gates, which serve as added security for the area. On the side that you see the gates an area in L. A. that would be considered the ghetto. I know that this was not the intent that the original designers had in mind, but this is what it evolved into. The original designers I’m quite sure , which was the university architects, this to be a wonderful backdrop from the city skyline. This has failed, for the ending of the industrialism in the U.S. as far as urban participation left this once lucrative outlet somewhat abandoned. This is what happens when you have the ending of an era.
They are a necessary tool in the develop of the student body, because it can be used as an inlet to their education and serve as a bases for research and exploration into the problems of our society. My observations of Flusty argument to this image would probably be that, this affirms his argument that the stationary devices here are a reminder that we are separated not by mere race or culture , but instead by affluence. This wall must be broken down to expose all its parts and evaluate the means necessary to acclomate participation and equality in this neighborhood. You are only seeing a portion of this street, for a better comprehension of the facts one must delve depper into the abyss.
