Douglas created some of the most recognizable imagery to come out of the Black Panther Party, founded in 1966 on a platform of empowerment and self-determination for Black American communities. As its Minister of Culture, Douglas channeled the organization’s messages and goals into striking, accessible visual symbols in order to reach, engage, and empower Black viewers: “The key to it was the feedback that you got from the community. And so you’d know you were on the right track with something that had a connection between what you were doing and what you were saying in the community.” Douglas often adapted his most successful drawings for multiple formats, including The Black Panther newspaper (which had more than 400,000 copies in weekly circulation at its peak), posters, and even greeting cards.
Gallery label from 2021.
