Welcome to Oakland's Black Panther Museum

The Black Panther Party Museum serves as a living monument to the party's community programs and revolutionary legacy.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 10:52pm

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The Black Panther Museum in downtown Oakland is an important institution that preserves the history and legacy of the Black Panther Party. Established by the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation in 2024, the museum showcases the party's community programs and revolutionary ideology. Dr. Xavier Buck, the executive director, discusses the museum's purpose, events, and current exhibitions, including 'Survival Pending Revolution' and 'Happy Birthday, Oscar.' The museum is gearing up to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party's founding in October 2026.

Why it matters

The Black Panther Museum serves as a living testament to the Black Panther Party's revolutionary vision and its lasting impact on the Black community. By preserving the party's history and ideology, the museum educates visitors on the party's community programs and the continued fight for racial justice and self-determination.

The details

The Black Panther Museum was founded by the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, established in 1995 by David Hilliard and Fredrika Newton to preserve the legacy of the Black Panther Party and its co-founder, Dr. Huey P. Newton. Dr. Xavier Buck, the museum's executive director, began volunteering for the foundation in 2019 and helped establish the museum in 2024. The museum's exhibitions, such as 'Survival Pending Revolution' and 'Happy Birthday, Oscar,' document the party's community programs and the ongoing struggle against state violence.

  • The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation was founded in 1995.
  • Dr. Xavier Buck began volunteering for the foundation in 2019.
  • The Black Panther Party Museum was established in 2024.
  • The museum is planning events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party's founding in October 2026.

The players

Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation

An organization founded in 1995 by David Hilliard and Fredrika Newton to preserve and promote the legacy of the Black Panther Party and its co-founder, Dr. Huey P. Newton.

Dr. Xavier Buck

The executive director of the Black Panther Museum in downtown Oakland, who began volunteering for the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation in 2019 and helped establish the museum in 2024.

David Hilliard

One of the co-founders of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation in 1995.

Fredrika Newton

One of the co-founders of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation in 1995, and the wife of Dr. Huey P. Newton.

Oscar Grant

The subject of the 'Happy Birthday, Oscar' art installation at the Black Panther Museum, commemorating what would have been his 40th birthday and grounding people in a long and unbroken history of state violence.

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What they’re saying

“Dr. Huey P. Newton developed his theory of intercommunalism, which posits that global corporate imperialism has rendered the nation-state obsolete. This transforms the world into a collection of dispersed, oppressed communities that must unite in revolutionary solidarity to seize power from the ruling elite.”

— Dr. Xavier Buck, Executive Director, Black Panther Museum (sfbayview.com)

“The Black Panther Party Museum is an evolving institution, changing with Panthers and the community to remain accurate and relevant.”

— Dr. Xavier Buck, Executive Director, Black Panther Museum (sfbayview.com)

What’s next

The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation is collaborating with Panther groups across the country to commemorate the Black Panther Party's 60th anniversary in Oakland, California, from Oct. 15 to 17, 2026.

The takeaway

The Black Panther Museum serves as a living monument to the revolutionary legacy of the Black Panther Party, preserving its history and ideology while providing a space for the community to engage with its ongoing relevance and impact. The museum's evolving exhibitions and events aim to educate and empower visitors, keeping the party's vision and tactics alive for new generations of activists and organizers.