Taking time to honor the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party, former leaders and community members gathered in Oakland Saturday to honor the group's history of social reform.

During the month of October, the Black Panthers have been praised for combating racial injustice and taking time to uplift the battered African American community. It is both a joyous and somber time for former member Saturu Ned.

"There's a gladness and a sadness because so many that started off are not here," he said. "So it's very hard for us to take accolades and people pat us on our back because we're saying the work still needs to be done."

Saturday's festive day will be highlighted by a gala dinner, which is slated to feature actor and activist Danny Glover as the keynote speaker.

Before that feast, people flocked to Oakland's City Hall and listened to speakers remember the party's social and political leadership during and after the Civil Rights Movement.

The historic Black Panther Party was born back in October 1966, but folks can still relive their advocacy work. A San Francisco-based company called Detour has developed a Black Panther narrated walking tour where anyone who downloads the app can get a guided tour over a one-mile span of north Oakland.

The history-laden "All Power to the People" exhibition is also on display at the Oakland Museum of California.