The New Huey P. Newton Reader

by Huey P. Newton, David Hilliard (Editor), Donald Weise (Editor)

The first comprehensive collection of writings by the Black Panther Party founder and revolutionary icon of the black liberation era, The Huey P. Newton Reader combines now-classic texts ranging in topic from the formation of the Black Panthers, African Americans and armed self-defense, Eldridge Cleaver’s controversial expulsion from the Party, FBI infiltration of civil rights groups, the Vietnam War, and the burgeoning feminist movement with never-before-published writings from the Black Panther Party archives and Newton’s private collection, including articles on President Nixon, prison martyr George Jackson, Pan-Africanism, affirmative action, and the author’s only written account of his political exile in Cuba in the mid-1970s. Eldridge Cleaver, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and Geronimo Pratt all came to international prominence through Newton’s groundbreaking political activism. Additionally, Newton served as the Party’s chief intellectual engine, conversing with world leaders such as Yasser Arafat, Chinese Premier Chou Enlai, and Mozambique President Samora Moises Machel among others.

Genres: Politics, History, Race, Theory, Philosophy, Memoir, Audiobook

Audio CD

Published October 22, 2019

About the author

Huey Percy Newton was co-founder and leader of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, a civil rights organization that began in October 1966.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very valuable tome for Newton's ideas, mostly his early ideas in the first 2/3 of the book. His clarity and theoretical development are remarkable for someone who could barely even read as a teenager. His writings are a great companion to someone like George Jackson (Blood in My Eye). I can appreciate both of them although Jackson's raw passion is more relatable for me. Read Newton for the theoretical framework backing the U.S.'s most compelling socialist program ever... read Jackson for the raw analysis and uncompromising conviction of what must be done.

This is not 5 stars for me because Newton's more philosophical musings as he became more academic in his later years are simply not as interesting. Also, I feel like there's significant context missing by the editor David Hilliard in omitting Newton's more controversial biographical details, such as his drug addiction, mental health issues, and alleged abusive behavior toward female comrades. I understand that this book probably needed the blessing of Newton's surviving family, but any collection of his writings that doesn't take into account how he failed to live up to his ideals does not strike me as a totally honest volume.

Not Bad Reviews

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We know that operating within reality does not mean that we accept it; we’re operating within it so that the reality can be changed.”

Huey P. Newton's insights remain timely and this chronologically-organized collection of his works contains many of those relevant contributions. Intercommunalism is situated in its time, but described in ways that make clear its relevance today. Relations are, in this view, between communities more than (how Newton would define) nations. It's tempting to read a Gramscian tinge into the focus on community as a series of organic institutions, relative to nations as realpolitik formalities permanently locked into the imperialist world system. There may be some of that, but oriented in a crucial focus on the development of black nationalism (and black capitalism) in the context of mid-20th century America. Revolutionary intercommunalism ultimately presents itself as a post-nationalist war of position, at a global level but from a localized community scale.

The editor notes Franz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth as an influence, and this is made explicitly clear. I would highly recommend reading that first in order to get the most out of Huey P. Newton's work.

With all of that said, I'm sure there's even more worth in this work for those who can draw insights from praxis beyond intellectual exercise alone.

It was a depressing but understandable choice to end, chronologically, with a focus on the split between Huey P. Newton and Eldridge Cleaver, with the backdrop of hindsight and knowing the fate of the party. Notwithstanding the tone set by the end, there's plenty here for those looking for inspiration for organization.

[L.F Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newton’s essays remain as poignant and powerful as ever. In these times I find his writing a small comfort and more importantly call to action. We have much work to do.

[Lance Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up, the Black Panthers were given a negative connotation by the culture around me and Huey Newton was utterly unknown--not a name that came forward during Black history month or at any other point. His name arose in college, occasionally, but barely. Rather, he appeared on my radar in grad school and beyond, but still, never a full picture. This book is that fuller and richer picture of his life, his work, and ideas, coupled with the counter-intelligence reports from the FBI that illustrate how much he was purposely maligned by the government for his efforts and ideas to bring about a revolution of the people, grounded in restoring power to Black people and everyone, ultimately. Collecting a mixture of speeches, interviews, his autobiography, Revolutionary Suicide, published essays, and the like, this collection paints a vivid picture of the deeply rooted ideas of Newton and ultimately, the Black Panthers and works as an intellectual history of both as well. There's a clear consistency and ownership of changing ideas that comes out through these writings that is interesting to see. Newton's ideas from the 1960s-1970s provide a rich tapestry of ideas that we return to time and again in US culture and seem quite ripe within the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. If it were missing anything, I feel like the later works move us a bit further aware of Newton as a person than the earlier works in the book, which makes him a bit more abstract than might be useful. Additionally, given the many events of his life, an accompanying timeline to better contextualize the pieces would have also helped.

[Burat · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good book. the autobiographical excerpts and some speeches are very enthralling. but the theoretical discussions seem to get into weeds that don't actually need to be there sometimes. more context might be needed to fully appreciate and contrast Huey's revolutionary intercommualism theory with the theory of proletarian internationalism. I personally don't see the difference as anything but semantic, and don't understand what changes in praxis that difference could lead to

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grateful for this book. If you read 'Revolutionary Suicide' or 'To Die for the People' you get a glimpse of who Huey was and his intellectual development, but the chronological flow of the reader really opens a view into just how quickly he develops. He reads Mao, reads Malcolm X and you hear those voices in his writing, but more importantly the ideas are put in practice, tested, and then discarded, rearranged, re-scoped in light of actual conditions. It's brilliant and it's a far cry from the closed cultish thinking that's so common in political movements.

That process left me thinking about Mao's 'Oppose Book Worship': "We need books, but we must overcome book worship, which is divorced from the actual situation." Newton lived that. It's gorgeous. (And yeah... hilarious that Mao wrote an essay called 'Oppose Book Worship'.)

Most of all what I got from this reader is a model for how to think deeply about tactics and strategy from the concrete position of NOW. Huey didn't act to gratify his ego, or because of some theory; he did things to bring about change in peoples lives. That orientation towards effective action and power, rather than aesthetics and self-gratification leads him into very deep analyses of the material and psychological potentialities of his time. It cautions us to think seriously about the whole process of change including all the quiet institution building and trust building which is usually the precursor to political and economic change.

Lastly, it fucking sucks that Huey isn't around. I want to know how the last 3 decades would have changed his thought. His wisdom is missed.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good selection of writings, some more engaging than others.

This is a great introduction to the life and legacy of Huey P Newton - you could do a lot worse than read this. However, I think the more casual reader could do a lot better. What I mean is, the very best parts of this omnibus are the excerpts from Newton's autobiography: Revolutionary Suicide, which I had ordered after I finished those excerpts but before I had finished this collection.

Those excerpts were so passionate, and filled with revolutionary ideas, philosophies and humanity, without devolving into a dry tract or academic posturing. I raced through those ~150 odd pages and the rest was a bit more work. I genuinely cannot recommend Revolutionary Suicide enough it's packed to the brim with vitality, brutality, strength, tragedy, and power.

Like I said, the rest is filled with some interesting ideas, but little that was new-new, and I find philosophical/political tracts to be dry and kinda boring. Usually filled with self aggrandizement and justifications, that sounds like them just trying to use mental gymnastics to disprove others and bolster ones own view points. I just can't get on board with that as much as a human life lived, like his autobiography.

So, all that to be said, this is great, especially if you like philosophy and politics, but if you want to get to know the man, and life, there's better places to look.

[Douglas Grion Filho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I echo the feelings of David Hilliard in the introduction to this reader, Huey was an ordinary man with extraordinary courage. And this collection of his writings, essays, and speeches does a beautiful job in demystifying Huey the hero or Huey the terrorist. Above everything else, this book shows Huey as a theorist and thinker. Someone who created an organization that, in only 3 years, literally changed the world. The final chapter of this collection about Cointel Pro and FBI's operations on destroying the panthers was particularly infuriating. However, this book also teaches that revolution is a process, not a conclusion; and that above everything else revolutions are led by the people, not celebrities or heroes. Really appreciated this piece and I think it's a beautiful introduction to this immense body of work. Now, whenever I eventually read George Jackson or Mumia or Kathleen or any other Panther writers I will have a much more solid background understanding of everything. Highly recommended.

[counter-hegemonicon · Rating 5 out of 5]

lucid, prescient, and philosophically moving writing that's far beyond its time and sadly still relevant in today's era of increased police militarization and state-sponsored, citizen-endorsed violence against african-americans

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent followup to The Autobiography of Malcolm X -- this reader chronicles in part what in some sense feels to be the practical continuation of the work that Malcolm X had begun shortly before his death, and offers a good look at the evolving personal perspectives of Newton as well.

[Alan Rodriguez Tiburcio · Rating 4 out of 5]

there’s no way to be unbiased. i LOVE Dr Huey P Newton. these essays were never going to be anything other than great to me. this man created a real radical plan within the united states and any person that seriously considers themselves radical looks to the BPP. may this legend never be forgotten.

(my only gripe with this book pertains to the essays that’re excluded, specifically newton’s critique of anarchism and individualism).

[Issy Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable collection of Huey P. Newton’s works that drastically improved my understanding of a ‘Marxist’ (or Dialectical Materialist). We must educate the masses and raise their class consciousness.

[Joma Geneciran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part one covers Huey's life, arrests and trial. Where it shines is its essays. These speeches are necessary readings.

[Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic introduction to Newton’s theory of intercommunalism, the Black Panther Party, black liberation, and socialism in general.

[Chiara G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely inspiring and informative !!

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huey P. Newton fought for dialectical materialism all his life while realizing it wasn’t necessarily true. He struggled for acceptance even within a Marxist tradition. Only now is he becoming more well known. Then you have Hegelians or Baudrillardians who aren’t trying to win any wars against the police right now who are situationists. MLK believed in non-violence in the way a situationist believes in open mindedness or maybe agnostic information consumption. Huey P. Newton believed in defending his people against violence, and happened to think the best way to do that was to understand history, organize, and fight back.

You can believe in something just because it’s true, and not as a plan to use it to achieve something else. This is probably the main distinction between MLK jr and the more violent civil rights revolutionaries like Huey P. Newton and Malcolm X. Although I’m a bigger fan of MLK jr, I’m glad that today we can respect leaders like Huey P. Newton. He was able to stand up against oppression in his own way, albeit much less fashionable, and much more violent in its self-defense.