Black Panther: Historical Context

Question 1

What did European countries do to the African countries from the 15-20th century?

Answer 1

• From the 15th to the 20th century, European powers colonised African countries and exploited the continent for both resources and slave labour.
• Africans were branded ‘savages’ by the European invaders, their culture ss dismissed as ‘primitive’ and subsequently ‘othered’.

Question 2

What did African-Americans attempt to do in the early 20th century?

Answer 2

• During the early 20th century in the Western world, African-Americans attempted to establish a new black cultural identity with movements such as the Harlem Renaissance.

Question 3

Who were the Black Panther party and how were they recieved?

Answer 3

• The Black Panther Party (1966-82) was a political activist group established initally to provide armed monitoring of police behaviour and prevent polie brutality in the US.
• It was controversial, with many Panthers being arrested or killed in confrontations with the police.