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C E N T E R

CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONERS REJECT BLACK PANTHER MURAL

The recent rejection by the Cultural Affairs commissioners of a mural depicting the

history of the Black Panther Party has revealed the extent to which politics and censorship have usurped the role of ans in the city's planning processes. The mum! in question. "To Protect and Serve" by noted artisr NOlli Olabisi. was commissioned by the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARCl under its Gteat Walls Unlimited: Neighborhood Pride mural program. funded

by a contract wilh the City's CLllttlflll Affair.; Depa111nem. But the mural may never be paimed. due largely to censorship efioIlS by members of the commi.:ssiol1. SPARe is a non· profit <Jrts organization which operates with the philosoph)' that public

an should not be imposed upon a community from the outside. but rather. should emerge from the world view. aspirations and concerns of the community as expres.sed by the people who li....e there. Consequently, ever;.' SPARe mural begins with an intensive community proces£. In-roads into targeted communities are achieved through an e:-.:!ensive nelwork. developed over the organization's eighteen year history. which provides access 10 neighborhood social. political.

685 Venice Bouleva.rd. Venice, California 90191 (310) 822-9560 F;u (310) 827-8717

educ
First Meeting.

Once these individu
All of the city's murals must be approved by a panel of seven commissioners, who are

coordinators organize a series of public speakouts in which muhi-ethnic teams of artists and

appointed by the Mayor. Because one commissioner's seat is vacam. a total of four votes is

agencies.

who voice their ideas about what images best represent

needed for approval, which is ~ased on guidelines determined by the 1991 Unifonn Build.ing City

their respectice cultures and neighborhoods. Input from these meetings is incorporated directly

Ordinance Code Section 6216 and 6201 (b). In another pan of the ordinance. 6201 Cd)

into each mural. By heavily vesting the community in the design of the project. community

"Ideological and Political Signs·. the ordinance specifically states that "no provision of this

members assiSt in creating a landmark which will serve as a source of pride and affinnation of

chapter shall prohibit

their cultural milieu.

otherwise permined by this chapter." a mandate of which the commissioners. in their official

designers meet with

communi~ members

--

an ideologicnl, political or other noncommercial message on a sign

The controversy over the Olabisi mural began when SPARe recently approached the

capacity as monitors of the city's public art. are supposedly aware. Yet such comments as "the

city's artS commissioners ior appro,,·a.. L.of lhe ~Iack Panther historical mural design. Following

Panthers were bad people. they killed police". "the &uns are so violent" and nit doesn't

a lengthy d~ussiQ.n of it"Ssubject maner. the mural was rejected. and SPARe and the CAD are

show police in a positive light" suggest otherwise. Following considerable discussion focussed

novi. embroiled in a passionate ongoing debate over the piece. At issue in the controversy are:

on the mural's contents, approval was denied. The organization was asked to bring the artist to

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-cellsorship of Dn African-American mural by an African·American al1ist to be placed in the African-American community without African-American representation on the city·

a second hearing to address the commissioners' questions. Olabisi. an artist of exceptional talent whose fi~1: Neighborhood Pride mural "No Justice.

wide ans commission;

No Peace" (54th and Western Avenue) was received as one of Neighborhood Pride's strongest.

-withholding of funds to SPARe. resulting in non·pnyment to other commissioned artists

most powerful pieces, obJj-ged. She was accompanied by members of the African-American arts

as well as SPARe employees;

community. the site owner and several community members. all of whom voiced their

-an unwarranted questioning of the integrity of one of the city's

mo~"t

highly regarded

ethnic art institutions; and

unequivocal suppol1. Olabisi's murnl is potentially sited at Hair E:'<pressions. 3406 West Jefferson Boulevard

-creation of guidelines for community process by a panel of commissioners who have no

in the Jefferson Park community of Los Angeles. In a series of intensive meetings between the

qualifications to do so.

artist, local residents and business owners. the community expressed its desire for positive role models to work for the benennent of the area. Since the building houses a ~lyling salon. an initial discussion of African-American hair ~\)'Ies in an historical come:\"t, lead from the" Afro"

of the 60s to the civil rights movement nnd the Black Panther Pany, whose initial vision was to find ways to change the underlying social conditions that deprived the African-American community of basic human needs.

J)1ird Meeting. In the intervening two weeks, SPARC obtained close to 900 signatures from area

Olabisi"s design concept, which emerged as a response to

residents. business owners. and others outside the immediate neighborhood. The organization

these discussions. memorialize.s the positive changes enacted by the SPP, including its "survival

also assembled some thirty community members. community activists and artists. as well as

programs" that distributed food. clothing. shoes and medical care to needy community members,

Reverend Leonard Jackson from First AME Church. a fonner Black Panther turned anomey. a

and sponsored education drives around sickle-cell anemia. a disease which mostly affects African-

parole officer and a probation officer, All spoke eloquently on the importance of the mural to

Americans.

their ~ommunity, and its potential social and historical irnp:let. Commissioner Camlen Zapata compared the piece to Picasso's "Guernica". adding that it was "a magnificent piece of art,

Second Meetin2

and to den)' it would be a great loss to our city." Both Commissioners Mee Hae Lee and

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A month before its scheduled;second..meeting;withthe commis£ioners. SPARe distributed

Lee Ramer agreed that the design's artistic merit was "unquestionable". Nevenheless. Nate

1.~OO.fliers.with iprciure of the mural on one side and a history of the Black Panther Party

Holden's Chief Deputy Louis White, reported that his office had received "a few phone calls"

on the other, advising residents and business owners that the mural was camino- to their

opposing the mural. After hearing the testimony of the mUl1ll"s supporters. however. he added

commwtity. No objections, either by phone or by mail. were received in response. Yet the

that he believed that Councilman Holden would sUPPOr1 the murnl if the Commission gave its

design W:lS. once again. rejected. this time on the prete),.1: that ·adequate community suppon had

approval.

not been g:lrnered. Commission Vice·President Alycia Enciso commented that "she asked

Against-Commission President Arthur Pfeffennan and Vice President Alycia Enciso. Jane

some of her African-American friends if the)' would like to see a ·mural on the Black

·Levant. who at a previous meeting had endorsed the mural. was on vacation.

over

o

The vote;

For--Commissioners Mee Hae Lee. Cannen Zapata and Lee Ramer,

Panthers. and 'they said no way.' Commission President Anhur Pfeffenn.. n asked SPARC to

That same afternoon. An Pfeffennan notified SPARC that Nate Holden was withdrawing

furnish petitions. a wrinen report listing dates. activities and methodologies by which community

his opposition. and that Pfeffennan would. therefore, do likewi£e. Finall)", the way seemed clear

support was obtained. and letters of support. in particul:lr an endorsement from Councilman Nate

for the mural to go into production. Two d:lys before the next scheduled hearing. however.

Holden. in whose district the mural will be situated. A third hearing was scheduled.

Pfeffennan changed his mind. stated his intention to do more "personal investigation" into the maner, and set the hearing forward yet another two weeks. to October 6.

Me:lnwhile. the

payment due SPARC as a milestone in its Neighborhood Pride comroct remains in the CAD's pocket. and the institution's financial stabilitY is in serious jeopard)'. The Arts Commissions is.

in effect. holding SPARe hOStage over an issue on which they have no right to rule.

Based on the nature of the ongoing discussions centered around this mural. the only conclusion one can reasonably draw is that of censorship in operation.

gro~p

against the other. a situation that could prove disruptive for the residents and merchants

of Jefferson Park. a community in which she neither lives nor works. but she has also gone

By politicizing the

completely outside the purview of her duties as a commissioner. As we wtderstand it. the

process. the opposing commissioners have clearly stepped outside of their mandated role of ruling

commission's role is simply.to)udge. in session. the artistic merits of each piece presented.; it

on the altistic integrity of the city's public art works. By presenting a mural whose thematic

is not. and should not, include the right of arts commissioners to go outside the commission

content might be tenned "controversial". SPARe apparently hit a nerve that resulted in an

process and lobby privately either for or against any work of public att on which it is required

Wlprecedented and blatant barrage of requirements never before exacted in its many years of

to rule.

presenting mural designs to the City. And if censorship and racism are nOt operational factors

To produce a work of public art acceptable to every member of any given community

explain Pfeffennan's sudden backtr.lckiog after the requirements whiCh he

would mandate creation of a piece so bland that it would not even be walth painting. We live

here, how else

to

himself established were so painstakingly met?

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't-o....

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in a country that promises freedom of expression. To many of the supponers of Noni Olabisi's

As if that is nOl:-'eonough. Vice President Enciso took it upon herself to go to the Jefferson

mural, the saga of the Black Panthers represents a significant pan of their history. a history that

Park community with a photo copy of the mural design. asking merchants nod residents for their

they view as consistently erased. biased or distorted. In the words of the artist herself. "It is our

comments. and apparently to gl:lin confirmation for her statement during the third meeting that

history. and no one can take it away from us."

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some residents didn't know about the mural. However. she ftliled to disclose that she had also

The Great Walls Unlimited: Neighborhood Pride mural program has provided a voice for

engineered a meeting with members of the local Japanese·American communitv. Almost two

this community and a venue to tell their story. We believe they should be able to tell it. free of

weeks after the third meeting with the commissioners. we discovered that Enciso took the

censorship.

findings from that meeting to the Mayor's office relaying that "they were afr.lid to openly oppose the mural. for fear of being bombed". After this infonmnion came to our anemion. SPARC immediately arrnnged a meeting with the same group. who denied the entire bombing statement completely. In fact. SPARC subsequently receiVed l:l letter of support from the Seinan Senior Citizen Center. a Japanese·American facility. We have since learned thilt Commissioner Enciso has also 19bbied on her own to r.llly ildditional opposition to the mural and to bring opponents to the upcoming October 6 meeting. In doing so. she is not only pining one ethnic

The Black Panther Party For Self-Defense was formed in Oakland in October.of 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, but did not surl'aee publicly unill May 2, 1967 when the group marched into the CaUfomia State Legislature in their uniform of black leather jackets and black berets. The BPP waged a polltical protest, carrying shotguns. against a neWly enacted law which made It Wegal to openly display guns in public. The BBP beUeved that the law "nfalrly targeted Black people. insisting that those in positions of authority (usually WhIte males), who had been allowed to tote guns in publie for decades with full e:overnmenW permission and protection. were e%empt from the law.

5. We IDllnt education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present-day society. 6. We IDllnt all Black men to be exemptfrom mfUtary service. 7. We IDllnt an immediate end to Police Brutality and murder ofBlack People.

8. We want.freedomfor all Biack men held infederal, state. county and city prisons and Jails. 9. We want all Black people when brought to trial to be tried in a

The Black Panther Party caught the nation off guard. They were earrylng guns, organizing themselves, caUing themselves reVolution-aries,_. and demanding radical changes. In the aftermath of the Watts Rebellion of 1965. a elvll uprisine: which resulted from eondltions of severe poverty and frustration in the iJmer city, the BBP poslt!oned Itself at the far end of the political speetrum. WhI!!';Whlte.activtsts in the late 1960's were deeply involved in opWsing war in Vietnam, the BBP was focusing on local strugJlles. After the. Watts Rebellion, the local police had become more militarized and more broW, resembling an "occupying army" in pred"mlnately Black, iJmer city communities. The BPP opposed what they felt the senseless killing ofAfrican Americans at the hands ofthe pollee. They organlud community policing patrols which armed themselves with shotguns and law books to recite laws written to protect all U.S. citiuns from police bruWity. Additionally, the BPP opposed money-hungry business enterprises which exploited African American communities with little regard for the people who lived in them. The BPP also attempted to organiu street gang members into community activists struggling for constructive change.

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was

Newton, the party's philosopher, and Seale, developed the Black Panther Ten Point Platform to outUne the Party's beliefs and demands: 1. We wantfreedom. We want power to detennine the destiny of our Black community. 2. We IDllntftdl employment ofour people. 3. We IDllnt an end to robbery by the Capitalist of our Black community. 4. We IDllnt decent housing,fltfor shelter of human beings.

court by a Jury of their peer group or people from their Black communities. as defined by the Constitution of the United States.··. 10.We want land, breqd, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. And as our nw,jor political objective. a United Nationssupervised plebiscite to be held throughout tite black colony in which only black colonial subjects will be allowed to participate, for the purpose of detennining the wili of black people as to their national destiny. Huey Newton helped to found the Black Panther Party in order to struggle for the freedom and raise the political consciousness of African American people. The party, open to both men and women, committed Itself to not only organizing and educating, but also servicing the community. The BPP's "survival programs" distributed food, clothing, shoes and medical care to needy community members. The BPP also sponsored education drives around sickle-cell anemia, a disease which mostly affects African American people. Stating that, "these programs satisfy the deep need of the community, but... are not solutions to our problems", Newton's vision was to lind .ways to change the underlying social conditions that deprived the African American community of basic human needs. The BPP was greatly feared by the U.S. government. They were under constant FBI and CIA surveWance. labeled as "armed and dangerous". FBI, CIA, and police informants Infiltrated the group and circulated rumors to create dIstrnst among Party members. BPP leadership was also routinely harassed, jailed and killed. (COlNTELPRO, the counter-Intelligence program of the U.S. government at the time. has lIIes which document its attempts to Infiltrate and overthrow groups like the BPP). This outside infiltration and Inner distrust eventually led to the break-Up of the Black Panther Party.

The legacy ofthe Black Panther Party and its struggle to fight for more humane andjust social and economic conditions for African Americans lives

on. In an etrort to· hand down this piece of history to the younger generations. the Olabisi mural is a document and tribute to the history of African Americans in the United States.

COMMENTARY

September 23, 1994

Los Angeles Times Editor - Commentary Times Mirror Square Los Angeles, california Dea r Editor:

Your Thursday, September 22, 1994, edition of the Los Angeles Times featured an article written by David Horowitz, entitled RA '60s Reviyal We Do", Ne.d: Black p.,thers.· Of course, this a Ameriea and everyone has a right to voice their opinion - whether right or wrong. I hope there is room in the Times for a contrary opinion. Because there is in fact a resurgence of -panther activity· in this countr Y the reasons for this phenomenon should be fully and co rrect i y unde rstood. Mr. Horowitz's assessment of the Black Panther Party (BPP) may be understandable given his stated ·personal reason to remember the dark side of the history" of the Panther Party, but it is obviously one-sided and therefore biased. Undoubtedly there was a "dark" side of the Panther PartYj but there is a Rdark R side to everyone and everything. No need to single out the BPP. In fact, in the real" world, nothing is all positive or all negative. The Black Panther Party (BPP), contrary to the assertions of Mr. Horowitz, certainly was not ill negativej in fact, arguably, its positive qualities clearly outweighed any negatives. "

I know there are many other African·Americans who read the Horowitz article and who share my sentiment that an appropriate response is needed if for no other reason than to "set the record straight." I feel uniquely qualified to address the "bright" side of the BPP and what I refer to as the "Black Panther Movement" [which obviously Mr . Horowitz does not, and probably cannot see because of his own biases and prejudices]. Historically speaking, the Black P..,lh.r Movement actually began" during the late 50' s in the South, Mississippi to be exact. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was the first to use the ·panther symbol,· and it was closely associated with the efforts of Southern Blacks to gain their right to vote in the all-white Democratic Party Election Primaries. The Black P..,lher Party for 581'-Def.... , as it was known when first organized in oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966, was one of several ·panther like· groups which "reemerged" during the mid-60's in response to the perce1ved failure of the Civil Rights Movement. One could say that the "panther" has arisen during times of crisis in African·American communities. It arose during the 50's when our determination to break the back of "jim crow' laws [which sought to criminalize resistance efforts of Black

Page 2: Los Angeles Times/Commentary - Sspembar 23,1994

people] spa rked the voting rights movement; during the 60' Sour relentless challenges to poverty and racism again brought forth the "black panther movement." One must not forget that when Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale first organized the. BPP in 1966 Black communities across the country were literally aflame and under siege by white-dominated police departments; the brutality and abuse of power by police officers was the rule and not the exception. During the 60'sJ intolerable conditions of poverty, "officially" segregated and inferior schools, racist housing and employment practices, and discriminatory and exploitative business practices J began to ignite social and political rebellions within and without the Afr~can­ American communities. It was out of these conditions that the BPP first organized ·self-defense- police patrols J free-food giveaway programs, and developed other ·survival" programs within Black communit1es across the country - and, in fact, by their efforts, heightened the social and political contradictions out of which fundamental changes occur. _~

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As we looil.. arou d in the 90's the mythical "color-blind" institlltiOQ of'" Justioe in this country is clearly at odds with concrete facts evidencing the "criminalization" of African-American and other youth of oolor. As we enter this last decade of this century we a re still confronted with some rather morbid facts of life and many institutionalized forms of racism and classism • adversely affecting untold numbers of poor African-Americans and other people of color. A recent U.S. Sentencing Commission report showed that 63% of people imprisoned under federal mandatory drug sentencing laws were African-American or Latino, and that one-third of the total had no prior criminal record. During the past twenty years the U.S. prison population has become the largest in the world; i t certainly appears that the blinded lady's scales of justice is systematically weighted against the interests of young African·American and Latino males who fill, disproportionately, the jails and prisons of the USA. Can anyone seriously doubt that these young men are the real victims of the now-lost American "War on Drugs and Crime." In the 60' s there was a "bright" side to the Black Panther Party and the "Panther movement" that i t was part and parcel of. This "bright" side represents a dedication and a determination to overcome adversity and oppression. As the "panther" reemerges in the 90's, and legitimately so, lets not forget from whence it came. Rev. Martin Luther King is often quoted as saying that "truth crushed to the ground will rise one day." The BPP was crushed by the weight of "official government repression" and its own immaturity as a revolutionary organization composed mostly of young people. As we approach the 21st century, there is massive deterioration of the American economYj soaring

Page 3: Los Angeles Times/Commentary - Ssp.mbar 23, 1994

unemployment rates have become just as socially acceptable as "soup lines· of homeless African·American man, women and families of color. Amidst this squalor and degradation, to the dismay of those who would ·apologize" for racism and oppression, arises a "new panther movement.' T1iE BLACK PANTHER PARTY IS DEAD - LONG LIVE T1iE PANTHER MOVEMENT!

B. Kwaku Duren was a former Coordinator of the Southern california Chapter of the BPP from 1975-1980; he has been a political activist with many, many years spent organizing inside and outside the African-American community. Mr. Duran is duly licensed to practice law in the state of California. He is also actively involved in the organizing of the N_ Ahlcan-Amerlcan Vanguard Movement [one of those ·panther revivalist" organizations that Mr. Horowitz correctly points out, is reemerging in African-American cities across the country] . -30-

Letters to The Times; .Black

Panthers • The Column Right by David Horowitz ("A '60s Revival We Don't Need:: Black Panthers," Sept. 22) is a very distorted account of black militancy in the 19605Horowitz recklessly labels the Blaek Panthen u Wan organi%e<J.. street gang with political hustle" who allegedly committed crimes against ghetto residents. Many members of the Panther party. as shown in the works of historian Manning Marable and the recent aULohiography of former

Panther Elaine Brown. did not engage in criminal activity and fought tirelessly . against severe deprivation and racial injustices. Such dedication produced a number of social programs which met certain needs of poor black families and restored some dignity and pride to their lives. The recent formation of Panther ehapletS in several large cities is 0( greal concern to Horowitz. He chastises the

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-FRIDAY. ...•. SEPTEMBER 30.

1994

leaders of two chapters for threatening public authorities with violent and revolu· tionary change. This militancy is largely the result of economic neglect and misery that extend back to the terrible conditions in the ghetto 30 years ago. Horowitz would serve th~ public (ar better by devoting more attention to the grievances of the '60s Panthers and discussing the connection betw~n their defWlce and current black anger.

MARTIN SCHIESI Missio.n Viejo • Horowitz clost'd by claiming he has waged an uphill batUe to bring the true story o( the Panthers to light and to keep it in the public eye. Without appearing to defend the Pan. then, I believe in the interest of truth he should have pointed out that (or many years the FBI literally ran the Panthers by extensively infiltrating the movement. The head o( the Chicago Black Panthers, Fred Hampton, was shot to death in his bed by the Chicago police.. His bodyguard, who' was an undercover agent. had slipped . Hampton a knockout pill For 13 years a court case ensued. whieh resulted in the exoneration o( Hampton, but no criminal charges were filed against the Chicago police. However. there was a setUement. o( a SI.5 million award paid to Hampton's survivors. The e((orts o( the FBI to discredit and destroy various movements in the 1960s is well·documented. the most notorious case being that o( J. Edgar Hoover's vendetta against Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. HERBERT B. LAMONT

Gardena

IIos Angeles mimes RlOiAROT. Sau.OSaERC III IiuJIibJwr iIIWI OW{ ~ 0fIkPr

Vol. XVII, No. 383 SERVING LOS ANGELES AND SURROUNDING AREAS

By ANGElA JOHNSON

A long and hard fought triumph for the African American and cultural arts roIDmunity came to fruition as the Cultural Affairs Commission unanimously, and finally after protracted debate, approved the production of the mural entitled "To Protect And Serve; by noted artist NoDi Olabisi, at their meeting with the artist, her supporters and staff and administration of the Social aDd Public Art Resource Center held last week October 6. Olabisi's mural design deals with the historical reality of the Black Panther Party. "To Protect and Serve~ was commissioned by the ~ cial al:ld Public Art Resource Center (SPARe) UDder its Great Walls 'Unlimited: Neighoorhood Pr~~ mural program, funded by a rontrad with the City', Cultural M· fairs Deparbnent. The mural will potentially be located at Hair Expressions, 3406 West Jefferson Boulevard in the Jefferson Park community of Los Angeles. Immediately at the top of the meeting, the Commission president, Arthur Pfefferm.an, hurriedly announced that be* cause of a prior engagement he would be unable to stay long, and thus would only have time to hear statements from two proponents and one opponent of the mmal project at most. before calling for the vole. Howard Ganb:nan, from

Noni Olabiai k.Deels, along with three 54th Street Elementary School stu. dent!, in front ofber mu.n.l "No JUlItice, No Peace,· ....hich 'WaS apouored by the SPARe Gtut Walli Un1imi1.edPrognm ill 1991. "No Justioe, No Peace" if; located on 54th Stnet at the corner ofWemm.

Councilwoman Rita Walters' office (Distrid 9), and Judith Baca, artistic director of SPARe, offered their com* ments of support for the pI'O* ject. Pfefferman cut Baca. off abruptly, giving a sketchy list of some of the concerns the commission had in relation to

the

mural.

And

just

as

abruptly, he called for a vote, at which time the mural was unanimously approved. It was as simple as that. Only, the process of getting to this point was by no means simple in anyone's book. The commission's approval was well received by the capacity crowd, oonsidering that up until this particu* lar meeting the Commission had withheld their approval of the mural dwing three previous meetings with SPARe. It was highly questionable whether the mural would ever be painted because of See PANTHER, page 17

THE LA. WAT!'S TIME

Pace 18

PANTIIER Continued from frout page

. "

"

what SPARe officials termed ~censorship efforts of the 0)D1miSsion." The mural had. from the outset, been met with vigorous opposition by the Cultural Affairs Commission, which ironically lacks representation from the African American rommunity. SPARe officials say that per usual, on February 8, the beginning of their project. sea· son, they presented a roster of proposed mural projects to the Cultural Affairs Cornn:rission for approval, all of which were accepted, save one. '-0 Protect and Serve," a powerfully-moving portrait depicting the leaders of the Black Panther Party in a stance of strength and determination-decked...~ut_ ..in ~!J1eir signature bladt'"turt1e neck, b1acJl..baret stylishly tilted to side and the black leather jacket-apparently drew out the ttunmissioners' latent fears. The mUIal was disapproved for the first time. Additionally the ColDlDissioD .asked that the artist be brought before them to answer some of their questions. This initial setback was the precurser to several meetings and debates, which included two more rejections oftbe mural. All of Los Angeles' mu· rals must be approved by a panel of seven commissioners, who are appointed by the Mayor. One commissioner's seat is vacant, making a total of four votes necessary for a project's approval. SPARC complied with the Commission's requesL Upon the second meeting, Au· gust 18, Olabisi appeared along with SPARC panelists who selected her work, com· munity residents and a host of SPARe supporters. Again the mmal was disapproved by the COmmission: For-eommission· ers Lee Ramer, Mee Hae Lee, Jane Levant; Against-Commission President Arthur Pfer· ferman and Alycia D."Enciso. directed Pfefferman

the

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ENTERTAIN:

SPARe to file a report with him recording their decision and selection process, petitions sbowing community support and a letter of support from ColDlcilman • Nate Holden. SPARe complied by canvass· ing the community, held meetings with community residents discussing the mural and its content, collected 900 signatures in favor of the project, and from aD indications the community response was positive about the mural.

PANTIIER eontiln1ed from. pap 17

SPARe was, however,

not able to "gamer the support of Councilman Nate Holden, in whose disbict the mural will be placed, although Gus Harris, a leader in the Jefferson Park Improvement Project, found no objection to the mu; ral. At a third Commissi~n meeting, September 1st, the mural was again disapproved by the panel. Another meeting was scheduled for the third week in September and then See PANTHER, page 18

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rescheduled for October 6th, at which time the project finally met with the Commission's approval. In addition to the folD' meetings with the Commission, SPARe conduded more than 20 meetings with the commu· nity and the art:iJlt in efforts to measure up to the Comm:ission's requirements. Based on guidelines determined by the 1991 Uniform Bailding City Ontinance Code Section 6201 (d), "Ideoloeical and Political Signs,· the ordinAncz specifically states that "no provision of this chapter sliall prohibit an ideological, p0litical and other noncommercial message on a sign otherwise permitted by this chapter." This is 8 mandate with which the commissioners, in their official role as monitors of the city's public art, are presumed to be intimately" familiar. Yet SPARe officials maintained that during the first three meetings with the commission, comments were made-ie. "the Panthers were bad people, they killed police," and "it doesn't show police in a positive ligbt"-wbicb suggest the contrary. Prior to the Commission's meeting with SPARe on October 6th, a closed· door executive session was called by the City Attorney, Mark Brown. According to wbat she was told by ber attorney who spoke with Brown prior to his con· vening the executive session, Bsca said she suspects that Brown informed the Commissioners. "That they were in via-lation already, precipit.ated by the fact

that the American Civil Liberties UniOD had asked for a transcript" from the pre· vious meetings. Baca nys that relin· quishing the transcript, 'Would have exposed that the Commission had al· ready overstepped its bounds. In other words, according to Chapter 62, it pro· hibits them from speaking about the content or to deny production of any (mw-al) beeause of its ideological mn· tent."

The vast amount of community support is believed to have swayed the Commission to finally approve "'To ~ ted and Serve"; that and the possibility of pending legal action had the project been. disapproved a fourth time with SPARe baving met all of the Commission's requirements. The image of wbo and what the Black Panther Party and their struggle was all about bas been distorted and diluted over the decades, yet their staunch sense of black manhood. has again become, as in the '60s, a source of pride among the neo-Black Revolutionaries, black intelligentsia, the" hip bop nation, and regular black folk alike. It is hoped that after all of the discussion and debate, this mural, which memorializes the positive changes initiated by the Black . Panther Party, can stand as 8 significant chapter in American history, and serve as a tool of education and understanding for the community of Jefferson Park and the city of Los Angeles. The artist, Olabisi, is just glad to be able to get on with her work-the aeation of this thougbt.provoking mural-and says she'D begin painting -as &OOn as they sandblast the waD.-