60th Anniversary of the Black Panther Party
Oakland Workshop: Landmarking the Black Panther Party in Illinois
Chairman and Co-Founder of the Black Panther Party, Bobby Seale, Mayor Barbara Lee, Co-Founder and Deputy Minister of Defense of the Illinois Chapter, Bobby Rush, Co-Founder of the Seattle Branch, Elmer Dixon. PHOTO: Leila Wills
We just returned from Oakland.
We joined Black Panther Party members, families, historians, organizers, and supporters from across the country to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Black Panther Party.
It was incredible to reconnect with people from across the country whose histories we have followed for years. There were plentiful workshops and programs, a street naming, and celebrations of 60 years of Black Panther Party history.
We were especially proud that our Vice Chair, Joan McCarty and John Preston presented our workshop, “Landmarking the Black Panther Party in Illinois,” and shared the work underway to preserve the history of the Illinois Chapter and create the Black Panther Party Heritage Trail in Illinois.
We came home energized—and we’re jumping right back into the work! 💙
Celebrating the Black Panthers is not over; join us on Wednesday and Saturday!
Oak Park Library: Unlocking Black Panther Party History in Illinois
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60301
Registration Required. Click Here to Register
Walker Library: Black Panther Party History in Illinois, the South Side Story
Saturday, October 24, 2026
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Walker Branch, Chicago Public Library, 11071 South Hoyne Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60643
We are proud of the work we do.
We received so many compliments and thanks for preserving the Party's history in Illinois that it was overwhelming. We couldn't do this work without you, and we appreciate your support from the very beginning to now.
We know you support this work because you believe the Black Panther Party’s history in Illinois deserves to be researched, preserved, protected, and made accessible for generations to come.
Thank you for standing with us and helping ensure that the history of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party is preserved and shared.
Your donation supports this work and helps build a sustainable future for the Heritage Trail. We thank the Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation for generously matching your donation, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.
Please donate today, and we hope to see you at one of the libraries!
