Comrade Sisters: 
Women of the Black Panther Party

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was co-founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California (October 1966-1982). The organization grew nationally and internationally, drawing attention to and providing solutions for stark political, economic, educational, and social inequalities. In its lifetime, members created more than 60 community programs (including free breakfast for schoolchildren, free sickle cell anemia testing, free health clinics, and education programs).

In this book, Stephen Shames' photos of women at work in many of the BPP's survival programs between 1967 and 1973 are accompanied by the reflections of more than 50 BPP women or their family members talking about their experiences as BPP members.

Educator Resources

A 1-page PDF with hyperlinks designed to provide educators quick access to the study guide and posters provided by ACC Art Books, Comrade Sisters Women of the BPP Book Tour Event videos, websites and social media related to women of the Black Panther Party.

Download Resources
Discussion Guide

The official companion guide for the Comrade Sisters book. The 12-page PDF includes BPP history for context, highlights BPP womens' experiences, suggests activities that can be completed with or without access to the book, and has 2 pages of resources for further research and study.

Resources - Multimedia

Poster Gallery

Download free Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party high definition posters designed by ACC Art Books!

Resources

Video

The Comrade Sisters Women of the Black Panther Party national book tour has visited more than 30 locations. Several university and community venues livestreamed these events.

Comrade Sisters & In A Time of Panthers @ New York University / The Green Space (10.24.22)

This Comrade Sisters Women of the Black Panther Party book tour event took place in Manhattan, New York. Women of the BPP panelists included Cheryl Dawson, ericka huggins, and Regina Jennings. They were joined by photographer Stephen Shames and Jeffrey Scales, New York Times photo editor and author of In a Time of Panthers (2022). The panel was moderated by Dr. Deborah Willis.

  • Presentation by Jeffrey Scales: 9:37 - 19:11

  • Presentation by Stephen Shames: 19:15 - 36:06

  • Women of the BPP Panel: 36:08 - 1:08:37
    Audience Q & A: 1:08:55

Comrade Sisters @ The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (10.25.22)

This Comrade Sisters Women of the Black Panther Party book tour event took place in Harlem, New York. Women of the BPP panelists included Cheryl Dawson, Lynn French, ericka huggins, and Yasmeen Majid. They were joined by photographer Stephen Shames and the panel was moderated by Dr. Robyn C. Spencer.

  • Presentation by Stephen Shames 18:32 - 27:25

  • Moderated Conversation w/ the co-authors 27:42 - 42:20

  • Moderated Conversation w/ the co-authors 27:42 - 42:20

  • Audience Q & A: 58:18

Comrade Sisters @ The National African American Museum of History and Culture (1.31.23)

This Comrade Sisters Women of the Black Panther Party book tour event took place in Washington, D.C. at the Smithsonian's National African American Museum of History and Culture. Women of the BPP panelists included Cheryl Dawson, Lynn French, ericka huggins, and Hazel Mack. They were joined by photographer Stephen Shames and the panel was moderated by Dr. Angela Tate.

  • Presentation by Stephen Shames 3:42 - 8:13

  • Moderated Conversation w/ the women begins at 8:15

Resources

Follow the Tour!

The Comrade Sisters Women of the Black Panther Party national book tour has visited more than 30 locations. Several university and community venues livestreamed these events.

Howard University 2/1/23

Smithsonian National African American Museum of History and Culture 1/31/23

Sankofa Books 2/1/23

Unnameable Books 10.30.22

On October 30th, Unnameable Books hosted a Comrade Sisters event that featured New York BPP member Thelma Bunny Davis Legare.

McNally Jackson - Seaport 10.28.22

The second event on October 28th was held at the McNally-Jackson Bookstore in the Seaport location in New York. We all gathered in a quaint and quiet space in the Biography section of the bookstore to listen to ericka huggins and Philadelphia (PA) and New Haven (CT) Panther Rosemari Mealy reflect on their time in the Party.

The Free Black Women's Library 10.29.22

The Free Black Woman’s Library hosted the Comrade Sisters coauthors Stephen Shames and ericka huggins, and featured Oakland and New York BPP member Lauryn Williams Jackson on Saturday, October 29, 2022.