Oakland Museum Of California Opens Exhibition On Eve Of Black Panther 50th Anniversary

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oakland Museum of California's (OMCA) major fall exhibition, All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 will open October 8 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party (October 15, 1966) and continuing OMCA's commitment to examining topics and themes that are socially relevant and meaningful to the community. Organized by an OMCA team headed by Senior Curator of Art René de Guzman, All Power to the People explores the Party's stories of human achievement and struggle to support the needs of the oppressed. The exhibition delves into aspects of the Party that are not often told or remembered, such as its survival programs, the presence of women and rank and file members, its use of media and art, and its founding Ten Point Program that continues to inform and inspire contemporary movements of change today. All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 runs October 8, 2016, through February 12, 2017.  Visit museumca.org.

The exhibition examines the human stories behind the Black Panther Party, a necessary and innovative response to societal needs during a complex and turbulent time in American history. Informed by insights from former Black Panthers, artists, scholars, and community members, the exhibition features art installations, historical photographs and media presentations, rare artifacts, and contemporary works of art. Designed to inspire reflection and dialog about the Panthers and their time, the exhibition includes an unprecedented variety of materials from OMCA's collections and other public and private sources that illuminate the historical and social contexts of the late 1960s that precipitated the founding of the Black Panthers, presenting the complex stories of the Party and its work to make revolutionary change possible. 

"Controversial to some yet inspirational to many, we wanted to understand why the Black Panther Party continues to capture people's imagination today," says curator René de Guzman.  "This project has transformed how I understand the world and we hope to provide a similar sense of reflection and revelation to visitors.  The Black Panthers are a deeply local story that's had lasting national and international influence."

Download hi-res photos: http://museumca.org/gallery/all-power-people-black-panthers-50

SOURCE The Oakland Museum of California