Kansas City Black Panther Party

In the late 1960s and early 70s, the Black Panther Party was a major political force. The party's Kansas City, Missouri chairman was Pete O'Neal, who went on to become the International Black Panther Chairman in Algeria. The party joined with church groups to provide free breakfast for neighborhood schoolkids—beginning a program that is still offered in most public schools today. When ambulances wouldn't come to Black neighborhoods, party members would drive you to the hospital. They created neighborhood watch programs to protect against police brutality, and they provided self-defence classes. All power to the people!