Last month marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party. In October 1966, the founders of the BPP galvanized a generation of American radicals and revolutionaries with their commitment to the principle of the right to self-defense, demands to determine the destiny of the Black Community nationwide, and wide-ranging community programs. Fifty years later, we are still fighting the same racist culture that led to the formation of the BPP.

The new book, Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers (Abrams), by Bobby Seale and Stephen Shames chronicles the founding of the BPP in photographs and historical essays. It’s a helpful reminder of just how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

all images ©Stephen Shames