Black Panther Party - 1966-1976

The Black panther party is easily one of the most recognizable influences to the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s. "The party’s original purpose was to patrol black ghettoes to protect residents from acts of police brutality." The aims and leadership of this party changed sporadically over its years of operation. "The Panther eventually ended up as a group who worked to bring about the release of all blacks from jail, and the payment of compensation to blacks for centuries of exploitation by white Americans. At its peak in the late 1960s, Panther membership exceeded 2,000 and the organization operated chapters in several major cities." (Black Panther Party). It is organizations such as this that the "badasses" of blaxploitation films were related to by the audiences. Having a relationship like this helped people see the blaxploitation all-stars as role models, and scared the white populations, who were already skeptical of the films, even more in that respect.