The Black National Convention

Image Gallery
Protest, Power
& Polls
On the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse, three Black Panther members in leather jackets fly "FREE HUEY" flags.
A young Black woman in a dress holds a rifle and looks into the camera lens.
A woman Black Panther member addresses an on-looking crowd through a microphone. She wears sunglasses, large hoop earrings, and a patterened blouse.
Three men Black Panther members in leather jackets, some wearing sunglasses, hold flags to their right.
A woman wearing a dashiki shirt and sunglasses looks into the camera lens. Behind her, Black Panther members and protestors gather.
Two young Black children raise their right fists in the air. One wears a Huey Newton button pinned to the bow of her dress' lapel.
Three men Black Panther members stand by. They wear white shirts under leather or fur jackets, and two wear black berets. The Panther in the foreground holds a rifle.
Three Black women sit at a table and write on pieces of paper. Above them signs read "Get a piece of the action. Register now TO VOTE. Board of elections commissioners. City of Chicago." and "Place of registration September 19-23 1973"
A long dense line of well-dressed Black voters stand before a table and behind a white string. At the front of the line, an elder submits a ballot to a few people who sit and stand behind the table.
A long line of Black voters stand in front and on the steps of a wooden building named "The sugar shack".
A contemporary photo shows Black voters lined up in the corridor and doorframe of a hallway.
Surrounded by other voters, a Black man sits at a table and raises his right hand as he speaks with a woman sitting across from him.
In front of two others, Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King approach a labeled ballot box. Martin Luther King Jr., midsentence, motions to place his ballot in the box.
Smiling and side by side, Michelle and Barak Obama fill out voting ballots behind several privacy screens.
Five well-dressed Black elder voters line up in front of a two women typing on typewriters.
Holding umbrellas, a long line of Black women voters in overcoats and kerchiefs stand in the rain on a sidewalk.
A contemporary photo shows two Black women voters filling out their ballots behind privacy screens decorated with American flags and the words "VOTE". Between them a little Black girl looks up at them.
Disability activist and Black Panther Party member, Bradley Lomax, smiling and wearing a dark suit and patterned shirt, sits in a wheelchair to the left of his brother Glenn Lomax who squats beside Bradley in a light suit and tie.
Five protestors march and chant holding signs that read "Civil rights now for all persons with disabilities" and "Sign 504 and end the war". At center a Black protester holds a sign that says "We shall overcome"
The front page of the Black Panther Party newspaper shows a Black child, back to camera, in a striped shirt raising a right hand to a poster of two men Black Panthers. Headlines on the front page includes "Youth makes the revolution. Liberation Schools Liberate the Youth."
A graphic collage illustrates two Black women and a young Black boy in profile against a purple background. To their right, text reads "Make your voice and theirs heard. Register to vote, now! In Oakland call: 536-4332"
A colorful illustration of three Black Panthers shows them in white clothing and hats and headscarves with self-defense weapons and wearing a button of a baby. Text on the poster reads "REVOLUTION IN OUR LIFETIME" and the poster is signed with the name "Emory"
Lined up in front of a bus, crossing arms to hold hands, four Black and white activists sing and chant together. A couple others lean out of the bus windows above.
A young Black boy yells into a megaphone and raises his left fist in the air. Around him are a few other smiling, exclaiming young children.
A young Black leader stands in focus the forefront of a well-dressed group of nine Black and three white young activists. They stand together in a cluster on a residential street, a few with their hands behind them.
Four young Black activists sit at a lunch counter with sodas and meals in front of them. Two closest to the camera look into the camera. The other two look in other directions. The table behind them is empty and through the glass diner door and window cars whiz by.
Three well-dressed Black women lean in to talk as they sit on a pew in a large space filled with people. Two young Black men sitting in the same pew look in their direction.
In a room of ten Black activists and a few white activists, two smiling women talk and turn towards the camera.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael walk side by side with a group of four other leaders and a couple folks walk with them, right behind. They walk down a road with the shop signs Southern Glass Co. and a grocer visible behind.
A young Black activist appears mid-sentence. He wears glasses, a printed teeshirt, light colored pants, and tennis shoes tied together over his shoulders. He walks with a line of almost twenty around and behind him along a rural road.
Several Black and white protesters carry large banners and signs that say "WE SHALL OVERCOME" and "SEAT MFDP" and "Liberty Equality Fraternity MFDP"
Nina Simone stands alongside four people and they clap and sing along in admiration of a man to their right who sings passionately. Behind the group is a shelf stacked with records, books, a stereo system, a menorah, and other decor.
A Black activist leader stands at a podium in front of an enormous "BLACK POWER" banner on stage with a few others and in front of a crowd of listeners.
In laughter and joy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael walk alongside two activist friends leading a march along a rural road.
A hand holds a vintage record with Langston Hughes' photo on it and text that reads "Langston Hughes & Margaret Danner. Writers of the Revolution. Black Forum."
A hand holds a vintage record with an illustration of Sojourner Truth and text that reads "What If I Am A Woman? Black Women's Speeches Narrated by Ruby Dee With An Introduction by Ossie Davis. Maria W Stewart. Sojourner Truth. Sarah Parker Remond. Mary Church Terrell."
A hand holds a vintage record with a graphic photo of Angela Davis and text that reads "SOUL AND SOLEDAD ANGELA DAVIS"
A hand holds a vintage Folkways record with a photo of Nikki Giovanni and text that reads "The Reason I Like Chocolate and Other Children Poems by Nikki Giovanni"
A hand holds a vintage record with a graphic photo illustration of Elaine Brown and text that reads "Elaine Brown"
A hand holds a vintage record with a picture of three smiling men posing and text that reads "The original last poets from the hit movie RIGHT ON! An expedition into inner self for the listener" and information about the film RIGHT ON!, a film by Herbert Danska, and a laurel from Cannes Film Festival.
A hand holds a vintage record with a picture of a street with brownstone homes and parked cars and text that reads "JAMES BALDWIN READING FROM GIOVANNI'S ROOM"
A hand holds a vintage record with a photograph of a young Black child holding his right hand over his mouth and at the end of a long brick corridor behind him, bald Black man sits in a chair silhouetted by white light. Text on the record reads "Gwendolyn Brooks reader her poetry with an introductory poem by Don L Lee"
A hand holds a vintage record with a photo of Nina Simone in a short bob and bangs wearing a sleeveless dress and gemstone choker necklace. Text reads "Nina Simone Porgy. Since my lover has gone. Black is the color. Blue room. Star eyes. Lovin' woman. Baubles, bangles and beads. Mean to me. Almost like being in love. Stella by startlight."
A hand holds a vintage record with a color illustration of a figure wearing a white shirt, grey jacket, and black pants and holding a rifle. On the figure's lapel is a button showing a toddler raising a fist in the air. Around the figure are small photographic collages of Black children waving and saluting. Text on the record reads "SEIZE THE TIME. ELAINE BROWN. BLACK PANTHER PARTY."
In two side-by-side frames, John Lewis is photographed smiling into the camera and wearing signboard from the Police Department of Jackson, Mississippi, with numbers 20886. In the frame to the right of that, Lewis is photographed at a three-quarters angle.
Behind a group of police officers and the door of a large vehicle, John Lewis has a bandage on his scalp and holds a briefcase.
In front of a crowd of men including many wearing white caps on their heads and police officers, John Lewis speaks into a microphone at a podium.
Five freedom riders stand together. One woman, in the front, speaks into a microphone.
Hundreds of Black marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. A few children are visible at the front of the march.
On a street corner, a gathering of more than twenty young Black children wave to the camera in front of a sign that reads "Avoid long lines later... REGISTER between now and August 28th"
A cluster of people look in different directions below a banner that reads "Freedom Democratic Party State Convention"
A large crowd of Black protesters clap around one man who holds a sign that reads "You have the freedom to vote"
A Black woman wearing glasses and carrying folders shows a candidate leaflet to a Black father who reads it and holds a baby girl in his arms.
A group of Black protesters stand on the road as a large group of white police officers in riot gear march towards them, pointing. Behind, cars have stopped in the road and onlookers watch or take photos.
Black protesters are pushed to the ground by white police officers.
In front of a large crowd and a vertical sign that reads "OREGON" a few protesters hold up a paper banner.
A group of eight young Black children dressed in colorful clothing play ball in the street against the backdrop of industrial buildings. Behind them, a man gets out of a bright pink car.
Children play in the brick rubble of a destroyed building on a street lined with shops.
Four young Black activists kneel and look into the camera lens. They pose around an array of molotov cocktails and glassware on the ground.
Three men explore the interior of a concrete sculptured building with colorful mosaic decor. One man in a yellow cardigan and sunglasses holds a radio and looks up at an archway.
A group of nine young Black men dressed sharply sit on the steps of a concrete sculptured building with colorful mosaic decor. One man in a yellow cardigan and sunglasses holds a radio with a long antennae.
Four small children cross a street holding hands and looking to their left. Behind them, a peach colored corner store facade is covered in spray painted words including burn, blood, blood brother, M+R.
A white police officer stands in the open doorway of a cop car facing a Black woman with curled auburn hair. Over two dozen neighbors, including many young children, stand on the sidewalk in front of yellow one-story homes, observing the police officer and the woman.
Three young Black men sit together in room with flowered wallpaper and hanging photographs. A kitchen is visible behind them through a doorway. One man looks at the camera lens.
A police car and officer driving it are in front of the South Los Angeles Mortuary. Across the street, six Black commuity members walk towards the street.
Two Black community members speak with three white police officers on a street corner in front of a green building. Several other community members stand together behind.
A young Black man in a yellow cardigan, white shirt, metal necklace and sunglasses leans against a building facade and holding a radio, looks to his right.
Three men explore the interior of a concrete sculptured building with colorful mosaic decor. One man in a yellow cardigan and sunglasses holds a radio and looks up at an archway.
A man in a taupe cardigan pulls back a beige semi-opaque curtain to look out the window. He holds a gun in his right hand.
A Black man wears a yellow pullover with Malcolm X's portrait and "Malcolm X" written on it. He wears a dapper hat and smokes a cigarette.
A smiling man in sunglasses, head wrap, and blazer holds a gun.
Eight small children play and climb the siding of a one-story house.
At twilight, two men throw a burning bottle towards the camera lens.
A Black man in overalls and a striped shirt stands in front of a road and looks into the camera. His face is painted white with the letters "VOTE" carved across his forehead.
A Black man in overalls and a striped shirt marches with many protesters behind him. His face is painted white with the letters "VOTE" carved across his forehead.
A Black man in a jacket with cursive lettering spelling "Frank" looks into the camera. His face is painted white with the letters "VOTE" carved across his forehead.
A hand holds up a 1970s white celluloid button that reads "Make The Black Vote Count" in black letters.
A colorful flashcard bears a photo of young Black children lined up to drop slips into a blue box that reads "Ballot box". Above the photo is the letter "V" and below reads "V is for vote."
A hand holds a white button with blue lettering that reads "League of Women Voters of the City of New York"
A graphic collage ilustrates two Black women and a young Black boy in profile against a purple background. To their right, text reads "Make your voice and theirs heard. Register to vote, now! In Oakland call: 536-4332"
A vintage photo shows two white police officers carrying a young Black woman protester by her arms and legs. Under the photo is a caption that explains the woman protestor was blocking a road in Elzabeth, NJ on August 13 and was arrested with 27 other picketers.
A graphic collage shows and illustration of two Black children holding signs. Above the illustrated figures text reads "For the young, the old, the poor and the Black, living in America is brutal". One holds a sign with a newspaper image of two white police officers arresting a Black woman. Another holds a newspaper image of a small Black child being patted down by a woman police officer with text above that reads "We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of Black people and other people of color, all oppressed people inside the United States."
Two women hold up an American flag and a sign with a painting of Martin Luther King Jr. on it that says "Dr. King dies for the poor people".
A young Black girl wearing a dress, dress shoes, and a small purse smiles at the camera with a lollipop in her mouth. Behind her two Black elders sit by a large sign that says "Nothing but SOUL"
Two Black men protestors stand by a structure of an encampment. Smoking cigarettes, they look into camera lens.
A Black man protestor looks into the camera lens. He wears a rain pullover and a beret with several buttons including one that says "HANDS OFF HUEY".
A group of Black protestors sit in a small circle on the ground, singing and clapping. They are surrounded by white police officers in uniform and riot gear, onlookers, and photographers.
An older Black woman smiles to the camera. Her gray hair is pulled back and she wears several buttons on her flowerprint shirt. One button reads "Welfare Rights NOW!"
A Black queen in a white hat and fringed dress poses with a mirror in one hand and the other hand pointing to their cheek. In front of their encampment, they stand barefoot next to a pair of cowboy boots. Behind them, painted words on wood spell "Madam".
An indigenous elder looks into the camera lens mid-sentence. He wears glasses, a beaded, ribboned, and feathered headdress, and a button on his collared shirt that reads "INDIAN POWER".
A Black man plays a flute, his back to the camera, sitting at the edge of a pool water that stretches to the Washington Monument in the distance.
A Black man, wearing a hat and overcoat and holding a newspaper, and woman wearing a large necklace, sit together. Above them in their encampment is a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. and tall fabric dividers.
Bayard Rustin and James Baldwin hold a cloth sign that reads "Birmingham Children". Baldwin points his right hand, with cigarette, off to the right of the photo frame.
James Baldwin and Bayard Rustin sit to the front of a group of men. Baldwin, in a checkered shirt, smokes. Rustin, in a suit, writes in a notebook with his left hand and holds a cigarette in his right hand.
A Black man sits and holds a sign on his lap that says "Defend Black Womanhood". In supporting Joan Little, he sits outside the couthouse where Little's trial was held, in North Carolina, in 1975.