"As America enters a new era, with the first African American president, issues of racism, civil rights and continuing disparities of opportunity To Die for the People is a unique document of the development of Huey Newton's radical philosophy, and the ways in which the Black Panther Party attempted to continue the work begun by the Civil Rights movement. The 20th anniversary of Huey Newton's death in 1989 makes this an opportune time to re-evaluate his legacy. We will ask Mumia Abu-Jamal to expand his recent essay on Newton's legacy (quoted in PrePub blurbs) and use to promote the book. To Die for the People is a badly needed reprint--the last edition was published by Writers & Readers back in 1993 and has been out of print and unavailable for many years now. Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, who edited the book for its initial publication in 1972, will continue to draw readers to the book. Finally, the recent indictment of a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer for the murder of a young, unarmed black man has re-ignited debates over methods of addressing police oppression of the black community. The Black Panthers' insistence on the community's right to self-defense continues to inform the response to incidences such as this one."
