New Book Talk on Black Panthers, Nov. 10
Historian and Dean of ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp’s College of Arts and Sciences Yohuru Williams, PhD, will discuss his new book, The Black Panthers: Portraits From An Unfinished Revolution , as part of the Inspired Writer Series at the ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. Dr. Williams will be joined in conversation by the book’s co-author, photojournalist Bryan Shih. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the MFA in Creative Writing and the Black Studies Program.
In The Black Panthers , Dr. Williams and Shih mark the 50 th anniversary of the party’s founding by offering readers a fascinating reappraisal of the revolutionary group’s legacy through a series of stunning portraits, illuminating essays by leading scholars and interviews with over 40 surviving members. The personal recollections assembled in the book recount tales from the movement’s most iconic figures and grassroots members while highlighting the grit, battle scars and undying love that kept them going.
Hailed as a “highly recommended compilation of interviews and photographs” by the Library Journal , The Black Panthers: Portraits From An Unfinished Revolution helps reframe the Black Panthers’ legacy to include the humanitarian work they performed all across the United States.
“By focusing on and allowing the rank and file of the party to speak for themselves, the book’s interviews, along with Shih’s brilliant photographs, illuminate previously unknown aspects of the party’s work and history,” Dr. Williams explained. “We hope our book will open the door and serve as a stepping stone for a reconsideration and new appreciation for one of the most significant, if still largely misunderstood, organizations of the late 20 th century.”
Dr. Williams is the author and editor of several books on the Black Panther party, including Black Politics/White Power: Civil Rights Black Power and Black Panthers in New Haven , In Search of the Black Panther Party, New Perspectives on a Revolutionary Movement , and Liberated Territory: Toward a Local History of the Black Panther Party . He has appeared as a media expert on many local and national programs including Al Jazeera America, Ebru TV, Fox Business, C-SPAN and NPR.
Bryan Shih, photojournalist and photographer for The Black Panthers: Portraits of An Unfinished Revolution, previously served as a contributor to the Financial Times and National Public Radio in Japan. A graduate of the University of California-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, his work on the Panthers earned him one of the highest rankings among entries in the LensCulture 2015 Portrait Awards competition, leading to his selection for the New York Times inaugural portfolio review.
