The Black Panther Party (BPP) was founded in Oakland, California, in 1966. Founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale were students who closely studied local laws, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and socialist ideology to develop a 10-point program to protect and advance the African American community in Oakland. Panthers implemented “survival” programs including free breakfasts for school children, food and transportation for seniors, medical awareness campaigns, education initiatives, free legal counsel, and more. Yet, viewed as gun-toting Black nationalists, the BPP was surveilled by government agencies, its members were arrested, and its headquarters was destroyed by gunfire.