Document C Source: Stokely Carmichael, "What We Want," New York Review of Books, September 22, 1966. On May 3, five new county "freedom organizations" convened and nominated candidates for the offices of sheriff, tax assessor, members of the school boards. Their ballot symbol is the black panther: a bold beautiful animal, representing the strength and dignity of Black demands today. A man needs a black panther on his side when he and his family must endure-as hundreds of Alabamians have endured-loss of job, eviction, starvation, and sometimes death for political activity. He may also need a gun, and SNCC [Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee] reaffirms the right of Black men everywhere to defend themselves when threatened or attacked. As for initiating the use of violence, we hope that such programs as ours will make that unnecessary; but it is not for us to tell Black communities whether they can or cannot use any particular form of action to resolve their problems. Responsibility for the use of violence by Black men, whether in self-defense or initiated by them, lies with the White community.

Document C Source: Stokely Carmichael, "What We Want," New York Review of Books, September 22, 1966. On May 3, five new county "freedom organizations" convened and nominated candidates for the offices of sheriff, tax assessor, members of the school boards. Their ballot symbol is the black panther: a bold beautiful animal, representing the strength and dignity of Black demands today. A man needs a black panther on his side when he and his family must endure-as hundreds of Alabamians have endured-loss of job, eviction, starvation, and sometimes death for political activity. He may also need a gun, and SNCC [Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee] reaffirms the right of Black men everywhere to defend themselves when threatened or attacked. As for initiating the use of violence, we hope that such programs as ours will make that unnecessary; but it is not for us to tell Black communities whether they can or cannot use any particular form of action to resolve their problems. Responsibility for the use of violence by Black men, whether in self-defense or initiated by them, lies with the White community.