The Black Panther Party (BPP) was founded in 1966 when respectability politics was an important element of the Civil Rights Movement. While others wore their Sunday Best, the BPP rejected this idea.
Huey Newton and Bobby Seale designed the uniform around the black leather jacket because they knew most people already had one. The jacket, a black turtleneck, and sunglasses concealed a Panther’s identity.
The BPP uniform was unisex, reflecting the role of Black women as movement leaders. This is not to say that the Panthers were free of misogynoir, but by the 1970s, women accounted for half to two-thirds of the Party.
The Panthers also wore berets and pinback buttons with political slogans to express their individuality. The BPP beret is associated globally with revolutionaries. Proudly perched on their afros, the beret was a nod to the French Resistance of World War II, Black radicalism, and the right to self-defense.
However, the most visual extension of the uniform remains the Black Power salute. The right fist raised overhead reminds us that whatever we wear, we give all power to the people for Black liberation. Together we can fashion a world that honors our Blackness.