Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 19:04:57 -0400 Reply-To: African-American Research Sender: African-American Research From: Robyn Spencer Subject: BLACK PANTHERS! To: Multiple recipients of list AFAM-L X-UIDL: 797124250.007 I am a fourth year graduate student in History at Columbia University whose dissertation is on the Black Panther Party, 1966-1982. I am focusing on how the BPP conceptualized black liberation: What ideologies guided their actions? What strategies and tactics did they employ over time and why? How did different segments of the black community respond to the Panthers at different time periods? These seemingly small questions, with huge answers!!!! I know that there must be brothas and sistas out there, scholar/ACTIVISTS, who are committed to reclaiming the history of the Black Panther Party not as an academic endeavor, but as a political act. I would like to dialogue with you about everything from locating source material, to the current state of the grassroots struggle to raise awareness about political prisoners, to your opinions on the contemporary commercialization of the BPP image that is underway. Please reply to me directly at my e-mail address: rcs11@columbia.edu. Peace robyn Robyn Spencer