Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case 3G, Shelf 6

The Black Panther Manifesto

Poster
1970 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The image in this poster refers specifically to the controversial Chicago Conspiracy Trial which got underway in September 1969. Eight men were charged with inciting anti-Vietnam War riots and conspiring against the U.S. government. Bobby Seale, Chairman of the militant Black Panther Party, was among the defendants. The trial commanded the attention of the nation, especially once the public learned that Seale was held bound and gagged in the court room. This cruel treatment led the Panther Party to publish their manifesto accompanied by the startling illustration of Seale in an electric chair. The poster's audience would immediately have drawn connections between the image and the legal case.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Black Panther Manifesto (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
The Black Panther Manifesto illustrated by Emory Douglas (USA, 1970).
Physical description
Poster depicting Black Panther Chairman Bobby Seale restrained in an electric chair. The printed text outlines the Black Panther manifesto.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 815mm
  • Sheet width: 580mm
Marks and inscriptions
The fascists have already decided in advance to murder Chairman Bobby Seale in the Electric Chair...
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Production
distributed and posted on the Yale University campus, New Haven, Connecticut in April 1970

Text by Eldridge Cleaver.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
The image in this poster refers specifically to the controversial Chicago Conspiracy Trial which got underway in September 1969. Eight men were charged with inciting anti-Vietnam War riots and conspiring against the U.S. government. Bobby Seale, Chairman of the militant Black Panther Party, was among the defendants. The trial commanded the attention of the nation, especially once the public learned that Seale was held bound and gagged in the court room. This cruel treatment led the Panther Party to publish their manifesto accompanied by the startling illustration of Seale in an electric chair. The poster's audience would immediately have drawn connections between the image and the legal case.
Bibliographic references
  • 'The New Yorker' magazine. 9 September, 1972. page 50
  • 'Prop Art'
Other number
LS.1039 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.211-2004

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 8, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSON