Everyone knows the original Black Panther Party no longer exists as a national organization. That fact is not in dispute. The real question is not whether the Panthers still exist, but who has the authority to invoke their name — and for what purpose.
In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with posts and images suggesting that “the Black Panther Party” is standing up against ICE. The imagery is deliberate: black berets, firearms, street confrontations, and emotionally charged rhetoric designed to evoke one of the most potent symbols in Black political history.
But implication is not legitimacy.
The public face of this modern group is a man named Paul Birdsong, who has been giving interviews and public statements on behalf of what he describes as a new or revived Black Panther organization. Whatever one thinks of his personal views, the central fact remains unchanged: this is not the original Black Panther Party, and Birdsong does not speak for it.
More importantly, there is no formal, official statement from Fred Hampton Jr. establishing an organizational position on ICE connected to these protests. None. That distinction matters. In Black political history, lineage and accountability are not symbolic concerns — they are the difference between continuity and imitation.
The public should not confuse these individuals or statements with the original Black Panther Party, its mission, or its historical leadership.
Fred Hampton Jr., the son of slain Black Panther leader Chairman Fred Hampton, carries a direct historical lineage to the original Black Panther Party through bloodline, lived experience, and continued political work. As a longtime activist and organizer associated with the Prisoners of Conscience Committee and the Black Panther Party Cubs, Hampton Jr. has consistently emphasized discipline, political education, and community accountability over symbolism or spectacle. His work has focused on preserving the historical integrity of the Panther legacy while addressing state violence, political imprisonment, and systemic injustice through organized, structured activism. That lineage matters, because the Black Panther Party was never an aesthetic or a loose identity — it was a disciplined political movement. When the Panther name is invoked without clear authorization or continuity from those directly connected to that legacy, it raises serious questions about legitimacy, responsibility, and historical accuracy.
If these actions and statements are not coming from Fred Hampton Jr. or organizations directly tied to the Panther legacy through him, then what we are witnessing is not historical continuity. It is branding.
The original Black Panther Party was not built on optics. It was built on outcomes. The Panthers organized survival programs that fed children, provided health clinics, educated communities, and established political discipline. Institutional work, internal rules, and accountability structures matched their public posture. Every action was connected to a broader strategy.
What we see today is symbolism without structure.
Rifles without programs.
Imagery without infrastructure.
Attention without responsibility.
There is a difference between being inspired by the Panthers and claiming to represent them. Inspiration is honest. Representation requires authorization, discipline, and results. When those elements are absent, the use of the Panther name misleads the public and dilutes the historical mission it claims to honor.
There is also a strategic danger in this kind of performative militancy. The original Panthers understood state power intimately. They understood surveillance, infiltration, and legal traps. They lived through COINTELPRO. They knew that careless symbolism gives the state a pretext, not accountability.
Armed spectacle without discipline does not protect Black communities. It exposes them.
History shows that movements without structure are the easiest to discredit, disrupt, and destroy. The Panthers knew this, which is why they emphasized political education, chain of command, and community legitimacy — not viral theatrics.
This matters because Black communities are facing real, measurable crises: violence, housing displacement, failing schools, economic stagnation, and declining health outcomes. These problems are not solved through borrowed imagery or social media performance. They are solved through leadership, institution-building, and disciplined political strategy.
The misuse of the Black Panther name fits a broader pattern in Black politics today: symbolism replacing strategy, emotion replacing outcomes, and history being treated as aesthetic rather than responsibility. When that happens, clarity is lost — and the people pay the price.
Black history is not a costume.
Black struggle is not content.
And the Black Panther legacy is not a marketing tool.
Protecting that legacy is not about nostalgia. It is about responsibility. If a position does not come with recognized leadership, accountability, and a mission rooted in the original purpose of the Panthers, then it should be described honestly for what it is: a new group using an old name — not the continuation of a historic movement.
Respecting our history means defending it from misuse, even when the misuse comes wrapped in familiar colors, raised fists, and powerful rhetoric.
Very educational! Thank you for sharing!
My dude. This was written by ChatGPT and you speak of legitimacy? Come on. We have to do better or our words will be disregarded.
Chatgpt is a tool. What matters is whether it’s accurate.
If the facts are wrong, challenge the facts. If the logic is flawed, challenge the logic. Dismissing an argument because you feel its chatgpt, your only trying to avoid the substance.
Legitimacy doesn’t come from who typed the words — it comes from truth, clarity, and accountability.So lets be truthful about Birdsong as well. If it didnt come from Fred Hampton Jr. its not the BPP. Your opinon or chatgpt can’t change that. The history of the Black Panther Party doesn’t change because you dont like the style.
If our standard becomes “ignore what’s true if it was written well,” then we’ve already lowered the bar. We should be doing better than that.
Address the message, not the method.
Brilliant reply to that dissident, sir. When I saw on social media supposed “Black Panthers” appearing in the ICE protests I immediately became suspicious what with knowing in this social media generation that the majority of the time it’s always about appearances rather than truth. I’m happy to find this article. What nerve to co opt the aesthetic of something that was real merely to virtue signal. I hope this doesn’t turn into something like BLM and Fred Hampton Jr. speaks on this situation soon.
Appreciate that, truly. Your instincts are right — in the social media era, aesthetics often get mistaken for truth, and that’s dangerous when history is involved.
We are currently working on a full video to break this down clearly and responsibly. And it’s important to note that Huey P. Newton’s niece has already publicly denounced the misuse of the Black Panther Party name, making it clear that this organization does not represent her uncle’s legacy.
This isn’t about silencing anyone — it’s about accuracy, accountability, and protecting Black history from being repackaged for virtue signaling or political convenience.
More to come soon.
Thank you damon I been doin my research on Paul and I’ve got a lot of dirt on buddy already
FRED HAMPTON JR QUOTE JAN
18TH 2026
“There is a difference between being inspired by the Panthers and claiming to represent them.”
“this new black panther party is not the original Black Panther Party or anything like it and Birdsong does not speak for it.”
What we see today is symbolism without structure.
Rifles without programs.
Imagery without infrastructure.
Attention without responsibility.
A money grab from Paul Birdsong And The Fake Panthers
More importantly, there is no formal, official statement from Fred Hampton Jr. establishing an organizational position on ICE connected to these protests. None. That distinction matters. In Black political history, lineage and accountability are not symbolic concerns — they are the difference between continuity and imitation.
The public should not confuse these individuals or statements with the original Black Panther Party, its mission, or its historical leadership
If these actions and statements are not coming from Fred Hampton Jr. or organizations directly tied to the Panther legacy through him, then what we are witnessing is not historical continuity. It is branding.
The original Black Panther Party was not built on optics. It was built on outcomes. The Panthers organized survival programs that fed children, provided health clinics, educated communities, and established political discipline.
PAUL BIRDSONG IS A NEW Fake PANTHER
Loud Argumentative Ignorant
PUTS A TARGET ON ANY BLACK MAN OPEN CARRYINGS BACK WHEN HE SAYS THINGS LIKE HES GONNA PUT A HOLE IN A FEDERAL AGENT AS IF HED EVEN GET RHAT FAR WITHOUT ME OR ANOTHER PERSON GUNNING HIM DOWN LIKE THE ANIMAL HE ACTS LIKE
You see Paul couldn’t get his foolishness to catch on in his hometown of Lansing, Michigan, so he decided to bring it to Pennsylvania
PAUL BIRDSONG Wants to Teach Police The Law But Not The Kids OR GANSGSTER That Need To KNOW IT TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CELL AND HELL
PAUL GOES TO SUBWAYS AND 40TH AND LANCASTER WHERE THERE IS NO KILLINGS AND STANDS THERE LIKE A GOOFY MAKES NO CHANGE AND YET AGAIN TRUES TO LECTURE POLICE THAT DONT CARE AND NEVER DID plus he somehow a
PEURTO RICAN PANTHER????
PAUL IS A Self Appointed Piru From LA got ran off for snitching on a case AND BEING CAUGHT HAVING NO BIG HOMIE OUT THERE
PAUL WENT TO LANSING MICHIGAN AFTER THAT CLOSE CALL IN LA
HENCE WHY HIS GUN RIGHTS ARE STILL IN TACT BECAUSE HE SNITCHES ON HIS OWN PEOPLE BLACK MEN CONSTANTLY
EXHIBIT A
LPD officers have also requested charges against Gregory Maurice Richardson, 43, of Lansing, in connection to allegations that he pointed a rifle at a motorcyclist while marching with Paul Birdsong and “We the Free People of Lansing” protesters June 17.
According to a protest organizer Paul Birdsong,
A motorcyclist refused to go around the group blocking an intersection in Lansing last week, The man who pointed the rifle with paul can be heard in a video of incident telling the motorcyclist, “if you’re going to run us over, I’m going to protect my crowd.”
“The man serving as security pointed the gun after the man on the motorcycle revved his engine,” Birdsong said
REDDIT AND THE INTERNET have plenty of LA MEMBERS SAYING THE SAME THING IN THE REDDIT SURE I CAN CALL ONE THAT USED TO KNOW HIM
I have pics of Paul banging Piru just 7 years ago acting tuff while not under any umbrella of Piru at all
2020 Paul was BLM PROTESTING HEAVY I GOT THOSE PICS TOO
SO HE SUPPORTS PANTHERS WHOLE HEARTEDLY BUT DECIDED TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE WHITE MEN THAT CREATED AND STOLE ALL THE MONEY FROM BLM????
FUNNY
LOOKS TO ME THERES TO MUCH INFO LEADING TO PAUL BEING A SELLOUT
THE AMOUNT OF INTERVIEWS HE DOES
THE WAY HE CARRIES HIMSELF RUDELY LOUDLY AND NIGGARDLY ISNT HOW A PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACTS ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN ARMED WITH HEAVY ARTILLERY AROUND FEDS
HE MAY VERY WELL BE CONNECTED WITH THE POLICE ON A LOWER LEVEL BECUASE IF I WAS STANDING DOWNTOWN PHILLY WITH HAND ON SHOTGUN SAYING YOULL KILL A ICE AGENT THEY WOULDVE GUNNED ME DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND THATS NOT A JOKE THATS REALITY HE PUTS TARGETS ON BLACK MENS BACKS THAT WANNA OPEN CARRY LIKE ME
AND HE NEEDS TO BE KICKED OUT THE PANTHERS AND OUT OF PHILLY JUST LIKE MICHIGAN AND LOS ANGELES
The prison didn’t offer me no counselors or anything,” he said. “I grew up bad, and I changed myself.”A decade out of prison, Birdsong spends much of his time talking with local youth, from personal experience, about the dangers of gang life
Prison time but u have a gun license how is that Paul????? I don’t think your what you say you are in these interviews a ex thug gangbanger jailbird with 4 prison ID numbers but I can’t find a case u ever got booked???
What’s up with the lies y’all wanna follow a liar or someone who here to help and tell the truth to u and the true laws not no made up shit he likes to spew
ID PUT MY HANDS UP WITH U ANYWHERE AND HAND MY GUN OFF TO A OFFICER ANY DAY PAUL FOR YOU BEING FAKE AND DOING THIS FOR CLOUT AND FAME AND NOT HELPING ANYONE WHEN U COULDVE HELPED THE KIDS AND GANSGSTERS BUT U KNOW THEY WOULD SEE RIGHT THRU U SO I GET IT
RUN THE FAIR FADE PAUL IM OUT HERE ON FOOT ON MY BABY
Or we can slap the gloves on if u pussy
Black history is not a costume.
Black struggle is not content.
And the Black Panther legacy is not a marketing tool.
Protecting that legacy is not about nostalgia. It is about responsibility. If a position does not come with recognized leadership, accountability, and a mission rooted in the original purpose of the Panthers, then it should be described honestly for what it is: a new group using an old name — not the continuation of a historic movement.
I am really curious what a conversation between Hampton Jr. and Birdsong could look like to course-correct. Personally, I do believe in what you’re saying as a problem and vulnerability. However, it could be an opportunity to bridge a divide of factions that would be stronger together. This way, the revolution has multiple fronts addressed and a larger party base to move forward with.
What makes you think this is ChatGPT, and why is the onus of legitimacy, credentialism, and syntax of verbiage on Black people to convince White supremacy of its own harm?
I am going to talk about this on my live stream. This is very interesting.
Since Chicago appears to be a vast shthole of corruption, murderous gang activities, so called leaders with at best marginal leadership skills and unrelenting police abuse of authority in their continuing agenda of oppression of black folk.
Perhaps Hampton jr. should STFU about Birdsong and the Philly situation and focus on Chi and more broadly Illinois.
Hi Mr. Jones. I’d like to address the message, or rather, ask your thoughts on the way this generation responds to and consumes media. Social media is how most young people get their news, and this kind of clickbait invoking the BPP might be the first non-whitewashed exposure to Black Activism young people see. It’s not the BPP, sure, but could it be the spark that ignites the next chapter? It would seem to be a call to action, or a really effective marketing tool, and give people someone to rally behind. A starting point for this generation?
Thanks
Thank you for engaging in good faith — I appreciate the question.
You’re absolutely right that social media is where many young people first encounter political ideas, and exposure to Black activism that isn’t filtered or sanitized does matter. Where I draw a hard line, though, is what they’re being exposed to and whose agenda it ultimately serves.
I’ve been very clear that this immigration fight is not our fight. That doesn’t mean we don’t recognize injustice elsewhere, but it does mean we have to be honest about priorities. As Black Americans, our most urgent struggles are still our schools, our families, our economic development, public safety in our neighborhoods, and long-term community stability.
Yes, we may share a common enemy in systems of power and abuse — but we do not share a common problem. Conflating the two is how Black political energy gets redirected again and again.
My concern is that when powerful symbols like the Black Panther Party are used as marketing tools, young people are being mobilized emotionally without being grounded in a Black agenda. The original Panthers didn’t just spark outrage — they taught political education, built institutions, and centered Black survival. That matters.
Young people don’t just need a rally point. They need clarity. They need to know what they’re fighting for, who they’re accountable to, and how their activism actually improves Black life. Exposure without direction doesn’t create the next chapter — it risks repeating the same cycle under a new aesthetic.
That’s my worry. And that’s why I’m pushing this conversation.
What the heck does “lineage” have to do with it? That sounds like some nepo baby bullshit and we don’t need that rn. Tell Baby Hampton that if we don’t see him then he doesn’t rep us. Even if Birdsong is using the BP likeness without consent I appreciate his motives more than boomer ass Black folks who want to play gatekeepers of a movement. Get the f out the way then