This week I watched a new film, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, directed by Stanley Nelson, Jr. It is currently airing on PBS stations around the country. The film inspired me to re-read the Panthers’ Ten-Point Program (reproduced below), a manifesto for social justice that is as compelling today as it was when it was published 40 years ago. As a white ally, I know that my tasks include staying informed of current events, deepening my knowledge of Black history (and not just in February), and joining in the struggles to ensure that Black Lives Matter.

What We Want Now!

1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our Black Community.
2. We want full employment for our people.
3. We want an end to the robbery by the white men of our Black Community.
4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human beings.
5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present day society.
6. We want all Black men to be exempt from military service.
7. We want an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black people.
8. We want freedom for all Black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and jails.
9. We want all Black people when brought to trial to be tried in court by a jury of their peer group or people from their Black Communities, as defined by the Constitution of the United States.
10. We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace.

If you missed the film, you can watch it on the PBS website until March 18, 2016.

I also want to give a special shout out to the White Privilege Conference, an outstanding organization that I was involved with for several years. This year the WPC will meet in Philadelphia, April 14 – 17.