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The Times podcast: The story of an unsung Black Panther

Two women stand side by side
Former Black Panther Party member Barbara Easley-Cox, right, with podcast producer Ashlea Brown in Easley-Cox’s Philadelphia home.
(Ashlea Brown)
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The Black Panther Party, a Black power political organization, was founded exactly 55 years ago in California’s Bay Area and grew into a nationwide group that pushed for housing, food equity, education and self-protection. Several famous figures emerged from the group, including Eldridge Cleaver, Angela Davis and Huey P. Newton.

But history often overlooks those who do not serve in dynamic roles or who perform tasks away from public view. These people do the thankless but crucial work that keeps organizations running. Barbara Easley-Cox was one of these people.

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Today, Easley-Cox recounts what she experienced as a Black Panther, from California to Algeria to North Korea and beyond.

Host: L.A. Times podcast producer Ashlea Brown

Guests: Barbara Easley-Cox

More reading:

Decades before Black Lives Matter, there were the Black Panthers in Oakland

Opinion: 1969 SWAT raid on Black Panthers set the tone for police race problems

Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver tell Cal State Fullerton audience about militancy, civil rights work

About The Times

“The Times” is made by columnist Gustavo Arellano, senior producer Denise Guerra and producers Shannon Lin, Melissa Kaplan and Ashlea Brown. Our engineer is Mario Diaz. Our editors are Lauren Raab and Shani O. Hilton. Our theme song was composed by Andrew Eapen.
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