Black Panthers White Lies | Curtis Austin | TEDxOhioStateUniversity

Summary

In this compelling narrative, Curtis Austin recounts his unexpected journey from educator to felon due to his book on the Black Panther Party. Despite the Party's community service initiatives like free breakfast and health clinics, Austin's airport interrogation and subsequent mislabeling highlight ongoing racial biases. He challenges the audience to research the Party's true history, questioning the misinformation spread by the FBI and urging unity across racial lines to address societal issues.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker, Curtis Austin, became labeled a felon in 2008 after an incident at an airport involving books about the Black Panther Party.
• 🛫 Curtis was detained and interrogated for hours at the airport due to carrying books about the Black Panther Party and having a one-way ticket.
• 🏫 Despite being cleared by the FBI, Curtis later discovered he was listed as a felon, which threatened his teaching position at a university.
• 📖 The Black Panther Party, founded in 1966, aimed to combat police brutality and address broader social issues within the black community.
• 👥 The Party was not just men; women made up the majority of its members and later, its leadership.
• 🍽️ The Party initiated free breakfast programs for children, demonstrating their commitment to community service over violence.
• 🏥 They also established free health clinics, supported by donations and the involvement of medical professionals, including white individuals.
• 🔍 The speaker highlights the misinformation and vilification of the Black Panther Party, much of which was propagated by the FBI.
• 🚔 The violent response from authorities, including the murder of Fred Hampton, underscores the government's opposition to the Party's interracial activism.
• 🎤 Beyoncé's tribute to the Black Panther Party at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2016 sparked controversy and hate mail, reflecting ongoing misunderstandings about the Party.
• 🤔 The speaker encourages the audience to research the Black Panther Party critically, questioning biases and considering the sources of information.

Q & A

What was the speaker's occupation before being labeled a felon?

The speaker was an educator, teaching the History of the Civil Rights Movement at a university in Mississippi.

Why did the speaker fly to Des Moines, Iowa?

The speaker was going to Des Moines to purchase a car that he found online.

What unusual items did the speaker have with him at the airport, which led to suspicion from airport security?

The speaker had a one-way ticket to Iowa, no clothes, no toiletries, and a collection of books about the Black Panther Party.

Why did the FBI get involved in the speaker's situation at the airport?

The FBI was called because the speaker's situation was considered suspicious: a black man with a one-way ticket to Iowa, no personal belongings, and books about the Black Panther Party.

How did the speaker's life change after the airport incident?

The speaker was labeled a felon, which led to him losing his job as a university educator because felons were not allowed to teach at the institution.

What was the reason given for the speaker being labeled a felon according to the FBI?

The speaker was labeled a felon because he had written a book about the Black Panther Party.

What were some of the community service programs initiated by the Black Panther Party?

The Black Panther Party initiated free breakfast programs for children and free health clinics to address health issues in the black community.

How did the Black Panther Party secure donations and support for their programs?

The Black Panther Party secured donations and support by approaching grocery store owners for food donations and doctors and medical students for the free health clinics.

What was the outcome of the lawsuit filed by the families of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark against the city of Chicago and the State Attorney's Office?

The families won the lawsuit, and the city of Chicago and the State Attorney's Office were ordered to pay almost two million dollars in damages.

What is the speaker's advice to the audience regarding the Black Panther Party and their legacy?

The speaker encourages the audience to do their own research about the Black Panther Party, question their biases about American history, and work together across racial and ethnic lines to solve societal problems.

Why did Beyoncé and her dancers dress in black leather outfits and black berets during the Super Bowl halftime show?

They dressed that way to pay homage to the Black Panther Party, honoring their community service and the 50th anniversary of the party's founding.