Document 4: The Black Panthers' ten point platform

The ten point platform is the Black Panthers delcleration of what they need from the government. As summarized in the tenth point they wanted " We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace".  They wanted to see what the Constitiution (and other documents) had promised realted to them and their needs. Just like Sam Cook said in his song A change gonna' come  it was the time for change and black power , the time for a differnece to be made in the lives of black people.  In the last pargaraph the text taken directly from the Decleration of Indepence was interpreted by the men to mean that they could change the government, and in fact had the right to.

whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to

alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such

principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to

effect their safety and happiness