As Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party of Self-Defense from 1968-1980, revolutionary artist Emory Douglas created images that spoke to the need for revolution for tens of millions of Black people in the United States subjected to police terrorism, legalized discrimination, massive unemployment and crushing poverty. Through his art in The Black Panther Party newspaper, Douglas challenged U.S. imperialism, police occupation of Black communities, wealth inequality, corporate greed, the American penal system, and FBI surveillance of revolutionary activity. Below a selection of his artwork has been reproduced, though by no means is this meant to be a complete collection of Douglas’s decades of revolutionary art.

“Imperialists: All this proves even more clearly that U.S. imperialism is the most barbarous and shameless aggressor of modern times, the main force of aggression and war, the chieftain of world reaction, the bulwark of modern colonialism, the strangler of the national liberation and independence, and the disturber of world peace.”

“The racist dog policeman must withdraw immediately from our communities, cease their wanton murder, brutality and torture of Black people, or face the wrath of the armed people.” – Huey P. Newton

Local police, National guard, Marines – It’s all the same

Community Control of Police

Community Control of Police

U.S. Imperialists and Associates

Amerikkka

“Let the pigs oink for themselves, till their last oink.”

Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell

“Whatever is good for the oppressor has got to be bad for us.”

What is a pig?

“Our fight is not in Vietnam”

“Revolution in our lifetime”

“When I spend more time fightin’ the rats, than taking care of my children you know, it makes me realize that I have a right to kill the greedy slumlords who forces me to live in these inhuman conditions.”

“Afro-American solidarity with the oppressed People of the world”

War criminals Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger

Free Food Program of the Black Panther Party of Self-Defense

Douglas’s depiction of the FBI’s COINTELPRO and its targeted murder of BPP members

Political Prisoner of USA Fascism Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale

Prison Camps U.S.A.

Capitalism Plus Racism Breeds Fascism

Deputy Chairman of the Black Panther Party Fred Hampton was murdered by the fascist FBI and Chicago pigs in his own home

Free All Political Prisoners