Black Panther Party Celebrating 40th Reunion in Oakland

October is Black Panther History Month 2006 in Oakland. A number of events are being held, starting with the Black Panther Film Festival on Sunday, October 1st, and leading up to the Black Panther Party 40th Reunion, Friday, October 13th through Sunday, October 15th. KPFA will broadcast live from the conference on Saturday from 2–6 p.m. PDF of Registration Form

Friday's events at the Malonga Center for the Arts will include a press conference and workshop on Media in the Struggle, a screening of the film "Eldridge Cleaver," a book fair, a political prisoner panel at 4 p.m., workshops on youth and reparations, and opening ceremonies, including history and tributes to fallen comrades.

On Saturday, events will be held at the Malonga Center and Laney College, both in the Lake Merritt area. At the Malonga Center, opening remarks are at 9 a.m., followed by workshops on chapter histories, Hurricane Katrina and disaster preparedness, revolutionary art, community organizing, and more. The Laney College workshops include labor, Cointelpro, police brutality, and women in the BPP. An evening banquet at the Jack London Inn ($50 per person) wraps up the day.

Sunday, October 15th, will feature a group photo at the Alameda County Courthouse and a picnic in the afternoon at Bobby Hutton Park (18th and Adeline).

On Monday, October 16th, Newsreel archivist Roz Payne and former Black Panthers will be in conversation at AK Press in a DVD release event for the documentary What We Want, What We Believe (7:30 p.m.).