When I first watched the documentary, I felt a sense of pride in my people. I found it quite admirable that The Black Panther Party had the philosophy and mindset to protect their own in a society and a time where their people were being mistreated and killed. Through their community service work and the rallies they held to promote change in the government for the betterment of black people in America was one of inspiration especially for me as a young black person wanting change for my people.
A big lesson that I can take away from the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party is that you cannot allow your ego to cloud your judgment. This was seen in after Newton was released from jail, and allowed the "legend" title to go to his head. When his ego became inflated, he lost sight of what was truly important to him, the betterment of the black community. As a student, I tend to see this ideology in fellow students in leadership positions when they're offered a larger platform in social media, they tend to lose sight of the ultimate goals they wish to achieve while in the position.
The Party also influenced the culture of that era through fashion. Being a Black Panther was seen as a fashionable lifestyle. You could see many people sporting an afro and a leather jacket. Even today minorities cultures are used in fashion today.
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