Echoes of the Revolution

The struggle between Bay Area law enforcement and the Black Panthers is still going on after 35 years

A A A Comments By Martin Kuz Wednesday, Nov 15 2006

...continued from page 5

"No," she says. "No more about that."

The ex-Panthers would like to hear authorities say as much, even as their reverence for the party's legacy precludes compromise. If they stop short of offering details or denials about the Panthers' own sins, and if there's a tendency toward self-absolution and revisionism among former members, there also remains the defiant loyalty to the cause: to give power to the people. Just ask Taylor. "I'll always be a Black Panther."

Photos by James Sanders

A memorial plaque in Young's honor hangs outside the front doors of the Ingleside Police Station.

More About

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

*Note: Former Black Panthers John Bowman, Richard Brown, Ray Boudreaux, Hank Jones, and Harold Taylor declined to comment to SF Weekly, citing legal concerns about the ongoing probe into Sgt. John Young's murder. Unless otherwise noted, quotes attributed to them in this story were culled from their statements at public forums held during the past year.