Celebrating Black History in Public Health #3

Alright guys, so I'm really excited about this one! And thats because it's not one person that I'm celebrating, but a whole community of people who took care of the Black community when many others would not.

This is a celebration post for the

BLACK PANTHER PARTY!

(WAKANDA FOREVER! Jk Jk😂)

To give you guys a little background, the Black Panther Party ✊🏾was a group of African American activists that formed during the height of racial injustices during the Cilvil Rights movement. The Black Panther Party✊🏾 used force and fear to defend themselves and the Black community during a time of when many African Americans could not defend themselves from racists in power. (ie. lynching, police brutality, and racial profiling). This was known as policing the police.

Now, I know you may be thinking... all of that is great and so necessary and everything, but what did the ​Black Panthers✊🏾 have to do with healthcare?

The Black Panther Party✊🏾 was extremely focused on providing free healthcare to the black community. They conducted testing in black communities for Sickle Cell Anemia (a disease that is the most common genetic disease in the U.S) in party-run healthcare clinics. But the government was not addressing this disease because it was one that most affected African Americans.

The Black Panther Party✊🏾 also started the first healthcare clinic to integrate acupuncture, which is still in practice today and has expended worldwide.

Some of the other programs they brought to the black community to combat the effects of low socioeconomic status on health included...

• Free Breakfast for Children

• economics classes

• first aid classes

• self-defense classes

• drug and alcohol rehab

• medical escort service

• free groceries and clothing

These activists were fighting not only to keep their communities safe, but to keep their communities healthy! There were fighting for community health! A HUGE thank you 🙏🏾 goes out to the member's of the Black Panther Party, who had the backs of their community in a time when American didn't.