Bobby Seale Quotes

Powerful Bobby Seale for Daily Growth

About Bobby Seale

Robert George "Bobby" Seale (born November 22, 1936) is an American political activist, author, and co-founder of the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary socialist and black nationalist organization that attracted international attention for its militant stance in the late 1960s. Seale was born in Dallas, Texas, but raised in the Oakland slums after moving with his family to California at age six. He served in the United States Air Force before attending community college and eventually law school at the University of California, Berkeley. It was during this time that Seale co-founded the Black Panther Party (BPP) alongside Huey P. Newton in 1966. The BPP gained notoriety for its "Ten-Point Program," which demanded an end to police brutality and economic empowerment for black communities. Seale, as the BPP's chairman, was a charismatic speaker and organizer who attracted widespread media attention. However, his activism led to numerous clashes with law enforcement, resulting in multiple arrests and convictions. In 1968, Seale was charged with conspiring to incite riots during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Known as the "Chicago Eight" (later the "Chicago Seven"), Seale's trial became a symbol of the political tensions and civil unrest of the time. The judge, Julius Hoffman, repeatedly refused Seale's request to represent himself, leading to several outbursts that resulted in Seale being bound and gagged in court. After his release from prison in 1971, Seale continued his activism, focusing on education and community development. He founded the Seale Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships for students and supporting community projects. Seale has also authored several books, including "A Lonely Ride: Memoirs of Bobby Seale" (1978), "Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton" (1970), and "Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers" (2003). Today, Seale remains a significant figure in American history, emblematic of the black power movement and the struggles for racial equality and social justice that continue to this day. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of activists and scholars.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We have to fight reactionary people with love, because they're going to try to fight revolutionaries with hatred."

This quote by Bobby Seale suggests that in a conflict between progressive or revolutionary individuals and those who are resistant to change (reactionary), the best approach is love rather than hatred. The idea here is not to mirror the aggression of the opposition but to counter it with compassion, empathy, and understanding, in hopes of fostering change through positive influence rather than escalating violence or conflict. This strategy reinforces the belief that love, as a powerful force, can help disarm hate and pave the way for a more harmonious and progressive society.


"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

This quote emphasizes that the primary purpose of education should be to foster critical thinking skills, enabling individuals to approach problems with depth and discernment. By teaching students not only to accumulate knowledge but also to question it, analyze it, and apply it, they are equipped to navigate complex real-world issues effectively. The ultimate aim of true education is to cultivate both intellectual prowess (intelligence) and moral character, as the combination of these qualities prepares individuals for success and responsible citizenship in society.


"You can jail a revolutionary, but you can't jail the revolution."

The quote by Bobby Seale signifies that suppression or imprisonment of an individual who embodies revolutionary ideas does not stop the spread and continuation of those ideologies. Revolutions are movements born out of collective desires for change; they are not tied to a single person, but rather an idea that resonates with many. Therefore, the incarceration of one revolutionary figure cannot effectively quell the revolution itself, as the spirit of change will continue to inspire others to carry on the fight.


"We are not a civil rights organization. We are a revolutionary organization dedicated to the destruction of those elements in our society which oppress Black people."

This quote by Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, highlights their radical approach to addressing racial inequality and injustice. The Black Panthers viewed themselves as revolutionaries, aiming not just for civil rights but for a complete transformation of society's structures that perpetuate oppression against Black people. Their goal was not only equality but the dismantling of systems that systematically disadvantage Black communities. This revolutionary stance reflects their belief in active resistance and structural change rather than relying on the existing political system to bring about equality.


"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

This quote by Bobby Seale emphasizes personal responsibility in addressing societal issues. It suggests that if an individual does nothing to help solve a problem, they implicitly contribute to its persistence or growth. In essence, it encourages action towards positive change rather than passive observation or apathy.


You don't fight racism with racism, the best way to fight racism is with solidarity.

- Bobby Seale

Best, Racism, Solidarity, Best Way

People called me a hoodlum and a thug. But they didn't tell you I was a carpenter, an architect, a stand-up comic - even a bartender. And a barbecue cook. But they didn't tell you that.

- Bobby Seale

Cook, Tell, Architect, Bartender

I'd have no trouble being the barbecue kingpin of America. I'd just add it to all the other things I am: jazz musician, carpenter, architect, engineer and revolutionary.

- Bobby Seale

Jazz, Other, Add, Musician

There's nothing wrong with being a cop. There's nothing wrong with being a white person. It's about where your heart is... We've got to get everyone beyond the xenophobic isolationism.

- Bobby Seale

Nothing, Everyone, Cop, Isolationism

If they had not murdered Malcolm X, there probably never would have been a Black Panther Party.

- Bobby Seale

Black, Been, Had, Malcolm

I'm going to have to call up Spike Lee. I did a cameo for him in 'Malcolm X,' and I'm trying to get him to do my life story and the history of the Black Panther Party.

- Bobby Seale

My Life, The History Of, Lee, Malcolm

The FBI's Counter-Intelligence Program would work hand-in-hand with police departments, literally planning attacks on Black Panther Party offices throughout the United States of America. They did this over a period of time.

- Bobby Seale

United, Offices, Program, FBI

There is an entire generation of young people who know nothing about how viciously the FBI attacked The Black Panther Party, and why.

- Bobby Seale

Generation, Young, Nothing, FBI

The first African-American leader was Dr. Martin Luther King.

- Bobby Seale

Leader, King, Martin Luther, African-American

I think the American Dream should be about a greater progressive legislation that allows for what I call a necessary future world of cooperational humanism.

- Bobby Seale

Think, Necessary, I Think, Progressive

Money is the medium of exchange, and it's how you make things happen. To say you hate it is some farfetched, idealistic crap.

- Bobby Seale

Say, Happen, Some, Idealistic

I'm a progressive. The progression has to be manifested in a new direction in policies and legislation.

- Bobby Seale

New, Policies, New Direction, Progressive

I'm still a political revolutionary. The fire never went out of me, but perceptions and realizations change.

- Bobby Seale

Never, Revolutionary, Still, Perceptions

I have quite a few good friends in Philadelphia who were police officers.

- Bobby Seale

Police, Police Officers, Good Friends

Lots of people think I went to prison. I never went to prison. I was in jail without bail.

- Bobby Seale

Think, Never, Lots, Bail

Fox News never calls up Bobby Seale to articulate a stance in opposition to right-wing conservatives. To me, giving the New Black Panthers a platform on Fox is a subtle tactic to scare people.

- Bobby Seale

News, New, Scare, Articulate

Revolution is about the need to re-evolve political, economic and social justice and power back into the hands of the people, preferably through legislation and policies that make human sense. That's what revolution is about. Revolution is not about shootouts.

- Bobby Seale

Hands, Through, Need, Economic

They came down on us because we had a grass-roots, real people's revolution, complete with the programs, complete with the unity, complete with the working coalitions, where we crossed racial lines.

- Bobby Seale

Real, Had, Grass-Roots, Crossed

To develop political and economic power in a capitalist society, you need capital.

- Bobby Seale

Society, Capital, Capitalist, Economic

We were like heroes, to stand there and observe the police, and the police were scared to move upon us.

- Bobby Seale

Police, Heroes, Move, Scared

Electoral politics was always an objective of the Black Panther party, so Barack Obama is a part of what we dreamed and struggled and died for.

- Bobby Seale

Politics, Always, Electoral, Party

The Black Panther Party was not a gang. They grew out of a young black intelligentsia on college campuses.

- Bobby Seale

College, Young, Gang, Party

The Black Panther party of Self-Defense is a revolutionary party.

- Bobby Seale

Black, Revolutionary, Party

The Black Panther Party were not revenge nationalists.

- Bobby Seale

Revenge, Black, Were, Party

Being so closely related to the South, barbecue was part of segregation and helped defeat it.

- Bobby Seale

Defeat, Closely, Related, Barbecue

I think I can capture the taste buds of the average right-wing conservative who loves barbecue.

- Bobby Seale

Think, Conservative, Average, Barbecue

I like Barack Obama.

- Bobby Seale

Like, Barack, Obama, None

I always tried to raise money for the Black Panthers through business schemes.

- Bobby Seale

Through, Always, Tried, Schemes

The first point was we wanted power to determine our own destiny in our own black community. And what we had done is, we wanted to write a program that was straightforward to the people. We didn't want to give a long dissertation.

- Bobby Seale

Destiny, Straightforward, Dissertation

When donors visited the Black Panther Party, they came and saw our real programs, a real clinic, with real doctors and medics, giving service to people.

- Bobby Seale

Black, Real, Saw, Visited

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